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Beyond the Fad: How to Weave Lean into the Fabric of Your Company Culture
Are your lean initiatives failing? . You run the workshop, the 5S event sparks a change, and then… fizzle. Old habits return. Momentum dies.
The problem isn't your toolkit. It's human nature. You're fighting it unarmed.
This blog gives you the weapon. We're showing you how to finally overcome resistance and make improvements that actually stick.

Steph
4 min read
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The Power of a Skills Matrix: How to Build a More Skilled Workforce
In today’s fast-paced world, businesses need to adapt quickly. One of the best ways to strengthen your team is by using a skills matrix ,...

Steph
7 min read
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Understanding Lead Time, Cycle Time, and Takt Time in Manufacturing
When it comes to manufacturing, understanding Lead Time, Cycle Time, and Takt time is critical. While these terms can be confusing at first, they’re essential tools for improving operations, meeting customer demand, and reducing waste. Let’s break them down, making it crystal clear how each works and why they matter.

Russell Watkins
6 min read
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Finding Kaizen Inspiration: Improving Everyday Processes
Kaizen & lean skill can be developed outside of work by observing what's around you in places like cafes, sporting events & your own home.

Russell Watkins
3 min read
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2 Lean Skills Your Team Leaders Should Have: Change Points and the 80/20 Rule
80/20 rule in manufacturing – A lean skill for Team Leaders

Russell Watkins
3 min read
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Does Lean work outside of manufacturing?
Lean thinking applies anywhere there's value to be delivered, to a customer through a process

Russell Watkins
3 min read
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How to find Abnormalities and not Problems in a lean factory
Strong lean factories manage Change Points. The key is recognising that many defects and accidents happen after something in 5M1E changes

Russell Watkins
3 min read
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Toyota's thinking around Digital Manufacturing
Digital Manufacturing / Industry 4.0 is about more than just sensors, data, things and machines. People are at the centre of it.

Russell Watkins
4 min read
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The 7 Wastes: are defects problems or treasure?
The care of defects is a significant marker of whether your business believes in Built-in Quality

Russell Watkins
4 min read
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Reap the benefits of effective Gemba Walks (avoiding the fad trap)
Be sure why you're doing Gemba Walks and be able to link it to a purpose

Russell Watkins
3 min read
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Effective Gemba Walks - A key skill for Team Leaders
Effective Gemba Walks: A key skill for Team Leaders

Russell Watkins
4 min read
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The 7 step method for Practical Problem Solving skills & the 10 most common mistakes to avoid
Practical Problem Solving models are often shared online BUT the pitfalls are rarely well explained. In this blog we’ll do just that!

Russell Watkins
8 min read
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5s Examples: Real Factory Transformations
5S ACTIVITY 1.Sort 2.Straighten 3.Shine 4.Standardise 5.Sustain In this blog we cover: What is 5 s 5s Examples: Real Factory...

Russell Watkins
6 min read
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Reducing Manufacturing Costs - Where to look?
Reduce Material Costs or Reduce Labour Costs? Manufacturing cost reduction is at the centre of lean thinking. It's by no means the whole...

Russell Watkins
4 min read
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Creating Standard Work - the tips you don't want to miss
The ultimate guide to creating strong Standard work, templates, meanings and the typical pitfalls to avoid

Russell Watkins
5 min read
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Safety in SQDCP - stop fooling yourself that you behave safely in factories, you don't!
Almost all lean-minded people preach Safety first, Quality second. The same group of people routinely demonstrate dubious safety behaviour

Russell Watkins
5 min read
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Hoshin Kanri: How to get your manufacturing team aligned around your lean Strategy Deployment
With Hoshin Kanri, less is more..."Hoshin is the discipline to de-select". The aim of this blog is to show you how less can be more.

Russell Watkins
7 min read
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How to hone your Problem Solving Method through watching movies
Practical Problem Solving in movies. 4 types of problems and real examples from Matt Damon's The Martian

Russell Watkins
4 min read
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Discovering kaizen examples and lean thinking in elite pro sports
Investigate examples of elite sports embracing Kaizen (aka Continuous Improvement) thinking

Russell Watkins
7 min read
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Should we embrace Japanese Lean Words in Manufacturing?
10 of the words that have been most useful in guiding Sempai's lean work, from working with Japanese manufacturers, especially Toyota Group

Russell Watkins
7 min read
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