This book is a concise introduction to the essential concepts and tools used in the Lean method for improving business processes. It constitutes a sufficient toolkit to enable practitioners to quickly start using Lean to improve business processes in their workplace. Alternatively, it can also serve as a textbook in undergraduate or master’s programs. This book succinctly describes the benefits of Lean in manufacturing, sales, administration, distribution, health care, and other industries, as well as providing a step-by-step description of how Lean is applied.
As a pioneer in Lean improvement methods, Jim Martin was among the first to suggest that truly successful Lean initiatives are those applied across every facet of an organization, not just on the shop floor. Building on this concept, Martin demonstrates that one of the most effective ways to implement operational improvements across an organization
This textbook is a concise introduction to the essential concepts and tools used in the "Lean" method of improving business processes; it constitutes a sufficient "toolkit" to enable a reader to successfully improve business processes in their workplace. While Lean was first applied in manufacturing, arguably evolving out of the Toyota Production System, it is now applied widely to service and administrative processes as well. Lean, in comparison with other business improvement processes such as Six Sigma, relies on intuitive concepts rather than complex mathematics. Thus, a short, non-technical, understandable, and engaging text can successfully convey the essential principles of Lean and empower the reader. Besides describing the concepts of Lean, plentiful examples and brief case studies illustrate the application of Lean in different contexts including manufacturing, healthcare, food service, administrative processes, distribution, and retail. Besides giving a clear idea of how to apply Lean in various contexts, the examples illustrate which Lean tools are most appropriate in the various contexts. This book focuses on "how" to do Lean in terms of what the Lean tools are and how to apply them. What this book is not is an in-depth coverage of other organizational issues associated with the successful implementation of Lean. Because these issues are important, very brief coverage is included in the Section/Chapter entitled "Other Considerations in Lean." Each subsection in this chapter would be extremely brief and would outline the relevant issues, but in no way would thoroughly discuss these topics. References would be included here for those readers who wish to pursue future study in this area.
Winner of a Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award Information Technology is supposed to enable business performance and innovation, improve service levels, manage change, and maintain quality and stability, all while steadily reducing operating costs. Yet when an enterprise begins a Lean transformation, too often the IT department is either left out or viewed as an obstacle. What is to be done? Winner of a 2011 Shingo Research and Professional Publication Award, this book shares practical tips, examples, and case studies to help you establish a culture of continuous improvement to deliver IT operational excellence and business value to your organization. Praise for: ...will have a permanent place in my bookshelf. —Gene Kim, Chief Technology Officer, Tripwire, Inc. ... provides an unprecedented look at the role that Lean IT will play in making this revolutionary shift and the critical steps for sustained success. —Steve Castellanos, Lean Enterprise Director, Nike, Inc. Twenty years from now the firms which dominate their industries will have fully embraced Lean strategies throughout their IT organizations. —Scott W. Ambler, Chief Methodologist for Agile and Lean, IBM Rational ... a great survival manual for those needing nimble and adaptive systems. —Dr. David Labby, MD, PhD, Medical Director and Director of Clinical Support and Innovation, CareOregon ... makes a major contribution in an often-ignored but much-needed area. —John Bicheno, Program Director MS in Lean Operations, Cardiff University ... a comprehensive view into the world of Lean IT, a must read! —Dave Wilson, Quality Management, Oregon Health & Science University
Learn how Lean IT can help companies deliver better customer service and value Lean Enterprise Systems effectively demonstrates how the techniques derived from Lean Manufacturing, combined with the thoughtful application of information technology, can help all enterprises improve business performance and add significant value for their customers. The author also demonstrates how the basic concepts of Lean Manufacturing can be applied to create agile and responsive Lean IT. The book is divided into three parts that collectively explore how people, processes, and technology combine forces to facilitate continuous improvement: * Part One: Building Blocks of the Lean Enterprise sets forth the essentials of Lean. Readers discover where, when, and how Lean IT adds substantial value to the Lean Enterprise through integrated processes of planning, scheduling, execution, control, and decision making across the full spectrum of operations. * Part Two: Building Blocks of Information Systems explores the primary components of an enterprise information system and how these components may be integrated to improve the flow of information supporting value streams. Readers learn how information systems help organize and deliver knowledge when and where it's needed. * Part Three: Managing Change with IT demonstrates how the skillful combination of process and information technology improvements empowers people to continuously improve the Lean Enterprise. Readers develop the skills to exploit emerging information technology tools and change management methods, crafting a Lean IT framework-reducing waste, complexity, and lead time-while adding measurable value. Executives, managers, and improvement teams across a broad range of industries, as well as IT professionals, can apply the techniques described in this publication to improve performance, add value, and create competitive advantage. The book's clear style and practical focus also makes it an excellent textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in business, operations management, and business information systems.
Lean Organization for Excellence describes the right way to implement lean thinking inside both manufacturing and service industries. After explaining the origins of the concept and discussing 'wastes' and value added, the book aims to set out a precise path of action. To this end, the so-called Hoshin Kanri method of defining business objectives and targets is explained, and a Value Stream Mapping tool that serves to identify all wastes is described. Subsequent chapters cover each of the TPS (Toyota Production System) tools, from 5S to SMED, and special attention is devoted to the Ducati case study, in which tools such as 5S and Kanban are applied. Lean metrics and the innovative Value Stream Accounting are discussed, and the closing chapter focuses on Lean Office for the service industry. Each chapter includes illustrations and tables relating to practical cases concerning the subject under consideration, based on real consultancy experiences.
This is a complete and easy-to-understand approach to successfully implementing Lean principles. The text also provides a wide range of tools, techniques, and examples to support your systematic and continous Lean journey.
Lean Refining: How to Improve Performance in the Oil Industry addresses the tremendous opportunities this quality improvement system can exploit to achieve huge financial gains, while simultaneously improving morale, timeliness, quality, safety, reliability, and environmental performance. The book offers numerous examples of how lean methodologies can be applied, the gains that can be achieved, and takes readers through a prescriptive process of implementation. The book is divided into 3 parts. Part I is specific to the topic of lean manufacturing, and explains exactly what lean is... as well as what it isn't. Part II addresses lean manufacturing in the oil industry in general, and refining in particular. It explains why lean is not the prevalent improvement strategy in refining, and why it's more likely to appear among the smaller companies first. It also explains the differences that petroleum refining brings to the lean model. Part III covers topics needed to understand how to implement, organize, and roll out a lean transformation from the top down. An affiliated website boasts tons of valuable information, including: Forms and evaluations for such topics as The 10 Lean Killers, The 6 Roll Out Errors, The 5 Precursors to a Lean Transformation, and more; Samples of working documents such as A3s, Leader Standard Work, and 5 supervisory tools, in both template form and completed; A comprehensive reading and reference list of nearly 500 resources, broken into topical material; Links to 3rd-party websites where readers can download e-forms and other related information.
Lean and Mean Process Improvement is a straight forward presentation of the tools of process improvement. It touches on market analysis, team building, easy to use graphical tools and easy to understand explanations of statistical tools. This approach is not by accident. Process improvement has too long been focused on corporate wide roll-outs and “quality programs”. That approach to improving business performance is based more upon words than deeds, more upon supervision than leadership. Lean and Mean Process Improvement is written to be used by people at the cubicle and office level. This bottom-up approach will help senior management to understand processes “out on the floor” and how they impact the customer chain all the way to the end user.The author wants one very important concept to evolve from this book. Process improvement can and should be fun and satisfying. So let's get started! Note from the author.I have been involved in process improvement for over 15 years. My experience gives me a unique perspective on how to import process improvement into an organization's culture in a way that will stick. This book is designed to help the individual improve their margin at the office, cubicle, and departmental level. As we all know, these are the locations where the rubber meets the road. Good luck and have fun.
