Lean flow and system performance
Understand how the methods relate before selecting a detailed lesson.
Explore the illustrated chapter →Make the method
part of your practice.
5 system chapters connect the ideas. 81 detailed lessons help you practise the decisions your team makes. Explore a routine, work through an example and check your thinking.
Fictional teaching examples and AI-generated illustrations. Proposed changes and goals are not achieved results. Use the written instructions and check local conditions before applying a method. Method lessons are educational guidance, not a complete standard or certification assessment.
Get the training resources ↓Start with a system.
Explore the relationships, the daily routine and the response when something changes. Each chapter links to the detailed methods you can practise next.
Quality control and dependable evidence
Understand how the methods relate before selecting a detailed lesson.
Explore the illustrated chapter →
Leadership and daily learning
Understand how the methods relate before selecting a detailed lesson.
Explore the illustrated chapter →
Problem solving and verified change
Understand how the methods relate before selecting a detailed lesson.
Explore the illustrated chapter →
Equipment wellness and OEE
Understand how the methods relate before selecting a detailed lesson.
Explore the illustrated chapter →Choose a lesson.
81 lessons available
Stop the recurring leak
8D + cause verification
- Contain the leak; verify the cause
- Turn a plausible explanation into a cause test
Make referrals ready
A3 thinking + administrative gemba
- Tell one connected problem-solving story
- Observe readiness, then test one channel
Send the right shipment
DMAIC + measurement + control
- Make each DMAIC phase produce evidence
- Compare fairly and respond when performance slips
Find it. Use it. Reset it.
6S + routine + replenishment
- Make Find, Use, Return a dependable routine
- Replenish from a signal, then verify the reset
Shorten the handoffs
Lean + VSM + office flow
- Show the waiting as well as the work
- Make a future-state hypothesis testable
Make tomorrow ready
Daily management + gemba + escalation
- Make tomorrow ready before promising it
- Close the loop from huddle to gemba
Make the morning easier
6S through a small PDCA experiment
- Test one shelf before changing the whole cafe
- Teach the reset and check it on another shift
Give the request a clear next step
Office management + ownership + pull
- Give each request one visible next owner
- Trace five requests from arrival to acceptance
A tool room ready for the next job
Tool readiness + clean/inspect/respond
- Make the next-job tool kit obvious
- Link operator care to maintenance response
Give the press area a clear reset
Preparation readiness + TPM/OEE
- Separate searching from a ready change kit
- Read equipment losses without hiding them
Make the welding bay ready to work
Kit standard + quality at source
- Build the correct kit before fit-up
- Observe the condition before choosing the fix
Keep the assembly line ready for the next frame
Part readiness + synchronized flow + yamazumi
- Refill the right component for the next frame
- Balance work to demand using a yamazumi
A clearer start for every cut order
Stock identity + FIFO + SMED
- Keep stock identity through the whole route
- Prepare externally; protect the controlled change
TPS: people, quality and synchronized flow
Define customer need
- TPS: people, quality and synchronized flow
- Connect the customer gap to two response paths
Muda, mura and muri reinforce each other
Observe arrival variation
- Muda, mura and muri reinforce each other
- Show how a release surge becomes a queue
Takt, cycle time and lead time are different
Define available time and demand
- Takt, cycle time and lead time are different
- Keep the planning rhythm separate from two observed clocks
Batch transfer versus one-piece flow
Fix identical task times
- Batch transfer versus one-piece flow
- Compare transfer timing and unchanged person-work
Production and withdrawal kanban
Withdraw authorized container
- Production and withdrawal kanban
- Follow W04, C21 and P21 through one replenishment
Office pull: capacity, blocked work and aging
Agree ready/done
- Office pull: capacity, blocked work and aging
- A blocked card remains inside the active limit
Heijunka mix and pitch release
Confirm volume and mix
- Heijunka mix and pitch release
- Reconcile five pitches with the whole day
Connect processes: flow, bounded FIFO or supermarket
Test direct flow feasibility
- Connect processes: flow, bounded FIFO or supermarket
- Choose a connection from the handoff evidence
Standardized work: sequence, takt and standard WIP
Observe repeatable cycle
- Standardized work: sequence, takt and standard WIP
- Audit the route, clocks and stock positions
Manual, walking and machine time
Time elements
- Manual, walking and machine time
- Explain fifty elapsed seconds without losing any work
Yamazumi: movable elements and constraints
Observe repeated cycles
- Yamazumi: movable elements and constraints
- Reconcile E4 ownership before approving the trial
SMED: externalize safely, verify first good output
Observe full changeover
- SMED: externalize safely, verify first good output
- Move preparation without moving the acceptance boundary
Replenishment stock: lead time and uncertainty
Measure usage and refill delay
- Replenishment stock: lead time and uncertainty
- Separate stock status from replenishment uncertainty
PFEP to point-of-use replenishment
Verify item and use
- PFEP to point-of-use replenishment
- Follow a packaging discrepancy into the route
Jidoka and andon: detect, respond, verify restart
Define abnormality
- Jidoka and andon: detect, respond, verify restart
- A reset is not the restart decision
Poka-yoke: prevention versus detection
Define failure mechanism
- Poka-yoke: prevention versus detection
- Show where prevention and detection interrupt the error path
5 Whys with evidence and alternative branches
Define gap
- 5 Whys with evidence and alternative branches
- Test two explanations before closing the why chain
Choose a problem-solving approach
Protect current operation
- Choose a problem-solving approach
- Route four work problems by the learning they require
From broad complaint to a testable problem
Define event and denominator
- From broad complaint to a testable problem
- Keep volume, error rate and next question together
Gemba: observe work, ask, follow through
Agree purpose
- Gemba: observe work, ask, follow through
- Separate what was seen from what was assumed
Leader standard work supports problem solvers
Choose support routines
- Leader standard work supports problem solvers
- Follow one commitment from board to work and back
Daily board: measure, respond, learn
Compare actual with standard
- Daily board: measure, respond, learn
- Make six blocked orders actionable
Hoshin: align strategy through catchball
Define strategic gap
- Hoshin: align strategy through catchball
- Turn conflicting departmental promises into one testable contribution
Improvement and coaching kata
Understand challenge
- Improvement and coaching kata
- Use a missed prediction to choose the next experiment
Job instruction: steps, key points and reasons
Prepare learner and materials
- Job instruction: steps, key points and reasons
- Teach the key point and its reason
Shine and sustain: evidence over time
Define expected condition
- Shine and sustain: evidence over time
- Read the condition history before claiming sustain
Operator care and specialist maintenance
Define authorized checks
- Operator care and specialist maintenance
- Turn a recurring trace into an owned condition record
Planned maintenance: criticality to verified return
Review function and failures
- Planned maintenance: criticality to verified return
- Challenge the plan before adding maintenance activity
OEE loss waterfall with denominator discipline
Declare planned production time
- OEE loss waterfall with denominator discipline
- Reconcile OEE to good ideal time
Quality maintenance: control conditions, not just inspect output
Describe defect mechanism
- Quality maintenance: control conditions, not just inspect output
- Verify the maintained condition and the product result
TOC five focusing steps
Identify constraint
- TOC five focusing steps
- Return to the current constraint after improvement
Find the constraint: evidence, not the biggest queue
Define goal and boundary
- Find the constraint: evidence, not the biggest queue
- Test the lowest-rate hypothesis against the real route
Drum-buffer-rope: schedule, protect, release
Schedule constraint
- Drum-buffer-rope: schedule, protect, release
- Connect each drum appointment to its release time
Buffer management: priorities and recurring causes
Define buffer and units
- Buffer management: priorities and recurring causes
- Dispatch eligible work and respond to exposed blockers
Throughput versus local utilization
Define goal units/time
- Throughput versus local utilization
- Compare contribution per scarce minute within real limits
Critical chain: dependencies, resources and buffers
Define deliverable and task dependencies
- Critical chain: dependencies, resources and buffers
- Separate resource order from the integration dependencies
Conflict cloud: challenge assumptions
State shared objective
- Conflict cloud: challenge assumptions
- Test the assumption behind the batch-size conflict
Lean and TOC: complementary questions, distinct controls
Define system outcome
- Lean and TOC: complementary questions, distinct controls
- Choose an intervention from a shared system problem
Choose the quality tool for the question
State the decision question in ordinary language.
- Choose the quality tool for the question
- Match the question to the evidence and the decision
Record defects without changing the denominator
Define the inspected unit and each nonconformity category.
- Record defects without changing the denominator
- Reconcile units and fault marks before reporting a rate
Rank problems on one declared basis
Choose one basis: count, cost, time or another defined burden.
- Rank problems on one declared basis
- Choose a priority without confusing counts, time and causes
See the distribution without losing the sequence
Define the measured characteristic and unit.
- See the distribution without losing the sequence
- Account for every value before interpreting the shape
Test a relationship without declaring a cause
Define what each paired observation represents.
- Test a relationship without declaring a cause
- Move from an observed association to a defensible test
Unmix the data before blaming a shift
Preserve product, source, shift or other relevant labels.
- Unmix the data before blaming a shift
- Unmix counts, rates and source explanations
Turn fishbone branches into testable hypotheses
Define one observable effect and scope.
- Turn fishbone branches into testable hypotheses
- Turn three proposed causes into a discriminating test record
Select a chart from the data and sampling plan
Separate measurements, nonconforming units and nonconformities.
- Select a chart from the data and sampling plan
- Choose the chart from the observation and its sampling plan
Separate control limits from specifications
Identify the baseline source and time order.
- Separate control limits from specifications
- Record product status and process signal separately
Read spread before the subgroup average
Take five comparable readings in each defined subgroup.
- Read spread before the subgroup average
- Read range, then mean, then record the response
Monitor one reading at a time
Keep the individual readings in original time order.
- Monitor one reading at a time
- Separate historical limits from later observations
Chart nonconforming units with the right denominator
Classify each inspected unit once as conforming or nonconforming.
- Chart nonconforming units with the right denominator
- Match each unit fraction to its own sample-size limits
Chart nonconformities per exposure
Define one nonconformity and the inspection exposure.
- Chart nonconformities per exposure
- Preserve the opportunity behind every nonconformity rate
Respond to a signal with a defined owner
Recognize the approved signal and notify its owner.
- Respond to a signal with a defined owner
- Reconcile the 40-unit initial exposure across three locations
Check stability before capability
Verify measurement fitness and process stability.
- Check stability before capability
- Separate the capability calculation from the approval decision
Separate part variation from measurement variation
Select representative parts, appraisers and conditions.
- Separate part variation from measurement variation
- Explain two honest percentages from one measurement study
Check inspection agreement and escape risk
Establish the reference classifications and difficult items.
- Check inspection agreement and escape risk
- Read agreement and both error directions separately
Link a process risk to an executable control plan
Identify operation, risk and controlled characteristic.
- Link a process risk to an executable control plan
- Connect the risk to the check, record and reaction
Make the station check and reaction inseparable
Confirm product identity and the current instruction.
- Make the station check and reaction inseparable
- Keep the abnormal reading connected to containment and verification
Build PFMEA from a failure chain to verified action
Plan scope and map structure and intended functions.
- Build PFMEA from a failure chain to verified action
- Connect a failure cause to a verified risk action
Use APQP gates to expose launch risk early
Translate customer needs into a connected launch plan.
- Use APQP gates to expose launch risk early
- Make the three open launch risks visible at the gate
Distinguish PPAP evidence from production authorization
Confirm customer submission and change requirements.
- Distinguish PPAP evidence from production authorization
- Keep submission, evidence and authorization as separate states
Trace one suspect lot through split, merge and rework
Identify the suspect input or output and its scope.
- Trace one suspect lot through split, merge and rework
- Reconcile the material and prove where it went
Audit whether critical controls are actually followed
Choose specific questions tied to critical process controls.
- Audit whether critical controls are actually followed
- Keep observation, response and effectiveness connected
Control special processes through qualified conditions and records
Determine applicable process, customer and qualification scope.
- Control special processes through qualified conditions and records
- Prove the job-to-procedure-to-run evidence chain
Prepare a Nadcap audit with scope-linked evidence
Confirm the relevant process, site and customer scope.
- Prepare a Nadcap audit with scope-linked evidence
- Link scope, job evidence and verified gap closure
Close an NCR with verified action against recurrence
Document the nonconformance and immediate exposure.
- Close an NCR with verified action against recurrence
- Close the evidence chain from overdue condition to verified system action
Locate the applicable automotive requirements
Identify organization, customer and certification scope.
- Locate the applicable automotive requirements
- Keep the standard, scheme Rules and revision plan separate
Distinguish a feedback controller from statistical monitoring
Identify setpoint, measured variable and sign convention.
- Distinguish a feedback controller from statistical monitoring
- Separate the defined error from the authorized control action
Connect calibration to a defensible measurement result
Define the measurand and relevant conditions.
- Connect calibration to a defensible measurement result
- Connect the measured result to uncertainty and the decision rule
No lessons match those words. Try the task or a broader method, or choose All methods.
Take the lesson into your team.
Read the lessons online or use these PDFs to prepare, practise and review with your team. No sign-in needed.
Facilitator guide
Case objectives, demonstration plans, debriefs, common mistakes and application checks across all 81 workplace cases and method lessons.
Download Facilitator guide PDF · 166 pages · 65.1 MBLearner workbook
Printable case worksheets, blank observation records and five calculation exercises; answers are separate.
Download Learner workbook PDF · 169 pages · 10.7 MBAnswer key and coaching notes
Reasoned sample responses, worked calculations and coaching guidance; fictional examples are clearly labelled.
Download Answer key and coaching notes PDF · 105 pages · 8.5 MBMethod and application reference
The native method mechanisms and worked applications for all 68 detailed lessons, in a separate bookmarked portrait reference.
Download Method and application reference PDF · 141 pages · 10.2 MBIllustrated systems atlas
Five illustrated system chapters: 15 Flare concept maps and 26 original workplace teaching cards, with links to all 81 supporting cases and method lessons.
Download Illustrated systems atlas PDF · 69 pages · 55.8 MB