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Lean Thinking is a vital principle that has significantly influenced multiple industries and management practices, including the Certified Scrum Professional – ScrumMaster (CSP-SM) framework. To fully comprehend its impact, it’s critical to understand its origins and development over the years.
The genesis of Lean thinking can predominantly be traced back to the Japanese automotive manufacturer, Toyota. More specifically, it is credited to the Toyota Production System (TPS), a system that aimed to heighten efficiency and reduce waste in the production process, which was developed during the 1930s to 1970s. The terms ‘lean’ and ‘lean thinking’ were coined much later in the 1990s, although the principles were already being applied.
The key architects of TPS and subsequently lean thinking, were Taiichi Ohno and Eiji Toyoda. Ohno, fondly referred to as the father of Lean thinking, was instrumental in developing the process and creating core Lean concepts such as “Just-In-Time” production and “Jidoka” or built-in quality. These concepts were revolutionary. For instance, “Just-In-Time” production allowed Toyota to efficiently manage their resources by only producing what was needed, when it was needed, and in the quantity required. This optimized approach significantly reduced waste and improved productivity.
On the other hand, “Jidoka,” which translates as ‘automation with a human touch,’ emphasized on quality control and allowed for immediate action when a problem was detected. This became the foundation for the principle of ‘stopping the line,’ which promotes problem solving to prevent the recurrence of defects.
Despite deeply rooted in manufacturing, Lean thinking expands much beyond this industry. The applicability of Lean in other domains was broadly acknowledged when Womack and Jones detailed its principles in their groundbreaking book, Lean Thinking, in 1996. They described the core principles of Lean to be:
For visualization, consider the following table which summarizes the five Lean principles:
Lean Principles | Description |
---|---|
Define Value | Understand what the customer values. |
Map the Value Stream | Identify every step in the process and eliminate waste. |
Create Flow | Ensure smooth operations without interruption or delays. |
Establish Pull | Only begin new work when there is demand for it. |
Seek Perfection | Continually strive for perfection through constant feedback and improvement. |
In a nutshell, Lean thinking is about maximizing customer value while minimizing waste. It’s about creating more value for customers with fewer resources. In the context of Scrum, Lean principles are deeply ingrained in the iterative approach, continuous delivery of value, and prioritizing backlog based on customer value. Therefore, as a ScrumMaster, understanding Lean thinking is not just beneficial, it’s integral to implementing the Scrum framework effectively and efficiently.
Answer: False
Explanation: Lean thinking was developed largely in Japan, particularly in Toyota.
Answer: c) Toyota Production System
Explanation: Lean thinking primarily evolved from the Toyota Production System in Japan.
Answer: c) Lean Thinking and the Toyota Production System
Explanation: Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo are two of the principal architects of the Toyota Production System, which gave rise to lean thinking.
Answer: True
Explanation: One of the core principles of Lean Thinking is to minimize waste and make the most out of limited resources, hence doing more with less.
Answer: a) Lean Thinking
Explanation: ‘Just In Time’ is a principle of Lean Thinking developed in the Toyota Production System that seeks to reduce times within the production system as well as response times from suppliers.
Answer: a) Identify Value, b) Map the Value Stream, c) Eliminate waste
Explanation: Identify Value, Map the Value Stream, and Eliminate waste are three of the five founding principles of Lean Thinking.
Answer: False
Explanation: Continuous improvement is a vital part of Lean Thinking, known as “kaizen”.
Answer: d) Overstaffing
Explanation: Overstaffing is not a type of waste identified in Lean Thinking. The wastes typically identified are overproduction, waiting, transport, overprocessing, motion, inventory, and defects.
Answer: False
Explanation: While Lean Thinking originated in the Manufacturing industry, its principles have been adapted and applied to many industries, including software development and services.
Answer: c) James Womack and Daniel Jones
Explanation: James Womack and Daniel Jones, in their book “The Machine That Changed the World”, coined the term ‘Lean’ to describe the efficiencies of the Toyota Production System compared to traditional mass production.
Answer: b) False
Explanation: While Scrum and Lean share many philosophies (like eliminating wasteful activities), Scrum is not part of Lean. It is an Agile methodology, which is a broader concept.
Answer: b) Maximizing customer value while minimizing waste
Explanation: The core idea of Lean Thinking is to maximize customer value while minimizing waste, i.e., to create more value for customers with fewer resources.
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