ORDREL / LEAN KNOWLEDGE HUB
Lean tools, explained without the jargon.
Understand what each method does, when to use it and which ORDREL tool can help you put it into practice.
Showing all 34 concepts.
Alphabetical index
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Gemba
What it is
Going to the place where work happens to observe the actual process and learn with the people doing it.
When to use it
Use it before changing a process, when reports conflict with reality or when the team needs shared facts.
Simple example
A supervisor follows one order from release through packing and records handoffs, waits and rework loops.
What to watch out for
A gemba walk is not an inspection tour. Ask, observe and respect the work instead of arriving with a verdict.
Start here
Kaizen
What it is
Continuous improvement through frequent learning and practical changes made with the people who know the work.
When to use it
Use it to build an everyday improvement habit rather than waiting for only large projects.
Simple example
A team tests a new material location for one week, reviews travel time and adjusts the standard together.
What to watch out for
Kaizen is not a suggestion box. Ideas need a problem, a test, an owner and a check of what changed.
Start here
Muda / Waste
What it is
Work, delay or resource use that does not create the result the customer needs; Lean commonly groups waste into recognizable patterns.
When to use it
Use it while observing a process to name excess motion, waiting, defects, overproduction, inventory, transport or processing.
Simple example
An order waits two days for a signature even though the actual review takes four minutes.
What to watch out for
Do not label people as waste. Study the system and distinguish necessary supporting work from avoidable effort.
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Workplace organization
Workplace organization
5S / 6S
What it is
A repeatable way to sort, organize, clean, standardize and sustain a workplace. 6S adds safety as an explicit lens.
When to use it
Use it when clutter, searching, unclear locations or changing workplace conditions make work harder to perform consistently.
Simple example
A packing cell marks tool locations, removes obsolete supplies and adds a weekly check with an owner.
What to watch out for
A one-day cleanup is not 5S. The standard and follow-up routine are what make the change last.
Workplace organization
Standard Work
What it is
The current agreed best method for performing repeatable work safely, consistently and visibly.
When to use it
Use it after learning has established a reliable sequence, or when variation in method creates avoidable problems.
Simple example
A cell documents the work sequence, key quality points, expected time and response to an abnormal condition.
What to watch out for
Standard work must be usable and revisable. Freezing a poor method only standardizes the waste.
Workplace organization
Visual Management
What it is
Making normal conditions, priorities, progress and abnormalities understandable at the place and time of work.
When to use it
Use it when teams must ask for basic status or when a problem is visible only after reports are compiled.
Simple example
A shift board shows plan, accepted output, constraints and owned actions with consistent definitions.
What to watch out for
More boards do not mean more clarity. Remove stale measures and design the response to abnormal status.
Workplace organization
Shift Handover
What it is
A two-way transfer of current status, unresolved risks, temporary controls and next actions between teams.
When to use it
Use it wherever work, equipment or decisions continue across shifts or owners.
Simple example
The outgoing team records the line state, pending approval and next-action owner; the incoming team confirms the critical points.
What to watch out for
A completed form does not prove understanding and must not replace permits, releases or required escalation.
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Flow & capacity
Flow & capacity
Bottleneck Analysis
What it is
A focused review of the step currently limiting the output of the whole process.
When to use it
Use it when demand exceeds throughput, queues build or one step consistently controls the pace.
Simple example
Mapping shows inspection can release 42 orders per hour while the next-slowest step can release 55, so inspection is investigated first.
What to watch out for
The constraint can move after an improvement. Recheck the whole flow instead of optimizing one station forever.
Flow & capacity
Capacity & Staffing Planning
What it is
A structured comparison of workload, productive time, work rate, skill coverage and the people assigned.
When to use it
Use it before a shift, demand change or staffing decision when the assumptions need to be discussed openly.
Simple example
1,500 labor minutes divided by 384 productive minutes per person gives a four-person arithmetic baseline.
What to watch out for
A calculated headcount is not a complete staffing plan. Check skills, breaks, minimum coverage, variation and process limits.
Flow & capacity
Continuous Flow
What it is
Moving work through connected steps with as little waiting, batching and work-in-process as the process allows.
When to use it
Use it when queues and large transfer batches lengthen lead time or hide defects between steps.
Simple example
Instead of moving 50 forms at once, a team passes smaller groups to the next review step throughout the hour.
What to watch out for
Do not force one-piece flow where safety, cure time, testing or product mix requires a different design.
Flow & capacity
Heijunka / Level Loading
What it is
Smoothing the mix and volume of work over time instead of releasing large uneven batches.
When to use it
Use it when demand patterns and batch choices create peaks, starvation, overtime or excess inventory.
Simple example
A line sequences three product families in smaller repeating intervals rather than producing a full week of each at once.
What to watch out for
Leveling cannot erase real demand variation or changeover constraints. Test the sequence against capacity and service needs.
Flow & capacity
Just-in-Time
What it is
Providing the needed item, in the needed amount, when it is needed—based on real demand rather than unchecked production.
When to use it
Use it when excess inventory, long lead times or overproduction separate work from customer demand.
Simple example
A downstream withdrawal triggers replenishment of a defined container instead of a schedule pushing unlimited stock.
What to watch out for
Reducing inventory without reliable flow, quality and replenishment rules can expose the customer to shortages.
Flow & capacity
Kanban / Pull
What it is
A visual or digital signal that authorizes replenishment or movement when downstream demand consumes a defined amount.
When to use it
Use it when work is pushed ahead without need, queues grow or replenishment decisions are unclear.
Simple example
An empty two-bin container signals replenishment while the second bin covers normal lead time.
What to watch out for
Set quantities from demand, lead time and variation. A card alone cannot fix unreliable supply or unstable quality.
Flow & capacity
Process Mapping
What it is
A visual record of steps, decisions, handoffs, waits and boundaries in the current process.
When to use it
Use it when teams describe the same process differently or need to see where work loops and waits.
Simple example
An order map separates six minutes of entry work from two approval queues and one rework loop.
What to watch out for
Map the real current state at a useful level. A polished diagram of the intended process can hide the problem.
Flow & capacity
Value Stream Mapping
What it is
A current- and future-state view of material and information flow across an end-to-end product or service stream.
When to use it
Use it when local improvements have not reduced total lead time or when several functions share the outcome.
Simple example
A team maps ten minutes of processing across a five-day order journey and targets the largest information queues.
What to watch out for
Choose one product family and a clear boundary. Do not confuse a detailed process map with an end-to-end value stream.
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Problem solving
Problem solving
A3 Problem Solving
What it is
A concise improvement story that connects the current condition, target, analysis, countermeasure and follow-up.
When to use it
Use it when a team needs one shared view of a problem and the reasoning behind the proposed change.
Simple example
A team records a 40-minute changeover baseline, tests advance staging and checks quality as well as time.
What to watch out for
Filling every box does not prove the explanation. Keep evidence and uncertainty visible.
Problem solving
DMAIC
What it is
Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control: a staged method for improving an existing process with evidence.
When to use it
Use it for a recurring, measurable problem that needs a longer investigation and a sustained control plan.
Simple example
A team defines a defect measure, validates collection, checks causes, trials one change and assigns a response to drift.
What to watch out for
The stages can loop. Moving forward with an unreliable measure only makes the later analysis look more certain than it is.
Problem solving
Fishbone / Ishikawa Diagram
What it is
A cause-and-effect map that organizes possible explanations around a clearly defined outcome.
When to use it
Use it when several cause families may contribute and the team needs to plan evidence checks.
Simple example
Seal leaks are explored across machine, method, material, measurement, people and environment hypotheses.
What to watch out for
Branches are hypotheses, not verified causes. Record what evidence would support or weaken each one.
Problem solving
PDCA
What it is
Plan, Do, Check, Act: a short learning cycle for stating an expectation, testing it, reviewing evidence and adapting.
When to use it
Use it for focused changes where the team can run a bounded test and learn quickly.
Simple example
Plan a new staging rule, trial it on one approved shift, compare search time and quality, then adopt or revise it.
What to watch out for
“Do” is a test, not a permanent rollout. Define the expected result and guardrails before starting.
Problem solving
Root Cause Analysis
What it is
A disciplined investigation of the mechanisms and system conditions that allow a defined problem to occur.
When to use it
Use it when containment is complete but the problem may recur unless the enabling conditions change.
Simple example
A team checks the actual material, method, records and failure path before choosing a corrective action.
What to watch out for
There may be interacting causes. Stop the causal chain where evidence stops and avoid defaulting to blame.
Problem solving
5 Whys
What it is
A questioning technique for building and testing a causal explanation one link at a time.
When to use it
Use it for a specific problem when the team can examine evidence behind each proposed why.
Simple example
A wrong leaflet leads the team from the observed pack to staging and changeover checks, with evidence required at every link.
What to watch out for
Five is not a quota. Branch when mechanisms differ and do not treat consensus as proof.
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Quality
Quality
Andon
What it is
A visible or audible signal that makes an abnormal condition and the need for help clear in real time.
When to use it
Use it when problems remain hidden until the end of a run or operators cannot quickly call for support.
Simple example
A station light changes when a material mismatch is detected so the team can respond before more work continues.
What to watch out for
A signal without a defined response, authority and escalation path becomes background noise.
Quality
Jidoka
What it is
Building the ability to detect an abnormal condition, stop or contain it and prevent defects from continuing downstream.
When to use it
Use it when equipment or a process can recognize a meaningful failure and needs a clear response.
Simple example
A sensor detects a missing component and prevents the next cycle until the approved check is completed.
What to watch out for
Automatic stopping must be designed around consequence, safe recovery, false alarms and bypass risk.
Quality
Poka-Yoke / Mistake Proofing
What it is
Designing a process to prevent a specific error or detect it before the consequence travels downstream.
When to use it
Use it when a repeat error mechanism is understood and a practical prevention or detection control can be tested.
Simple example
A connector is keyed so the wrong orientation cannot be assembled, then challenged under controlled conditions.
What to watch out for
Training and reminders may help, but they do not physically or logically prevent the error.
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Equipment
Equipment
Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
What it is
Availability × performance × quality: the share of planned production time equivalent to making good output at the ideal rate.
When to use it
Use it to separate equipment-related production loss into downtime, speed and quality components.
Simple example
90% availability × 92.59% performance × 96% quality gives 80% OEE.
What to watch out for
Define planned time, ideal rate and good output consistently. OEE is not labor utilization.
Equipment
SMED / Quick Changeover
What it is
A systematic way to reduce changeover time by moving suitable work outside the stop, simplifying internal work and standardizing the sequence.
When to use it
Use it when long setups force large batches, reduce availability or make the schedule less responsive.
Simple example
Tooling and verified materials are prepared before shutdown, while internal adjustment steps are simplified and timed.
What to watch out for
Do not transfer unsafe or unmeasured work to another person or shift merely to make the recorded stop look shorter.
Equipment
Six Big Losses
What it is
A practical grouping of equipment loss: breakdowns, setup and adjustment, small stops, reduced speed, startup rejects and production rejects.
When to use it
Use it to move from one OEE number to the loss categories that deserve investigation.
Simple example
A line separates a 30-minute breakdown from repeated 40-second stops instead of combining both as “downtime.”
What to watch out for
Choose definitions that fit the process and avoid double-counting overlapping losses.
Equipment
Total Productive Maintenance
What it is
A shared approach to equipment effectiveness that combines planned maintenance, operator care, loss prevention and continuous improvement.
When to use it
Use it when recurring equipment conditions reduce availability, speed or quality and ownership is fragmented.
Simple example
Operators complete defined cleaning and inspection while maintenance analyzes repeat failures and plans deeper work.
What to watch out for
Operator care must not transfer technical work beyond training or authorization. Protect planned maintenance time.
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Strategy & management
Strategy & management
Hoshin Kanri
What it is
A management process that connects a few strategic priorities to measurable work, owners and review routines.
When to use it
Use it when departments pursue too many disconnected projects or daily work is detached from strategy.
Simple example
A site turns a delivery priority into a small set of annual breakthroughs, team measures and monthly reviews.
What to watch out for
A cascade of targets is not alignment if teams cannot surface conflicts, capacity limits or learning.
Strategy & management
SMART Goals
What it is
Goals written to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.
When to use it
Use them when a vague intention needs a clear result, owner and review date.
Simple example
Reduce median approval waiting time from 18 hours to 10 hours by November 30 while maintaining the defined quality check.
What to watch out for
A precise target can still be the wrong target. Connect it to the customer and the process, not only a deadline.
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Measurement
Measurement
KPIs
What it is
A small set of measures that show whether important operational outcomes and process conditions are moving as intended.
When to use it
Use them when a team needs a consistent review of safety, quality, delivery, cost or improvement progress.
Simple example
A daily board shows accepted output, plan attainment, first-pass quality and overdue actions using fixed definitions.
What to watch out for
Every KPI shapes behavior. Pair outcomes with context and avoid targets that reward local optimization or hidden problems.
Measurement
Pareto Analysis
What it is
Ranking comparable categories from largest to smallest and showing their cumulative contribution.
When to use it
Use it to choose where to investigate first when many loss or defect categories compete for attention.
Simple example
Twelve missing identifiers, six address issues and two other returns show the first category is 60% of the sample.
What to watch out for
The largest category is not automatically the root cause. Keep categories exclusive and use one measure at a time.
Measurement
Takt Time
What it is
The demand-based production pace: available production time divided by required customer demand.
When to use it
Use it to compare the pace customers require with observed cycle time and planned capacity.
Simple example
420 available minutes divided by 840 required units gives a takt of 30 seconds per unit.
What to watch out for
Use the same period and units. Takt is not the observed cycle time and does not include an invented demand.
Measurement
Time Study
What it is
A structured observation of how long defined work takes under stated conditions.
When to use it
Use it to understand cycle variation, establish a baseline or support capacity and improvement discussions.
Simple example
A team records 20 comparable completion intervals and notes product mix, exclusions and interruptions.
What to watch out for
Define the boundary and observation mode first. A small sample is descriptive, not proof of a stable standard.
START WITH THE WORK
You do not need to choose the perfect Lean term.
Begin with the question in front of you: where time goes, what keeps recurring, what limits capacity or what the next shift needs to know.