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Operator morale has suffered terribly since we implemented cell manufacturing, and the ideas that kaizens generate have been weak. Would you please share your insights on this situation?

Dear Gemba Coach: Operator morale has suffered terribly since we implemented cell manufacturing, and the ideas that kaizens generate have been weak. Would you please…

by Michael Ballé

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Following Four Steps to a Lean Material-Handling System Leads to a Leap in Performance

The Delphi Delco Electronics facility in Kokomo, IN, followed a methodical four-step implementation process to replace a traditional material-handling system for purchased parts with a…

by Chet Marchwinski

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Ask Art: Do You Prefer a Handwritten or Computerized Process for Visual Management?

You can — and should — focus on more critical operational questions than how to set up your visual management systems. Here are the questions…

by Art Byrne

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I don’t get kanban -- I don’t work in production so how would it apply to one-off work?

Dear Gemba Coach: I feel that I still don’t get kanban. I don’t work in production, and I fail to see how stock replenishment would…

by Michael Ballé

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You can do a lot by doing a few things

"Developing a good strategy and actually executing it is really hard," writes Leslie Barker. "What I didn’t fully realize was how powerful just a little…

by Leslie Barker

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Deliberate Innovation Through Lean Product & Process Development

Check out LEI's live blog from the Lean Product and Process Development Exchange (North America) Conference happening now in Durham, North Carolina.

by Lex Schroeder

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Coaching Effectively Within Takt Time

When time is of the essence and work just needs to be done, how do you help someone improve their work or solve a problem…

by Jeff Smith

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Ask Art: How Can I Ensure the Participation of Top Management?

Always keep in mind that to be successful with lean, senior management must drive the change, says lean veteran Art Byrne. He shares evidence of…

by Art Byrne

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How Does Pull Relate to Problem-Solving?

Dear Gemba Coach: I’ve been following the exchanges on The Lean Edge with great interest, and all the lean authors seem to focus on problem…

by Michael Ballé

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What topics, tools, and techniques would you include in an MBA-level course on teaching lean concepts?

Dear Gemba Coach: I am designing an MBA-level course to teach lean concepts.  What topics, tools, and techniques would you include in a 7-week, 14-session…

by Michael Ballé

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Any Color You Want Except Tuxedo Black

Henry Ford could get the customer any type of Model T as long as it was black. But the Ford Motor Company now finds itself…

by John Shook

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Isn’t flow the ultimate aim of lean?

Dear Gemba Coach: Isn’t flow the ultimate aim of lean?

by Michael Ballé

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Are computer screens okay for visual management?

Dear Gemba Coach: Can I use computer screens for visual management or is that a big no-no?

by Michael Ballé

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“How ThedaCare Created Its Own Management System”, Follow-Up Q&A

Kim Barnas, author of Beyond Heroes: A Lean Management System for Healthcare, answers questions that we couldn't get to during the hour-long webinar on how…

Article

How do I reconcile the lean healthcare goal to organize around the patient with management demands to cut costs?

Dear Gemba Coach: I’m the lean director at a hospital where the board keeps investing and then asking us to cut costs. I understand lean…

by Michael Ballé

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NUMMI Closes and is Crushed by N.Y. Times Columnist Bob Herbert

New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. closes its doors for the final time this Thursday, April Fools' Day. It is a sad occasion for anyone who…

by John Shook

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Art of Lean on Problem-Solving, Part 2: Lessons From NBA Coaches

In the second part of his series on problem-solving, Art Smalley gets a clean steal from the world of coaching in NBA basketball, examining how…

by Art Smalley

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Ask Art: What Are the Most Important Management Changes Needed to Implement A Lean Turnaround?

Lean thinking requires a totally different mindset than traditional management, argues lean veteran Art Byrne. This is probably the most significant reason that companies fail…

by Art Byrne

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Live Blogging the Lean Transformation Summit, Day 2

LEI Senior Editor Tom Ehrenfeld continues his live blog of the Lean Transformation Summit, happening now in Orlando!

by Tom Ehrenfeld and Lex Schroeder

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Ask Art: How Do You Create a Lean Culture?

The author of the best-selling books The Lean Turnaround and The Lean Turnaround Action Guide and former CEO of The Wiremold Company offers in-depth, practical…

by Art Byrne