Lean Fundamentals
This problem-solving tool documents the issue, analysis, and countermeasures on a single page.
What is an A3 Report?
This Lean tool makes performance, standards, and abnormalities immediately visible.
What is Visual Management?
This visual pull system controls production and replenishment based on demand.
What is Kanban?
This Lean concept means preventing mistakes before they occur.
What is Poka-Yoke (error proofing)?
This acronym is used to identify the seven forms of waste.
What is DOWNTIME?
When a problem keeps returning, this likely was not addressed.
What is the Root Cause?
This technique repeatedly asks "Why?" to uncover the underlying cause of a problem.
What is '5 Whys'?
A process where conditions and performance can be understood without explanation.
What is At-A-Glance Status?
This metric tells us how much time is available per unit to meet customer demand.
What is Takt Time?
This term describes a defect discovered by the customer.
What is an escaped defect?
Work that the customer is willing to pay for is known as this.
What is Value-Added Work?
This chart helps teams focus on the "vital few" causes creating most of the impact.
What is a Pareto Chart?
This Japanese term refers to the actual place where work is performed.
What is Gemba?
This signaling system visually alerts teams to process problems.
What is an Andon System?
This measures the time from customer request to delivery.
What is Lead Time?
This quality principle focuses on building quality into the process rather than inspecting afterward.
Work that does not add customer value should be eliminated or reduced.
What is Non-Value-Added Work?
This principle creates a stable baseline so problems become visible.
What is Standard Work?
This continuous improvement philosophy relies on small improvements made by everyone.
What is Kaizen?
Shadow boards and red tags are examples of this type of workplace control.
What are Visual Standards?
This production approach aligns work to actual customer demand.
What is a Pull System?
This tool organizes possible causes of a problem into categories.
What is a Fishbone Diagram?
Doing more work than the customer requires is called this.
What is Overprocessing?
In Lean, respect for people means engaging these individuals in improvement efforts.
Who are the people closest to the work?
This cycle stands for Plan, Do, Check, Adjust.
What is PDCA?
Seeing abnormalities early should be considered this rather than a failure.
What is a success?
This condition helps problems surface more quickly by reducing waiting and inventory.
What is Continuous Flow?
This method identifies potential failures before they occur and evaluates their risk.
What is FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis)?
This term refers to inventory currently being worked on.
What is WIP (Work In Progress)?
The sequence VOC → CTQ → KPI is used for this purpose.
What is translating customer needs into measurable performance indicators?