Product Description

2006 SHINGO PRIZE WINNER for EXCELLENCE in MANUFACTURING RESEARCH

Lean Production Simplified, 2nd Edition is a plain language guide to the lean production system written for the practitioner by a practitioner. It delivers a comprehensive insider's view of lean manufacturing. The author helps the reader to grasp the system as a whole and the factors that animate it by organizing the book around an image of a house of lean production.

Highlights include:

This 2nd Edition has been updated with expanded information on the Lean Improvement Process; Production Physics and Little's Law - the fundamental equation for both manufacturing and service industries (cycle time = work in process/throughput); Value Stream Thinking - combining processes required to bring the product or service to the customer; Hoshin Planning -- using the Planning and Execution Tree diagram and Problem Solving -- including the "Five Why" method and how to use it.

Lean Production Simplified, 2nd Edition covers each of the components of lean within the context of the entire lean production system. The author's straightforward common sense approach makes this book an easily accessible on-the-floor resource for every operator.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #33486 in Books
• Published on: 2007-03-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Review
"Lean Production Simplified is both enlightening and informative for all levels of "lean learners.” It is written from a very human perspective. Many prior publications focus on the "lean bag of tools" or the softer cultural aspects of lean. Dennis contribution is a well integrated blend of both giving the reader not only a systemic understanding of lean, but also the clear skill development required for leadership at all levels. Wherever you are on your journey to lean, Lean Production Simplified will provide further knowledge and insight to help achieve the next level on the eternal path to perfection."
--Anne Stevens, VP, North America Vehicle Operations, Ford Motor Company, June 2004

"This book is just too important! In this age of global competition threatening to annihilate all but the very leanest, Pascal Dennis masterwork, Lean Production Simplified — A Plain-Language Guide to the Worlds Most Powerful Production System, is a must-read. Midway through my career, after working at five, large North American manufacturing companies, its absolutely crystal clear that the three which "died" would have survived if only theyd known of and successfully implemented The Toyota Production System. Dennis is clearly North Americas Ohno-san!"
--Michael A. J. Davis, Executive VP, Waterville TG, Inc., June 2004

"Lean Production Simplified goes beyond being a "primer" for the Toyota Production System - it is "lean thinking" at its best, revealed and explained. Pascal Dennis has drawn from his own experience at Toyota to help the reader understand the meaning behind their language of success, with the whys and hows explained clearly with illustrations that include the very forms used to collect and organize data. Be prepared to have your continuous improvement / people skills honed to a higher level. Whether youre a CEO, president, vice president, manager, supervisor, leader, an engineer, HR specialist, employee or a private owner, Lean Production Simplified is not a book you will read once. Its a book you will read once and then use as a reference book to read and re-read again and again, as its content is absorbed into your area of influence."
--Bob Schroer, Lean Change Agent, Lexington, Ohio, June 2004

From the Publisher
IN STOCK!

About the Author
Pascal Dennis is a professional engineer, author, and educator with 20 years experience in manufacturing, public service and consulting engineering. He developed his lean thinking skills on the shop floor of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC), and by working with lean masters in Japan and North America. In his leadership position at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada he supported various model launches, the construction of a new facility, and the hiring of new team members. Under his leadership Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada has received the JD Power Gold Medal for quality and he received the OSH Award of Excellence for Professional Achievement.

Customer Reviews

Best Lean Book for Breadth of Knowledge
I've read many of the more popular lean books (see our other reviews), and have been doing lean full-time since 2000. In my view this book has the best, most complete field of view of them all, touching on several concepts that get no attention in any other lean overview text. It should be noted that as far a depth goes however, the name says it all... Lean Production Simplified.

Pro:
-Shingo prize winner
-Brief yet complete coverage of lean topics
-Coverage of several topics not found elsewhere, including the much ignored hoshin kanri
-Decent chapter summaries, ample examples and figures

Con:
-I guess about the worst you can say is there's too many misspellings for a 2nd edition.
-Perhaps too many sentences that start with, "At Toyota" which create some repetitive reading.

Bottom line: Highly recommended for exposure to the basics.

Good Overview
I thought this book did a good job in giving you an overview of the lean tools. It is a good reference point if you would like to further study lean activities.

A great practical guide
Lean Production Simplified provides a great practical guide to the implementation of lean principles. The author gives enough history and background of lean production to put the concepts into context. He then covers all the basic concepts with a unified approach. We are using this book to orient several new team members to the concepts as we implement important lean projects.