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.

Many models of Lean Manufacturing coexist as we have seen in our article « 2, 5, 7 or 14 Lean principes ? » and each one has its own merits.

The 5S method is an approach that brings many benefits and is very well accepted by users. Nevertheless, as it is highly visible and changes the way many people work, its implementation must follow a rigorous process.

There are many methods for improving the performance of organizations and a significant part of them are "Lean" ones, 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").

What are the true Lean principles?
Between those of the "TPS house", "Lean Thinking", "Toyota Way 2001", and "The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer", to name only the most popular, which ones should we remember?

Lean management was neither created in a day, nor only at Toyota. Here is a history of Lean management and how it has evolved from Henry Ford to today.