What is Lean?

Lean is a philosophy of minimizing waste, but mostly it's just a fancy way of saying we're going to give you a lot of busywork to do.

It's like the old joke, "I'm not lazy, I'm just on energy-saving mode."

Key Principles of Lean:

• Lean Philosophy: Because who needs a real philosophy when you have flowcharts?
• Lean Principles: Because who needs a simple answer when you can have 7 complicated ones?
• Lean Values: Because we're not really sure what we value, but we'll figure it out later.
• Lean Tools: Because who needs actual productivity when you have a fancy spreadsheet?

Real-Life Examples of Lean in Action:

• Toyota's production line: Because who needs human dignity when you can have a conveyor belt?
• The DMV: Because who needs a short line when you can have a 3-hour wait?
• Airport Security: Because who needs security when you can have a 3-hour security line?

Conclusion:

Lean: it's like the Matrix, but instead of freeing your mind, it's just going to make you do more work.

Further Reading:

For more information on Lean, check out our sister site, Kanban: The Art of Wasting Even More Time.