Article
Taiichi Ohno's Birthday and 100 Years of Lean
Today is Taiichi Ohno's birthday. Were he alive, the primary developer of the Toyota Production System would be turning 100 years old. Much has happened…
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Article
Is Lean Thinking Art or Science? Yes
Calling the recent book Lean Conversations a landmark initiative on lean and the arts, John Shook observes that "If Jean Cocteau’s famous observation that 'art…
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Article
The Joys of a Brownfield
“Lean experience teaches us to enjoy and make the most of going to see. Go to the gemba, go there a lot, and learn to…
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Learning Lean - Collaboratively
John Shooks reflects on the importance of continual learning in lean practice, emphasizing the distinction between being a passive knower and an active learner.
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Video
Getting Started with Lean Thinking and Practice
This brief animation answers the novice lean thinkers’ most common question.
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Article
Lean Information Management
Recently I was walking through a manufacturing operation and found myself wondering about the principles of lean information management, in particular with regard to production…
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My management team feels tense and pressured about going to the gemba. Is this normal?
Dear Gemba Coach: I’ve decided to take my management team to the gemba to get them to solve real problems but this is creating a…
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How Do I Lead An Existing Lean Initiative as a Newcomer?
Dear Gemba Coach: The head of the lean initiative in our company has left and they gave me the job. I’ve been asked to review our…
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What does customer focus really mean?
Dear Gemba Coach: We’re discussing improving our customer focus, but we’ve realized we’re not quite sure what the phrase really means. Any pointers?
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Our technical guys are really resisting the idea of standard work. What should we do?
Dear Gemba Coach: Our technical guys are really resisting the idea of standard work. They believe they each have their own way of working and…
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Could you clarify the difference between cause and root cause?
Dear Gemba Coach: Could you clarify the difference between cause and root cause?
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How Do I Keep My Lean Team Motivated for the Long Term?
Dear Gemba Coach: My team often feels that they are alone in their improvement efforts. Even after all our work we continue to encounter resistance…
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Should value-stream mapping come before 5S?
Dear Gemba Coach: Shouldn’t VSM come before 5S so we see the whole picture first?
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How effective is a book club?
Dear Gemba Coach: How effective is a book club? Should we invest in book clubs?
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What the heck is a dojo?
ear Gemba Coach: What is a “dojo”? I hear about it but don’t find it referenced in the lean tools. Is it important?
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Are Design Thinking and Lean Thinking the Same?
Dear Gemba Coach: As a practitioner and advocate of design thinking, I’ve been curious about lean, but it seems to me we’re talking about the…
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My CEO, who supported lean, has left and been replaced by a pure finance guy. It doesn't look good for the lean effort. What should I do?
Dear Gemba Coach: My CEO, who supported lean, has left and been replaced by a pure finance guy. It doesn’t look good for the lean…
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How can I speed up my team’s lean learning?
Dear Gemba Coach: How can I speed up my team’s lean learning?
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How do we pass the baton from one lean leader to the next?
Dear Gemba Coach: What are your thoughts about ensuring that a lean transformation persists past a leader’s tenure at an organization?
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As someone who is new to lean, is there something I’m not being told?
Dear Gemba Coach: I’m new to lean, and I find it fascinating. Is there something I’m not being told? Is there an elephant in the…
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