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

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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L

1 term

Labor Linearity

A philosophy for flexibly managing the amount of labor needed in a production process (particularly in a cell) so that the number of operators increases or decreases with production volume. See : Capital Linearity.

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M

1 term

Muri

Overburdening equipment or operators by requiring them to run at a higher or harder pace, with more force or effort, for a longer period of time than they can withstand.

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P

1 term

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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S

2 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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Shusa

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

See: Chief Engineer.

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U

1 term

Usable Knowledge

The value created by lean product development processes. Because almost all defective designs result from not having the right knowledge in the right place at the right time, lean companies generally spend proportionally more development time creating and capturing knowledge, and less creating hardware.

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W

1 term

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.

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.