Lean

Lean is a philosophy and method developed by Japanese companies in the 1950s and has since spread worldwide. The goal of Lean is to increase efficiency, reduce waste, and improve quality in operations by focusing on eliminating all activities that do not add value for the customer.

A central part of Lean is working with continuous improvements, where all employees are involved in identifying and addressing problems and inefficiencies in the operation. This is done through systematic methods such as the PDCA cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) and value stream mapping, where the entire process from raw materials to finished product or service is analyzed to identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies.

Lean is also about creating a culture of respect for people and continuous learning, where all employees are given the opportunity to develop and contribute to improvements. By using Lean as a strategy to strengthen competitiveness, companies and organizations can become more sustainable and efficient, while improving the working environment for employees.

An example of how Lean can be applied is the pedal car factory, where pedal cars are built in a Lean way by involving all employees in the improvement work and creating a culture of continuous improvement. Another example is Lean games, which is an educational method for learning and practicing Lean principles in a practical and engaging way.

To succeed with Lean, it is important to have a strategic plan and a clear leadership structure that supports and drives the change. Business development and change management are also essential parts of implementing Lean in a sustainable way and creating an improvement culture that lasts over time.

Courses offered by KTH LeanCentre with a focus on lean are: Lean Produktion , Lean Ledarskap , Lean and Green  and Hållbart ledarskap med lean . The courses are offered in swedish.