Tag: Lean

Lean Six Sigma often evokes the image of a war room of sorts: a physical space with whiteboards, sticky notes, and a group of practitioners huddled over a Value Stream Map. There has been a shift of sorts in the workplace, and subsequently these sorts of spaces are falling out of fashion. Our workforces are […]

Are you making use of legal Lean at your law firm? It might seem counterintuitive at first glance, but there is some serious potential when it comes to using the methodology for streamlining your legal processes. It takes some adaptation, sure, but like any methodology, you’re going to be tailoring it to better suit the […]

In the world of business methodologies and project management, Lean has quickly become one of the most focused and popular. Based on the history of Japanese manufacturing techniques, Lean thinking is a concept that can be applied to various industries worldwide with outstanding success. The best part is that Lean thinking is a proven system […]

The world of cybersecurity and data management rarely stays still, but that doesn’t stop some organizations from relying on large, sweeping initiatives, usually following an audit. This might see organizations making changes based on a quarterly audit, rolling out tools gradually, and seldom taking the time to practice breach or incident response. That’s fine for […]

In today’s fast-paced environment, it doesn’t matter if you are the head of an IT desk or someone who works in customer support. Incidents can and will happen. Whether it’s a system crash that impacts inventory management or an angry customer call over a refund or return, these things can snowball and escalate if they […]

Recently, many organizations have started name-dropping Lean, with the notion being that it helps to reduce cycle times, lowers inventory levels, and leads to improved throughput as a matter of course. However, these organizations aren’t sticking to the principles and teaching, and as such, fail to sustain gains or deliver value to customers time and […]

When looking at modern markets, speed is relentless. Customer demand means shorter development cycles, faster product launches, and fierce competition. That said, customers expect quality as well, not just speed. In turn, this has led to organizations seeing reliability and performance soar. The tension found between speed and quality isn’t a paradox, but rather a […]

Have you wondered how some of the best-known startups have scaled up so efficiently? There is a pretty good answer to this question, and it’s generally through Lean Methodology. Companies that have embraced this methodology worldwide have given rise to a whole new way for entrepreneurs to scale their businesses early in their development. Whether […]

In the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity, threat detection has become a vital need and a persistent challenge. Companies face a deluge of unrelenting alerts with intrusion detection systems and endpoint monitoring solutions, creating an environment that makes it difficult to distinguish real threats from false positives. False positives act as a drain […]

It should go without saying that there are fans of both Lean and Agile in manufacturing, and for all the right reasons. Both of these business processes are well-loved in various circles for reasons that have been shown to work across hundreds, if not thousands, of businesses over the past few decades. The […]

Theory of Constraints vs. Lean: what’s better for optimizing processes and increasing profitability? I’ll admit that these are two wholly distinct and separate methodologies for use in any workplace. That said, you’ll often find some crossover between the two, especially where the notion of process improvement comes into play. Understanding the synergy and more varied […]

Lean and Agile make for a potent combination when considering any cybersecurity operations. When taking a look at these two disparate methodologies, you’d be forgiven for thinking they might be ill-suited for building a culture of security. That said, finding the synergies between the two enables a more resilient, efficient organization that readily […]

In a business and manufacturing world that is more competitive than ever, there is something about differentiating your business from others to increase profits. While it’s not exclusive to manufacturing, those in manufacturing have come to praise the rise of Lean, which has not only helped eliminate waste but has also boosted the […]

Artificial intelligence has been steadily making headway into businesses around the world over the last few years. While some are using it for the likes of ideation, product design, and analysis, it has other applications. When considering something like Lean, you want to target waste, boost efficiency, and overall make for a more […]

In today’s competitive landscape across various business verticals, the concept of Lean has become a leading philosophy for organizations seeking to grow and thrive. Whether it’s to optimize processes, reduce waste, or better serve customers, Lean is not just a tool, but a cultural shift that drives change for the better across an […]

Any sort of public sector project is going to have constraints seldom seen in a typical business. That doesn’t mean you have to forego the implementation and use of methodologies like Lean Six Sigma. It takes a deft hand, careful planning, and adaptation to make the approach work regardless of intent or industry. […]

When you think about all of the startups you are familiar with today, even giant brands like Facebook, YouTube, and Uber, they all made pivots at one point in their business. For better or worse, sometimes your business needs to change directions to ensure you can keep the lights on and look to […]

Background At Apex Tools (fictional name), a mid-sized supplier of specialized mechanical components, inventory management and safety concerns had long been interwoven issues. As demand surged, materials flowed continuously into the warehouse, often in excessive amounts, cluttering aisles and creating unsafe conditions. This surplus inventory led to various issues: obsolescence, shrinkage, and frequent safety hazards […]

The Harada method helps individuals achieve self-reliance, which in turn facilitates a company’s process improvement journey. This week’s article provides an overview of the method and its genesis. Part Two of this article presents five templates to use to plan a goal, measure the goal’s progress, and assess success. No matter its size, an organization is driven by […]

The Toyota Production System (TPS) serves as the foundation for Lean Manufacturing. Let’s explore this powerful method for improving your processes.  The Toyota Production System (TPS) is a manufacturing philosophy and a set of management practices developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. It emphasizes continuous improvement, just-in-time production, and efficient use of resources, […]

Lean management – often called “Lean Management,” “The Toyota Way” or simply “Lean” – is a systematic method for waste minimization and process improvement in any type of service or manufacturing

With your business, sometimes a need arises to address an issue swiftly and with all hands on deck. A Kaizen Event is meant for these kinds of times.

When it comes to Lean Six Sigma, “yield” is the measure of the percentage of items produced that meet customer quality or specification requirements. Find out more about this concept.

Your business is at war with waste, defects, and inefficiencies. Let’s attack and defeat your enemy with a lightning-quick attack using overwhelming forces. In other words, a Kaizen Blitzkrieg, or Blitz for short.