In this episode of the WLEI podcast, they discuss how universities are connecting students with for-profit and nonprofit organizations to practice and apply hands-on lean learning experiences. Dennis Wade from Oakland University and Lisa Eshbach from Ferris State University (both schools in Michigan) go into details about their background in industry, how each of their […]
On April 9, 2021, La Soufrière volcano erupted for the first time in 40 years on the island of St Vincent and the Grenadines. SBP Director Andy Stofleth asked the question: What if the problem could be part of the solution? Perhaps SBP could use this ancient Roman process of using volcanic ash as building […]
Written by Brion
The James P. Womack Scholarship & Philanthropy Fund (JPW Foundation) reflects on the outcomes of their ‘lean internship,’ which offers a hands-on practical experience to students while helping nonprofits help more people. In a recently created guide, the JPW Fund explains how the first two interns started in the Fall of 2019, and how they […]
Written by Brion
Humble Design Detroit (HDD) furnishes homes for individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness. They furnished ten more homes in 2021 than they did in 2020, an increase that the community service organization previously couldn’t imagine. They don’t plan to stop there: HDD is aiming to provide an additional 12 homes in 2022. The improvement […]
Written by Brion
The James P. Womack Scholarship and Philanthropy Fund (JPW Fund) was created with the goal of creating and providing innovative gemba-based learning opportunities in order to develop more lean thinkers. The Fund epitomizes the use of lean principles and practices, including eliminating waste in work processes, going to the gemba, using plan-do-check-act (PDCA) problem-solving based […]
Written by Brion
Lean consultant Christopher Chapman shares some inspiring words for 2021. He asks us to “reflect on lessons learned, in true kaizen fashion, and consider the most impactful problems to tackle in 2021.” He points to President-elect Joe Biden’s top priorities for his administration for guidance on where to prioritize our efforts in 2021: Control the […]
Written by Brion
Christopher Chapman follows up his first article on systemic racism by tying the five lean principles to achieving antiracism. Value vs. Waste From an anti-racist perspective, policies, systems, and practices that produce and normalize racial equity are value-added. Those that create and sustain racial inequity between racial groups are nonvalue-added or waste. Value Stream For […]
Written by Brion
Christopher Chapman, Senior Lean Transformation Coach, calls on lean thinkers to leverage our skills to eradicate the waste of racism in our businesses, worker lives, their families, their community and society. Lean thinkers: We have plenty of experience using humble inquiry and other problem-solving tools to root-out non-valued-activities in our organizations. Now we need to […]
Written by Brion
In 2011, Dr. Pat Greco began as the superintendent of the Menomonee Falls School District in Wisconsin. She faced no shortage of problems: a suspension rate seven times higher than the state average, performance gaps across income and race, cost overruns, and a failure to meet performance goals defined under the No Child Left Behind Act among others. […]
Written by Brion
The James P Womack Scholarship and Philanthropy Fund provides scholarships to students to fund hands-on problem-solving experience at charity organizations under the guidance of an Lean Enterprise Initiative (LEI) coach. The fund’s first partnership is with Oakland University in Michigan. Two student interns (Monisha Vasudeva and Sagar Bajaj) are learning and implementing lean principles at […]
Written by Brion