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

B

2 terms

Batch and Queue

A mass-production approach to operations in which large lots of parts are processed and moved to the next process, regardless of actual need, where they wait in a queue. See : Continuous Flow, Lean Production, Overproduction, Push Production.

Open full definition

Brownfield

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

Compare with : Greenfield.

Open full definition

F

1 term

Fulfillment Stream

A supply chain that incorporates lean principles and, consequently, operates collaboratively and smoothly in flow, instead of operating as a group of related connections.

Open full definition

G

1 term

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.

Open full definition

I

1 term

Information Flow

The movement of information from customers to the point where it is needed to trigger each operation. See : Value Stream Mapping and Product Family Matrix.

Open full definition

M

3 terms

Material Flow

The movement of physical items along the value stream. In mass production, products travel to centralized processes in large batches, pushed by instructions from a master schedule. In lean production, the process steps for different product families are carried out, whenever possible, in a tightly defined sequence of processes, so that small quantities of product can flow directly from step to step, pulled by the next downstream process and by the end customer.

See : Information Flow, Just-in-Time (JIT), Lean Production, Mass Production.

Open full definition

Material Handling

The movement of the necessary materials along a production process within a plant. In the lean production system, material handling goes far beyond the simple delivery of materials. A lean material handling system can serve as a means of conveying instructions to production. See: Heijunka Box, Paced Withdrawal.

Open full definition

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.

Open full definition

P

6 terms

Process

A series of individual operations that must occur in a specific sequence to create a design, fulfill an order or make a product.

Open full definition

Process Village

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

See: Mass Production, Material Flow.

Open full definition

Product Family

A product and its variants that pass through similar processing steps and common equipment just prior to shipment to the customer. The significance of product families for lean thinkers is that they are the unit of analysis for value stream maps, which are defined starting from the last step before the customer.

See: Product Family Matrix and Value Stream Mapping.

Open full definition

Product Family Matrix

A chart created by lean thinkers to identify the appropriate product families. See : Product Family, Value Stream Mapping.

Open full definition

Production Lead Time

See: Cycle Time.

Open full definition

Production Preparation Process

A disciplined method for designing a lean production process for a new product, or for fundamentally redesigning the production process for an existing product when the product or demand changes substantially. It may also be called Lean Process Development.

See: Kaizen, Kaizen Workshop.

Open full definition

S

2 terms

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.

Open full definition

Supply Chain

Lean Supply Chain is the right material, in the right quantity, at the right place, at the right time, with the right quality and in the correct packaging, without waste, focusing on problem solving and prevention through people, with a view to achieving high performance. See : Lean logistics

Open full definition

V

4 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.

Open full definition

Value Stream

All the actions, both value-creating and non-value-creating, required to bring a product or service from concept to launch (also known as the development value stream) or from order to delivery (also known as the operational value stream). They include all the information and material processing steps needed for value to be delivered to the customer.

Open full definition

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.

Open full definition

Value Stream Mapping

A simple diagram of every step involved in the material and information flows needed to serve customers, from order to delivery. See : Information Flow, Material Flow.

Open full definition

Explore new formats in the knowledge center

Go beyond the introductory reading by listening to debates or watching our transformations on video.

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.