Standardized work, often used in Lean Manufacturing, means documenting and defining the best, safest, and most efficient way to perform…

“Just-in-time” (JIT) is a production management philosophy and a system where goods are produced or delivered only when they are…

“Production Idle Zero” refers to a state where a production system, process, or machine is not actively engaged in producing…

A control plan is a document that outlines the specific actions and methods used to monitor and maintain the quality…

Kanban is a Japanese word that directly translates to “visual card,” so the kanban system simply means to use visual…

Jidoka, a Japanese term, translates to “autonomation” or “automation with a human touch,” and is a key concept in the…

In Japanese business culture, “Horenso” (報・連・相) is an acronym for Report, Contact, and Consult. It’s a communication system that emphasizes…

Kaizen is a Japanese philosophy and methodology for continuous improvement, focusing on incremental, ongoing positive changes to processes and products.…

Poka-yoke, a Japanese term, means “mistake-proofing” or “error-prevention”. It involves designing processes and products to prevent errors from occurring in…

Cycle time refers to the total time it takes to complete a task, process, or project, from start to finish.…