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Avoiding Common Pitfalls of Value-Stream Mapping
Mike Rother, co-author of Learning to See, offers some insights about the dos, don’ts, and maybes of value-stream mapping.
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The Wonder of Level Pull
Many years ago in Toyota City I first witnessed the twin concepts of level production and the smooth pull of…
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Lean Transformation Lives and Dies With Tools and Dies
The story of The Wiremold Company's lean transformation is familiar to many Lean Thinkers. But what isn't as well known…
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Lean Beyond the Factory
I've been thinking a lot recently about just what a business really is. As a lean process thinker, my best…
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Adding Cost or Creating Value?
I was out on tour this past week, listening to companies' stories as they try to achieve a "lean" transformation.…
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Misunderstandings About Value Stream Mapping, Flow Analysis, and Takt Time
Value-stream mapping is not flow analysis, but rather a simple tool that guides you through the process of analysis to…
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Lean Thinking Therapy Spreads Beyond the Shop
Medtronic Xomed expanded the lean transformation beyond the shop floor to areas such as international distribution, product development, and domestic…
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Why We Are a Nonprofit (And How You Can Benefit)
Every month I get calls and emails from folks thinking the Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) is a consulting business and…
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The Prospects for Lean
As we all return to work in the New Year, I wanted to provide a few thoughts on the prospects…
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Is Lean Mean?
I was recently asked a question that demanded an answer: “How can you advocate ideas that improve efficiency but destroy…
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The Beginner’s Guide To Lean
Toyota has just overtaken Ford as number two in the global motor industry, and at the Tokyo motor show confirmed…
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Is Lean Green?
People often tell me that lean thinking must be “green” because it reduces the amount of energy, manufacturing space, and…
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