Lean Principles

Lean (also known as Toyota Production System or TPS) can be applied in a flexible manner to achieve effective results every time. Though there are no boundaries to the potential of Lean, the key to Lean Thinking is driven by the following 5 key principles:

Lean Principle 1 : Value
Identify and create products or services that add value to a client’s objectives, ensuring full customer satisfaction and beyond.

Lean Principle 2 : Value Stream
Identify the vital steps that facilitate an efficient production or service line workflow, and also the unnecessary steps that result in waste. Optimise workflow through eliminating the non-value steps and create a value stream.

Lean Principle 3 : Flow
Eliminate steps in the workflow that potentially cause interruption, backflow, delay or destruction. Create efficient steps without these negative effects result in a value flow.

Lean Principle 4 : Pull
Supply only upon demand. Produce only when the customer pulls, so that no resources are wasted.

Lean Principle 5 : Perfection
Strive for perfection by continually removing successive layers of waste as they are uncovered.

By adopting a holistic approach to Lean (also known as Toyota Production System or TPS) which encompasses the 5 principles and deploying Lean tools and techniques to gradually eliminate waste, an organisation gets progressively Lean.

For more information, please check out the following:

Our comprehensive Lean Training programmes for your training needs,

Lean Thinking Training to find out more about the fundamentals of Lean,

Value Stream Mapping VSM Training to learn how to map your Value Stream,

5S Training on how 5S can help to improve flow,

Lean Expert Certification Training for the full body of knowledge of Lean Methodology.

(Reference: Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation,James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones)