You Can't Forget Eli
16 July 2009
by BILL WADDELL 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…
5S: Reality or Lean Illusion
1 July 2009
by BILL WADDELL Probably the worst abuse of lean principles - or the most misused - is 5S. Take a gander at this from the Wall Street Journal. Acco…
The Potentially Deadly Annual Inventory
20 June 2009
Traditional organizations, especially in the manufacturing sector, usually go through a grueling exercise called "inventory" or "&#…
Mailbox:0 - Oh So Lonely
11 May 2009
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 planne…
Cheatin' With MATI
26 March 2009
by BILL WADDELL I thought I'd give you a break from all of the grand philosophical ranting and actually write about something practical. Not to…
Ohno’s TPS
13 March 2009
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…
Inventory Hoarding vs. Just In Time
16 February 2009
It's always a pleasure to see an article make it's own point... especially when it is contradictory to the premise of the article itself. Tak…
Waste in Speed?
1 February 2009
A core aspect of lean is execution, fast execution. Ohno and Shingo often pushed their folks to just try new ideas and refine later instead of endles…