Getting started with Lean

LEI does not promote Lean as a grand theory where one size fits all. Instead, LEI views Lean as an approach to develop a set of standard practices for your organization based on experiments. The Lean process starts by defining a value-creating process in the form of a value stream or model lines. Next, organizations identify their value streams and use value stream mapping techniques to describe current and future state flows.

LEI's definition of value streams is contained in the call-out box that follows.

Value streams

All of the actions, both value-creating and non-value-creating, are required to bring a product from concept to launch (also known as a development value stream) and from order to delivery (also known as an operational value stream). These include actions to process information from the customer and actions to transform the product on its way to the customer.

Invariably, the lean transformation efforts will identify problems...