AASP: Lean Thinking

Presenter: Dr. Shannon Flumerfelt

*Shannon teaches lean thinking in higher ed administration at the Pawley Institute at Oakland University. Their website has resources for lean thinking.

*Lean thinking = sustaining improvement.

*Collective understanding is key to lean.

*"Lean is about respect for the individual."

*"Create mind maps to find the heart of the matter."

*"Lean" coined in 1988 based on a 5 year MIT study of 37 automotive plants in 17 countries.

*Continuous improvement cycle -- plan, do, check, act (revise plan).

*History of lean started in 1850 with the creation of interchangeable parts, the decline of craft production, and the rise of mass production. This reached its apex with Toyota.

*Use visual management tools (one sheet of paper) to tell the story.

*Create value, eliminate waste. Value is defined by customer/stakeholder.

*Waste causes slower production, decreases efficiency, and consumes resources without creating value.

*Lean = produce only what the customer needs (pull vs. push).