A paradigm is a framework for thinking about something, usually a scientific or technical discipline. Some examples of a paradigm might be the thought that big batches are good on a machine that has a long setup, or that Lean principles do not apply in office environments. Paradigms are often Read more…
POLL QUESTION: Which of the following most accurately describes Toyota’s current role in the Lean community?
I am a big fan of all that Toyota has done for the Lean community. Their contributions have been incalculable, and their willingness to share information is legendary…
Notes from Jeff: I’d like to thank my guest author, Tony Ferraro for his contribution to the Gotta Go Lean Blog.
Lean manufacturing is something many companies strive for but only some attain. Many businesses implement different strategies in order to make processes faster, cheaper, and more efficient. Let’s face it, in this day and age we are either meeting or exceeding the ever-changing customer expectations, or we are simply treading water just trying to stay afloat. The art of continuous improvement has a lot to do with how successful a business is…
KPI stands for key performance indicator. KPIs are the specific, quantifiable measures by which an organization evaluates its success. KPIs come from two main sources. The first is that they can cascade down from policy deployment and are linked to an improvement target. In that situation, a key performance indicator Read more…
In the generic definition, annual objectives are simply the company’s goals for a calendar year. In most cases these goals should target a degree of improvement. In a Lean organization, however, there’s a much more specific definition for annual objectives. It is a key component of policy deployment. Strategies are Read more…
POLL QUESTION: Who has contributed the most to modern Lean?
Modern Lean is the result of a community effort. Many people have contributed their knowledge over the years to form the current collective wisdom that we all share.
What is the origin of Lean? Toyota is commonly credited with being the birthplace of modern Lean. One of the key proponents there, Taiichi Ohno, is commonly thought of as the father of modern Lean. While that is mostly true, there is more to the story. The Toyoda family owned the company that Read more…
When is the best time to start a Lean journey? There are three typical times that a company starts a Lean journey. The company is in a crisis and looks to Lean to bail it out of a mess. The company is doing well and comes across Lean as a way to Read more…
POLL QUESTION: What Are the Most Important Lean Leadership Traits?
Leadership makes or breaks a Lean effort. Much of the gain comes from frontline effort, but that only happens when leaders set the right conditions for success.
This week’s question focuses on Lean leadership. We’d like to know what you see as the most important leadership traits for individuals guiding a team in a continuous improvement environment. This list comes from our 11 “C’s” of Lean Leadership.
Does Lean mean cutting headcount? One of the more common questions about Lean is whether it will result in headcount reductions. Traditional cost cutting frequently involves layoffs as part of the toolkit. Because of that close association between cost reduction and headcount reduction, it is no surprise that their employees Read more…
When a leader first announces that the company is going to commence on a Lean journey, frontline employees tend to have a strong reaction. Obviously, there are a lot of factors that play into the equation, but this week, I’d like to hear how you think employees typically respond to this sort of change.
When most people think of goal setting, KPIs, or improvement metrics in general, they tend to focus on targets. A lead time of 2 days is a target. 97% on time delivery is a target. Productivity of 7.6 units per labor hour is a target. Setting targets is an integral Read more…