There are many different Lean techniques, and many are mentioned explicitly on this website because as a topic they are sufficiently large to be implemented in their own right.

However, some other Lean techniques are either smaller or are introduced as part of or underpinning other topics. Some of these are listed here.

Visual Management

Visual management is about making the assimilation and understanding of situations and problems as easy to spot as possible. It is not that this makes it quicker to spot, but that it actually is spotted, communicated and therefore is actioned. When things take time and effort to discover they can often go undiscovered.

We do and can provide training on Visual Management (see our training courses), but Visual Management is often introduced as part of other topics such as Process Confirmation, SQCDP, Workplace Organisation and other topics.

Mistake or Error Proofing

Mistake or Error Proofing (Poka Yoke) is the technique of designing a process to be resilient to human error, either through ensuring error cannot occur or by highlighting errors such that the person can correct the error before a defect occurs. Our capability in this area is particularly useful when looking at Human Factors and Human Reliability Analysis (Safety Critical Task Analysis).

The combination of human error concepts from Human Factors with Lean ideas such as concepts of work, Workplace Organisation, Visual Management, Mistake or Error Proofing, and our leading capability in SOPs and Standardised Work gives us tremendous capability to develop solutions to problems and issues, understand root causes of incidents when conducting Root Cause Analyses, and brings wider insights when delivering Human Reliability Analysis.

Waste Elimination

Waste Elimination is a fundamental concept within Lean, and so is covered or required for many other topics such Value Stream Mapping, Changeover Reduction, SOPs, and indeed probably every other and such we specialise in.

Waste Elimination is the application of the concepts of work. Work can be split into three categories - Value Added, essential Non-Value Added, and Waste. Waste itself is split further in the classic seven categories of waste. Frequently omitted, but equally as important when talking about Waste, is Overburden and Unevenness (sometimes known by their Japanese titles of Muda, Muri and Mura).

While Waste Elimination is usually introduced as an underpinning concept when covering other topics, we are sometimes asked about Waste Elimination as an entity on its own.

Plan Do Check Act

The Deming cycle of Plan Do Check and Act is a fundamental basis of all improvement and learning cycles. So it will be no surprise to hear that it is underpins nearly everything we do. It is part of the activities and consultancy we undertake for clients, it is integral to nearly every topic we deliver training for, and occupies a large amount of our time when we reflect on work we have delivered and how to do even better next time.