Lean Manufacturing, VSM and more...

Lean manufacturing is all about eliminating waste in the process - that is whether you are in the service sector or in a manufacturing environment. Lean Manufacturing books actually point out 7 wastes - and these can be broadly categorized as non-value adding activities.

A common way of approaching lean is with the use of VSM (Value Stream Mapping). A good book to study is Learning To See. In essence, VSM documents both information and the physical flow. Then you can put in the details that will be considered when you do an analysis of your existing situation.

When doing the VSM, you first do the current state - and after analysis - you should come up with the future state. In your current state, you place inside kaizen bursts, your opportunity for improvements. Remember though that this is a team approach - so you are actually working this out with your members or teammates. Such events are usually called kaizen events.

Different companies employ kaizen events differently. As can be read in books as well, there is no one correct formula. The key is always in finding one that will fit your case. Blindly following a technique or a formula will not ensure success - it will all depend on your circumstance.

As I've read also, different Toyota Plants have different ways of implementing the concepts of lean manufacturing. So this would mean that if you go to these different plants, you will find that these are not exactly alike. The guiding principles however - I am sure is the same.