Amazon.com: Everything I Know About Lean I Learned in First Grade: Robert O. Martichenko: Books

This is a unique and compelling book about the Lean methodology. It’s written from the perspective of the author visiting his daughter’s 1st grade class and discovering methods for teaching and managing the classroom that seem very similar to the Toyota Production System.

This is a great book for introducing people to Lean — maybe particularly for those outside of traditional manufacturing settings. My mom, an elementary school teacher, found it a good read in terms of ideas that she would want to see in her school. But that’s not the primary intent of the book. It shows that Lean methods and concepts are pretty universal and can be applied in any setting. It shows that Lean helps get the most out of everyone’s ability and is not a “mean” cost-cutting methodology or anything to be afraid of, which is true of Lean if it’s implemented properly.

Very good book. Fun for those who already know Lean, instructive for those who are new to Lean.

About LeanBlog.org: Mark Graban is a consultant, author, and speaker in the “lean healthcare” methodology, focused on improving quality and patient safety, improving access, reducing costs, and fully engaging healthcare professionals. He is also the Chief Improvement Officer for KaiNexus.

Tagged as: Books, Education