Article

An Innovative Framework for Designing Better Products and Services – and a Better Future

Because of the enormous “shadow” it casts over the entire enterprise for years, product development literally designs the future of companies, employees, customers, and suppliers.…

by Chet Marchwinski and James Morgan, PhD

Article

The Formula for a Successful Management System: LB * OS = MS

In order to reap the benefits of an effective management system it is important that the operating system and leadership behaviors be aligned and consistent,…

by James Morgan, PhD

Article

What Too Many Value Stream Maps Completely Miss

Believe it or not, up to half of all the value-stream maps that cross Drew Locher's desk are missing something extremely important. In his first…

by Drew Locher

Article

The Power of Inspiration

Lean thinker Paige Henry shares a call to action: let’s get our leaders and people to realize “it’s about the think” to prevent problems happening…

Article

We’re installing an andon system – what should we expect?

Dear Gemba Coach: We’re installing an andon system – what should we expect?

by Michael Ballé

Article

Kaizen Learning vs. Traditional Problem-Solving

"Lean offers a fundamentally different approach to problem-solving than most traditional companies practice," writes Art Byrne. "Most [traditional] companies delegate important problems to teams of…

by Art Byrne

Article

Learning to Teach the Soft Side of Lean

If there’s one common theme among virtually any failed effort, it boils to a failure to engage people in the purpose, says Tracey Richardson. That's why…

by Tracey Richardson

Article

Learning from Managing to Learn

It has been about four months since the release of Managing to Learn, now already in its second printing. I’ve received incredible response from many…

by John Shook

Case Study

Cultivating a Lean Problem-Solving Culture at O.C. Tanner

O.C. Tanner is in the appreciation business. It develops employee reward and recognition programs and manufactures a wide variety of emblems, rings, trophies, and other…

by Doug Bartholomew

Article

Are You Ready for the Next Crisis?

The Cleveland Clinic's lean management and operating system helped it handle the challenges arising from the pandemic. Here are several key principles they learned that…

by John Shook and Lisa Yerian, MD

Article

Getting Started with Lean Accounting

Before your organization gets started with lean accounting, the accounting function must first expand its thinking beyond transactions and into practices. Here's how.

by Nick Katko

Article

Operations IS Your Customer

Discover how redefining operations as the primary customer of engineering can transform product development, enhance collaboration, and drive unprecedented improvements in quality and efficiency.

by Steve Shoemaker 

Article

The Value of Key Performance Indicators in a Lean Transformation

We all know to watch out for key performance indicators (KPIs) in the workplace - but are you tracking the RIGHT KPIs? Ernie and Tracey…

by Ernie Richardson and Tracey Richardson

Article

How to Go to the Gemba: Go See, Ask Why, Show Respect

Here are some guidelines I use when doing a gemba walk as an outside advisor.

by John Shook

Article

The Crucible of Innovation

Innovation is key to a successful successful development project, we always read. But innovation is a fickle term that gets tossed around like a coin.…

by James Morgan, PhD

Article

What does “separation of human work and machine work” mean?

Dear Gemba Coach: I’ve been trying to learn more about Jidoka and I keep coming across references to “separation of human work and machine work”…

by Michael Ballé

Article

Sometimes Less Lean is Mo' Lean

After seeing a great concert by blues legend Keb' Mo', Brent Wahba reflected on some lean principles embodied in the ways this event delivered such…

by Brent Wahba

Case Study

Putting Lean Principles in the Warehouse

While lean principles and practices have been widely adopted in manufacturing over the last couple of decades, their use in the warehouse and distribution center…

by Doug Bartholomew

Article

Lean Transformational Leadership Webinar - Follow-up Q & A and Reading List

During the Transformational Leadership webinar, many of you asked for the list of related books and articles that presenter Jim Luckman cited. He has provided…

by Jim Luckman

Article

Follow-up Q & A to the Webinar "Integrating Leader Standard Work with Visual Management Tools”

This webinar was one of our most popular and highly rated. From among the hundreds of questions that we received during the webinar, we selected…

by Joe Murli