Lean

LEAN
~ it all began here ~

To my mind Toyota started it all. By that I mean guiding us all – Agile and Lean enthusiasts – on a path of working in the best possible way. The Toyota Production System (TPS), is now coined as ‘Lean’ which means: when excess is removed from a process, it is reduced, or becomes lean.

It’s easy to use TPS and Lean interchangeably and it’s become common to do so, but there are differences and to understand them, read this article: Is Lean the Same as TPS? (bobemiliani.com)

The articles on this page focus on TPS | Lean | Kaizen.

We also have Six Sigma which focusses on the waste results from variation within the process. A data-driven approach where ‘something’ needs quantifying to measure the improvements. Think DMAIC. It’s often fused as ‘Lean Six Sigma’ but to me they are both distinct.

Then there’s ‘Lean Thinking’ as described by Womack and Dan Jones in their book which sets out the ‘thought process’ that guide your actions when applying Lean techniques and tools.

TPS = A philosophy
Lean = Conceptual framework approach
Six Sigma = Managing process improvement
Lean Thinking = Thought process

Be careful to not dilute Lean’s main values and principles. That said, don’t be too rigid either, as after all it’s all about ‘continuous improvement’ and how to go about it in the right spirit.

~ explore the articles on popular topics ~

~ some interesting facts ~

1902

TPS

In 1902 Sakichi Toyoda introduced ‘automation’ in a loom. During 1900’s Kiichiro Toyoda, Eiji Toyoda, Taiichi Ohno and others, evolved the Toyota Production System (TPS).

1985

Six Sigma

Based on William Edwards Deming statistical techniques and Total Quality Management’s approach; Bill Smith developed Six Sigma to improve quality by reducing the number of defects.

1988

The term “Lean” was coined by John Krafcik in a research team paper to describe Toyota’s business headed by Dr. James Womack at MIT’s International Motor Vehicle Program.

1996

Lean Thinking

Dr. James Womack co-author of two key books that describe TPS thought process, resulting in 5 modern Lean principles. The Machine That Changed the World (1990); Lean Thinking (1996).

– it’s quote time! –

“Why not make the work easier and more interesting so that people do not have to sweat? The Toyota style is not to create results by working hard. It is a system that says there is no limit to people’s creativity. People don’t go to Toyota to ‘work’ they go there to ‘think.”
— Taiichi Ohno