LEAN & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT INSIGHTS
Better questions.
More practical improvement.
Field notes for manufacturing leaders, planners, supervisors, and improvement teams.
Build Manufacturing Training Around Demonstrated Competence
Training is complete when a person can perform the agreed task correctly and recognize when to stop or ask for help.
Read the article →SMED Starts Before the Machine Stops
SMED-based improvement begins by understanding the full changeover and separating preparation from work that requires stopped equipment.
Read the article →Warehouse Slotting: Put Frequent Picks Where They Make Sense
Warehouse slotting should balance pick frequency, part characteristics, replenishment needs, and the flow to production.
Read the article →Kanban Signals Fail When the Response Is Undefined
A Kanban signal is useful only when someone knows what it authorizes and how to respond.
Read the article →A Kaizen Event Charter That Keeps the Team Focused
A useful Kaizen charter states the operational problem, process boundary, baseline, intended outcome, team, and authority to act.
Read the article →SOPs and Standardized Work: What Is the Difference?
An SOP describes how to carry out a procedure.
Read the article →Find the Production Bottleneck Before Speeding Up the Line
A production bottleneck limits the system’s ability to deliver good output.
Read the article →Why a Busy Kit Room Still Delivers Incomplete Kits
Incomplete kits often reflect problems upstream of picking: inaccurate availability, unclear release rules, missing components, or unmanaged exceptions.
Read the article →Plan for Every Part: What a Useful PFEP Should Contain
A Plan for Every Part, or PFEP, is a maintained record of how each part is supplied, stored, presented, and replenished.
Read the article →Where to Start with Lean Manufacturing When Everything Feels Urgent
Lean improvement starts by selecting one important operational problem, observing the work behind it, and establishing a baseline.
Read the article →