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.

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A

2 terms

A3

A practice pioneered by Toyota in which the problem, the analysis, the corrective actions and the action plan are written on a single sheet of paper (A3 size), usually with graphs and figures. At Toyota, A3 reports evolved into a standard method for problem solving, status reporting and planning exercises such as value stream mapping. A3 is the international term for a sheet of paper 297 millimeters

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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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B

1 term

Brownfield

Production facilities usually managed according to the philosophy of mass production.

Compare with : Greenfield.

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C

2 terms

Change Agent

Leader of a lean transformation with the authority and initiative to undertake the fundamental changes. The change agent, who often comes from outside the organization, does not need in-depth knowledge of lean philosophy at the start of the transformation.

Compare with: Sensei.

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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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F

2 terms

Five Whys

The practice of asking "why?" repeatedly whenever a problem is encountered, in order to go beyond the obvious symptoms and thereby discover the root cause.

See: Kaizen, PDCA.

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Four Ms

Variables manipulated by a production system with the goal of creating value for the customer. The first three refer to resources and the fourth to the way those resources are used. In a lean system, the 4Ms mean: Material - no defects or shortages.
Machines - no breakdowns, defects or unplanned stoppages.
Manpower - good work habits, the necessary skills, punctuality and attendance.
Method - standardized processes, maintenance and management.

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G

2 terms

Gemba

Japanese term for "actual place," usually used for the shop floor or any place where value-creating work takes place. Also spelled with an "n": genba.

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Greenfield

A new production plant, which offers the opportunity to introduce lean work methods into a new work culture in which the inertia of the past will not be a barrier. Compare with : Brownfield.

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J

1 term

Jishuken

A particular type of hands-on workshop in which people "learn by doing." The term literally means "self-study" in Japanese. See : Kaizen Workshop, Toyota Production System.

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K

3 terms

Kaikaku

Radical, revolutionary improvement of a value stream in order to quickly create more value with less waste. See : Kaizen, PDCA.

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Kaizen

Continuous improvement of an entire value stream or an individual process in order to create more value with less waste. There are two levels of kaizen (Rother and Shook 1999): System or flow kaizen, which focuses on the overall value stream. Led by management.
Process kaizen, which focuses on individual processes. Led by work teams and team leaders.
See : Kaikaku, PDCA, Process Islands, Value Stream Mapping.

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Kaizen Workshop

A group kaizen activity, commonly lasting five days, in which a team identifies and implements significant improvements in a process.

See: Gemba, Jishuken, Kaizen, PDCA.

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L

1 term

Lean Mindset / Lean Thinking

A five-step thought process proposed by Womack and Jones in 1996 to guide managers through a lean transformation. The principles are: Specify value from the standpoint of the end customer by product family.
Identify all the steps in the value stream for each product family, eliminating, whenever possible, those steps that do not create value.
Make the value-creating steps occur in a continuous sequence so the product will flow smoothly.
As flow is introduced, let customers pull value from the

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M

4 terms

Monument

Any design, schedule or production technology with large-scale requirements and long changeover times, requiring that designs, orders or products be brought to it and wait in a queue for processing. See: Capital Linearity, Right-Sized Tools.

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Muda

Any activity that consumes resources without creating value for the customer. Within this general category, it is useful to distinguish between type one muda, consisting of activities that cannot be eliminated immediately, and type two muda, which are activities that can be eliminated quickly through kaizen.

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Muda, Mura, Muri

Three terms often used together in the Toyota Production System (known as "the three Ms") that collectively describe wasteful practices to be eliminated.

See: Heijunka.

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Multi-Process Handling

A work practice in which operators work on more than one process in a layout oriented to the flow of products. It requires training operators to handle different types of machines (e.g., cutter, polisher, tester, etc.) so that they can move products through the cellularized operations.

See: Multi-Machine Handling.

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O

2 terms

Off-Cycle Work

Tasks in processes with many operators that require him or her to interrupt the work rhythm or leave the area.

See : Standardized Work.

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Ohno, Taiichi (1912-1990)

Toyota executive considered the chief architect of the Toyota Production System (TPS) and author of several important books on TPS.

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P

3 terms

Perfection

When a process delivers pure value, as defined by the customer, without any kind of waste. See : PDCA.

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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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Process Village

Grouping of activities by type, rather than in the sequence needed to design or make a product.

See: Mass Production, Material Flow.

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R

1 term

Red Tagging

Tagging unnecessary items in order to remove them from a production area during a 5S exercise.

See : 5S.

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S

4 terms

Sensei

Japanese for teacher. Used by lean thinkers to denote a master of lean knowledge, the result of years of experience in transforming the gemba (the place where the work is done). A sensei must also be a teacher who inspires his or her students and whose teachings are easy to understand. Compare with : Change Agent.

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Seven Wastes

Taiichi Ohno's categorization of the seven major wastes commonly found in mass production: overproduction, waiting, transportation, processing, inventory, motion and correction.

See: Changeover, Setup Reduction.

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Shusa

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

See: Chief Engineer.

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Spaghetti Diagram

A diagram of the path a product takes as it moves along a value stream. It is so called because, in mass production, the route of products often looks like a plate of spaghetti.

See : Material Flow.

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V

3 terms

Value

Inherent content of a product or service, as judged by the customer, reflected in its selling price and market demand. The value in a typical product is created by the producer through a combination of actions, some of which produce value as perceived by the customer, while others are merely necessary because of the current configuration of the design and production process. The goal of Lean Thinking is to eliminate unnecessary activities and to preserve and enhance those that create value for the customer.

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Value Stream Manager

An individual with clear responsibility for the success of a value stream. The value stream can be defined at the product or business level (including product development), or at the plant or operations level (from raw materials to delivery). The value stream manager is the architect of the value stream, identifying value as defined by the customer and leading the effort to achieve an ever leaner flow.

See : Chief Engineer.

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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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W

2 terms

Waste

Any activity that consumes resources but creates no value for the customer. Most activities are waste (muda). There are two types of waste: type 1 and type 2. Type 1 muda creates no value but is unavoidable in a given situation. An example would be inspecting welds to ensure quality.

See : Muda, Seven Wastes.

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Work

Human actions (movements) involved in making products. These actions can be divided into three categories: value creation, incidental work and waste.

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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.

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