Some of you might have seen it, but I wrote a piece for the LinkedIn Influencers series about how the “Lean Manufacturing” principles are being used in various “knowledge work” settings – including healthcare, education, software, government, financial services, etc. Here it is:
“Lean” is Not Just for Manufacturing – It Applies to Knowledge Work of All Types, Too
When I write for LinkedIn, I try to write for a broader, general business audience. By comparison, I presume the audience here is already interested in Lean, at the least.
I was happily surprised that the comments were pretty universally positive about Lean being used in other settings and people shared some of their experiences.
I hope you'll take a read… there might be some links there in the piece that are helpful even if you already see how Lean applies in non-factory settings.
As a reminder, Jim Benson and I are doing workshops in Phoenix and San Antonio this March on “Lean for Knowledge Work” including half days on “personal kanban” (Jim) and “kaizen” or continuous improvement (me).
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Mark Graban
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, author, and professional speaker who has worked in healthcare, manufacturing, and startups. He is author of the Shingo Award-winning books Lean Hospitals and Healthcare Kaizen, as well as The Executive Guide to Healthcare Kaizen. His most recent book is 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. His latest book has been released as an "in-progress" book, titled Measures of Success.