All posts from Mark Graban’s LeanBlog.org, including podcasts, announcements, articles, and more.
By Jean Cunningham: I am just re-reading a book that I read at the beginning of my lean journey in 1992. It is The New Manufacturing Challenge: Techniques for Continuous Improvement by Kiyoshi Suzaki. It is still an excellent easy…
If you follow the blogs, you know Gemba Research (consulting, publications, and the excellent “Gemba Panta Rei” blog. I saw a press release today for a a firm called “Genbutsu” (also located in Washington state, no less). Is someone else…
Tip of the hat to Jon Miller for finding this first. I have to chime in. I’m sure a lot of us have joked about it, a book called “Lean for Dummies.” Unfortunately, now it is here: Lean For Dummies.…
In the past, I’ve referenced a story I had heard about a GM plant in 1980’s where the “completed” vehicles went to one of two areas: “minor repair” or “major repair”, the implications being that the factory relied on inspection…
The Courier News :: News :: Walter Reed ‘failed’ You may have read or seen reports about the poor conditions for injured soldiers at Walter Reed Hospital in DC. A good summary of the sad tale can be found here.…
Investor’s Business Daily: He Pointed Firms To Quality For those of you not familiar with W. Edwards Deming, here is a nice overview article from a newspaper. Dr. Deming passed away well over a decade ago, but it’s nice to…
In this 2007 interview, Jim Womack reflects on The Machine That Changed the World and how its lessons on Lean and Toyota’s system are still misunderstood. Episode #19 of the Lean Blog Podcast brings the return of Jim Womack. Jim…
ChangeThis :: How Toyota Can Save Your Life…At the Hospital The page linked to above (link now dead) has an essay I was invited to write about the healthcare and the Toyota Production System, for the website “ChangeThis.” A direct…
Desperate to Cut Costs, Ford Gets Union’s Help – WSJ.com Here’s an example of why you can never be satisfied. A key to Toyota’s success is the mindset that you’re always shooting for perfection (an article with some examples). Here’s…
Toyota University Opens Admissions to Outsiders – WSJ.com (Gift Article) The headline is a bit misleading; it should say “Toyota Opens, Then Closes Admissions to Outsiders.” The WSJ article is about the Toyota University site in Gardenia CA. It had…
Here is the final installment of the lean Q&A, but if you have more questions, please feel free to comment here and I’ll post the best attempt at answers here. Here was lean Q&A batch one and batch two. Q:…
Star-Telegram | 03/01/2007 | Long time, no see: Post offices hide their clocks I can only imagine the discussion behind this move by the US Postal Service: Manager 1: “Customers are complaining the lines are too long.” Manager 2: “OK,…
