On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on
READ MOREPaul Akers answers the popular question, “Do you apply Lean thinking at home?” In this new video Paul brings us into his own and shows a number of great ideas where he has applied lean thinking. His approach to life is about making simple improvements to make life easier. Every second he saves is a
READ MOREThe Seven Basic Tools of Quality is a designation given to a fixed set of graphical techniques identified as being most helpful in troubleshooting issues related to quality. They are called basic because they are suitable for people with little formal training in statistics and because they can be used to solve the vast majority
READ MOREWhen people talk about productivity and smartphones the conversation is usually about being able to stay connected or some app touting productivity. Both of these are true and are much of the reason people get a smartphone. They are wonderfully powerful devices that continue to transform the way we do things. In a recent post
READ MOREConsider attending the Northeast Lean Conference in Springfield, MA on October 5-6, 2011. The theme is “Made Lean in America” and the idea is to gather hundreds of people to make a strong statement about the ability of companies to use lean to remain a strong and vital part of the American economy. For these
READ MOREOn Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on
READ MOREFrequent readers of this blog know I like to share good Lean examples as well as resources you can use to keep learning. Today’s post combines both elements into one. Ryder System, Inc., a provider of leading-edge transportation, logistics and supply chain management solutions, defines their Lean thinking process and principles. The key to delivering long-term
READ MOREPaul Akers describes his approach to teaching lean principles of productivity improvement this way: “All I do is ask everybody to make a two-second improvement a day for the rest of their life.” An accumulation of two-second improvements and a relentless emphasis on lean methods have helped build FastCap from a single product—a peel-and-stick cover for
READ MOREA reader recently asked me for some information on implementing 5S in their factory. Even though I shared my 6S posters a couple weeks ago I thought I could still share some more. 5S was developed, as with so many of today’s best practice tools, in Japan. 5S is the name of a workplace organization
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