What is Lean?
Lean is a methodology and a discipline dedicated to achieving optimum performance with the lowest expenditure of effort and energy.
Lean is generally referred to as a manufacturing or production improvement methodology. As a term in business, it has a broad-based customer focus that concentrates on providing more to the customer. It does this by supplying the product that is just what the customer needs, when needed, in just the right amounts and for the right price, using the minimum materials, equipment, workspace, labor, and time.
Why go Lean?
The Lean process helps organizations to identify, reduce, and eliminate waste. When we say waste, we are talking about processes, staff, and time that is not being used effectively. It helps companies define the value stream from the customer’s perspective as to the delivery of products or services they are receiving. It also helps to describe the parts of the process that identify and meet the customer’s needs.
Who is going Lean?
Lean has become a universal language amongst industries who want to streamline their processes, improve organizational efficiencies, eliminate time wasters, enhance productivity, improve collaboration, and boost the bottom line.
Lean Basics
In 1988 a research exercise by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) reviewed the workings of the Toyota Motor Company. Their findings showed a company that required fewer efforts, fewer suppliers, and less investment. All this whilst running its main production processes with fewer employee injuries and fewer production defects. After struggling to find an appropriate term for this work, they settled on “lean” and described the company as a “lean” company.
Lean Analysis Tools
Value Stream Mapping is an effective tool and one of the most important elements about Lean is to understand its focus on the customer or consumer. Whenever a process is looked at, it is considered from a view of the desires and needs of the customer. Answering questions about what they want, when they want it, and at the right price is part of the process of identifying customer value for a process.