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Beyond recovery: Bernard Controls Europe's lean approach to improvement
February 18, 2025
Beyond recovery: Bernard Controls Europe's lean approach to improvement

CASE STUDY – Lean Thinking helped Bernard Controls Europe improve efficiency, reduce lead times, and enhance quality, fostering resilience in the post-pandemic industrial landscape.

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Scaling Kaizen in a tech organization
February 12, 2025
Scaling Kaizen in a tech organization

CASE STUDY – A Scaling Kaizen initiative at Veolia Water Information Systems engaged 45 teams in Lean IT practices, improving delivery, incident reduction, and fostering talent.

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Lean in an asset management company
February 6, 2025
Lean in an asset management company

CASE STUDY – The story of improvement at China-based asset management company Hengbaishi is a great reminder of the universality of lean principles.

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Did DeepSeek just pull a Toyota-style revolution in AI?
February 4, 2025
Did DeepSeek just pull a Toyota-style revolution in AI?

OPINION – DeepSeek’s AI innovations can be compared to the disruption Toyota brought to automotive, showcasing efficiency, problem-solving, and value-driven adaptability over resource-intensive methods.

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Why you should consider your suppliers as partners
January 29, 2025
Why you should consider your suppliers as partners

FEATURE – Collaboration with suppliers, rather than a merely transactional relationship, has to power to transform a company’s operations, fostering innovation and building resilience.

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Lean Management against labor shortages
January 21, 2025
Lean Management against labor shortages

FEATURE – Attracting, developing and retaining talent has become a pressing issue in the corporate world, as new generations show skepticism towards traditional management. Lean is the answer, say the authors.

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How can we support lean systems?
January 14, 2025
How can we support lean systems?

FEATURE – To boost the “adoptability” of Lean and sustain it over time, it’s necessary to develop institutions that support our improvement efforts without making processes more bureaucratic.

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Remembering Peter Walsh
January 7, 2025
Remembering Peter Walsh

FEATURE - With heavy hearts, we share the news of the passing of Peter Walsh, a pioneer of the Lean Community. Peter's work was instrumental in allowing Lean Thinking to take root in Australia, as some of those who knew him tell us here.

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The synergies between digital and lean leadership
December 18, 2024
The synergies between digital and lean leadership

FEATURE – This article explores the integration of lean leadership behaviors with digital tools to achieve sustainable performance improvement in modern organizations.

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A3 mistakes and misconceptions: Part 1
December 13, 2024
A3 mistakes and misconceptions: Part 1

FEATURE – In this new series, the author taps into LEI Hungary’s experience with lean transformations to highlight the most common mistakes people make when approaching the A3 framework.

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System’s Architect Manifesto
December 10, 2024
System’s Architect Manifesto

INTERVIEW – “Dr Fred” is an amazing leader, who led one of the most successful lean healthcare transformations this magazine has come across. In this Q&A, he talks to Planet Lean about his new book, which is result of over 15 years of lean learning.

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Rediscovering Lean after a failed digitalization initiative
December 4, 2024
Rediscovering Lean after a failed digitalization initiative

CASE STUDY – The authors discuss how rooftop window producer VELUX harnessed Lean Thinking and Industry 4.0 to empower shop floor workers, after rediscovering the kaizen spirit following a digitalization initiative that didn’t work out.

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Lean crisis skills
November 27, 2024
Lean crisis skills

FEATURE – In this article, Michael discusses the four levers that organizations can work on to thrive in good times… and bad times.

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Lean in legal: applying Lean to virtual processes
November 20, 2024
Lean in legal: applying Lean to virtual processes

CASE STUDY – UK law firm Weightmans has transformed its new legal case intake process using the Lean Transformation Framework, revolutionizing both operations and people development.

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Adapting Lean for a changing world
November 15, 2024
Adapting Lean for a changing world

FEATURE – Ahead of his presentation at next week’s Lean Global Connection, Jim Womack explains why Lean is made for a world in turmoil but urges us to strike a balance between immediate response and thorough understanding of the problem.

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Lean and psychological safety
November 7, 2024
Lean and psychological safety

FEATURE – What is psychological safety? What is it not? This article explores its advantages and foundational elements, and how organizations need to transform their leadership to achieve this evolution in management.

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Boosting care quality using Lean Thinking
October 31, 2024
Boosting care quality using Lean Thinking

CASE STUDY – Thanks to a commitment to Lean Thinking and a solid coaching system, this hospital in China has been able to initiate a remarkable transformation.

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Daily Management to Execute Strategy
October 15, 2024
Daily Management to Execute Strategy

INTERVIEW – As their book on daily management is released in the US in English, we talk to the authors about the thinking behind the book and the lessons learned since its launch in Brazil three years ago.

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From silos to synergy
October 9, 2024
From silos to synergy

INTERVIEW – Ahead of the Lean Global Connection 2024, we hear from Kruk S.A. in Poland to learn how they leveraged “centres of excellence” to break down company silos.

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Upgrade to hospitality excellence
October 3, 2024
Upgrade to hospitality excellence

BOOK EXCERPT – These are the opening paragraphs of Chapter 1 of the new Lean Global Network book about applying Lean Thinking in a resort hotel.

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A blueprint for lean programs
September 26, 2024
A blueprint for lean programs

FEATURE - Projects or programs? The authors discuss why Lean Thinking should go beyond piecemeal operational improvements, as a transformative strategy that balances today’s demands with future adaptiveness.

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The pursuit of eggscellence
September 18, 2024
The pursuit of eggscellence

FEATURE – Our editor learns about the lean work taking place in two successful omelette-based restaurants in the Netherlands.

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Balancing the numbers
September 5, 2024
Balancing the numbers

FEATURE – We see the shortcomings of strategies based solely on financial metrics every single day. The author discusses how Lean Thinking offers an alternative that leads to better and more sustainable results.

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F1 cars... in the factory - Part 2
August 29, 2024
F1 cars... in the factory - Part 2

FEATURE – In part 2 of his article, the author unveils an improved process that allows this Hungarian company to replace machine parts with minimal production downtime.

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Simplicity sells
August 23, 2024
Simplicity sells

FEATURE - Presenting the key concepts in her latest book, the author tells us how to escape the feature frenzy trap and build products customers love.

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Elisa: improving telecoms with Lean and Kata
August 16, 2024
Elisa: improving telecoms with Lean and Kata
INTERVIEW - Faced with the difficulties of a project that didn't go as planned, this Finnish telcom turned to Lean Thinking. Ahead of their presentations at the LGC 2024, they tell us about their journey and how Kata became instrumental to their tran ...Read more

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People-centric, intelligent, decentralized management
August 8, 2024
People-centric, intelligent, decentralized management

CASE STUDY – This Brazilian agrobusiness has developed a unique and clever management system that puts people at the heart of the work.

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Introducing the Lean Global Connection 2024
July 31, 2024
Introducing the Lean Global Connection 2024

EVENT LAUNCH - Save the date! The Lean Global Connection 2024 will take place on November 21 and 22. In this article, our editor introduces the event's theme and tells us what attendees can expect from the largest online lean event in the world.

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A different approach to construction
July 25, 2024
A different approach to construction

INTERVIEW – Lean is not widespread in Colombia’s construction industry yet. The interviewee discusses the benefits this philosophy can bring to construction sites.

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Why is it essential to plan in logistics?
July 18, 2024
Why is it essential to plan in logistics?

FEATURE – There is more to logistics than an ancillary process that supports the rest of the company. But then, why do we never have a plan for it, like we do for manufacturing?

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The Lean Tech Manifesto
July 11, 2024
The Lean Tech Manifesto

INTERVIEW – A recently-published book discusses how Lean is the only way for a company to scale while retaining an Agile culture. We talk to one of the authors.

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Pursuing Perfection: Craftsmanship in Product Development
July 5, 2024
Pursuing Perfection: Craftsmanship in Product Development

FEATURE - This month’s Design Brief explores the concept of craftsmanship in design and engineering, how to cultivate it in individuals and organizations, and the benefits of pursuing excellence.

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LPPD: Machan’s path to sustainable success
June 27, 2024
LPPD: Machan’s path to sustainable success

FEATURE – Taiwan-based Machan International Co. manufactures sheet metal products, tool storage and medical trolleys, and smart energy storage cabinets. Last year, they turned to lean to improve their product development process.

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Enabling lean turnarounds
June 20, 2024
Enabling lean turnarounds

BOOK EXCERPT – In the introduction to his new book, Art Byrne reflects on his lean journey and explains why to understand lean one must change their mindset.

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Think like a child and let creativity flow
June 13, 2024
Think like a child and let creativity flow

FEATURE - Looking back to her experience coaching teams in Africa, the author encourages us to introduce play in our work, as a way of teaching people and of unlocking creativity.

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What is your theory of success?
June 6, 2024
What is your theory of success?

FEATURE – To successfully transform, we need to change our “theory of success”. The authors discuss the obstacles managers face along the way.

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Models for thinking about Lean Thinking
May 30, 2024
Models for thinking about Lean Thinking

FEATURE - The Basic Thinking dimension of the Lean Transformation Framework is often the most neglected and the least understood. The author tries to shed a light on the subject.

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How Tuinderij Vers is learning to see
May 23, 2024
How Tuinderij Vers is learning to see

FEATURE – Faced with increased production volumes, this Dutch company realized the need to improve its processes by developing people skills.

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F1 cars... in the factory!
May 16, 2024
F1 cars... in the factory!

FEATURE – A situation that would be unthinkable in a sports context is an every-day occurrence in many of our organizations. Should we change our way of thinking about our machinery?

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What is a management system?
May 9, 2024
What is a management system?

FEATURE – A bad management system generates distortions that represent the root cause of many of the problems experienced by organizations.

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The five modes of a sensei
May 2, 2024
The five modes of a sensei

FEATURE – Variety in sensei approaches can cause a lot of confusion. The author sheds light on the subject by describing a sensei’s five modes of interacting with individuals and teams.

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Dojos change minds
April 25, 2024
Dojos change minds

CASE STUDY – Faced with safety and quality issues, this Brazilian manufacturing plant installed a dojo, and the results are very promising.

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Challenging standards
April 18, 2024
Challenging standards

CASE STUDY – Manuelita Sugar Mill in Colombia adopted Daily Management to bolster leadership effectiveness and operational outcomes, addressing siloed thinking and communication challenges.

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Whatever happened to quality first
April 11, 2024
Whatever happened to quality first

FEATURE - In this article, taken from LEI's Design Brief, Jim Morgan talks about the often-overlooked topic of building quality into new products. Learn how a customer-centric approach in development can prevent costly rework and build lasting trust.

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Unlocking the potential of Lean in NGOs
April 4, 2024
Unlocking the potential of Lean in NGOs

INTERVIEW - In this interview, Lynne Smith discusses the potential and difficulties of applying Lean Thinking to NGOs and looks back at the lean transformation at the Gates Foundation.

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20 years of Lean in the Netherlands
March 26, 2024
20 years of Lean in the Netherlands

FEATURE – In February, our affiliate in the Netherlands turned 20. The President of Lean Management Instituut reflects on this achievement and looks back at these two decades.

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Teaching/learning systems
March 22, 2024
Teaching/learning systems

FEATURE – To get the results we want from a system, or prevent it from generating undesirable events, we need to understand how it works and behaves in the real world. That’s exactly what Jidoka does.

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Small businesses, big impact
March 14, 2024
Small businesses, big impact

FEATURE – The successful project discussed in this article shows how Lean Thinking can bring huge benefits to small and medium enterprises and paves the way to a new way of looking at lean coaching.

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Women making a difference in lean and sustainability
March 8, 2024
Women making a difference in lean and sustainability

FEATURE – This article applauds the tenacity of women leaders and seeks to illustrate how they motivate others to take on the sustainability challenge through lean practices.

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Lean thinking, green thinking
February 29, 2024
Lean thinking, green thinking

FEATURE – When it comes to the fight against climate change, we can’t expect to achieve much until we fundamentally challenge the way we think about resource consumption. Lean is our tool to do that.

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For profound lean change, develop new power skills in leaders
February 23, 2024
For profound lean change, develop new power skills in leaders

FEATURE – The author highlights the critical “power skills” leaders need to provide the right support to the transformations they lead.

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The founders reflect on 10 years of Planet Lean
February 20, 2024
The founders reflect on 10 years of Planet Lean

FEATURE - The editorial board members of Planet Lean reflect on the magazine's origin story and its role within and contribution to the Lean Community.

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Planet Lean turns 10!
February 16, 2024
Planet Lean turns 10!

FEATURE – Ten years ago, Planet Lean was launched as a new platform for the Lean Community to share its experiences and knowledge. Our editor reflects on the magazine's mission, history and contribution of the spread of Lean Thinking.

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The UK Lean Summit is coming up!
February 13, 2024
The UK Lean Summit is coming up!

INTERVIEW – The UK Lean Summit 2024 is coming up in April. We speak to Dave Brunt to hear about the event and what we can expect from the presentations.

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The power of jeans - Part 2
February 8, 2024
The power of jeans - Part 2

FICTION – In the second and final part of this story, the main characters discuss in front of a board. If you regularly use visual management, their conversation will resonate with you.

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Flying high: Lean Thinking at avianca
February 1, 2024
Flying high: Lean Thinking at avianca

INTERVIEW – We speak with avianca’s VP of Maintenance and Engineering to learn about the efforts the airline is making to fulfil its promise to passengers.

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The deep secret of lean transformation: the People Review
January 26, 2024
The deep secret of lean transformation: the People Review

FEATURE – To develop a lean culture means to develop each lean thinker and help them reach their full potential. Here’s how Aramis Group does it.

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Aligning business areas to improve Time-to-Market
January 19, 2024
Aligning business areas to improve Time-to-Market
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CASE STUDY – Following a positive experience in manufacturing, this Colombian company brought lean to the rest of the organization. Its goal? To become a reliable partner for its clients in the national and international markets.

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The power of jeans
January 12, 2024
The power of jeans

FICTION - Part 1 of this story reminds us that the role of leaders in an organization is to set the example for others, behaving the way they want the rest of the company to behave.

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Lean without Jidoka is just Fordism
January 9, 2024
Lean without Jidoka is just Fordism

FEATURE – Nobody understands humans as well as humans do, and Jidoka is the key to learning about your customers and create ever-better products and services.

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If you learn, there is no failure
December 22, 2023
If you learn, there is no failure

FEATURE – In this article, you’ll understand how potential errors can become an endless source of personal and managerial growth.

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Start with product takt-time
December 19, 2023
Start with product takt-time

FEATURE – By adopting a product takt time perspective, we can better align engineering decisions with market demands, leading to better design, manufacturing, and material choices.

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When the lean team is the problem
December 15, 2023
When the lean team is the problem

FEATURE – How does the improvement department of a company become a hindrance to the transformation? The author answers this question and discusses how this can be avoided.

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Leadership for everyone
December 12, 2023
Leadership for everyone

FEATURE – If you think one is born a leader, think again. Leadership can be learned and, in this article, the author provides a four-step guide to developing it.

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Growing sustainably with Lean Thinking
December 8, 2023
Growing sustainably with Lean Thinking

CASE STUDY – The story of Norwegian furniture manufacturer Haugstad Møbel that, thanks to Lean Thinking, was able to transform its culture and unlock the potential of sustainable growth.

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To the end of the world
November 17, 2023
To the end of the world
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WEB SERIES - In the last episode of our It's a Lean World series, we travel to the tip of South America to visit the southernmost Distribution Center in the world and learn about its lean work.

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Remembering Freddy Ballé
November 10, 2023
Remembering Freddy Ballé

FEATURE – On October 31st, the Lean Movement lost one of his pioneers. In this piece, Dan Jones reflects on Freddy Ballé’s legacy.

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Sustainable, lean construction
November 9, 2023
Sustainable, lean construction

CASE STUDY – Thanks to Lean Thinking, this Spanish construction company was able to deliver a challenging project in one year, well ahead of schedule. Here’s how they did it.

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Join us at the largest online lean event of the year
November 3, 2023
Join us at the largest online lean event of the year
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EVENT - The Lean Global Connection is around the corner! Our editor takes you through some of the key highlights you can expect and reminds us of the idea behind the largest online lean event in the world.

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Swimming against the tide
October 19, 2023
Swimming against the tide

WEB SERIES - In this episode, we head to Chilean Patagonia to visit a manufacturer of fish feed that turned to Lean Thinking to improve yield and eliminate inventory gaps and stock-outs.

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Expanding your flow sweet spots
October 13, 2023
Expanding your flow sweet spots

FEATURE – The author explores methods to expand your flow “sweet spots”, enhance focus, and achieve a state of effortless productivity.

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Don’t ask who. Be like Columbo and ask why!
October 6, 2023
Don’t ask who. Be like Columbo and ask why!

FEATURE – This insightful piece explores the true meaning of problem solving, looking at the common mistakes leaders make when they adopt some of its key practices.

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Serious about strategy
September 29, 2023
Serious about strategy

FEATURE – We are used to approaching strategic thinking as if our organization was in a position of stability and dominance. What if we started to look at it as creating better deals with all parties involved?

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Every square meter counts
September 11, 2023
Every square meter counts

CASE STUDY – When it had to develop a production process for a new product from scratch, this Dutch company leveraged lean tools and practices. And the results were impressive.

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A lean approach to agriculture
September 8, 2023
A lean approach to agriculture

FEATURE – Waste in the agricultural sector is a significant threat not only to the environment, the economy and farmers, but also to food security around the world.

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A3 Thinking for personal development
September 1, 2023
A3 Thinking for personal development

INTERVIEW – We are used to thinking of A3s mainly as a tool for problem solving. In this Q&A, you will learn about the experience of a San Francisco hospital using it for personal development.

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The power of the Arrow
August 24, 2023
The power of the Arrow

INTERVIEW - The Food&Beverage department of the Gran Tacande Hotel in Tenerife has been using a powerful visual management tool to effectively visualize and track the variables impacting the work flow.

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Lean helps us to fulfil our promise to customers
August 17, 2023
Lean helps us to fulfil our promise to customers

CASE STUDY – To bring consistency to the service provided to customers across their network of workshops, this Brazilian company has turned to Lean Thinking. Along the way, they found in it a different approach to leadership.

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The art and craft of kaizen
August 9, 2023
The art and craft of kaizen

FEATURE – Through kaizen, people can directly participate in the improvement work. But without a manager’s clear responsibility and follow-up, they will left alone with the consequences of the introduced changes.

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Don’t just watch my hands!
August 4, 2023
Don’t just watch my hands!

FEATURE – The author shares a story from a training session at the gemba, which contains a couple of important lessons on the Training Within Industry method.  

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A Surgery Department on a journey for over a decade
August 1, 2023
A Surgery Department on a journey for over a decade

FEATURE - This surgery department was among the first areas in this hospital (maybe in the whole of Spain) to adopt Lean Thinking. Here's what their lean journey is focusing on more than 10 years after they started.

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Lean gives us wings
July 26, 2023
Lean gives us wings

INTERVIEW – The lean journey of the Engineering and Maintenance Department of Colombian airline Avianca proves how important it is for leadership to spearhead change.

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The comfort of purpose
July 21, 2023
The comfort of purpose

FEATURE – Why is lean change so hard to achieve in times of plenty? And why does it seem to be more attainable when chaos reigns? The author tries to answer these questions.

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Lean parenting tips from children 0 to 5 years old
July 18, 2023
Lean parenting tips from children 0 to 5 years old

FEATURE - In the second article in his series, the author provides helpful tips for those interesting in bringing some Lean Thinking to their parenting, focusing on the first five years of a child's life.

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A new strategy for a new era
July 13, 2023
A new strategy for a new era

WEB SERIES – In the second episode of our docuseries on lean in Chile, we learn how, with a clear purpose and strong commitment from leadership, SKC is transforming its processes and mindset and building a competitive advantage.

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Breaking new ground in product development
July 6, 2023
Breaking new ground in product development

INTERVIEW – Drawing on 33 years of experience working in product development at Caterpillar, the interviewee reflects on lean in engineering.

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The 7-year LPPD journey of TechnipFMC
June 28, 2023
The 7-year LPPD journey of TechnipFMC

INTERVIEW – In this Q&A, the Chief of Transformation of oil and gas company TechnipFMC tells us about their experience implementing Lean Product and Process Development.

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Can we still learn from Toyota suppliers in Japan?
June 14, 2023
Can we still learn from Toyota suppliers in Japan?

FEATURE – Fresh of a study tour in Japan, the authors wonder if there is anything left to learn from Toyota’s network of suppliers in the age of AI and digital. Hint: it’s a rethorical question.

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Lean's on the menu
June 7, 2023
Lean's on the menu

VIDEO INTERVIEW – This hotel in the Canary Islands is bringing lean to its Kitchen Department, hoping to streamline the process and provide a better service to diners.

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New ways to address an old problem
June 2, 2023
New ways to address an old problem

FEATURE – Freeing up beds is an age-old problem for hospitals. The medical area of this Catalan hospital group has found in lean a creative way to solve it.

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Transforming our business with Daily Management
May 30, 2023
Transforming our business with Daily Management

CASE STUDY – By leveraging Daily Management (DM), Supergasbras was able to change its trajectory and add more value to the customer in a critical sector for society.

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How we gradually built our CI model
May 24, 2023
How we gradually built our CI model

INTERVIEW – Cleveland Clinic has been on a lean journey for a few years now. In this interview, their Chief Improvement Officer and Chief Nursing Officer talk continuous improvement, metrics, and sustaining results.

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You say garbage, I say opportunity
May 19, 2023
You say garbage, I say opportunity

WEB SERIES – Season 2 is here! In the first episode of this season, we visit a company in Chile that shows us how sustainability can be the cornerstone of an improvement project... and not just an afterthought.

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Changing our approach to emergency care
May 12, 2023
Changing our approach to emergency care

FEATURE – The ER of this Catalan hospital is finding great value in the application of Lean Thinking, which has already led to a dramatic change in its processes and to better care for patients.

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Toyota's real secret sauce
May 5, 2023
Toyota's real secret sauce
FEATURE – The hardest part of a learning journey is learning to learn and figuring out what we need to learn - as opposed to we want to. The author wonders whether we are drawing the right lessons from TPS and highlights a few things we are underemph ...Read more

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Faster delivery, happier customer
April 28, 2023
Faster delivery, happier customer

WEB SERIES – In the fourth and final episode of Season 1 of our docuseries, we visit home improvement and gardening retailer Leroy Merlin and learn about their efforts to lean out their supply chain.

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The enablers of our lean transformation
April 25, 2023
The enablers of our lean transformation

CASE STUDY – The Hospital de Bellvitge in Barcelona is relying heavily on hoshin and Kata to create a working environment based on collaboration and joint problem solving.

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Banking on Lean
April 21, 2023
Banking on Lean

WEB SERIES – Episode 3 of our docuseries on lean in Brazil takes us to the second largest bank in the country. Learn how Bradesco is striving to improve its processes to provide more value to its customers using Lean Thinking.

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Leveraging lean to create a new product… and process
April 14, 2023
Leveraging lean to create a new product… and process

INTERVIEW – In 2020, GE Appliances had to stand up a brand-new assembly process for a new dishwasher. The leader responsible for the program explains how LPPD helped them to get it right.

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Empowering children to navigate life’s challenges
April 11, 2023
Empowering children to navigate life’s challenges

FEATURE – In this new series, the author will walk us through some uncommon ways to apply lean – with a particular focus on establishing productive and enjoyable relationships. In the first instalment, he introduces the concept of lean parenting.

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The gift of change
April 7, 2023
The gift of change

WEB SERIES – In Episode 2 of our docuseries on lean in Brazil, we learn how the pioneering efforts of a cancer clinic have inspired the city of São José dos Campos to transform into a lean healthcare cluster.

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Easing the pain
March 31, 2023
Easing the pain

WEB SERIES – Today, we launch a new documentary series on lean around the world, with the first season focusing on lean in Brazil. In the first episode, we visit the lean clinic on a mission to reduce the burden on cancer in our lives.

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What kind of bureaucrat are you?
March 28, 2023
What kind of bureaucrat are you?

FEATURE – In this in-depth, insightful analysis, the authors explore the essence of bureaucracy and explain why, with Lean Thinking, it can be leveraged as a force for good.

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How mental schemas have us jump to solutions
March 24, 2023
How mental schemas have us jump to solutions

FEATURE - Mental schemas help us to process information, but they often lead us to blindly jump to solutions without understanding the problem. Here, the author explains how Lean Thinking mitigates that risk.

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Five lean mistakes to avoid
March 21, 2023
Five lean mistakes to avoid

FEATURE – Based on her experience at Lean Institute Colombia, the author lists five common mistakes hindering a lean transformation. Take note!

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Reflecting on our 15-year journey
March 15, 2023
Reflecting on our 15-year journey

FEATURE – PL readers will likely be familiar with IOV, the cancer clinic in Brazil that’s become a reference for lean healthcare for countless organizations. Here, Dr Fred looks back at IOV’s 15-year journey.

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Lean Digital with generative AI
March 10, 2023
Lean Digital with generative AI

FEATURE – This year, PL will try to understand what the future of work looks like in a world with AI. To kick us off and make us think, we publish an article that is the result of a one-hour conversation between a human and a machine.

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Creativity unleashed
March 8, 2023
Creativity unleashed

FEATURE – A lean coach from Argentina reflects on the transformations he has supported across Latin America and on why lean can help unlock the potential of the continent.

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Double interview: 365 and Dreamplace
February 28, 2023
Double interview: 365 and Dreamplace

INTERVIEW – Earlier this month, we attended a Lean Day at Dreamplace Hotels and Resorts in the Canary Islands. We sat down with two lean leaders to discuss the transformations of their businesses.

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Arrows and loops - the evolution of our management system
February 17, 2023
Arrows and loops - the evolution of our management system

FEATURE – A senior executive of a Spanish hotel chain shares an example of how the organization’s management system and visual tools have changed over time.

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Lean in government, a comeback?
February 14, 2023
Lean in government, a comeback?

FEATURE – At a recent Lean Day, our editor was reminded of the immense potential of Lean Thinking applied to government. After a few sleepy years, is lean in the public administration having a comeback?

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Lean, our “breda” and butter
February 7, 2023
Lean, our “breda” and butter

BOOK EXCERPT – The city of Breda in the Netherlands has been on a lean journey for the past six years. Today we share an excerpt from the book The Lean Government, which sets the scene for the transformation.

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The power of people: adapting to changing times
February 3, 2023
The power of people: adapting to changing times

CASE STUDY – A people-centric approach to work, improvement, and the adoption of automation is allowing this Norwegian company to thrive in a changing industry and environment.

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Why is TPS so smart?
January 27, 2023
Why is TPS so smart?

FEATURE – A real understanding of Lean Thinking can only stem from an exploration of its tacit aspects, not just its most explicit, easy-to-grasp elements.

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Breaking the silence
January 24, 2023
Breaking the silence

FEATURE – By changing its attitude towards problems and welcoming them as opportunities to learn, this Colombian construction company has turned around its culture.

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Leading by solving (the right) problems
January 20, 2023
Leading by solving (the right) problems

FEATURE – Leading by solving problems is a key trait of any lean leader, but it is important to understand that not all problems are their prerogative.

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Visuals all around us
January 17, 2023
Visuals all around us

FEATURE – Visuals are a natural way in which human beings learn and teach. The author discusses why visual thinking is part of our DNA and the implications this has on our lives at work.

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Solving problems by developing people
January 13, 2023
Solving problems by developing people

INTERVIEW – Top leaders at Chilean company Elecmetal talk to us about how lean has transformed their role in the organization and how capability development is fuelling change.

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One-time customer, lifelong customer
January 10, 2023
One-time customer, lifelong customer

FEATURE – We start the new year with a reminder to put customers first, always. It is they who make our business and keep our lean initiatives true, says the author.

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The year that was
December 21, 2022
The year that was

ROUND-UP – In his annual review of the best content we published, our editor looks back at 2022 and what this year was like for the Lean Community.

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Operation Sunflower: saving Christmas
December 16, 2022
Operation Sunflower: saving Christmas

FICTION – Santa is struggling to locate the many children who are hiding from war to deliver them gifts, until the lean Time Benders come to the rescue and help him understand the problem.

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Using lean to discharge patients before 12PM
December 13, 2022
Using lean to discharge patients before 12PM

FEATURE – This nurses-led experiment in Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic is proving successful in getting more patients discharged on time and avoiding surgery cancellations.

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Waste? It makes our blood boil!
December 9, 2022
Waste? It makes our blood boil!

FEATURE – Thanks to lean, a primary care unit in Catalonia has streamlined its blood sampling process, improving the patient experience and the life at work for its staff.

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Lean Thinking is personal development
December 6, 2022
Lean Thinking is personal development

FEATURE – In this interesting piece, the author explains how lean provided everyone, everywhere with a framework to work their intuition muscle and develop insights.

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The collaboration equation
November 29, 2022
The collaboration equation

FEATURE – In an excerpt from his new book, the author discusses the importance of building collaboration in your teams and explains why this is the only way to consistently deliver value.

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At the service of customer centricity
November 25, 2022
At the service of customer centricity

CASE STUDY – This Shared Service Center in Poland has leveraged lean, technology, and automation to completely transform itself and provide an ever-better customer experience.

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A successful experiment with virtual care
November 22, 2022
A successful experiment with virtual care

CASE STUDY – The Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the application of Virtual Healthcare across the world. In South Australia, this has been implemented in urgent care.

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How we built a lean foundry from scratch
November 15, 2022
How we built a lean foundry from scratch

INTERVIEW – Ahead of this week’s Lean Global Connection, we talk to one of the speakers, who is trying to create a foundry that is lean from the start.

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Lean eyes don't lie
November 8, 2022
Lean eyes don't lie

FEATURE – Whether improvement efforts are paying off and people are internalizing a lean way of thinking is a constant worry for many leaders. Here’s a trick to gauge how well – or how poorly – things are going in your transformation.

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John Shook on transformations and lean in a crisis
November 4, 2022
John Shook on transformations and lean in a crisis

VIDEO INTERVIEW – We recently caught up with John Shook at the Lean Healthcare Academic Conference in Stanford and asked him to share his thought on the questions we need to ask ourselves in a lean journey and on lean in turbulent times.

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How cultural change has fueled our transformation
November 2, 2022
How cultural change has fueled our transformation

INTERVIEW – This metalworking company based in Poland has leveraged the cultural change brought by Lean Thinking to significantly improve its processes. Ahead of his presentation at the LGC, their lean manager tells us how they did it.

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Why few people truly take the lean leap
October 28, 2022
Why few people truly take the lean leap

FEATURE – To wholeheartedly embrace lean means to accept changes in our hearts and minds. Understanding this means to finally grasp the reason why lean is only truly taken up by few.

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Making lean relatable and meaningful
October 25, 2022
Making lean relatable and meaningful

INTERVIEW – General Electric’s Angie Norman talks to our editor about the lean journey of the company’s Finance department and how the area became a driver of GE’s overall transformation.

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Leaning out transitional care
October 21, 2022
Leaning out transitional care

CASE STUDY – The transfer of a patient from one care setting to another is a delicate time. Insurance company SulAmérica has used its extensive lean experience to improve transitional care, and here’s how they did it.

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How E.ON is dealing with a volatile energy market
October 18, 2022
How E.ON is dealing with a volatile energy market

INTERVIEW –  A VP at energy company E.ON shares his thoughts on the current energy crisis and discusses how lean is helping them to navigate it.

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Truth conquers all
October 14, 2022
Truth conquers all

FEATURE – Can lean relieve some of the pain and fear people experience in this crazy world? It can, says the author, because amid so much noise lean carries one truth.

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Advancing learning in a lean organization
October 11, 2022
Advancing learning in a lean organization

FEATURE – Our disposition towards learning changes depending on the amount of things we don’t know. The author explores this topic and the role of the sensei in enabling learning.

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Using lean to make our DNA “stable and flexible”
October 7, 2022
Using lean to make our DNA “stable and flexible”

CASE STUDY – This transport and logistics company in Colombia has turned to Lean Thinking to become more adaptive and ensure an easier post-acquisition integration of new cultures.

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Emotions on the gemba
October 4, 2022
Emotions on the gemba

FEATURE – They say lean is all about people, and yet emotions – something we all feel and express daily – are largely absent from the lean discourse. The authors discuss the role they play in a lean transformation.

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What is standardized work?
September 30, 2022
What is standardized work?

ROUND-UP – Standardized work, which lies at the foundation of the TPS house, is a necessary component of a lean transformation. This article looks at the best content on this topic from our archives.

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With Kata, simple is the key
September 27, 2022
With Kata, simple is the key

FEATURE – A former plant manager reflects on his experience supporting a team with the implementation of Kata in the daily management system and explains why, when it comes to Kata questions, simple is best.

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The lean answer to uncertainty
September 23, 2022
The lean answer to uncertainty

FEATURE – In the face of uncertainty, when it’s hard to see the road ahead, we can still make things better day after day by embracing kaizen – until we are out of the woods.

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Lean in hospitality: challenges and opportunities
September 20, 2022
Lean in hospitality: challenges and opportunities

INTERVIEW – Juan Pedro Gonzalez is a pioneer of lean in hospitality, having spearheaded the transformation of Spain’s Dreamplace hotels since the beginning. Here, he discusses what role lean can play in advancing the industry.

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Getting started with lean process development
September 16, 2022
Getting started with lean process development

SERIES – In the final article in their series on lean process development, the authors discuss what it takes to get started with their 6CON process development model.

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A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor
September 13, 2022
A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

CALL TO ARMS – The current economic situation is presenting great challenges to organizations around the world, but in difficult times lean gives its best. Provided we all do our part, with conviction and determination.

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Building a lean platform for Industry 4.0 operating systems
September 9, 2022
Building a lean platform for Industry 4.0 operating systems

FEATURE – As organizations strive to modernize and ride the wave of new technologies, what should their operating systems look like? How can they adapt to Industry 4.0?

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Transforming quickly, but mindfully
September 6, 2022
Transforming quickly, but mindfully

CASE STUDY – Starting in January this year, the Mexican plant of this manufacturer of lighting and electrical solutions has initiated a lean transformation that has already led to impressive results in terms of productivity.

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What is Yokoten?
August 30, 2022
What is Yokoten?

ROUNDUP – Knowledge sharing is a powerful enabler of lean change. In this roundup, our editor discusses the benefits of yokoten and shares a few examples.

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Raise the bar on yourself
August 26, 2022
Raise the bar on yourself

FEATURE – Based on their experience supporting the stellar growth of Aramis Group, the authors discuss the role of leaders in shaping minds and behaviors and constantly challenging themselves to be the best example they can.

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Boosting the lean-agile maturity of our teams
August 23, 2022
Boosting the lean-agile maturity of our teams

FEATURE – BRQ Digital Solutions shows that effective customer-focused improvement must happen from the inside out, with team development aligned with the pillars of lean digital transformation.

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4 leadership considerations for better process development
August 19, 2022
4 leadership considerations for better process development

SERIES – The authors discuss the final elements in their 6CON process development model – CONtinuously Improve – making and sustaining consistent improvements over time that will produce even higher levels of performance.

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Lean maintenance in agriculture
August 16, 2022
Lean maintenance in agriculture

FEATURE – The problems agricultural businesses encounter every day can be solved using simple concepts of lean maintenance, resulting in considerable gains.

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Lean through four generations
August 12, 2022
Lean through four generations

FEATURE – Every lean generation has faced challenges, and it’s critical we understand the context around us if we are to continue to grow our Community, says Jim Womack.

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What's in a word?
August 9, 2022
What's in a word?

FEATURE – In the lean world, we are used to acronyms and abbreviations. But what’s the value of words if their meaning is lost and fails to reach those we are communicating with?

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Tell me about your metrics and I’ll tell you who you are
August 5, 2022
Tell me about your metrics and I’ll tell you who you are

FEATURE – Pure and simple management by indicators can be a trap leading us to make decisions that are inconsistent with the real needs of a company. The balance between facts and data is key.

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Recreating that “coffee break magic”
August 2, 2022
Recreating that “coffee break magic”

CASE STUDY – This digital organization has embarked on a cultural transformation that is allowing them to become more agile while keeping people and stimulating interactions at the heart of their work.

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Enabling improvement across our healthcare system
July 29, 2022
Enabling improvement across our healthcare system

CASE STUDY – How do you give hundreds of primary care units the tools and knowledge they need to make improvements? The Catalan Health Service found the solution in hoshin kanri.

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A leaner housekeeping
July 26, 2022
A leaner housekeeping

CASE STUDY – Hotels of the Palladium Group are implementing Lean Thinking in their housekeeping departments to improve efficiency and service quality.

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Process development – Putting the C in PDCA
July 22, 2022
Process development – Putting the C in PDCA

SERIES – The authors discuss the fifth of six elements in their 6CON process development model – CONfirm – leveraging a robust launch readiness approach to finalize the process while ensuring it meets the targets set in the business plan.

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Our friend “Ayethree”
July 19, 2022
Our friend “Ayethree”

FEATURE – Using her distinctive narrative style, the author breaks down the A3 process to help you understand how it works and how you can tap into its potential.

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An enterprise-wide cultural transformation
July 15, 2022
An enterprise-wide cultural transformation

CASE STUDY – A Chilean company selling and servicing vehicles and equipment for a variety of industries has made of humility the leading trait of its cultural transformation, with great results.

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TWI and the reorganization of our work
July 12, 2022
TWI and the reorganization of our work

FEATURE – To facilitate the transition to a new organization of the work in their department, a group of nurses at Erasmus Medical Center have been using Training Within Industry.

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What is the lean in lean?
July 8, 2022
What is the lean in lean?

FEATURE – The only way for lean to succeed is to change a leader’s behavior so the rest of the organization will change too and people get the support they need to become problem solvers.

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Building our lean legacy
July 5, 2022
Building our lean legacy

CASE STUDY – We hear from a construction company in Chile that embarked on a lean journey in 2018 to transform its culture and improve the work on its many sites.

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10 lean leadership lessons from our authors
July 1, 2022
10 lean leadership lessons from our authors

FEATURE – What does it mean to be a lean leader? Our editor tries to answer this question by searching the Planet Lean archives for the best nuggets of wisdom from our authors.

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Local experience for a global endeavor
June 28, 2022
Local experience for a global endeavor

FEATURE – A former ops manager now tasked for improvement across IKEA looks back at what she learned in one of the company’s stores and explains how she hopes to take lean to the whole group.

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Leading the change
June 24, 2022
Leading the change

FEATURE – Our editor recently caught up with the director of the largest hospital in the Netherlands and asked him about the lean transformation he’s leading there.

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An eye for improvement
June 21, 2022
An eye for improvement

INTERVIEW – At last month’s International Lean Summit in Hungary, our editor sat down with the manager of a CooperVision site that is gradually converting its operations to make them leaner.

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Moving from learning to executing
June 17, 2022
Moving from learning to executing

SERIES – The authors discuss the fourth of six elements in their 6CON process development model – CONfigure – refining the selected process concept to maximize value-added activities.

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Toyota: differentiation and vitality
June 14, 2022
Toyota: differentiation and vitality

FEATURE – Toyota recently achieved the #1 spot in sales in the United States after 90 years of leadership by GM, which shows how capable the lean management philosophy is to overcome difficult circumstances in the market.

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Post-pandemic hansei
June 10, 2022
Post-pandemic hansei

FEATURE – Back on the road after two years, the author reflects on how lean organizations have performed during the pandemic and addresses age-old misunderstandings about Just-in-Time.

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Seeing problems, four types of them
June 7, 2022
Seeing problems, four types of them

FEATURE – Using data from a recent piece of research on logistics, the author discusses how Lean Thinking contributes to a more efficient and effective way of dealing with problems.

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Whittle by whittle
June 3, 2022
Whittle by whittle

CASE STUDY – This Dutch SME is transforming its picking operation – partly with the introduction of a U-shaped design – to increase the number of orders it can fulfil every day.

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5 ways to improve your connection with the gemba
May 31, 2022
5 ways to improve your connection with the gemba

FEATURE – The author discusses the practices that can help us make the most of the traditional mantra “go see, ask why, and show respect”.

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Yokoten and a logistics improvement in healthcare
May 27, 2022
Yokoten and a logistics improvement in healthcare

FEATURE – In this article, we hear about how the lean successes of one hospital inspired an entire healthcare authority to introduce changes to their processes.

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Yes, you can teach lean in engineering schools
May 24, 2022
Yes, you can teach lean in engineering schools

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – The author visits a private engineering school to learn about their approach to teach Lean Thinking and apply it to their own work.

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Learning to say “No” on the way to “Yes”
May 19, 2022
Learning to say “No” on the way to “Yes”

SERIES – The authors discuss the third of six elements in their process development model – Converge – using experiments to test key aspects of different ideas, while objectively working towards a single design concept slated for refinement and implementation.

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Cost calculation vs cost awareness
May 16, 2022
Cost calculation vs cost awareness

FEATURE – As inflation bites, the author offers us an insightful take into what it really means to understand a company’s costs. Hint, it doesn’t involve passing them on to customers.

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Self-organization, the Cossacks way
May 13, 2022
Self-organization, the Cossacks way

FEATURE – Resilience and the ability to self-organize have been part of Ukrainian culture for centuries. Today, as the war continues, the country’s companies and resistance are tapping into those values.

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8 key lessons from Toyota
May 10, 2022
8 key lessons from Toyota

ROUND-UP – Our editor looks back at the most insightful articles Planet Lean has published on the most talked-about company in the lean world. Here are eight key lessons from Toyota, straight from our archives.

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Resilience: problems Ukrainian firms are experiencing today
May 6, 2022
Resilience: problems Ukrainian firms are experiencing today

FEATURE – Ahead of their exclusive webinar next week, the authors outline some of the problems Ukrainian companies are facing as the Russian invasion continues.

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Lean learning, reinvented
May 3, 2022
Lean learning, reinvented

INTERVIEW – From hospitals to start-ups, lean principles have been applied far beyond their origins at Toyota. This article discusses how lean can be applied to learning – specifically, how we can apply lean learning to learning lean.

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Lean transformations: failure and misconceptions
April 29, 2022
Lean transformations: failure and misconceptions

FEATURE – Drawing inspiration from his research into the causes of failure of transformations, the author discusses how these can directly be linked to the most common misconceptions on Lean Thinking.

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How hoshin is giving us a common purpose
April 26, 2022
How hoshin is giving us a common purpose

CASE STUDY – This 104-year-old Chilean provider of integral solutions for the mining industry has turned to hoshin kanri to effectively connect everyone’s work with the overall business strategy.

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The value of testing multiple concepts at once
April 21, 2022
The value of testing multiple concepts at once

SERIES—The authors discuss Concepts, the second of six elements in their process development model, discovering the key knowledge gaps and exploring multiple process design options to facilitate learning.

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Operation Honeybee
April 12, 2022
Operation Honeybee

FEATURE – To consistently identify new and better ways of doing things can breathe new life into a lean journey, but only if the knowledge developed can be effectively shared across the organization.

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Creating a model primary care unit
April 7, 2022
Creating a model primary care unit

CASE STUDY – This primary care unit in Brazil is hoping to become a model for other units in their system. Take note, this is how Lean Thinking can spread across healthcare systems.

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Lean and the digitization of Benin's public administration
April 5, 2022
Lean and the digitization of Benin's public administration

INTERVIEW – In today’s Q&A, we learn how Lean Thinking is supporting the digital transformation of the public administration of the African country of Benin.

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The theory of lean transformation
March 31, 2022
The theory of lean transformation

FEATURE – In this compelling theoretical piece, the author reminds us how in a lean organization relations are structured around learning opportunities rather than execution. This is what ultimately enables a company to grow.

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Deploying strategic metrics in operations
March 28, 2022
Deploying strategic metrics in operations

FEATURE – Using the example of a chain of pizzerias, the author explains why “slicing the elephant” is the approach you want to follow when it comes to deploying strategic metrics in operations.

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All the world is a stage
March 24, 2022
All the world is a stage

FEATURE – The conflict unfolding in Ukraine acts as a tragic reminder of the threat posed by despotic, unapproachable, and paranoid leaders, says Sharon Visser.

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Lean ain't fishy
March 21, 2022
Lean ain't fishy

CASE STUDY – This Norwegian firm learned that allowing every person and area to move up their own lean learning curve can steer the business away from fire-fighting and towards more strategic thinking.

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Understanding the context of your process
March 17, 2022
Understanding the context of your process

SERIES – The authors discuss the first of six elements in their process development model – Context – highlighting the importance of gaining clarity on the objectives of the process being created.

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Where to look for hope in dark times
March 14, 2022
Where to look for hope in dark times

FEATURE – When the clouds gather, it’s tempting to throw in the towel and ask, “What is it all for?”. The author tells us why the kaizen spirit should be our beacon now more than ever.

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My gemba visits in Ukraine
March 11, 2022
My gemba visits in Ukraine

FEATURE – As the senseless war in Ukraine continues, the author looks back to his visit to the country in 2017, recalling and celebrating its vibrant lean community.

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Slashing waiting times for cancer care
March 7, 2022
Slashing waiting times for cancer care

CASE STUDY – This project in Brazil, part of a city-wide effort to improve patient flows, led to impressive results in the waiting time to access cancer care.

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Turning around our quality
March 3, 2022
Turning around our quality

CASE STUDY – For the past year, Elementia Materiales, a producer of materials for the construction industry, has begun a lean journey that’s already brought impressive quality results.

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A fork in the road for lean research?
February 28, 2022
A fork in the road for lean research?

RESEARCH – The author reflects on several highly-ranked academic publications to paint a picture of salient lean knowledge, both past and present, and suggests several avenues for future lean research.

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The value of software
February 24, 2022
The value of software

FEATURE – The authors explain why putting value at the heart of customer discussions is key to developing a successful, resilient tech firm.

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Our hoshin journey
February 21, 2022
Our hoshin journey

FEATURE – This Siemens Group-owned medium-sized manufacturer of electrical low-voltage devices has been experimenting with hoshin kanri. In this article, they share their experience and lessons learned.

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The competitive advantage of lean process creation
February 17, 2022
The competitive advantage of lean process creation

SERIES – The authors of The Power of Process open their new series by explaining why it’s critical to integrate product and process development.

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Back from the brink
February 14, 2022
Back from the brink

ROUNDUP – Our editor looks back at the best articles explaining how Lean Thinking can help in a crisis and bring an organization back from the brink of disaster.

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How to shorten product development lead-time
February 10, 2022
How to shorten product development lead-time

FEATURE – Reflecting on the transformations he has supported, the author provides a few recommendations on how to get products to market faster.

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Lean and the 5th industrial revolution
February 7, 2022
Lean and the 5th industrial revolution

FEATURE – The author shares a few lessons learned on his company’s journey to Industry/Quality 4.0, the foundation to 5.0 Artificial Intelligence.

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Becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable
February 3, 2022
Becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable

INTERVIEW – Our editor chats with Lean Houses for Dragons author Sharon Visser. They discuss her book, what fear can do to a transformation and the power of storytelling.

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'Fruitful' lean work
January 31, 2022
'Fruitful' lean work

CASE STUDY – This Chilean agrobusiness company achieved great results in a very short time by applying lean to standardize its processes and improve its productivity. They are now berry fond of the methodology.

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Control or cooperate?
January 27, 2022
Control or cooperate?

FEATURE – Lean Thinking is about voluntary participation, not audits that are meant to ensure compliance. The authors explore the advantages of pursuing cooperation rather than control.

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There are two Ps in LPPD
January 24, 2022
There are two Ps in LPPD

INTERVIEW – The authors of the new book The Power of Process debunk some of the most common myths about lean process development.

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Lean on the agenda
January 20, 2022
Lean on the agenda

FEATURE – This Brazilian manufacturer was able to achieve significant improvements in its processes in just one week thanks to kaizen.

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Taking the next step
January 17, 2022
Taking the next step

FEATURE – How Lærdal Medical was able to enthusiastically restart its lean journey with help of a good old-fashioned Kaizen Week.

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The power of suggestions
January 13, 2022
The power of suggestions

FEATURE – At Toyota, led by senior executives, suggestion schemes have contributed to decades of improvement. This article explores why they are so effective and encourages you to try one out for yourself.

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What kind of executive are you?
January 10, 2022
What kind of executive are you?

FEATURE – Lean provides everyone with a framework to learn continuously and do an ever-better job. Without this understanding, an executive will not be able to steer the organization in the right direction.

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A lean Christmas tale
December 23, 2021
A lean Christmas tale

FICTION – The pandemic is throwing curveballs to us all, including a certain bearded gentleman who lives in the North Pole – until a magic “time-bending” solution is presented to him, that is.

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Lean lessons for the climate crisis
December 20, 2021
Lean lessons for the climate crisis

FEATURE – Tackling climate change forces us to rethink everything we do as a society. Here’s three lean lessons that can show us a way forward.

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Cultivating CI in a digital work environment
December 13, 2021
Cultivating CI in a digital work environment

FEATURE – This global designer and manufacturer has leveraged a remote kaizen initiative to keep the flame of continuous improvement burning during the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Lean Houses for Dragons
December 9, 2021
Lean Houses for Dragons

FEATURE – As her new book comes out, the author discusses how it is people who breathe life into an organization and how much a leader’s behavior can influence them.

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Imprinting on lean
December 6, 2021
Imprinting on lean

CASE STUDY – Combining the lean and agile methodologies, HP’s site in Barcelona has streamlined and greatly improved its product development. Along the way, they transformed their culture, too.

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Embracing the kaizen spirit
December 2, 2021
Embracing the kaizen spirit

FEATURE – When we emphasize systems and roles but fail to encourage and support kaizen, we cannot expect to tap into the full potential of Lean Thinking as a cognitive revolution.

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A story of caring leadership and creativity
November 28, 2021
A story of caring leadership and creativity

FEATURE – A leader’s creativity and care for her people can lead to extraordinary results even in the most challenging of environments. As the latest LGN book comes out, the author reflects on one of the most impressive lean transformations you will come across.

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Lean around the clock
November 25, 2021
Lean around the clock

FEATURE – With one of the biggest lean events of the year just four days away, John Shook tells you why you should participate and what you can expect.

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It’s the pebble in our shoe that wears us down
November 22, 2021
It’s the pebble in our shoe that wears us down

FEATURE – We assume that what holds our transformations back is the lack of high-price resources, but more often than not it is the simplest of items.

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Lean healthcare around the globe
November 15, 2021
Lean healthcare around the globe

INTERVIEW – With the Lean Global Connection just two weeks away, we learn more about the lean healthcare content available to attendees.

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Pathways to reduce emissions
November 11, 2021
Pathways to reduce emissions

FEATURE - Imagine targeting a quarter of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions by setting our lean minds to it? The authors discuss building better, circular supply chains and designing sustainable products.

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Transforming our way of managing using lean
November 4, 2021
Transforming our way of managing using lean

CASE STUDY – The turning point in this Colombian construction company’s transformation came when they started to embrace lean as a culture rather than just a set of tools.

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The power of process
November 1, 2021
The power of process

FEATURE – The introduction of a new process can be disruptive to an organization’s improvement efforts. But what if the process were designed to be lean from the start?

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A chat with Furuta-san
October 27, 2021
A chat with Furuta-san

INTERVIEW – PL meets the author of the recently published book Welcome Problems, Find Success, who discusses bringing lean to different cultures and changing managerial behaviors.

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Introducing the Lean Global Connection
October 25, 2021
Introducing the Lean Global Connection

VIDEO INTERVIEW - In this conversation with our editor, John Shook discusses Lean Thinking post-pandemic and its role tackling large-scale problems, and introduces an upcoming free event you don't want to miss.

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Reflections from a Norwegian lean road trip
October 21, 2021
Reflections from a Norwegian lean road trip

FEATURE – Fresh from a number of visits to Norwegian gemba, the authors share their reflections and discuss the importance of making the information flow visible.

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Software vs visual management
October 18, 2021
Software vs visual management

FEATURE – We often spend a great deal of time and effort trying to fit our organizations into a box instead of building a box that fits our organization, says Sharon Visser.

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What to do when the fire is out?
October 14, 2021
What to do when the fire is out?

CASE STUDY – This packaging company in Catalonia has been able to cleverly balance the resolution of urgent problems and the advancement of the lean transformation. But what to do when the burning platform is no more?

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What is respect for people?
October 11, 2021
What is respect for people?

ROUNDUP – Our editor reflects on the all-important lean concept of “respect for people” and shares some of the best content published by Planet Lean on the subject.

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Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy
October 7, 2021
Reflecting on Nate Furuta’s legacy

INTERVIEW – Looking back at the time he spent at Toyota, Mark Reich reflects on his experience working with Nate Furuta and on his legacy exporting Toyota cultures around the world.

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Once More, All Together Now: “JIT is …”
October 5, 2021
Once More, All Together Now: “JIT is …”

FEATURE – As global supply chain suffer ongoing disruption, the author addresses the misconceptions on Just-In-Time that keep appearing in the media.

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Production as a mirror to the organization
September 30, 2021
Production as a mirror to the organization

FEATURE – The gemba tells us more than we think. The authors discuss what we need to look at during our walks to understand the impact of non-manufacturing functions on the overall process.

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The lean magic lies in problem finding
September 27, 2021
The lean magic lies in problem finding

FEATURE – Reflecting on the recently published book by Nate Furuta, the author discusses the role that deep thinking plays in a problem-finding culture and warns us against ready-to-use solutions.

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Lean healthcare - optimizing the chemotherapy process
September 23, 2021
Lean healthcare - optimizing the chemotherapy process

FEATURE – A Brazilian hospital has used lean healthcare principles to optimize the chemotherapy process and prevent patients from unnecessarily wasting hours before their treatment.

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What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding
September 20, 2021
What my Toyota mentors taught me about problem-finding

FEATURE – Introducing his book, the author tells us what his Toyota mentors taught him with their contrasting, but ultimately complimentary approaches to problem finding.

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How the gemba shaped my leader standard work
September 16, 2021
How the gemba shaped my leader standard work

FEATURE – Sharon Visser shares her leader’s standard work from when she ran the Ngami car dealership and encourages us to use what we see at gemba to shape our own.

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Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead
September 13, 2021
Don’t try to copy Toyota, understand it instead

FEATURE – Based on his direct decades-long experience at Toyota, the author explains what it takes to establish problem-finding and a kaizen culture in new environments.

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Is radical quality possible in the tech industry?
September 8, 2021
Is radical quality possible in the tech industry?

FEATURE - The author explains how a recent book on radical quality improvement in manufacturing inspired him to initiate similar experiments in his software development firm.

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Creating Toyota cultures around the world
September 6, 2021
Creating Toyota cultures around the world

FEATURE – The Lean Global Network just published a new book by Kiyoshi “Nate” Furuta sharing compelling examples of how Toyota principles and culture can be effectively spread to new environments.

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Lean and agile, how they interact
September 2, 2021
Lean and agile, how they interact

FEATURE – This article explains how Lean Thinking and the agile method can strengthen and optimize our digital transformation efforts.

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Deep dive in a lean digital company #6
August 29, 2021
Deep dive in a lean digital company #6

FEATURE – In the final article of her series, the author spends a day with Theodo’s CEO and co-founder to learn how lean informs its strategy and vision.

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Prospering, not profiteering
August 26, 2021
Prospering, not profiteering

FEATURE – The impact of humankind on the environment is now beyond dispute. Yet, too little is being done to adapt our business models. This compelling read explains why we need to create prosperity beyond profit.

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Building lean into our strategy
August 19, 2021
Building lean into our strategy

CASE STUDY – Brazil-based construction company Andrade Gutierrez has been able to sustain its transformation by consistently developing internal capabilities and making Lean Thinking its strategy.

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Lean-powered decision making
August 16, 2021
Lean-powered decision making

FEATURE – As lean thinkers, our focus is on problem-solving. The author explains why effectively solving problems depends on our ability to make the right decisions and suggests the lean community plays closer attention to this.

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Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers
August 12, 2021
Bringing Dantotsu quality improvement to parts makers

FEATURE – Improving supplier quality and reduce defects was an important part of Toyota Industries Corporation’s (TICO) Dantotsu activities since the very beginning. In this article, the author visits two parts suppliers.

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Andon squares - 5S in the office
August 9, 2021
Andon squares - 5S in the office

FEATURE – As she gets ready to publish a book on her experience running Halfway Toyota Ngami, the author looks back at one of the best visuals the team implemented during the transformation.

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Lean leadership and Industry 4.0
August 5, 2021
Lean leadership and Industry 4.0

RESEARCH – The authors explore the leadership traits that Lean Thinking and the implementation of Industry 4.0 practices call for and explore their synergies.

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The way to radical lean
August 2, 2021
The way to radical lean

FEATURE – Reflecting on Nomura-san’s recently published book on radical quality improvement, the author encourages us to embrace the spirit of “Dantotsu” to meet the challenges we face as a society.

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The legacy of LEANardo da Vinci
July 29, 2021
The legacy of LEANardo da Vinci

FEATURE – Was Leonardo da Vinci a lean thinker? This thought-provoking article looks at his legacy, connects it to lean, and reminds us of how ahead of his time the Italian genius was.

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Reinventing reimbursement
July 26, 2021
Reinventing reimbursement

CASE STUDY – The reimbursement department of the largest independent insurance company in Brazil has brought together lean and digitalization to improve its service to customers.

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A chat with Nomura-san
July 22, 2021
A chat with Nomura-san

INTERVIEW – Following his 10 years at Toyota Industries Corporation (TICO) teaching his Dantotsu method for radical quality improvement, Sadao Nomura spoke to Japanese magazine Kojo Kanri (Factory Management).

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The paradox of learning
July 19, 2021
The paradox of learning

FEATURE – In this call to arms, the author encourages us to fight to prove the relevance of Lean Thinking in such difficult times and explains why only mastering it can truly address our problems.

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Superior quality to beat the competition
July 15, 2021
Superior quality to beat the competition

FEATURE – Today we repurpose a great article published in 2016 on Japanese industry magazine Kojo Kanri that focuses on radical quality improvement at Toyota Industries Corporation.

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Lean as a path
July 12, 2021
Lean as a path

FEATURE – The author describes Lean Thinking as a path of discovery and explains why attempts to define it “once and for all” are destined to fail.

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How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality
July 8, 2021
How Dantotsu helped us to radically improve our quality

INTERVIEW – The former executive of the Toyota Material Handling plant in Italy reflects on how Sadao Nomura’s “Dantotsu” method helped them to drastically improve quality.

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Deep dive in a lean digital company #5
July 5, 2021
Deep dive in a lean digital company #5

FEATURE – For a few years now, Theodo has made of quality and customer satisfaction the main focus of its work, and it is paying off. But what does it mean to pursue and improve quality at a digital company?

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People, invention, and radically great quality
July 1, 2021
People, invention, and radically great quality

FEATURE – The authors discuss radical quality improvement at Toyota and introduce a new book by Sadao Nomura that the Lean Global Network has just co-published.

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Standard work for leaders
June 28, 2021
Standard work for leaders

FEATURE – The author reflects on the importance of standardized work in her daily life as a manager and explains why one can’t expect to run a company only using reports.

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What is a real lean transformation?
June 24, 2021
What is a real lean transformation?

FEATURE – Looking at successful journeys, the authors explain why a true lean transformation requires a chain of mentoring in TPS to fulfil the promise of each person’s individual learning.

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Launching new medication quicker with Lean Thinking
June 21, 2021
Launching new medication quicker with Lean Thinking

CASE STUDY – Clinical trials are known for their rigorous analysis and approval process. The experience of Roche Brasil teaches us what lean and agile thinking can do to speed it up.

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What pull systems can I combine?
June 17, 2021
What pull systems can I combine?

FEATURE – In the last article in his series, the author discusses how you can mix and combine the different pull systems available to the lean practitioner.

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Kaizen I didn't know was there
June 15, 2021
Kaizen I didn't know was there

FEATURE – As she packs before leaving Botswana, the author tells us of a wonderful example of Lean Thinking that resurfaced from her past working in the Botswana tourism industry.

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Improving the front-line work in construction
June 10, 2021
Improving the front-line work in construction

FEATURE – What is the key to improving the front-line construction work? Our lean construction coaches pull their experience together to shed a light on the subject.

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What pull system is right for you?
June 7, 2021
What pull system is right for you?

FEATURE – In the third article in his series, Christoph Roser provides a practical guide to understand the most adequate pull system to your circumstances.

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Deep dive in a lean digital company #4
June 3, 2021
Deep dive in a lean digital company #4

FEATURE – This month, the author learns how gemba walks happen in a digital environment, where the work and information are typically hidden in computers.

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Developing problem solvers to advance lean construction
May 31, 2021
Developing problem solvers to advance lean construction

FEATURE – Construction is rife with waste, and yet lean is not widely adopted in the industry. The authors highlight how lean could benefit the sector, emphasizing the importance of developing problem-solving capabilities.

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The criteria to decide on a pull system
May 27, 2021
The criteria to decide on a pull system

FEATURE – Before you decide which method to use to establish pull, you must consider a number of factors. Here’s the things you should be paying attention to.

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Troublesome problems and threshold concepts
May 24, 2021
Troublesome problems and threshold concepts

FEATURE – Looking back on the lean journeys he's seen firsthand, the author concludes that a true lean transformation occurs when you establish lines of mentoring to the Thinking People System.

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7 tools to establish pull production
May 20, 2021
7 tools to establish pull production

FEATURE – Kanban is the best-known method to establish pull production, but it is not the only one. Here’s a few other ways you can create a pull system.

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Every second counts
May 17, 2021
Every second counts

FEATURE – As Italy rolls out its vaccination campaign, the author reflects on what he recently observed at a vaccination hub in the Veneto region and discusses how the process could be made leaner.

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Bringing lean to Nigeria’s small farmers
May 13, 2021
Bringing lean to Nigeria’s small farmers

CASE STUDY – Lean Thinking travels far and wide. Here’s how the experience and insights of an Indiana-based farmer have supported a USAID project to improve outcomes for farmers across Nigeria.

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Remote working at SulAmérica
May 10, 2021
Remote working at SulAmérica

FEATURE – Fourteen months after the beginning of the pandemic, the author reflects on the challenges and opportunities that remote working has brought to this insurance company.

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Deep dive in a lean digital company #3
May 6, 2021
Deep dive in a lean digital company #3

FEATURE – The third article in this new series discusses Theodo’s approach to talent recruitment and development, to ensure the right resources are there to support the company’s growth at all times.

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When digitalization reaches the gemba
May 3, 2021
When digitalization reaches the gemba

FEATURE – During a recent Jishuken workshop, Poland-based Schumacher Packaging experimented with a newly-developed App to quickly create standardized work instructions at the gemba.

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Why is it so hard to do lean without a sensei?
April 29, 2021
Why is it so hard to do lean without a sensei?

FEATURE – Why do lean transformations benefit from the support of a sensei? Michael Ballé discusses how we typically need help to take the emotions out of the work and go down uncomfortable paths.

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Pull: a way forward for supply chains
April 26, 2021
Pull: a way forward for supply chains

FEATURE – The release of Christoph Roser’s new book All About Pull inspires John Shook to discuss the origins and true meaning of “pull” and why it is incorrect to blame JIT for the shortcomings of global supply chains.

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Mr Joe and the most important A3 of his life
April 22, 2021
Mr Joe and the most important A3 of his life

FEATURE – This story will take you through the development of the most important A3 of Mr Joe’s life – the one meant to turn around his health and help him to live longer.

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Six digital tools to make your marketing “leaner”
April 19, 2021
Six digital tools to make your marketing “leaner”

FEATURE – To make the right decisions, the contribution of the team and the leader’s intuition are not enough. It’s also critical to identify the most effective channels and activities for your marketing activities.

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The 19 billion doses challenge
April 14, 2021
The 19 billion doses challenge

FEATURE – What does it take to meet the historic challenge of rapidly increasing the annual global vaccine capacity from 5 billion to 19 billion doses? And how could Lean Thinking help?

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Think in terms of value networks, not supply chains
April 12, 2021
Think in terms of value networks, not supply chains

FEATURE – This article explores the concept of “value network”, emphasizing the importance of looking at lead-times and value creation in a more holistic way.

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Bringing lean to Chinese hospitals
April 8, 2021
Bringing lean to Chinese hospitals

FEATURE – Lean healthcare is new to China. The authors share some examples of improvements projects taking place in Chinese hospitals, which they hope will inspire more organizations to take lean on.

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Deep dive in a lean digital company #2
April 1, 2021
Deep dive in a lean digital company #2

FEATURE – In the second article in her new series, the author discusses how focusing on customer value helped a fintech start-up to grow fivefold just last year.

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Kamishibai for better conversations at the gemba
March 29, 2021
Kamishibai for better conversations at the gemba

FEATURE – How do kamishibai boards work and what sort of benefits can they bring to a lean transformation? The author discusses what he saw on a recent gemba walk.

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An authentic blueprint
March 25, 2021
An authentic blueprint

FEATURE – The lean house can be seen as a blueprint for a transformation. But what happens when CEO or other senior leaders are not aligned with the vision expressed in the roof?

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Creating front-line leaders to solve problems at Nestlé
March 22, 2021
Creating front-line leaders to solve problems at Nestlé

INTERVIEW – In this Q&A, we learn how the Technical & Production (T&P) area of Nestlé Colombia Ecuador is using lean and Art Smalley’s four types of problems framework to bring leadership closer to the gemba.

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Lean and happiness
March 18, 2021
Lean and happiness

FEATURE – Employee happiness leads to greater efficiency and higher quality, which is why it’s increasingly being adopted as an indicator by firms. But how does lean relate to happiness?

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Lean marketing and the voice of the customer
March 15, 2021
Lean marketing and the voice of the customer

FEATURE – What does it really mean to listen to the “voice of the customer”? This article discusses how lean marketing can help us to truly understand customer value and, therefore, increase our sales.

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Asking the right questions. Sure, but how?
March 11, 2021
Asking the right questions. Sure, but how?

FEATURE – This interesting article asks what it means to ask to right questions and explains why the way to success is learning about problems, not wondering whether solutions are wrong or right.

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Keeping up with change in retail
March 8, 2021
Keeping up with change in retail

FEATURE – A lean retail experiment: Carrefour Group in Brazil has started a lean journey to rapidly adapt to market changes and reach excellence in the delivery of value to customers.

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Observing Covid-19 vaccination at the gemba
March 4, 2021
Observing Covid-19 vaccination at the gemba

FEATURE – In his first gemba walk in months, the author observes the Covid-19 vaccination process in a physician’s practice in Wales and reflects on how lean it is.

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'Steel' going strong
March 1, 2021
'Steel' going strong

FEATURE – With the help of Lean Thinking, this Ukrainian producer of stainless steel pipes is retaining its competitive position against larger players in the market.

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Caught between a rock and a hard place
February 25, 2021
Caught between a rock and a hard place

FEATURE – What is the role of middle managers in a transformation and how can we ensure they can fulfil that role – instead of being blamed for the failure of the initiative and even excluded from it?

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A lean view on... politics
February 22, 2021
A lean view on... politics

INTERVIEW – In another interview in our series that looks at global events from a lean perspective, we discuss politics, the challenges to democracy and the phenomenon of populism.

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Deep dive in a lean digital company #1
February 18, 2021
Deep dive in a lean digital company #1

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – The author visits the office of Theodo France and learns how the lean digital company is leveraging lean thinking and practice to support its ongoing growth – even through the pandemic.

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Becoming a role model
February 15, 2021
Becoming a role model

CASE STUDY – This hospital in Argentina has leveraged the power of Lean Thinking to greatly enhance patient care, even in the pandemic, and receive internationally renowned accreditations.

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The role of coaching in hoshin kanri
February 11, 2021
The role of coaching in hoshin kanri

FEATURE – The author discusses how the hoshin kanri process, coupled with effective coaching, helps us to tackle the challenges inherent to implementing change.

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Awakening
February 8, 2021
Awakening

INTERVIEW – The extraordinary events of the past year have encouraged lean organizations around the world to ask deeper questions about purpose and value creation, says Josh Howell.

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The J-Cost theory
February 4, 2021
The J-Cost theory

FEATURE – The approach described here, first adopted by this Chinese company, directly connects the daily work in manufacturing with an organization’s financial results.

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Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing
February 1, 2021
Two giants, two communities, one lasting thing

FEATURE – John Shook remembers the work of Ezra Vogel and Norman Bodek and discusses how, in their own way, each of their contributions help us to understand the Toyota Production System.

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A lean view on... strategic thinking
January 28, 2021
A lean view on... strategic thinking

FEATURE – For many organizations, devising effective strategies remains a gap to fill and that’s something lean can help with. Michael Ballé discusses strategic thinking with our editor.

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Bringing strategy into your digital transformation
January 25, 2021
Bringing strategy into your digital transformation

FEATURE – In many organizations, strategy is often lacking from the digital transformation agenda. The authors provide insights into how value chains and Wardley Maps can assist.

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Just-in-Time and the Covid pandemic
January 21, 2021
Just-in-Time and the Covid pandemic

FEATURE – The pandemic has brought back into the spotlight the common misconception that Just-in-Time causes disruption when spikes in demand occur. Torbjørn Netland debunks the myth.

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The synchronization of material flow with demand
January 18, 2021
The synchronization of material flow with demand

FEATURE – Aligning supply flows with demand is crucial to success, but it can be complicated. Lean Thinking can help us identify the strategy and sequence of activities that we need to make it a reality.

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What lean marketing teaches us about packaging
January 14, 2021
What lean marketing teaches us about packaging

FEATURE – What role does packaging play when it comes to marketing a product? The author discusses “lean packaging” and shares the example of an Italian toilet paper maker.

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Lean in SMEs
January 11, 2021
Lean in SMEs

FEATURE – SMEs represent the backbone of many economies, but few of them contemplate embarking on a lean transformation. The author discusses why and offers some tips to help them embrace lean.

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A hospital CEO on lean and the Covid resurgence
January 7, 2021
A hospital CEO on lean and the Covid resurgence

FEATURE – As South Africa fights a second Covid-19 wave, the CEO of a hospital group shares some of the lessons learnt so far and how Lean Thinking is helping the organization resist.

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Lean strategy means learning what to improve
January 4, 2021
Lean strategy means learning what to improve

FEATURE – Lean represents a strategy to understand what needs to be improved, the critical skills that must be developed to solve a specific problem – whether it’s a quality defect or a pandemic.

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Hope in lean nation
December 21, 2020
Hope in lean nation

FEATURE – As 2020 finally draws to an end, our editor reflects on the year that was and discusses why the Lean Community is a such an important source of inspiration and hope.

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Enabling change with a value stream Jishuken
December 17, 2020
Enabling change with a value stream Jishuken

FEATURE – In March 2019, this hospital partnered with the Lean Global Network on a two-day Jishuken event. Nearly two years later, the authors reflect on the legacy of that initiative.

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The lean developer
December 14, 2020
The lean developer

FEATURE – How can digital companies develop a competitive edge in the "tech first" future? By using Lean Thinking to ensure continuous learning and transform the way coders think and work.

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Leadership: tackling the P in SQDCP
December 10, 2020
Leadership: tackling the P in SQDCP

FEATURE – Whether or not a lean transformation succeeds largely depends on management behaviors. This assessment tools helps you understand what leadership traits you need to develop to achieve your goals.

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Customer satisfaction in Haidilao restaurants
December 7, 2020
Customer satisfaction in Haidilao restaurants

CASE STUDY – How does a small food shop in Sichuan turn into a $30 billion chain with around 900 restaurants in several countries? By always going the extra mile for customers!

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10 obstacles to a lean transformation
December 3, 2020
10 obstacles to a lean transformation

FEATURE – Hansei is a powerful tool that helps us understand Lean Thinking and advance on our journey. The author shares the lessons he learned from the struggles Halfway Toyota encountered during its years-long transformation.

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Can lean help with a brutal drop in sales?
November 30, 2020
Can lean help with a brutal drop in sales?

FEATURE – With lockdowns enforced in many countries as Covid-19 continues to ravage the world, the authors discuss how Lean Thinking can help when the order book dries up.

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Turning a cave into a museum with lean marketing
November 26, 2020
Turning a cave into a museum with lean marketing

FEATURE – Using lean marketing principles, an entrepreneur in southern Italy was able to pivot from a potentially bad investment and create a unique customer experience instead.

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Lean logistics at Thales LAS
November 23, 2020
Lean logistics at Thales LAS

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – Thanks to the effective application of Just-in-time and Jidoka, Thales LAS has managed to turn around its logistics department. Catherine Chabiron reports.

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Lean for better writing
November 19, 2020
Lean for better writing

FEATURE – Have you ever wondered how lean tools and principles might apply to writing? To inspire you to document your learnings, our editor offers a guide for aspiring writers in our community.

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The role of “System 3” thinking
November 16, 2020
The role of “System 3” thinking

FEATURE – This compelling article explores how our brain constantly looks for emotional resonance with the environment around us. Is this System-3 type thinking the key to enabling joint problem solving?

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Six Toyota practices for leading with respect
November 12, 2020
Six Toyota practices for leading with respect

FEATURE – The authors share the main insights from a webinar with two Toyota leaders from South America, on the leadership practices that have allowed the company to sustain results for decades.

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Keeping focus in a war zone
November 9, 2020
Keeping focus in a war zone

FEATURE – The author discusses the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the companies and the needs of individuals in her town of Maun, Botswana, and wonders what role lean can play in their lives.

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Lean and the global Covid-19 vaccine race
November 5, 2020
Lean and the global Covid-19 vaccine race

CASE STUDY – Pall Corporation used lean product and process development principles to create the process to produce billions of doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19 in record time.

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Lean ASAP!
November 2, 2020
Lean ASAP!

CASE STUDY – Some blamed lean for the shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) in first wave of the pandemic. This small Norwegian producer of disposable bedsheets used it to establish and ramp up the production of medical gowns for healthcare workers.

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An obeya to build and industrialize our IT delivery
October 29, 2020
An obeya to build and industrialize our IT delivery

FEATURE – In this article we learn how the creation of an Obeya helped an international insurance company boost collaboration among functions and accelerate the delivery of an important IT project.

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Improving children's care at a Chinese hospital
October 26, 2020
Improving children's care at a Chinese hospital

FEATURE - This story from a Chinese children's hospital reminds us that the lean healthcare improvements we make can have remarkable results on both patients and staff.

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Putting the customer at the heart of public service
October 22, 2020
Putting the customer at the heart of public service

FEATURE – This story of a lean application in elderly care in a Norwegian borough demonstrates the great strides that can be made in providing better service to citizens if their needs become the focus of the work.

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The lean candidate
October 19, 2020
The lean candidate

CASE STUDY – Have you ever considered how Lean Thinking could apply to politics? The author explains how the result of a mayoral race in southern Italy was ultimately determined by the lean approach adopted by one of the candidates.

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A lean view on... the fight against climate change
October 15, 2020
A lean view on... the fight against climate change

INTERVIEW – What is the contribution of Lean Thinking to the battle against climate change? Michael Ballé discusses the Toyota approach to sustainability and what it takes to push "green" to the top of the business agenda.

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Designing the best possible process
October 12, 2020
Designing the best possible process

FEATURE – This article analyzes some of the most effective tools lean practitioners can deploy to design solid processes characterized by an effective sequence of tasks and a focus on customer value.

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A better way to learn lean
October 8, 2020
A better way to learn lean

INTERVIEW – The Lean Enterprise Academy just launched the Lean Learning Journey, an online platform from which practitioners can pull the practical knowledge they need in their lean transformation.

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Truly seeing the big picture
October 5, 2020
Truly seeing the big picture

FEATURE – In this personal account, the author explains how Lean Thinking inspires her painting process, debunking the myth that the methodology stifles creativity.

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Better processes for better care
October 1, 2020
Better processes for better care

CASE STUDY – This Barcelona hospital began its journey with ambitious projects and is starting to see the fruits of its labor, with the pandemic acting as an unexpected but powerful catalyst for change.

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A lean view on... the media
September 28, 2020
A lean view on... the media

INTERVIEW – If we truly believe lean can change society, then we should use it as a lens through which to look into different aspects of our lives – even when those associations are hard to make. This month, we discuss the world of media.

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The “mangineer” and people development
September 24, 2020
The “mangineer” and people development

FEATURE – Sometimes you just need to get creative: as part of its flexible manufacturing model, Esquel introduced a new role on its shop floor – the “mangineer”.

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Beyond exploitation - an alternative business system
September 21, 2020
Beyond exploitation - an alternative business system

FEATURE – The transformational power of Lean Thinking allows us to see it as a way to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. Dan Jones explains why it can represent an alternative to our exploitation-based system.

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Lean turnaround – charting a new course
September 17, 2020
Lean turnaround – charting a new course

FEATURE – In business, the word “turnaround” refers to radical changes in the direction a company is moving toward. Here’s why Lean Thinking can increase the chances of success of such endeavors.

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A tool for effective marketing strategies
September 14, 2020
A tool for effective marketing strategies

FEATURE – Tools and framework help us to bring lean principles to life and act on our strategies. The author introduces the Lean Marketing Canvas.

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Jishuken at a Coloplast distribution center
September 10, 2020
Jishuken at a Coloplast distribution center

VIDEO - In February, a group of Lean Global Network coaches visited Coloplast's Parts Distribution Center in Hungary to help the local team improve the internal lead-time across the facility.

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The power of visual thinking
September 7, 2020
The power of visual thinking

FEATURE – How does visual thinking practically help an organization? The author discusses three different ways in which it can be used to benefit a business and help it to improve itself.

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30 years since Machine came out - Part 2
September 3, 2020
30 years since Machine came out - Part 2

INTERVIEW – Thirty years ago, a book introduced lean thinking to the world, started a global movement and transformed business forever. Our editor caught up with one of the authors.

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30 years since Machine came out - Part 1
August 31, 2020
30 years since Machine came out - Part 1

INTERVIEW – In the fall of 1990, a book was published that would kickstart a revolution in business. This week we are catching up with the authors to understand where we are and where we are headed. First up, Daniel Jones.

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Do you run a team or a gang?
August 27, 2020
Do you run a team or a gang?

FEATURE – The author discusses two ways in which people can work together in a group – a team or a gang – and explains why you will need both at one time or another in your lean transformation.

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Making a hotel restaurant leaner and safer
August 24, 2020
Making a hotel restaurant leaner and safer

CASE STUDY – This hotel in Spain has been able to leverage Lean Thinking in its restaurant to successfully adapt to the new Covid-19 regulations enforced in the country, becoming more efficient along the way.

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Smooth as silk
August 20, 2020
Smooth as silk

CASE STUDY – An Esquel factory in GuiLin, China injected lean principles and practices into its processes to become more efficient and environmentally-friendly.

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Three strategies to reuse product knowledge
August 17, 2020
Three strategies to reuse product knowledge

FEATURE – Developing new products faster than our competitors can make or break a company. The authors share three strategies to reuse our engineering knowledge and build a competitive advantage.

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Our experience teaching lean at SulAmérica
August 13, 2020
Our experience teaching lean at SulAmérica

FEATURE – What does it take to support a lean transformation from within? The author reflects on the role of the lean team in the turnaround of Brazilian insurance company SulAmérica.

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Start with Kanban
August 10, 2020
Start with Kanban

FEATURE – Using an effective example from every-day life, the author discusses why Kanban is the gateway to Lean Thinking – and not just a tool.

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Our hotel after Covid-19
August 6, 2020
Our hotel after Covid-19

CASE STUDY – Not even a pandemic can prevent a lean organization from learning: this hotel in Tenerife has decided to make the most of its forced closure to review and improve its processes.

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Transforming our training company
August 3, 2020
Transforming our training company

FEATURE – To lean out a training organization means to both transform its internal processes and integrate Lean Thinking in its educational offering: the story of ZingTrain.

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Changing our minds to change our business
July 30, 2020
Changing our minds to change our business

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – It can take time to challenge our misconceptions and set off on a lean journey. Once we get it, however, it’s hard to stop the improvements, as this French company found out.

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Optimizing material handling with lean
July 27, 2020
Optimizing material handling with lean

CASE STUDY – By streamlining its internal processes, an agribusiness company in Brazil managed to reduce its material handling cycle time by 75% and the associated costs by 66%.

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Why lean marketing is the future
July 23, 2020
Why lean marketing is the future

FEATURE – No organization can expect to survive without a sound marketing strategy. The author outlines the main elements and advantages of a lean marketing approach.

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Overcoming structural racism with lean leadership
July 20, 2020
Overcoming structural racism with lean leadership

FEATURE – Can behaviors inspired by lean leadership help us to push back against our society’s ingrained racial bias? Our Brazilian colleagues discuss.

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Lean and green in a Scottish university
July 16, 2020
Lean and green in a Scottish university

FEATURE – Why do lean and green go hand in hand? In the experience of this university in Edinburgh, they are both about respecting people and thinking holistically.

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Learning our way to the top of the mountain
July 13, 2020
Learning our way to the top of the mountain
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CASE STUDY – By building Lean Thinking into its processes and culture and developing people’s capabilities, this Norwegian company serving the oil&gas sector achieved fantastic results.

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Lean in internal supply logistics
July 9, 2020
Lean in internal supply logistics

CASE STUDY – The implementation of lean in the internal logistics of a pharmaceutical company in Brazil proved key to increasing productivity and quality in the organization.

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The role of HR in a lean transformation
July 6, 2020
The role of HR in a lean transformation

FEATURE – The author outlines the role of HR in a lean transformation and explains why our ability to successfully turn around a business largely depends on activities in which HR participates.

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Four types of problems, in the management system
July 2, 2020
Four types of problems, in the management system

FEATURE – A lean management system is necessary to effectively run a business. Can Art Smalley’s four types of problems framework help such a system to focus on what’s really important?

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Passing down TPS across generations
June 29, 2020
Passing down TPS across generations

FEATURE – This intimate account looks back at the time one of the authors spent working with Harada-san and how it shaped his career and encouraged him to spread TPS knowledge.

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Quality first means more sales
June 25, 2020
Quality first means more sales

CASE STUDY – This insurtech venture has found in Lean Thinking a way to tackle its many scaling issues. It’s grown from two to fifty-five people in less than four years, ultimately thanks to a strong focus on quality.

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Lean innovations for restaurants
June 22, 2020
Lean innovations for restaurants

FEATURE – The restaurant business has always been tough, but Covid-19 is now presenting it with new challenges. The author shares a few lean practices that can help restaurants develop competitiveness.

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An experiment with cellular thinking
June 18, 2020
An experiment with cellular thinking

INTERVIEW – Today’s story takes us to Iceland, where a senior leader in a utility company introduced cellular thinking to her team in a bid to improve flexibility and better working conditions.

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A lean view on racism
June 15, 2020
A lean view on racism

INTERVIEW – Racism is not a problem many lean thinkers are called to tackle in their daily lives at work, but that doesn’t mean that Lean Thinking has nothing to say about it.

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Lean for remote team management
June 11, 2020
Lean for remote team management

FEATURE – The Covid-19 pandemic has reminded us all that the nature of the work has changed forever. The author discusses remote work and how Lean Thinking can help you make the most of it.

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Down with batching
June 8, 2020
Down with batching

FEATURE – To speed up the issuance of insurance policies, a SulAmérica department decided to move away from big batches and start working in flow.

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Marie Kondo and the art of home 4S
June 4, 2020
Marie Kondo and the art of home 4S

FEATURE – The Japanese organizing guru has become very popular in recent years, but what does Lean Thinking tell us about her approach?

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Do try this at home
June 1, 2020
Do try this at home

CASES STUDY – Struggling to win the hearts and minds of his people, the author took lean home, learned as much as he could about it and brought it back to his business with the idea of making everybody's lives easier.

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Webinar: 5 guiding principles to transform healthcare
May 29, 2020
Webinar: 5 guiding principles to transform healthcare

WEBINAR - The Lean Healthcare Initiative teams presents the results of their research and provide five guidelines to successfully transform healthcare organizations.

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The ball is in our court
May 28, 2020
The ball is in our court

CASE STUDY – The author, who leads the CI team in a large real estate company, discusses the lean transformation of the business and role of the improvement team in it.

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Eight practices to put more green into lean
May 25, 2020
Eight practices to put more green into lean

FEATURE – The planet is warming at an unsustainable rate, pollution is increasing, wildlife populations and arable land areas have plummeted, and our oceans are filling with plastic. Can Lean Thinking help?

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Keep calm and manage stably: Akio Toyoda on crises
May 21, 2020
Keep calm and manage stably: Akio Toyoda on crises

FEATURE – Akio Toyoda’s May 12th press conference to present Toyota’s financial results offers great insights into how the company is reacting to the pandemic, say Jeff Liker and John Shook.

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How we made our microbiology lab Covid-ready
May 18, 2020
How we made our microbiology lab Covid-ready

FEATURE – When the number of Covid-19 cases skyrocketed in the Italian region of Piedmont, this microbiology lab had to find a way to increase its capacity to process swab tests. Here’s how they did it.

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Anticipating the Covid-19 storm
May 15, 2020
Anticipating the Covid-19 storm

NOTES FROM THE (VIRTUAL) GEMBA – In the last of her series of virtual gemba walks, the author learns how a hospital in the Caribbean island of Martinique relied on Lean Thinking in its fight against the Coronavirus.

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Reimagining restaurants after Covid-19
May 12, 2020
Reimagining restaurants after Covid-19

FEATURE – The future has never looked more uncertain for restaurants and cafes. The authors share a set of practical lean tips that can guide these organizations navigate the storm.

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Webinar: lean healthcare vs the Coronavirus
May 8, 2020
Webinar: lean healthcare vs the Coronavirus

WEBINAR – Last month, the Lean Management Instituut in Holland organized a webinar to discuss the response of lean healthcare organizations to the Coronavirus. Today we are repurposing for you all.

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Facing the crisis with an appetite for improvement
May 6, 2020
Facing the crisis with an appetite for improvement

NOTES FROM THE VIRTUAL GEMBA – Despite a 40% drop in sales and the looming prospect of having to furlough part of its staff, this French company is finding in lean manufacturing an ally to fight the current crisis.

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Lean thinking for more resilient supply chains
May 4, 2020
Lean thinking for more resilient supply chains

FEATURE – The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed all the shortcomings of our current supply chains. Lean Thinking can make them more agile, aligned and adaptive.

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Staying ready in uncertain times
April 30, 2020
Staying ready in uncertain times

NOTES FROM THE (VIRTUAL) GEMBA – Throughout the lockdown, this car-selling business has never lost its focus on people development. The author learns how this approach is helping the firm make the most of the crisis.

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The lean playbook
April 28, 2020
The lean playbook

FEATURE – The author reflects on how lean organizations are reacting to the Covid-19 crisis and discusses the tough questions they are asking themselves.

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Lean healthcare practitioners on fighting Coronavirus
April 24, 2020
Lean healthcare practitioners on fighting Coronavirus

FEATURE – How did lean healthcare organizations respond to the most critical stage of the epidemic? We asked three hospitals in Catalonia and Toledo to share their experience.

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“Global Jidoka” to mitigate the effects of the virus?
April 22, 2020
“Global Jidoka” to mitigate the effects of the virus?

COLUMN – The author imagines an ideal, Jidoka-inspired response to the Coronavirus pandemic. This scenario might be utopian, but could it inform the definition of our True North?

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Spaghetti charts and physical distancing
April 20, 2020
Spaghetti charts and physical distancing

FEATURE – A simple lean tool can help us create safer flows in our businesses, a critical challenge as we plan our return to work with new physical distancing measures in place.

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The world after Covid-19
April 17, 2020
The world after Covid-19

FEATURE – Looking to the future, the author encourages us to challenge obsolete ideas and seize the opportunity provided by Lean Thinking to make the world a better place for all.

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Learning fast in the crisis
April 15, 2020
Learning fast in the crisis

NOTES FROM THE (VIRTUAL) GEMBA – This small manufacturer is relying on Lean Thinking to keep the business running during the Covid-19 crisis, overcome the disruption in its supply chain, and even innovate.

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Were we born for a time such as this?
April 13, 2020
Were we born for a time such as this?

FEATURE – This time of crisis is a perfect opportunity to use Lean Thinking to review processes, improve standards and prepare ourselves for the “reconstruction”, says Sharon Visser.

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Is our response to Covid-19 fundamentally flawed?
April 10, 2020
Is our response to Covid-19 fundamentally flawed?

OPINION – Discussing the lack of structured problem solving in the fight against the pandemic in Italy, the author makes the case for blanket-testing as a possible way to understand the current state.

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Leveraging lean learnings to face the crisis
April 8, 2020
Leveraging lean learnings to face the crisis

NOTES FROM THE (VIRTUAL) GEMBA – This week, the author chats with an innovative insurance company as it relies on its lean learnings to ensure business continuity and switch to remote working during the Covid-19 crisis.

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Daily management and experimentation in a crisis
April 6, 2020
Daily management and experimentation in a crisis

FEATURE – As businesses struggle with disruption and an uncertain future in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, the author suggests they turn to lean daily management and get into an experimentation mindset.

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Fighting Covid-19 with lean healthcare
April 3, 2020
Fighting Covid-19 with lean healthcare

FEATURE - A Lean Global Network team of lean practitioners and coaches shares a set of lean healthcare tips hospitals can apply today to ready themselves for the peak of Covid-19 cases.

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Facing the emergency
April 1, 2020
Facing the emergency

NOTES FROM THE (VIRTUAL) GEMBA – In this new series - one new article every week during the Covid-19 crisis) - the author asks companies how they are reacting to this health emergency. First up, Proditec.

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Lean healthcare on the front lines
March 30, 2020
Lean healthcare on the front lines

FEATURE – Our coverage of the Covid-19 emergency continues with an article discussing how lean healthcare principles can support and protect the professionals at the front line of this war.

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Panic buying and the Coronavirus
March 27, 2020
Panic buying and the Coronavirus

FEATURE – With the Covid-19 emergency, people across the world have been stockpiling on household products, exposing the shortcoming of batching-prone supply chains.

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Coping with Covid-19: lessons from The Plague
March 25, 2020
Coping with Covid-19: lessons from The Plague

COLUMN – With the Covid-19 pandemic spreading around the world, John Shook shares six ideas that are guiding him as 1.5 billion of us go into lockdown.

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Harada-san and the steps to better Jidoka
March 23, 2020
Harada-san and the steps to better Jidoka

FEATURE – In the first piece of a series on Takehiko Harada’s contribution to TPS, the authors discuss the Nagara Switch and how it helps to achieve better Jidoka.

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Immunity
March 19, 2020
Immunity

CASE STUDY – This Italian manufacturer has found in lean a way to ensure business continuity and provide support to a distraught workforce in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

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Why bother with lean when we're all doomed?
March 16, 2020
Why bother with lean when we're all doomed?

FEATURE – When faced with a crisis, like the current one, it is natural to wonder, “Why bother?”. Yet, this is when we most need a growth mindset and a framework like lean thinking to figure out a way forward.

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The power of lean planning
March 12, 2020
The power of lean planning

FEATURE – A Dutch transmission system operator is using Lean Planning – built around the Last Planner System – to better manage its complex infrastructure projects.

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Hoshin kanri in a picture
March 9, 2020
Hoshin kanri in a picture

FEATURE – Hoshin is a powerful management practice that aligns the work at different levels to a company’s strategic goals. The author offers a one-page visual summary.

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Gemba walks: the common pitfalls
March 5, 2020
Gemba walks: the common pitfalls

FEATURE – The author discusses the most common mistakes leaders make during gemba walks and the things they need to keep in mind to make the most of this important management practice.

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What is A3 Thinking?
March 2, 2020
What is A3 Thinking?

ROUNDUP – Our editor discusses A3 Thinking and its various uses, curating a list of the best Planet Lean articles published on this topic over the years.

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The gift that keeps on giving
February 27, 2020
The gift that keeps on giving

FEATURE – The benefits of establishing a lean operating system will support the growth and success of a business in the long term, says Karen Gaudet looking back at her experience at Starbucks.

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Enhancing your gemba skills
February 24, 2020
Enhancing your gemba skills

FEATURE – Michael Ballé shares a few tricks he uses to escape his default thinking and ensure he makes the most of every gemba walk he goes on.

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Sorting out sourcing
February 20, 2020
Sorting out sourcing

FEATURE – The Sourcing team at insurance company SulAmérica tells us about how they were able to transform the process in their department in order to become more efficient in dealing with their workload.

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The Crab Method
February 17, 2020
The Crab Method

FEATURE – We hear it time and time again: in a lean transformation, middle management is the biggest hindrance to change. The author explains his strategy to win them over.

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Learning to be lean chameleons
February 13, 2020
Learning to be lean chameleons

FEATURE – In this candid, personal account, the author shares her experience as a lean coach, her challenges and success, and how she adapts to different situations.

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Gap analysis, made simple
February 10, 2020
Gap analysis, made simple

FEATURE – The difficulty of sustaining results often stems from our inability to monitor the KPIs that truly matter and to focus on business priorities. The author suggests a hands-on approach to strategy deployment.

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Predictable vs unpredictable work
February 6, 2020
Predictable vs unpredictable work

FEATURE – It is a common misconception that our work is too unpredictable to fit into a standardized approach. The author debunks this myth.

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Grievances first
February 3, 2020
Grievances first

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – How do you kick off a lean journey? This French company has chosen to begin by analyzing and tackling each customer complaint.

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A 15-year journey of people engagement
January 30, 2020
A 15-year journey of people engagement

CASE STUDY – Here’s the story of a mature lean company from Michigan. The author tells us about Zingerman’s Mail Order’s lean transformation, their challenges and their successes.

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What does a lean sensei bring to the party?
January 27, 2020
What does a lean sensei bring to the party?

FEATURE – Lean coaching is all the rage these days, but to what end? The author reframes the role of a sensei as an expert in achieving productivity by engaging everyone in kaizen.

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Extracting waste from our process
January 23, 2020
Extracting waste from our process

CASE STUDY – In a Brazilian insurance company, a team worked hard to streamline the revision of dental claims – a great example of Lean Thinking in an administrative process.

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Half the bad, double the good
January 20, 2020
Half the bad, double the good

CASE STUDY – The story of this Norwegian window and door manufacturer shows how a deep and ongoing commitment to a lean transformation can help a company thrive against all odds.

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Centerlining: what it is and how it works
January 16, 2020
Centerlining: what it is and how it works

FEATURE – In this compelling read, the author explains how “centerlining” tools and settings can reduce variation in a process and avoid having to constantly seek adjustments à la McGyver.

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New Year loss and found
January 13, 2020
New Year loss and found

FEATURE – 2019 was another momentous year for the Lean Community. John Shook reflects on what we lost and what we gained in the last year of the decade.

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Making hard work easier
January 9, 2020
Making hard work easier

FEATURE – Reflecting on some of the work he’s recently observed, the author discusses what lean thinking teaches us about making life easier for the value creators in our organizations.

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The practice of reflection
January 6, 2020
The practice of reflection

FEATURE – The holidays are a time for reflection. The author shares some her reflections on her experience with lean thinking and the role of leadership in a lean transformation.

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What is hoshin kanri?
December 19, 2019
What is hoshin kanri?

ROUNDUP – In the last roundup on lean tools and concepts of the year, our editor collects and curates the best articles on strategy deployment (hoshin kanri).

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Bringing lean to the people
December 16, 2019
Bringing lean to the people

CASE STUDY – This article briefly outlines the different stages of the lean transformation at Mercedes Benz Brazil, as the company looked for the best approach to engage everyone in continuous improvement.

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When startups visit Toyota
December 12, 2019
When startups visit Toyota

FEATURE – Digital organizations are starting to recognize that Toyota’s unique approach can show them the way forward, just like it does “traditional” organizations. Here, we hear from a few startup CEOs following their trip to Japan.

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Daily management in construction
December 9, 2019
Daily management in construction

FEATURE – How lean daily management helped a Brazilian construction company to stabilize production in a tailing dam elevation project.

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The community and the individual
December 5, 2019
The community and the individual

COLUMN – As individuals, how do we relate to the Lean Community? And what motivates us to stubbornly continue down the improvement path, often against all odds?

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Change management from the inside out
December 2, 2019
Change management from the inside out

FEATURE – The author discusses how the daily practice of lean thinking develops perseverance and the grit a leader needs to improve an organization.

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Practice makes perfect
November 28, 2019
Practice makes perfect

FEATURE – Much like lean management, attaining perfection in music requires constant practice. The author looks back at his musical past and at a recent Lean Global Network samba gig.

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A lean transformation is a cognitive transformation
November 25, 2019
A lean transformation is a cognitive transformation

FEATURE – By looking at two practical examples, the authors discuss the cognitive shift towards learning and continuous improvement that takes place in a lean transformation.

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Attorney at lean
November 21, 2019
Attorney at lean

CASE STUDY – A boutique law firm in Milan has initiated a lean transformation to turn around its processes, improve service to its clients and make life easier for the team.

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Project management woes
November 18, 2019
Project management woes

FEATURE – What are the main problems people encounter when running a project? The author ran a survey with 126 people over two years and presents the results of his research in this article.

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Safari, so good
November 14, 2019
Safari, so good

CASE STUDY – This company in Botswana has embraced lean thinking passionately to build the capacity and ability to deal with higher demand for its converted vehicles. The author tells us about their journey.

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The gateway to success
November 11, 2019
The gateway to success

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – By introducing flow in its processes and transforming its approach to managing the business, this French manufacturer of fences and gates is building a competitive advantage.

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Lean transformation: eight tips from Philips
November 7, 2019
Lean transformation: eight tips from Philips

FEATURE – A few weeks ago, we learned how Philips is leading their lean transformation. In this follow-up article, the authors provide some great tips based on the company’s experience.

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Kaizen all around
November 4, 2019
Kaizen all around

FEATURE – Two coaches from Italian company FPZ reflect on their role helping lean thinking spread across the company and its newly-acquired businesses.

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What is kaizen?
October 31, 2019
What is kaizen?

ROUNDUP – This month, we look at the most effective lean improvement approach – kaizen – by looking back at some of our best articles on the subject.

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Fancy a cup of lean coffee?
October 28, 2019
Fancy a cup of lean coffee?

FEATURE – What started as the idea of two friends to meet up and discuss their lean journeys turned into a regular get-together of lean practitioners in the Cape Town area. Another example of the importance of sharing.

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The iron law of scale-up
October 24, 2019
The iron law of scale-up

FEATURE – As our social systems grow, we need an effective way to manage them. This makes bureaucracies an inescapable part of life for our society and businesses. But how can we mitigate their negative effects?

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Lean-n-food
October 21, 2019
Lean-n-food

FEATURE – The food industry is mired with problems all along the value chain. In this call to arms, the author explains why lean thinking is the only tool we have to transform it right now.

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Re-start with a clean slate
October 17, 2019
Re-start with a clean slate

CASE STUDY – From client and supplier to partners-in-lean: how solving a problem together transformed the relationship between a Dutch hospital and the laundry supplying clean garments to it.

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Introducing Colombia to lean management
October 14, 2019
Introducing Colombia to lean management

INTERVIEW – As we look back at the evolution of lean management in our countries, the story of Instituto Lean Colombia will certainly sound more than familiar.

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Lean helps save lives in South Africa
October 10, 2019
Lean helps save lives in South Africa

FEATURE – Only when we go where the action is, do we begin to truly understand the work. Rose Heathcote joins the Emergency Medical Services in Cape Town for a day.

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Our gemba walks in Brazil
October 7, 2019
Our gemba walks in Brazil

FEATURE – Last month, the Lean Global Network met in Brazil for its annual meeting. As part of it, we visited several amazing gembas. Three of our lean coaches reflect on what we learned.

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A journey of mind-blowing improvement
October 3, 2019
A journey of mind-blowing improvement

CASE STUDY – Seven years ago, this Italian manufacturer ran an experiment to reduce inventory in its warehouse. Today, lean thinking permeates every aspect of life at FPZ.

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Slashing onboarding time for new developers
September 30, 2019
Slashing onboarding time for new developers

BUILDING BRIDGES – Using kaizen, a team at Theodo was able to reduce the time necessary to install a project on a new developer’s computer from three weeks to twelve minutes.

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What is an Obeya?
September 26, 2019
What is an Obeya?

FEATURE – In this roundup, we discuss the obeya room and use some of the best articles on the topic to explain why it’s such a powerful tool to drive improvement in your organization.

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What does learning look like at Toyota?
September 23, 2019
What does learning look like at Toyota?

INTERVIEW – Toyota’s approach to developing capabilities and its focus on life-long learning are inspirational. But how do people at Toyota actually learn?

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Taking the lean leap in private healthcare
September 19, 2019
Taking the lean leap in private healthcare

INTERVIEW – A private healthcare group in South Africa has carefully studied the unique challenges it faces and customized its approach to improvement accordingly, embarking on a lean journey to better patient care.

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Leadership development at Volvo Cars
September 16, 2019
Leadership development at Volvo Cars

CASE STUDY – What is the approach to people development used at Volvo Cars? The authors explain how the organization has created a production system fully owned by operators and managers.

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When lean takes off
September 12, 2019
When lean takes off

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – The author visits the Parisian airport of Orly to learn about a pilot project (pun intended) that aims to tackle the late departure of flights using lean thinking.

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What is lean learning?
September 9, 2019
What is lean learning?

FEATURE – How does lean apply to learning? The author reflects on the lean transformation his schools are undergoing and on its practical implications on students, staff and leaders.

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Moving forward
September 5, 2019
Moving forward

INTERVIEW – This moving company in Singapore has taken its first steps down the lean road, reminding us that translating your strategy into small, actionable improvements people can make at the gemba is the way to a transformation.

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Turn the beat around
September 3, 2019
Turn the beat around

FEATURE – One year ago, the author started coaching organizations in her town of Maun, Botswana. Here she reflects on her experience and draws an interesting parallel between lean management and dancing.

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Where are we in lean product development?
September 2, 2019
Where are we in lean product development?

FEATURE – The authors discuss some of the most common problems that product development teams experience and what an effective assessment tool for engineering looks like.

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Daily management in the ICU
August 29, 2019
Daily management in the ICU

CASE STUDY – Effectively deploying and executing your strategy requires mastering quick follow-ups at different levels of the organization – in other words, Daily Management.

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Lean is an educational system
August 27, 2019
Lean is an educational system

FEATURE – In this compelling read, the author discusses lean thinking as a system for learning that challenges our assumptions and tells us why blindly applying “best practices” takes us nowhere.

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What is 5S?
August 22, 2019
What is 5S?

FEATURE – In this roundup, we look at one of the most important lean tools and how it is deployed in organizations by bringing together PL articles on the subject.

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Understanding lean visual management tools
August 20, 2019
Understanding lean visual management tools

THE NAKED GEMBA – This useful article helps us to understand the different type of visual controls we can put in place, how they work and which ones to use to best convey our message.

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The harvest of the future
August 15, 2019
The harvest of the future

INTERVIEW – This agro-industrial business in Colombia is applying lean thinking to its harvesting process. The harvest manager explains the difficulties and opportunities encountered on the journey so far.

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Leveraging tech to improve education
August 13, 2019
Leveraging tech to improve education

INTERVIEW – In a chat with our editor, Priya Lakhani explains how technology can be used to understand a student’s unique learning pathway and design teaching accordingly.

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The role of a lean educator
August 8, 2019
The role of a lean educator

FEATURE – What does it really mean to teach lean? The author reflects on this question and shares a few tips on how to successfully engage learners in different environments.

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Lean logistics for better customer service
August 6, 2019
Lean logistics for better customer service

CASE STUDY – Logistics can be the key to achieving success and creating a competitive advantage in a company. This case study tells the story of a port terminal in Brazil that has used lean to achieve significant gains in managing its road flow.

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Leading large-scale lean change
August 1, 2019
Leading large-scale lean change

INTERVIEW – Rose Keanly discusses the role of lean in a strategic business transformation in the financial services sector and the dos and don’ts of bringing lean to a large organization.

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A sense of heritage in an uncertain world
July 30, 2019
A sense of heritage in an uncertain world

FEATURE – In a market where products become obsolete very fast, this Toyota supplier has learned the importance of staying true to its heritage and developing know-how and people’s capabilities.

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Through hardship to the stars
July 25, 2019
Through hardship to the stars

CASE STUDY – Catalonia’s largest hospital is undergoing a successful transformation – supported by pioneering hoshin experiments – that has already turned it into a poster child for lean healthcare in the region.

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Benefits and difficulties of using a Concept Paper
July 23, 2019
Benefits and difficulties of using a Concept Paper

CASE STUDY – TechnipFMC has introduced the Concept Paper in its lean product development process. This article shares some of the learnings resulting from the experience.

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A Norwegian lean epic
July 18, 2019
A Norwegian lean epic

CASE STUDY – Thousands of kaizens, a relentless focus on learning and the determination to continuously improve have made of this Norwegian company something of a lean fairytale.

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Cancelling the distance
July 16, 2019
Cancelling the distance

CASE STUDY – What to do when you operate in a competitive market and are located in a remote corner of Europe, thousands of miles from your customer? One word: lean.

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The synergies you need to succeed
July 11, 2019
The synergies you need to succeed

FEATURE – While at Starbucks, the author learned the importance of collaboration among the key functions of Operations, HR and Finance to advance a lean transformation.

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Introducing the Toyota Flow System
July 9, 2019
Introducing the Toyota Flow System

FEATURE – In the age of complexity and disruption, flowing value to customers as quickly as possible is critical. The new Toyota Flow System strives to address this issue.

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My father is my sensei
July 4, 2019
My father is my sensei

FEATURE – In this intimate account, the author reflects on the role of a lean sensei by looking back at what he’s learned from his own… his father.

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Determination pays
July 2, 2019
Determination pays

CASE STUDY – This Dutch company awards social benefits to the unemployed. Thanks to lean thinking, they were able to radically transform the service they offer them.

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What sustainability looks like
June 28, 2019
What sustainability looks like

OPINION – The team at Instituto Lean Management in Barcelona comments on recent news from the Catalan healthcare sector and reflects on lean sustainability.

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Reflecting on our lean healthcare journey
June 27, 2019
Reflecting on our lean healthcare journey

CASE STUDY – The CEO of a hospital in Johannesburg looks back to the last five years to reflect on a lean healthcare transformation that is creating positive outcomes for patients.

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Fertile ground for lean seeds
June 25, 2019
Fertile ground for lean seeds

FEATURE – Lean Institute Brasil is running pioneering lean experiments in agriculture. The authors reflect on the challenges of transforming traditional farming culture and the opportunities lean affords.

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A people-centric lean HR strategy
June 20, 2019
A people-centric lean HR strategy

CASE STUDY – This automotive parts supplier based in southwest Spain is discovering the power of lean thinking applied to recruitment and Human Resources.

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Kata in the NHS
June 18, 2019
Kata in the NHS

CASE STUDY – Starting with a series of pilot sites, the NHS is hoping to engage the Kata coaching approach to really spread an improvement culture to staff and patients.

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Lean learning, learning lean
June 13, 2019
Lean learning, learning lean

FEATURE – What can the world of lean and the world of education learn from one another? The author reflects on the synergies between these two realities.

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Learning at takt time in Thales
June 11, 2019
Learning at takt time in Thales

INTERVIEW – A former VP of Operations from Thales tells Catherine Chabiron how he and his team turned around their department by committing to lean thinking and focusing on people development every day.

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The path to a learning organization
June 6, 2019
The path to a learning organization

CASE STUDY – The story of this NGO shows how visualizing the work enables improvement and removes barriers among teams. It is a first, fundamental step towards a lean transformation.

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Reflecting on a unique partnership
June 4, 2019
Reflecting on a unique partnership

FEATURE – Following the recent CXO Summit in Singapore, a team from the Lean Global Network reflects on the partnership with SIT and its potential effects on the city-state.

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Avoiding the most common mistakes with VSM
May 30, 2019
Avoiding the most common mistakes with VSM

THE NAKED GEMBA – Value stream mapping is a fundamental tool in any lean transformation. The author takes us the most common mistakes companies make using it, so that you can avoid the pitfalls.

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Industry 4.0 or Lean 4.0?
May 28, 2019
Industry 4.0 or Lean 4.0?

INTERVIEW – Atlantis Foundries was able to achieve zero defects for three months in a row thanks to machine learning. Here’s why the human component can’t be discounted.

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Leading a quality revolution
May 23, 2019
Leading a quality revolution

INTERVIEW – A couple of weeks ago, our editor caught up with Toyota veteran Sadao Nomura. In this Q&A, he discusses quality improvement and leadership engagement.

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A crazy little thing called change
May 21, 2019
A crazy little thing called change

COLUMN – In her first column, the author reflects on the role of leadership in striking a balance between the enthusiasm for change and the need to involve everyone in a transformation.

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Defining lean is useful, lean definitions are useless
May 16, 2019
Defining lean is useful, lean definitions are useless

FEATURE – In this article, the author reflects on how his understanding of lean thinking evolved over time – as did the way he defined it.

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Truly leading a transformation
May 14, 2019
Truly leading a transformation

FEATURE – Philips has embarked in an ambitious development program for lean executives, which is helping the organization make substantial progress in their transformation.

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Lean thinking, better teaching
May 9, 2019
Lean thinking, better teaching

FEATURE – A school board in Holland is discovering the potential of lean thinking and improving its processes to tackle the overburdening of teachers.

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Three key business challenges lean can tackle
May 7, 2019
Three key business challenges lean can tackle

FEATURE – Ahead of the annual lean conference of LEI Polska, the authors reflect on a recent survey they ran with their clients on the key business challenges they face.

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Our new, leaner Cancer Center
May 2, 2019
Our new, leaner Cancer Center

FEATURE – The renovation of one of its departments gave a hospital in Italy the perfect opportunity to redesign his oncology care with lean healthcare principles in mind.

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The Sunday-night barista
April 30, 2019
The Sunday-night barista

FEATURE – The author looks back at her time at Starbucks Coffee Company and reflects on the role of leadership in facilitating the spread of lean thinking across the organization.

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Learning A3 thinking to become a better doctor
April 19, 2019
Learning A3 thinking to become a better doctor

FEATURE – A student in a medical school recently completed a rotation based on A3 thinking. She tells us what learning to use this problem-solving method has brought her.

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Down the right track
April 16, 2019
Down the right track

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – The author goes back to a train maintenance center she visited two years ago and finds an organization striving to learn continuously.

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Blue-sky thinking
April 11, 2019
Blue-sky thinking

FEATURE – Successfully engaging people and building a solid daily management system is allowing a Velux factory in Poland to fulfill its strategic goals.

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Surviving an inflection point
April 9, 2019
Surviving an inflection point

FEATURE – The car industry is undergoing incredible change and ‘disruption’ is the word on everyone’s lips. How can companies survive it? Once again, Toyota shows us the way.

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What a good supermarket looks like
April 4, 2019
What a good supermarket looks like

THE NAKED GEMBA – Our new series goes back to basics to unlock the secrets of the gemba and tell us about some of the main tools and techniques we can use in a lean transformation. First up, supermarkets.

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Banking on hoshin
April 2, 2019
Banking on hoshin

FEATURE – What a Brazilian bank has learned from its first few steps in adopting hoshin kanri through structured problem solving and people development.

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Paying our dues
March 28, 2019
Paying our dues

CASE STUDY – This Polish debt collection company is refocusing its work around true customer needs and increasing problem visibility by implementing hoshin kanri.

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Teaching A3 skills to medical students
March 26, 2019
Teaching A3 skills to medical students

FEATURE – Problem solving is a fundamental part of being a leader, which is what led this medical school in the United States to include A3 thinking in its curriculum.

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The hands of many
March 21, 2019
The hands of many

FEATURE – A dedicated pathway and the introduction of lean healthcare principles is bringing people together to provide better care to older, frail people in an Irish hospital group.

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Lean caters for our product development needs
March 19, 2019
Lean caters for our product development needs

NOTES FROM THE GEMBA – This French company has completely transformed its approach to designing and introducing new products to market by embracing lean product development ideas.

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Supporting the Australian service industry
March 16, 2019
Supporting the Australian service industry

INTERVIEW – What skills do coaches need to successfully support lean transformations in the service sector? Our colleagues from Australia tells us about their experience.

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Lean as a two-step engine
March 14, 2019
Lean as a two-step engine

FEATURE – One of the things making lean thinking so hard to explain in general terms is its dual nature as both an organizational and managerial approach. The authors explain how to handle this tension.

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Flexible by design
March 12, 2019
Flexible by design

FEATURE – By leveraging lean product and process development principles, Nichirin Spain is becoming more flexible managing last-minute changes in product design requested by customers.

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