Lean was neither created in a day, nor only at Toyota. Here is the history of Lean and how it has evolved from Henry Ford to today.
All our insights, methodologies and tools on Lean management
Lean Manufacturing has been adopted by a large number of companies because it increases productivity, improves quality and reduces costs, while cutting production cycle times. Lean Manufacturing is a philosophy rather than a methodology. It focuses on reducing "8 wastes" and is based on the key principles of Customer Value, Continuous Improvement and Respect for the Individual.
Value Stream Mapping (VSM), or value chain mapping, is a technique for visualizing and improving processes within a company. It is an essential tool that allows organizations to focus on the activities that generate the most value, eliminating inefficiencies and waste.
Lean Engineering, is an approach based on the concept of Lean management, which aims to minimize waste and maximize productivity in operations management. In the context of engineering or R&D, this means optimizing design and project delivery processes to be more efficient, while ensuring quality and meeting deadlines and budgets.
How many Lean principles exist, 2, 5, 7 or 14? And which ones are the true Lean principles? Indeed, the Lean principles are defined in numerous books, publications and reference websites on Lean.
There are many tools for improving the performance of organizations and a significant part of them are "Lean tools" or "Lean methodologies", derived from the "Toyota Production System" or theorised in the books by J. Womack, T. Jones and D. Roos ("The machine that changed the world" and "Lean Thinking").
The 5S methodology is an approach that brings many benefits and can be very well accepted by the users. Nevertheless, if its implementation does not apply a rigorous process, it quickly becomes a burden and can bring Lean into disrepute...and the managers with it.
How many times have we looked for Lean manufacturing assessment tools? For my part, often by spending a lot of time on Google or by asking my fellow consultants. With not always satisfactory results.
Lean management remains a concept frequently mentioned in the professional world. This management philosophy aims to maximize value for the customer while minimizing waste. Lean involves a culture of continuous improvement that encourages the commitment of all employees to deliver the highest possible quality by eliminating non-value added activities.
Waste reduction (mudas in Japanese) is a central concept in the Lean philosophy which seeks to minimize them while maximizing productivity and increasing customer satisfaction.