Comments on: Lean and Innovation: Regurgitated Variations of an Old Debate https://6sigma.com/lean-and-innovation-regurgitated-variations-of-an-old-debate/ Six Sigma Certification and Training Fri, 28 Feb 2025 11:02:08 +0000 hourly 1 By: stan20881@msn.com https://6sigma.com/lean-and-innovation-regurgitated-variations-of-an-old-debate/#comment-25734 Thu, 17 May 2012 14:33:20 +0000 https://opexlearning.com/resources/?p=10378#comment-25734 Pete, one more comment: More important than the “how” of lean is the “why.” The “how” is what kills innovation. Just go out there and eliminate inventory, put up some Andon lights, re-arrange everything into a U-shaped cell and the heavens will open and angels will sing, right? Every one of the classic Toyota “lean” tools was developed with a purpose in mind other than its overt purpose. The very heart of “lean” is learning what works for your organization and your customers. The rash of books out on “lean” startups and innovation point to the real reason to implement it, to learn. If a company thinks it has the answers, “lean” is not the way for them.

]]> By: stan20881@msn.com https://6sigma.com/lean-and-innovation-regurgitated-variations-of-an-old-debate/#comment-25733 Thu, 17 May 2012 14:11:50 +0000 https://opexlearning.com/resources/?p=10378#comment-25733 I read that article in the HBR and commented on it. I find it amazing that the company who published books like “Just Start” and highly recommends “Lean Startup”, both works steeped in PDCA and organizational learning, chooses to ignore the fact that all they talk about is based in Lean. My hypothesis is the author was involved in some bad deployment of either Lean or Six-Sigma or both and left thinking it was the methodology rather than its bad implementation at fault. I’m not going to fault HBR itself – I love the publication and find it mostly validates lean ideas and thinking. But not everything written there is gospel.

]]> By: Joe Dager https://6sigma.com/lean-and-innovation-regurgitated-variations-of-an-old-debate/#comment-25732 Wed, 09 May 2012 17:20:29 +0000 https://opexlearning.com/resources/?p=10378#comment-25732 Pete, excellent interpretation of Ron’s article. Unlike Dan, his article did not irritate me as I have enjoyed the comment thread that have resulted from it. It intrigues me, the “wanna be” creative types proclaim that processes and improvement stifle design/creativity. Every study I have ever seen proves this thought process to be wrong. IDEO’s the epitome of creativity coined the term and their process as “Design Thinking”.

I simple believe Lean companies are more innovative. If practice makes perfect and perfect practice is even better; Practicing innovation through PDCA is the ultimate breakthrough technology!

Enjoyed your post! Just wanted to share my 2 cents.

]]> By: dan markovitz https://6sigma.com/lean-and-innovation-regurgitated-variations-of-an-old-debate/#comment-25731 Wed, 09 May 2012 16:25:04 +0000 https://opexlearning.com/resources/?p=10378#comment-25731 Pete — you hit the nail on the head. His article really irritated me, but I couldn’t articulate the reason. . . until you did it for me.

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