Gemba Academy

TPS is the Thinking People System

By Jon Miller - December 1st, 2004

Recently, a friend who is a Lean Manager for a local aerospace company gave us some insight into how Toyota is presenting TPS to the world. After studying at several Toyota facilities in Kentucky, he informed us that they are now calli

Gemba Keiei, Chapter 2: If You Are Wrong, Admit It

By Jon Miller - November 29th, 2004

In the second chapter Taiichi Ohno continues to gently lecture senior managers. He begins by answering the question of based on his earlier assumption “Why are we wrong half of the time?” by saying that our thinking is wron

A Sense of Urgency Like Smokey & the Bandit

By Jon Miller - November 28th, 2004

On a recent trip to Brazil, I had the opportunity to visit a 270-employee automotive components manufacturer that is doing Lean. I was very impressed by the openness to change and the energy I felt among both the management and workfor

Gemba Keiei, Chapter 1: The Wise Mend their Ways

By Jon Miller - November 22nd, 2004

Taiichi Ohno begins the chapter by saying that he doesn’t believe it’s easy to influence people on the Gemba to change. In order to get people to do kaizen, you need to convince them and help them understand. How are people

The Trap of Managing by Computer Screens

By Jon Miller - November 18th, 2004

One of the things that I notice when I go to offices in the US is walls everywhere and a computer screen at each desk. I recently lead a group of clients to Japan to visit a Toyota group company office that had taken the principles of

TPM Metrics & Financial Impact

By Jon Miller - November 17th, 2004

What metrics are available when utilizing TPM to show the financial impact of your program? During a recent kaizen event, we reviewed the TPM program for one of our clients. The Operations Manager raised a good question regarding TPM m

VP of Lean Enterprise Plays 20 Questions with Lean Managers

By Jon Miller - November 15th, 2004

We received an odd call today at Gemba. Our Office Manager transferred the call to one of our senior consultants, saying “The person on the line wants to know about Heijunka.” The caller whom we’ll call Jay to protect

Introducing Gemba Keiei by Taiichi Ohno

By Jon Miller - November 13th, 2004

Taiichi Ohno is one of the founders of TPS along with Shigeo Shingo and members of the Toyoda family. Three of Mr. Ohno’s major works on the Toyota Production System and kaizen have been translated into English. They are ‘T

Ownership Generates Success

By Jon Miller - November 12th, 2004

Bear McLaughlin, Operations Consultant October, 2004 During my journeys of training Office and Manufacturing Lean tools and techniques, I致e come across the same key in any business environment, OWNERSHIP, no ownership, means no succe

Where Does Lean Apply in Hospitals?

By Jon Miller - November 8th, 2004

Friday afternoon is a great time to call up customers and find out what’s on their minds. At Gemba Academy, we continue to talk with hospitals that are doing kaizen and pioneering Lean Healthcare. So last Friday, I put on the hea

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