Terms are listed most recent first. Check back often to see when we post new Lean content.
Processes are the bread and butter of continuous improvement. They are the series of linked actions (or steps, tasks, activities, operations, etc.) performed to reach a specific outcome. Processes take randomness and bring it to order. Imagine what would happen if nobody followed a process when driving. No process for Read more…
Imagine you are at home, and you hear a funny sound coming from the washing machine, you smell a slight odor of smoke coming from the kitchen, or you see a water mark on the ceiling. Each of these things indicates that something just isn’t right. They are abnormal conditions. Read more…
This may seem obvious, but a brand is the identifier that lets customers know the company producing the product or service they are buying. It distinguishes between the products of different businesses. In many cases, brands are trademarked. To prevent confusion with consumers, other companies are not allowed to use Read more…
Visual management is the concept of creating a more effective workplace by making its current conditions obvious at a glance. But visual management doesn’t stop there. For it to be effective, there must also be a predetermined course of action when a specific (whether normal or abnormal) condition is identified. Read more…
A value stream is the series of activities that take a product from the supplier to the customer (for a physical product), or from the customer request to filling that need (for a service or informational product). It includes all the value-adding processes that the company performs in the Lean Read more…
A stand-up meeting is a quick team gathering to make sure that the day is properly planned out. Topics generally include the current day’s goals and issues, previous day’s results, ongoing project status, and anything special on the agenda. The stand-up meeting is part of a daily management program, and Read more…
Level loading, also known as heijunka, is the practice of using demand estimates to establish an average production level. By smoothing the demand, Lean companies can standardize their processes better, and can match their capacity to the current needs of the customer. Level loading on a mixed-model production line balances Read more…
Job rotation is an important concept in Lean. Simply put, it is the act of periodically moving people around to different tasks, accounts, or workstations. The rotation may be on a set schedule, or on an ad hoc basis. Cross-training is a prerequisite for successful job rotation. Job rotation is Read more…
Information technology (also known as IT) is the group primarily responsible for maintaining a company’s computer and communications systems. Information technology groups are also responsible for selecting, installing, updating, training, and troubleshooting the software systems in a company. Good Information technology groups see their big picture role in corporate strategy, Read more…
Facts and data are the supporting evidence for making decisions. Gathering facts and data is a key part of any problem-solving process, but it becomes particularly important in Lean. Making frequent changes, as companies do when they create a continuous improvement culture, also increases the number of opportunities to make Read more…
Follow-up is the act of making sure that… something that was supposed to be done was, in fact, done, or something that was done is working as planned In short, follow-up is confirming that things are going as expected. Unlike an audit, which is a broader check, a follow-up is Read more…
A factory is a discrete building or group of buildings that produces a product or product line. The first image that comes to mind with the term factory is often a car manufacturing facility, like those run by Toyota, a company well-known for its Lean manufacturing. In reality, a factory Read more…