Lean vocabulary: the dictionary for your organization's performance

Master the meaning of lean terms and concepts. Get clear definitions that turn the language of management into practical results in your day-to-day work.

Alphabetical navigation of the dictionary

A

1 term

Andon

A visual management tool that shows the status of operations in an area at a single location and signals when something abnormal occurs.

See : Jidoka, Visual Management.

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C

1 term

Chief Engineer

Term used at Toyota for the manager with full responsibility for the development and success of a product line; formerly known by the Japanese term shusa.

See : Value Stream Manager.

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E

1 term

Efficiency

Meeting customer requirements exactly with the minimum amount of resources.

See : Overproduction, Seven Wastes.

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H

2 terms

Heijunka Box

A tool used to level the mix and volume of production by distributing kanban at fixed intervals. Also known as a leveling box.

See: Every Part Every Interval (EPEx), Heijunka, Kanban, Material Handling, Paced Withdrawal, Pitch.

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Hoshin Kanri

See: Strategy Deployment

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L

3 terms

Lean Enterprise

A continuing agreement among all the companies sharing the value stream for a product family to correctly specify value from the end customer's point of view, eliminating wasteful actions and making the value-creating activities occur in continuous flow pulled by the customer. The method for conducting the necessary analysis is described in Womack and Jones 2002.

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Lean Product and Process Development

A business system focused on eliminating waste in product and process development through the generation and application of useful knowledge.

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Lean Promotion Office

A support team for a lean transformation, often formed from pre-existing groups in industrial engineering, maintenance, facilities management and quality.

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P

4 terms

Pitch

The amount of time needed in a production area to make one container of products. The formula for pitch is:

Takt time x pack-out quantity = pitch See : Heijunka Box, Paced Withdrawal, Pack-Out Quantity, Takt Time.

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Plan for Every Person

A program for training and developing employees that shows the skills required and the skills already developed.

See: Multi-Process Handling.

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Policy Deployment

See: Strategy Deployment.

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Production Analysis Board

A board, usually a large whiteboard, placed next to a process to show actual performance compared with planned performance.

See: PDCA.

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S

2 terms

Shusa

A project leader, like the chief engineer in Toyota's product development system.

See: Chief Engineer.

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Strategy Deployment

A management process that aligns a company's functions and activities, both vertically and horizontally, with its strategic objectives. A specific plan is developed, usually annually, with precise objectives, actions, deadlines, responsibilities and metrics.

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T

1 term

Takt Image

Creating awareness of takt time in areas of a production process where products cannot be delivered and withdrawn at the frequency of the takt time. See : Pitch, Takt Time.

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V

1 term

Visual Management

Placement of all tools, parts, production activities and performance indicators of the production system in an easily visible location, so that the actual situation can be quickly understood by everyone involved.

See : Andon, Jidoka.

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Frequently asked questions about the Lean Glossary

It is a glossary of terms and concepts used in lean management. It helps you understand lean terminology by aligning definitions and examples for study, reading and day-to-day application.

Use the search box to look for a specific term, browse by letter or filter by theme. Click the item to see a summary and open the full definition.

Some terms may have translations in other languages. When a translation is not available, the site may show the Portuguese version as a reference.

Yes. New terms may be added and definitions may be revised to keep the content clear, consistent and evolving over time.

Ao longo do Vocabulário, você encontrará links para conceitos relacionados e conteúdos do Lean Institute Brasil, como artigos, materiais da Central do Conhecimento, livros e capacitações.

A academia lean do Lean Institute Brasil oferece trilhas de capacitação EaD e presenciais, incluindo o Programa Prático de Formação Lean (PPFL), que ensina a utilizar frameworks consolidados e a aplicá-los resolvendo problemas de negócio reais.