Why Eliminating Waste Alone Doesn’t Work: Understanding Muda, Muri, and Mura
- Lean Basics, Lean Definition
- April 15, 2026

Who doesn’t love LEGOS? It’s fun, it’s practical, and…it’s philosophical. Approach Lean like a LEGO project: brick by brick. “Today I want you to stop worrying about that final plan, and instead focus on just putting the next LEGO brick in the right spot. THAT’S IT.” That’s pretty much how you build with LEGO. One
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5S is a process and method for creating and maintaining an organized, clean, and high performance workplace. It enables anyone to distinguish between normal and abnormal conditions at a glance. 5S can be the foundation for continuous improvement, zero defects, cost reductions and a more productive work space. The 5S methodology is a systematic way
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Value stream mapping is a tremendously valuable tool for improving a process. Well suited for a broad range of industries and processes. A value stream map (VSM) illustrates the flow of materials and information as a product or service moves through a process. Value-stream mapping is a useful tool for grasping the current situation and
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Kaizen events are opportunities to discuss problems within your organization. The purpose is to find workable solutions to problems within an organization or to find new opportunities for a company. The participants of a Kaizen event are key to the success of it. They need to be engaged, thinking and interacting throughout the entire event.
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At the center of a Lean culture and key to success is customer focus. Many companies do Lean for internal cost reasons rather than external and customer-focused reasons. The focus of Lean is on providing the customer with more value sooner. Without customer focus, Lean management techniques are difficult to employ. For any business the
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One of the most misunderstood aspects of Lean is the use of inventory. Inventory is one of the eight deadly sins (wastes) in Lean manufacturing. This waste is often one that hides other wastes in our businesses. I think most are familiar with the river and boulder analogy. The water level in the river is
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