This is a fantastic summary that first appeared on Lean .org – Lean in One Drawing
One of the challenges in getting results from lean thinking is to understand lean as a system rather than just a collection of tools. Many organizations start applying lean tools in an effort to improve efficiency. In the short term, this method of application can harvest some low-hanging fruit as waste is everywhere.
However, lean has the power to fundamentally change an organization if we see it as a system. When I teach workshops or speak to small groups I attempt to demonstrate this in one flipchart drawing. This lean in one drawing illustrates how the tools work together with a management system and philosophy designed to support workers and help them be successful in their jobs. Recently, I turned my hand-drawn flip chart into a whiteboard video. Here is my concept of thinking about lean as a system and to demonstrate the linkage between lean tools and how the system can create organizational advantage.
https://player.vimeo.com/video/204089550
So, watch my video and then pick one of your key processes and ask yourself to what extent you have all the pieces of the system in place as I have described. I’ll bet you’ll have some missing connections that you can focus on improving. Share the video with others to help your organization better understand lean as a system and use it to diagnose your own important processes to judge how well you are doing at creating basic stability.