Author: Nick

Purpose Lean was never about replacing people. It was about enabling people to see, think, and act more clearly at the gemba. Technology—whether basic automation, advanced analytics, or machine learning—should serve that same purpose. When technology becomes the driver rather than the supporter, Lean quietly erodes. The core argument of this article is simple: technology…

Purpose 5S—Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain—is often misunderstood as merely a housekeeping or cleanliness exercise. In a continuous process facility, the primary purpose of 5S is to expose problems, not to solve them. By organizing and standardizing the workspace, inefficiencies, leaks, and potential equipment issues become visible, allowing teams to take targeted action.…

Continuous improvement breaks down when organizations confuse where improvement should happen and how it should be governed. In mature Lean systems, improvement operates on two complementary loops: Together, these cycles create stability, learning, and sustained performance. When separated—or reversed—Lean collapses into chaos, firefighting, or empty slogans. PDCA — Management-Level Problem Solving Meaning: Plan, Do, Check,…