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Coach's Corner: Designing the Entire Value Stream From Concept to Product End Life

Creating an environmentally-conscious value stream can be done with LPPD principles in mind. Just ask Katrina Appell, who explains how LPPD can help reduce both…

by Katrina Appell, PhD

Article

As Your Customer’s Definition of Value Evolves, So Must Yours

If you don’t realize that your customer’s definition of value has expanded to include social responsibility and racial equity, you may learn so at a…

by Christopher D. Chapman

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Addressing the Labor Shortage by Innovating the Work

Learn how a restaurant is working to attract and retain workers by improving the work inside their commissary.

by Josh Howell and Matthew Savas

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Ask Art: Is Lean a Good Cost-Reduction Program?

A point-by-point comparison demonstrates why lean thinking and practice is a business strategy, not merely a cost-cutting strategy.

by Art Byrne

Lexicon Term

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement, also known as “Kaizen”, is a philosophy and set of principles that focuses on making small, incremental changes to processes, systems, and activities…

Article

How to Improve Your Product Development Process

Members of LEI's Lean Product and Process Development Learning Group share their successful strategies.

by Matthew Savas

Article

Ask Art: How Do You Align Incentives for a Lean Turnaround?

A veteran lean leader offers practical strategies for incentivizing employees during a transition to lean management.

by Art Byrne

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How Can Lean Help Manage the Costs and Complications of Satisfying Customers During Rapid Growth?

An entrepreneur shares why and how lean management helps startups innovate and grow.

by Michael Ballé and Nicolas Chartier

Article

Two LEI Learning Group Partner Executives Honored with National Award 

GE Appliances, a Haier company, Pella Corporation, and the nonprofit Lean Enterprise Institute celebrate colleagues’ recognition for demonstrating excellence and leadership in their careers and…

by Patricia Panchak

Article

Why Lean Management Requires Humble Hubris

A lean coach reflects on the mindset and related behaviors that are the standardized work of “being the change you wish to see.”

by Jim Benson

Article

The Lean Community and the Second “P”

The second “P” in lean product and process development or LPPD is as important as the first “P.” At least it should be. But as…

by James (Jim) Womack, PhD

Article

From Concept to Reality: The Importance of Manufacturing Know-How in Product Development

This month’s Design Brief examines the know-how behind making things well, including how rigorous process development paired with product development improves quality and costs, how…

by Jim Morgan

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The Lean Manager (Chapter 1)

The Lean ManagerChapter OneCUSTOMERS FIRST“He’s closing the plant!”Closing the plant meant losing his job. Losing his job meant losing Malancourt. Losing Malancourt didn’t bear thinking…

by Freddy Ballé and Michael Ballé

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What is Lean?

Lean is a way of thinking about creating needed value with fewer resources and less waste. And lean is a practice consisting of continuous experimentation…

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Lean Product & Process Development

Learn the systems-based method of new product, process, and service innovation that enables you to leverage your entire enterprise to create sustainable—and profitable—value streams.  

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Line Management

Find out how to gain the trust of frontline contributors and, in turn, create a culture of continuous improvement that ensures organizational stability—and agility.  Helping frontline staff improve…

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Learning to See Using
Value-Stream Mapping 

Develop a blueprint of improvements that will achieve your organization’s strategic objectives.

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