Gemba Academy

How to Conduct a Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA), Part One

By Ron Pereira - November 9th, 2008

As promised a few posts ago, I’d like to explain exactly how to go about completing a measurement systems analysis (MSA). If the sound of this makes you want to yawn… well… stop it! It’s Monday and time to get focused (and some

The Future of Kaizen at Toyota is Epic

By Jon Miller - November 7th, 2008

Despite is vaunted Toyota Production System, culture of kaizen and a line up of fuel-efficient vehicles Toyota Motors is being hit hard by the crisis affecting the automotive manufacturers. In addition to slowing demand due to high gas

How Do You Measure Success?

By Ron Pereira - November 5th, 2008

I recently received the following question from Petri, a reader of LSS Academy. The issue I wanted to contact you about was if LSSA has ever done work on measuring lean success? I am not sure if there are any tools which are used in th

Workforce Training is Not a Quality Management System

By Jon Miller - November 4th, 2008

There are many reasons to love the Boeing Company. They are a pillar of the community, a significant local employer, an innovator in bringing lean to the aircraft industry as well as to local non-profits, and they enable global consult

Management Improvement Carnival #46

By Ron Pereira - November 3rd, 2008

I have the honor of hosting the 46th edition of the management improvement carnival. So without further delay here are some of my favorite articles from the past few weeks. Kevin Meyer, of Evolving Excellence fame, recently traveled

7 Leadership Lessons from a Mountain Goat

By Jon Miller - November 2nd, 2008

What can we learn from a mountain goat? You can learn something useful from practically any picture, scene or situation if you are observant. Here are seven leadership lessons from a mountain goat. 1. Stay fit. These 200 lb beasts sure

Act Small, Think Big

By Jon Miller - October 29th, 2008

Act small, think big: this is a borrowed phrase from a recent post on Seth Godin’s blog article titled Too Small to Fail. In this article he shares a profound common sense insight on the effect of size of thoughts and actions on

Millions of Dollars Saved in 60 Minutes

By Ron Pereira - October 28th, 2008

Last night I told you the story of a measurement system analysis gone bad. Tonight, as promised, I’ll explain exactly what the issue was and how we solved it in around 60 minutes. The Part in Question The plastic component in questio

A Variation Story

By Ron Pereira - October 27th, 2008

If you test or inspect (visual or automatic) a product of any kind I’m very confident I can show you how to save your company thousands, if not millions, of dollars (or Euros, Pounds, etc.). How you ask? Three words. Measurement Syst

Office 5S Video: Too Much or Too Little?

By Jon Miller - October 27th, 2008

Cheers jeersfrom across the internets as the Wall Street Journal gives prime time coverage to our beloved lean management principles sort, straighten, sweep, standardize and sustain, otherwise known as 5S. Kyocera’s North America

The Spooky Resemblance of GM, Ford and Chrysler to Zombies

By Jon Miller - October 25th, 2008

This week families across the United States celebrate the pagan festival of the harvest and visitation by the dead. They place hollowed-out and glowing gourds and gruesome decorations in their homes. Their children go out to harvest sw

What Tool of Lean Manufacturing Do You Use First?

By Jon Miller - October 23rd, 2008

Today we received a question from Konrad, one of our readers, on how to implement lean manufacturing (LM). He asked: I tried to find if there is a particular way to implement LM. I found only this: 1. Factory tour & meeting with m

System Toyota Of Production: TPS or STOP?

By Jon Miller - October 21st, 2008

Another way to think about lean manufacturing is that it is a system of stopping: no more waste, variation or overburden, just the value the customer wants at the right speed, quality and cost. The classic TPS house comprised of the pi

Value Stream Mapping Q&A

By Ron Pereira - October 20th, 2008

Sunil, a reader of LSS Academy, recently asked me several value stream mapping questions via email. I have been to your site and was quite impressed by your e-book on Lean Manufacturing. I need your guidance related to VSM as per below

Is Mean Lean Better than No Lean?

By Jon Miller - October 19th, 2008

Often lean implementations are begun not after great thought and deliberation but because of a conviction that waste is evil and there is no time like the present. Is mean lean better than no lean? I thought this was a rhetorical quest

Asking for Change

By Jon Miller - October 15th, 2008

Today we are joining over 11,000 people all across the world in writing about poverty as part of something called Blog Action Day 2008. The aim is to raise awareness, initiate action and to make a positive change in the are of poverty.

The Cowboy Hat

By Ron Pereira - October 15th, 2008

I’ll never forget the day I broke my Mom’s heart. It was the morning of my 7th birthday. My parents separated when I was only a few years old and my 3 siblings and I lived with my Mom throughout the school year and spent the

Don’t Forget about Marketing!

By Ron Pereira - October 14th, 2008

Guest Post by Jason Stokes As practitioners of lean, we’re all in favor of using this powerful methodology to ensure we efficiently manufacture to customer demand while increasing throughput at the lowest possible cost. However, ofte

13 Lean Leadership Lessons from Dwight D. Eisenhower

By Jon Miller - October 14th, 2008

Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the 34th President of the United States of America, from 1953 to 1961. He was born on October 14, 1890. Today is the 108th anniversary of his birth. Eisenhower was a man of great insight gained through ac

The Deadly Sin of Perfectionism

By Ron Pereira - October 13th, 2008

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison When it comes to my work I probably land more towards the perfectionist side of the spectrum. Of course I’m far from perfect… b

Winners of Lean Hospital Books

By Jon Miller - October 10th, 2008

Many thanks to everyone who commented and contributed to the conversation this week about lean healthcare through the Q&A series with Mark Graban, author of Lean Hospitals. I hope soon others will publish similar books on lean gov

Authentic Continuous Improvement

By Ron Pereira - October 8th, 2008

From time to time a blog article absolutely knocks me out of my chair. This morning was one of those occasions. One of the blogs I always, without fail, read is Evolving Excellence which is written by my friend Kevin Meyer. Today, Kevi

Part 3 of Q&A with Mark Graban, Author of Lean Hospitals

By Jon Miller - October 8th, 2008

We would like to express our gratitude to Mark Graban for taking the time to provide in-depth answers to questions regarding his experience in lean healthcare as well as expounding on ideas and examples from his book Lean Hospitals. Th

Part 2 of Q&A with Mark Graban, Author of Lean Hospitals