Lean Foundations and Principles
Glossary of Lean Foundations and Principles
Flow
A Lean principle that ensures value-creating steps move smoothly without interruptions or delays, creating a continuous and efficient process.
Just-in-Time
A Lean production method that ensures goods are produced or received only when needed, reducing inventory and increasing flexibility.
Kaizen
A Japanese term meaning 'continuous improvement'; it involves everyone in the organization identifying and implementing small, incremental changes to improve processes.
Kanban
A visual work-management method that uses boards and cards to represent tasks and workflow stages, helping teams manage flow and avoid overload.
Lean
A methodology focused on maximizing customer value while minimizing waste, originally developed in manufacturing and now applied across various industries.
Non-value-added
Activities that consume resources but do not add value from the customer's perspective and should be minimized or eliminated.
Perfection
The Lean principle of continuously refining processes to reduce waste and increase value, striving for an ideal state of performance.
Poka-Yoke
A Japanese term meaning 'mistake-proofing'; it refers to designing processes or products to prevent errors before they occur.
Pull
A Lean principle where work is initiated based on actual demand rather than forecasts, ensuring resources are used efficiently.
TIMWOODS
An acronym representing the eight types of waste in Lean:
Transportation
Inventory
Motion
Waiting
Overproduction
Overprocessing
Defects
Skills
Three-point test
A Lean method to determine if an activity adds value by asking:
Does it meet a customer’s need?
Does it change the product or service?
Is it done right the first time?
Value stream mapping
A Lean tool that provides a visual overview of all steps in a process, helping identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement.
Value-added
Activities that directly contribute to the product or service, meet customer needs, and are done right the first time.