Understand what the customer values
All work is measured against what the customer actually needs. What creates value stays. The rest is waste.
Resources
What is Lean?
Lean is the world's most widely used methodology for continuous improvement. The goal is to create as much value as possible for the customer with as little waste of time, resources and materials as possible.
In brief
Lean is about delivering what the customer needs, at the right time and with the right quality, and about involving the people who do the work.
Lean is a holistic philosophy of continuous improvement. Employees take part in improving the processes, so that projects are carried out and services delivered with less waste.
The result is better profitability, higher quality and more satisfied employees.
The essentials
The three core elements
Create flow
Work moves smoothly from step to step. Waiting, rework and unnecessary inventory are removed, one obstacle at a time.
Become a learning organization
Problems are brought to the surface, root causes are found, and the improvements become the new standard everyone works to.
Background
From the assembly line to the jobsite
- 1
1913
Henry Ford introduces the assembly line, and shows what steady flow does for productivity.
- 2
After World War II
Toyota develops a more flexible production system, the Toyota Production System, in which employees improve the processes themselves.
- 3
Later
The principles are given the name Lean, and spread to manufacturing, healthcare, the public sector and services around the world.
- 4
Today
In construction, Lean is applied under the name Lean Construction, with collaborative planning and takt planning as well-known methods.
Questions and answers
What people ask
What is Lean Construction?
Lean Construction is Lean applied to building and infrastructure projects. Its hallmarks are collaborative planning, steady flow between the trades and continuous improvement on the jobsite.
What is meant by waste?
Waste is anything that uses time, resources or materials without creating value for the customer. Lean identifies eight types: waiting, rework and defects, unnecessary transportation, unnecessary motion, inventory, overproduction, overprocessing and unused talent.
What is the difference between Lean and VDC?
Lean is the mindset and the principles. VDC is a framework that builds on Lean and is designed for building and infrastructure projects, with culture, objectives and metrics, ICE, VIA and PPM as its main elements.
Does Lean work for small companies?
Yes. The principles are the same in a company with ten employees as in a large project. Small companies often see results quickly, because the path from suggestion to change is short.
How do we get started with Lean?
Start with our free video course, which takes about 30 minutes and comes with a diploma. The next step is a course for your company or project, where you practice the methods on your own work.
Start for free
Free video course: White Belt
An introduction to Lean in about 30 minutes, with multiple-choice questions along the way and a diploma when you finish. The course is in Norwegian.
Take the course nowCourses for your company or project
Next step
Let's have a talk about your project.
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