Lean From The Get-Go (Case Study)

Feature – Lean From The Get-Go – 07/05

Note how, in this case study, the company owners decided lean was going to be their primary business strategy. Many think that lean does not apply, or it tough to apply, to a job shop, but here a great example of a job shop embracing lean from the beginning. I don't know how many “new” job shops there are these days. Most job shops I've seen are pretty old and pretty crusty (the equipment and the people), with a lot of non-lean history to work against.

I like how they are thinking about waste reduction rather than blindly following any sort of dogmatic rules, such as “remove all paper”:

Paperless systems have their merits, especially in terms of controlling documents and procedures, but Mr. Malone's desire for a visual factory overrides his desire for paperless documentation. “I can pick up a folder, for example, and look at a number of papers at once to get all the information about a job at an instant,” Mr. Malone explains. “This is much quicker than navigating through a computer and viewing a variety of documents separately—that's if the computer isn't already being used by another worker.”

What do you think? Scroll down to comment or share your thoughts and the post on social media. Don't want to miss a post or podcast? Subscribe to get notified about posts via email daily or weekly.

Please leave this field empty

Get New Posts Sent To You

Select list(s):

Get Each Post Via Email - Weekdays Get Posts via Weekly Emails (Mondays)

Email *

First name

Last name

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

• About
• Latest Posts

Mark Graban

Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. His latest book is Measures of Success: React Less, Lead Better, Improve More. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. He also published the anthology Practicing Lean that benefits the Louise H. Batz Patient Safety Foundation, where Mark is a board member. Mark is also a Senior Advisor to the technology company KaiNexus.

Latest posts by Mark Graban (see all)

• Jody Crane, MD: Lean in Emergency Medicine and Hospitals; 3 Big Issues Causing Tough Times in Healthcare - February 1, 2023
• Alternative History: GM Uses Lean to Remain #1 in the Auto Industry - January 31, 2023
• Fall in Love with the Problem, not the Solution: In Entrepreneurship and Continuous Improvement - January 29, 2023