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…
Here is Episode #18 of the LeanBlog Podcast. My guest today is Eric Christiansen, the President of a translation services company, OmniLingua (more can be found here on their philosophy as a company, being a self-described “Deming Company.”) I was…
LeanBlog Podcast #17 is a discussion with a good friend of the Lean Blog, David Meier, a former Toyota Georgetown Group Leader, founder of Lean Associates, and the co-author of the excellent book, The Toyota Way Fieldbook, and the upcoming…
Are you working on the True Problem? Lean Blogger David Meier tipped me off to this interesting post about root cause problem solving, an example inspired by the book he co-authored with Jeff Liker, The Toyota Way Fieldbook. Check out…
As you may know, if you’re a regular Lean Blog reader, this isn’t a solo venture. I’m happy to have other bloggers on the site and I’m happy to add one more: David Meier, co-author of the outstanding book The…
How to Fix a Broken Bicycle Chain – WikiHow Here is a WSJ article on WikiHow, printed today. Standardized Work is a core concept and a foundation of the Toyota Production System (scroll down) and Lean Manufacturing. The idea is…
Here is a story from David Meier, a former Group Leader at Toyota and the co-author of The Toyota Way Fieldbook and the upcoming Toyota Talent (April 2007). He writes:I am sure you have experienced the problem of how to…
Lean proves mean in drug manufacturing Sigh, yet another attempt to say “lean doesn’t apply in our industry.” A survey of pharma companies shows they think lean isn’t working. “The survey of more than 1,500 pharmaceutical manufacturers, conducted by solutions…
Question for the blog readers: Who are the great lean companies? Don’t give me a list of Shingo Prize winners. Don’t tell us who has done a lot of lean stuff or who has used lean practices here and there,…
Today’s Detroit News wrote about lean in healthcare, this time in their own beloved University of Michigan system. Titled “U-M Hospital Takes Page from Toyota,” it starts out with a flaw, stating: “U-M is one of the first medical centers…
Author urges companies to learn Toyota Way Jeffrey Liker likes lean. The Ann Arbor newspaper wrote about it. More good general promotion of lean to the general public, a good message to get out. Have you told a friend or…
WSJ.com – In the Lead ($$) The entire headline is “Executives Must Stop Jumping From Fad to Fad and Learn to Manage.” Amen. Excellent column in the WSJ saying that we need to avoid being “copycat managers.” The “program of…
