Tips for Lean Managers Archives | Page 11 of 22

The Lean Journey and the Long Path

By Jon Miller - July 22nd, 2008

A journey is used as a common metaphor for lean deployment. In fact many speak of the implementation of the Toyota Production System and its many non-production sub-processes as “the lean journey”. As a pursuit of zero waste, it is

Three Ways to Draw Future State Value Stream Maps

By Jon Miller - July 16th, 2008

A value stream map is a diagram showing the flow of the material, goods or services and also the supporting information flow. It is typically drawn in a clockwise fashion beginning at the customer in the two o’clock position, bac

Continuous Improvement vs. Continual Improvement

By Jon Miller - June 8th, 2008

Most organizations implementing lean principles today do not in fact practice “continuous improvement”. What they practice would be better termed “continual improvement”. The distinction between continual improv

Lean Strategies for Workforce Development in Manufacturing

By Jon Miller - April 27th, 2008

A while back, I attended a meeting of CAMPS, the Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Puget Sound. Like many consortia around the U.S. and in other countries, a group of manufacturers, local government, academia, and service providers

Another Way of Learning to See

By Jon Miller - April 7th, 2008

What do you do when you just can’t take people to the gemba as part of your lean training? For example if you are conducting training in a hotel, a university class room or a faraway executive suite, how do you build direct obser

The Seven Steps to Zero Thinking

By Jon Miller - February 13th, 2008

There are many misguided ways to explain or to think of lean management. We’ve discussed some of these in the 10 common misconceptions of lean manufacturing previously. It may not be complete but it is correct to think of lean as

Exploring the “Respect for People” Principle of the Toyota Way

By Jon Miller - February 3rd, 2008

Author, Professor and lean thinker Bob Emiliani has made another important contribution with his new book Practical Lean Leadership. I had the pleasure of reviewing and giving editorial input on this fine book and would recommend it fo

Sustainability, the New Buzzword. But Is It Sustainable?

By Jon Miller - January 26th, 2008

Thanks to polar ice melts, $100 per barrel oil prices, and an inevitable generational shift to people who have grown up hearing about environmental destruction arriving in positions to influence opinion, consumption and policy, sustain

Lay First the Foundation of Humility

By Jon Miller - January 17th, 2008

I came across this great quote by St. Augustine. Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. These words work on many levels. When corporate board rooms

The Pros and Cons of Model Lines for Lean Implementation

By Jon Miller - January 16th, 2008

In continuous improvement terminology a “model line” is a closely connected series of processes that are the target of focused implementation of lean principles. It derives from the selecting a production line and convertin

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