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The Lean Post
The Lean Post
Sharing how the world is making things better through lean.
Beyond 'Linear' Intelligence: Learning Lean Through Shared Experiments and Improvements
Learning entails far more than a linear set of directions from one person to another, argues LEI's Masia Goodman, who presents ways that the upcoming Virtual Lean Learning Experience (VLX) seeks to incorporate lean ways of learning. More »
How the A3 Process Developed to Help Build Better Managers, Part Two
In this second of two articles, Isao Yoshino and John Shook explore how A3 emerged as powerful practice at Toyota for developing better managers. More »
How the A3 Process Developed to Help Build Better Managers
One of the hallmarks of a successfully executed A3 process is that it is a collaborative activity--a learning process for everyone involved: for learner and teacher, senpai and kohai, sensei and deshi, say authors Isao Yoshino and John Shook. Here's the first of two articles tracing the development of A3 thinking at Toyota. More »
PDCA Is Really CA-PDCA -- and It’s the CA that Makes the PD Work
Why Grasping the Actual Conditions (firsthand as an automatic practice) at the beginning, during, and after a problem-solving effort is the most important part of the process. More »
What You Will Learn by Reflecting on Your Organization's Work-at-Home Experience
Reflecting on your work-from-home experience promises to provide needed insights about knowledge work and the routine work that accompanies it—both the work itself and its underlying processes. Here's a guide to help you get started. More »
Learning the Hard and Soft Skills of Lean Coaching
While lean is often associated with process improvement, error reduction, and greater efficiency in a wide range of numbers; most veterans argue that above all else, this system is primarily about healthy, productive, and sustainable coaching. More »
Building the Enabling Bureaucracy
A conversation with RJ Scaringe about creating the "Rivian Way." More »
Why You Should Link Hoshin Kanri with A3 Problem-Solving
With A3 tightly linked to hoshin, an organization will not only solve problems but also will have the opportunity to innovate new ways of operating throughout the business More »
Keeping the "Day One" Spirit Alive
Building in a cadence of gemba walks helps nurture the vital "day one" startup spirit as a company grows, says Regis Medina. He offers key tips on how to cultivate this approach. More »
Making Your Work Work in the First 90 Days
In your first 90 days as a lean leader, what path will you take to support transformation? Andrew Quibell details the elements of both a tactical approach as well as a strategic one. More »
5 Guiding Principles to Accelerate Your Lean Transformation
Chief architects for lean transformation have been seeking effective ways of realizing tangible gains for years, says Senior Coach Alice Lee. She shares how a global team of Lean Coaches came to see themselves as "tailors" offering guidelines for Chief Architects in any organization to adapt to their situation. More »
Quick and Practical Tips for Effective Virtual Process Mapping
In the wake of new lockdowns to halt the spread of the coronavirus, companies need ways for home-based team members and coaches to collaborate online to improve processes. So, in a recent webinar for product developers in the Lean Product and Process Development group, Coach John Drogosz demonstrated practical tips that you can use now for virtually mapping a process when the facilitator and team members are all working remotely. More »
Our Burning Platform and Using the 5 Whys to Think More Deeply about Corrective Action
A call to action: As lean thinkers, we should join with our diversity, equity, and inclusion experts to help transform our business cultures. We must muster up the courage on our burning platform to face the centuries-old problem of systematic racism in our law enforcement, government, healthcare, education, housing, and employment. More »
How A Complete Lean Production System Fuels Global Success
In this article prepared for the 2007 relaunch of the seminal book The Machine that Changed the World, co-author Jim Womack correctly forecast Toyota's rise, and identifes the key elements of a dynamic lean production system. More »
Being 'Right' is Not Enough
All of us have problem-solving experiences to reflect on and learn from. And what better time to draw out that learning than now, when we as a society are tackling massive problems like the coronavirus pandemic and racism. In my case, I keep thinking about one experience when I failed. More »
Learn by Doing: Overcoming Inertia and Triggering Engagement Through Kaizen
Practicing daily kaizen powerfully drives the heart of any serious lean effort to learn and improve, a topic that will be addressed in the Virtual Lean Learning Experience by several process improvement leaders from Amadeus Hospitality. This Post shares articles from the archives that expand on this practice. More »
The Healing Power of Lean Product and Process Development in Healthcare
Can Lean Product and Process Development or LPPD, which evolved in the automotive industry, work in healthcare? Paul Paliani, who worked for almost 20 years as an automotive engineer and now leads a healthcare innovation team, offers insights and results. More »
Lean Accounting is about Respect for People
The author recalls his first experience in learning first-hand the importance of providing easily understandable information to the people who can and will make a difference; it was transformative. More »
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