Discussion about the book, "Going Lean" Readers of my book, "Going Lean: How the Best Companies Apply Lean Manufacturing Principles to Shatter Uncertainty, Drive Innovation, and Maximize Profits" have seen that "lean" principles are intended to achieve much more than what seems to have become the focus of so many improvement programs today. They know that it is not about seeking out problems that are most evident and then attacking them head-on. Nor is it about optimizing operations based on a narrow range of conditions--the foundation for "traditional" management methods. Instead, the benchmarks of lean developed their capabilities to accomplish precisely what so many firms need today: to advance amid the challenges of uncertainty, change, and even crisis... http://goinglean.net/blog.html 04 Jun 2009 20:08:53 GMT Lean Dynamics Stephen A. Ruffa When I walk through a factory I've found that beginning in the final assembly area helps me quickly get an idea of its greatest challenges. Problems tend to grow as they progress downstream, making them most evident at the end of the line. The temptation is to act on these findings in a way that mirrors how they are found. I have learned, however, that this is not necessarily the best approach. 04 Oct 2009 21:32:21 GMT Lean Dynamics Stephen A. Ruffa