Lean Glossary

Our LEAN glossary gives you a definition of words and terminologies often used

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Toyota defined three concepts of eliminating waste; Muda, Muri and Mura.

5S stands for five different focus areas to ensure optimal flow.

5S – You are already doing it >

Seiri

Translates to sorting.

Remove items not relevant for the work or location. Reduce time looking for items. Reduce distraction due to mess. Optimize use of available space.

Seiton

Translates to set in order or straighten.

Create an optimal workflow by placing items where they are applicable. Keep tools and appliances near the task at hand.

Seido

Translates to shine.

Keep your workplace clean and tidy. Inspect and shine regularly to keep a pleasing workplace. Defects are detected more easily; waste and errors are reduced.

Seiketsu

Translates to standardize.

Ensure repetition of the first three S’s. This is where the practice is established supported by processes and procedures.

Shitsuke

Translates to sustain self-discipline.

When the practice is established, a culture is developed where people are self-motivated to continue and improve the new practice. The employees have taken ownership of the process.

This is a technicque to understand the underlaying causes to a problem. The concept is to ask the question “WHY?” for each described symtom until you have gone beyond the surface and aim for the root cause. 

The technique does not dictate asking “why” only 5 times. Use it more or less according to the depth of the problem.

This defines 8 areas of wastes helping lean agents and organizations to eliminate waste in their work processes.

  1. Transportation
    Unneccessary movement of materials, information or equipment.
  2. Overproduction
    Making more of something – making it earlier or faster – than it’s needed
  3. Defects
    Information, products and services that are incomplete or inaccurate
  4. Waiting
    Waiting for information, equipment, materials, parts or people
  5. Non-value added processing
    Any steps that do not add value in the eyes of the customer
  6. Inventory
    Accumulation of parts, information, applications etc. beyond what is required by the customer
  7. Motion
    Any movement by people that is not of value to the customer
  8. Unused employee talent
    Not properly utilizing people’s experience, skills, knowledge or creativity

A

The A3 method is typically used for structured problem solving. Based on the A3 paper format, Toyota forced their employees to narrow down their input to the cure of the business. The A3 format couldn’t fit everything, so the communication had to be effective.

The principle is that the A3 consist of multiple sections guiding the users through steps to define the problem, the desired state, and to identify their path going forward.

Typical fields for a problem solving A3 are:

  1. Background
  2. Current condition
  3. Desired state
  4. Root cause analysis
  5. Countermeasures
  6. Plan
  7. Follow up

The A3 is a living document geing used, reviewerd, adjusted according to the PDCA cycle until the desired state has been achieved.

The A3 method is also suitable for other use, such as a business canvas etc.

 

Add autonomy and authority to the workers to notify management and also stop production in case of quality issues. Andon is part of the Jidoka method.

The meaning of andon is light a lantern. The background is to stop and warn everyone that there is problem and production is stopped.

Using andon requires autonomy and managmenet trusing their employees. The workers must be competent and not be subjected to reprimand.

B

A principle of designing the tools, manufactuing equipment and processes so errors cannot be made; idiot-proofing or fool-proofing.

A bottleneck is somewhere in your process that can’t keep up with the pace of the rest, causing a pile-up. It disturbes or prevents flow, a prerequisite for effective processes and affects your takt time.

C

D

E

F

Created by Kaoru Ishikawa, the diagram is originally named “Ishikawa diagram”, but more commonly referred to as the fishbone diagram. 

The diagram is used to visualize cause and effect of causal events that led to the problem.

  1. Agree on a brief problem description.
  2. Add the high level factors affecting or leading to the problem.
  3. Brainstorm on underlaying causes and place them under their respective categories.
  4. Ask “why did this happen?” for each item and drill down to the core of the problem causes.
  5. Investigate and analyze your findings. Involve employees and figure out why things are as they are, and how they lead to the problem.

Flow is all about optimizing the processes to deliver products evenly and steadily with the right quality. All sections of the process must be alighed with each other to avoid a pile-up or waiting time (waste). 

The concept is aobut moving one item at the time through the process (pull) instead of stocking up for delivery (push).

G

Translates to “actual place”