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CLean and Green: How SunPower Used Lean to Address Sustainability
After years of lean practice, solar-device manufacturer SunPower wanted something more. They wanted to continue their journey of continuous improvement…
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You Need More Smoke Detectors: Countering Firefighting with Leader Standard Work
Excessive firefighting is a major threat to lean transformations - it may seem easier to time-strapped managers, but it does…
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The Crucible of Innovation
Innovation is key to a successful successful development project, we always read. But innovation is a fickle term that gets…
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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…
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Waste in Process: Squeeze Before You Lean
"It seems intuitive to start applying lean to our processes, right?" writes Andrew Quibell. "Maybe so, but all that says…
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It’s About the Tools, Not the Terms
"I’ve never been a big fan of lean lingo," says John McCullough of Crayola. "It may sound expert-like, but I’ve…
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Ask Art: Is There More to Becoming Lean than Conducting Kaizen Events?
Kaizen events may be a key part of lean transformation, but they're certainly not the only aspect of it. They're…
Read article We’re installing an andon system – what should we expect?
Dear Gemba Coach: We’re installing an andon system – what should we expect?
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Put the ‘i’ Before the Apple
Apple is a company with a reputation for keeping its customers' needs at the forefront of its product development decisions.…
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Advice from the Gemba: Keeping Senior Leadership Committed
The cost savings of lean are not always apparent in the short term. If your senior leadership was skeptical going…
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A More Prepared Coach
"Many coaching situations we enter...with so little knowledge about the situation and how things work," writes Josh Howell. "Instead we…
Read article What does “daily problem solving” really look like in practice?
Dear Gemba Coach: I hear the phrase “daily problem solving” a lot. But what does it really mean in practice…
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