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

1 term

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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C

1 term

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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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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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

2 terms

LAMDA Cycle

The basic learning cycle of lean product and process development, comprising five classes of development activity: look, ask, model, discuss, and act.

See : Lean Product and Process Development.

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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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P

2 terms

PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)

Improvement cycle based on the scientific method of proposing a change to a process, implementing the change, analyzing the results and taking the appropriate action. Also known as the Deming Cycle or Deming Wheel, because the person who introduced the concept in Japan in the 1950s was W. Edwards Deming.

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Perfection

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

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S

1 term

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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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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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.