PDCA Cycle

The PDCA cycle is a structured problem-solving approach. It is also known as the Deming cycle, after Dr. W. Edwards Deming, the man credited with popularizing the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. The 4 Steps of the PDCA Cycle include: The plan step of the PDCA cycle entails setting objectives and gathering the Read more…

Lean

In its original definition, Lean is a form of continuous improvement that springs from the Toyota Production System (TPS). The term “Lean” was popularized in the landmark book, Lean Thinking. It focuses on improving flow, with a heavy emphasis on reducing inventory. Nowadays, though, there is also a broader definition. Read more…

7 Wastes

The 7 wastes is one of the most important continuous improvement terms you will hear. Most of the Lean tools, at their core, focus on reducing waste to improve flow. The seven wastes provide a systematic way to categorize problems and identify improvement priorities. When assessing a process, looking for Read more…

Factory

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…

Lean Manufacturing

Lean manufacturing is the business philosophy of relentlessly eliminating waste to improve flow in a production environment. It has evolved into something far more widespread, and now Lean encompasses offices, construction, service, hospitals, and even government. While many people trace the roots of Lean manufacturing back to the Toyota Production Read more…