As 2017 comes quickly to a close, we took a minute to look back over some of the blogs we’ve posted on one of our favorite topics, the Lean Management system. If you are interested in learning more about Lean management, or continuous improvement in general, this post is a great place to start.

We’ve curated our best content on the subject and pulled together some descriptions and excerpts.

Links to each post are provided if you are interested in learning more. Enjoy!

Top 7 Benefits of a Lean Management System

Our first highlighted post is concerned with why organizations choose to implement a Lean Management system. It focuses on the direct (faster improvement results) and indirect (a culture of accountability and engagement) results of using technology to support Lean.  

“The right technology won’t guarantee success, but a Lean management system certainly increases the odds of engagement and impact.”

Continuous Improvement: A Key Part of a Lean Management System

This post from April points to a common misunderstanding that Lean is all about doing more with less. Eliminating waste is certainly part of Lean, but the idea that improvement must be continuous is central to its foundation.

“I asked him about establishing a culture of continuous improvement in his business that employed over 25,000 people in eight locations around the world.  His answer blew me away; he said, “We completed that project last year.”

6 Critical Features of a Best-in-Class Lean Management System

Most people don’t purchase Lean Management technology every day, so knowing what to look for can be challenging. This post makes it easy by detailing each of the key features you should expect from a solution designed to get you results.

“Some solutions offered up as Lean management software are nothing more than basic project management tools described in terms of Lean. The most successful leaders instead opt for a solution that was built from the ground up as an improvement management platform.”

A Study of a Successful Lean Management System [Webinar on Demand]

This webinar features Michael Lombard, MBA, PMP an accomplished leader in Lean Healthcare, who is currently serving as the Senior Director of Operational Excellence at Cornerstone Healthcare Group in Dallas. He describes his organizations philosophy to align, improve, and enable. He also describes how Lean Management System technology helps achieve these objectives and ensure positive results.

“Practice does not make perfect, contrary to popular opinion. I’ve done probably 1,000 coaching cycles now, over the last three years...Every time I do another repetition, I find something I could have done better coach and as an OpEx practitioner and as a Lean practitioner.”

Get Your Lean Management System Off to the Right Start

These days, with cloud-based software that’s available from anywhere, implementing technology is not really that complicated. What is far more challenging, however, is configuring the solution to work best in your organization and getting employees to embrace it. This post has some pro tips on how to do both.

“Over the years, our customers have shared with us some of their best advice for rolling out a solution that will be adopted by employees and effective at speeding the pace of positive change. Here’s what they recommend.”

10 Questions to Ask Before Investing in Lean Construction Software

The Lean methodology is gaining traction in many industries outside of manufacturing. Healthcare organizations have benefited from the approach for years and now sectors such as construction and higher education are applying it as well. This post is focused on how to evaluate Lean software for construction firms, but the advice is good for everyone.

“Many firms have realized that the best way to make Lean successful is to implement software designed to support it. There are many options in the market, so it pays to do some serious due diligence before selecting a platform.

Speaking the Language - Lean Management System Phrase Book

This post, which covers some key terms that you will hear in conversations about Lean Management is perfect for anyone who is new to the approach. Lean practitioners use many acronyms and Japanese words to describe principles and techniques, so it pays to take a minute to get to know what they mean.

“Learning another language is not only learning different words for the same things, but learning another way to think about things.” - Flora Lewis

We hope you’ve found this “Readers Digest” of our Lean Management System blogs helpful. It might be a great asset to share with new members of your team or those who are involved in choosing the technology to support your improvement efforts. We hope that 2018 is a year that sees reduced waste, improved productivity, and increased engagement in your organization.