Standard Work is a very misunderstood concept in Lean Thinking. It's not just about following a set of steps and a hard nosed manager holding his
Visual Management Principles: Make Problems Visible
There's a reason why Kindergarten and preschool classes work - everything is visible. As that famous book said about kindergarten, adults can learn
Overproduction and 7 Wastes for the Environment
The Environmental Protection Agency has a robust training program on how to apply Lean to the environment. They've provided a Lean Toolkit
5 Whys for Entrepreneurs
This articles presents a 5 Whys Lean Startup Example - how to apply lean to entrepreneurship. I'm delighted to see Lean Thinking applied to areas
Process Control and Luck
In Lean Thinking, how something gets done is more important than the results. Anathema you say, let me explain. With an over-zealous focus on
Open Heart, Empty Stomach, and SMED
I love the Food Network - I'm not a great cook, but I love cooking and I really enjoy cooking shows. We know there's many aspects in the food industry
Happy Workers is the Result of Lean Leadership
One thing I know from experience: when people are given a chance to participate in creating something good, solving a problem, and play a role in
Schedule Meetings in the Gemba for Effective Lean Management
Schedule meetings in the Gemba - in their natural environment is where the opportunities are. I scheduled a meeting this week and a room for our
Respect for People and Underutilization of Talent
The two pillars in Lean Thinking are Continuous Improvement and Respect for People. What is not well understood is that most of what we know as The