Basic Excellence

Everyone seems hell bent on cost reduction, most often without regard for the kind of costs they are trying to reduce. For that matter, they are too o…

Several months I told you how I switched from a butt-widening traditional office desk and chair to a stand up desk. The increase in productivity has b…

I was working with a client on the west coast recently and it struck me how often I come across manufacturers who have abandoned the Theory of Constra…

Probably the worst abuse of lean principles - or the most misused - is 5S. Take a gander at this from the Wall Street Journal. According to Ms. Julie…

Traditional organizations, especially in the manufacturing sector, usually go through a grueling exercise called "inventory" or "&#…

For years I've been one of those types that operates most effectively while in a state of chaos. I've tried paper planners, electronic planner…

I thought I'd give you a break from all of the grand philosophical ranting and actually write about something practical. Not to worry. I won't…

I began re-reading today the classic book Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production by Taiichi Ohno. As I was perusing Ohno’s Preface I…