Terms are listed most recent first. Check back often to see when we post new Lean content.
The concept of an order backlog is pretty simple. It is the queue of orders that are waiting to be fulfilled. This queue occurs when customer demand exceeds the ability to immediately supply items to the customer. Backlogs tend to be dynamic. That simply means that they grow and shrink Read more…
Available-to-Promise, or ATP is a logistics function, usually of ERP (enterprise resource planning) or MRP (manufacturing resource planning) software, that allows a person or system taking an order to commit to a delivery date for a customer. The algorithms within the software will determine how those dates are calculated, and Read more…
Many universities have standalone Lean programs, or have it integrated into its curriculum. University-earned credentials tend to carry a bit more weight than private companies. While there are many universities in these categories, there are a handful that are more well-known for their programs than others. Purdue University https://www.purdue.edu/leansixsigmaonline/ University Read more…
Toyota is ground zero for modern Lean. It is where all of the historical advances in manufacturing technology and operational leadership and supply chain management came together in what is recognizable as the current version of Lean. Taiichi Ohno is widely credited with being the most instrumental person in creating Read more…
SME is a non-profit organization that is geared towards helping companies with innovation and growth through the promotion of manufacturing technology. It also emphasizes training the workforce and “connecting the manufacturing industry”. Its original target audience was manufacturing engineers, but it has since rebranded itself to appeal to a wider Read more…
The Shingo Institute is part of the Jon M. Huntsman School of Business. Its namesake is Shigeo Shingo, the man responsible for documenting the early improvements made by Toyota and spreading Lean to the western world. While the Shingo Institute provides training, its most notable activity is awarding the Shingo Read more…
This is a tricky entry. There is a lot of corporate politics, personal opinion, and vague memories that go into it. This consulting group, however, is important to the development of Lean in the US, so deserves a place in this list. A bit of background. In the rapid growth Read more…
NIST is the government agency that sets and maintains standards for measurements in the US. A standard is essentially the reference against which measuring devices are calibrated. Think of your ruler or tape measure. How long is the space between each tic mark? Without a single definitive source, each manufacturer Read more…
Motorola is the birthplace of Six Sigma. It was conceived by Bill Smith, an engineer at the company, in 1986. Many of the concepts within Six Sigma had been around for a while, but this was the first time that they had been organized into a cohesive system for making Read more…
The Lean Global Network is a collaboration organization that boast the membership (as of 2020) of 30 institutes around the globe. This includes both the Lean Enterprise Institute in the US and the Lean Enterprise Academy in the UK. Its stated goal is “making things better by advancing lean thinking Read more…
LEI is a non-profit based in Boston, Massachusetts. It was founded in 1997 by James Womack. Its mission is listed on the website as “Make things better, through lean thinking and practice.” It does publishing and training events, and has a wealth of information on its website. One of LEIs Read more…
The Lean Enterprise Academy is the UK equivalent to the Lean Enterprise Institute. The websites share a common look and feel and sell many of the same products. The Lean Enterprise Academy is a non-profit organization that aims “to develop and disseminate knowledge of lean thinking and lean practice.” It Read more…