Get Lean
Nope, it’s not a post about gym.
It’s about the concept of lean manufacturing. Basically, it’s a system designed to cut waste—like excess inventory, overproduction, and inefficiencies—while maximizing value. The goal? Do more with less. Sounds simple, but it was not always obvious. In fact, it’s quite revolutionary.
The concept was pioneered by Yaiichi Ohno at Toyota in the 1940s-50s. Post-WWII, Japan was resource-strapped, so Toyota had to get creative. They developed the Toyota Production System (TPS), which became the foundation of lean manufacturing. By focusing on continuous improvement (kaizen) and just-in-time production (making only what’s needed, when it’s needed), Toyota became a global powerhouse.
Fast forward to startups, take Eric Ries and his book The Lean Startup. Ries took lean principles and applied them to entrepreneurship. The idea? Build-Measure-Learn. Startups should create minimum viable products (MVPs), test them fast, learn from feedback, and iterate. No wasting time or money on stuff nobody wants. It’s about being agile, scrappy, and resource-efficient.
But here’s the problem: lean isn’t always perfect. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, lean manufacturing backfired for some businesses. Companies had cut their inventories so thin that when supply chains broke, they couldn’t produce. It showed how lean systems left businesses vulnerable. No buffer = no flexibility when things go sideways.
So, should manufacturers still go lean and risk or better be prepared for black swan events like COVID? Or can you do both?
@javohirakramov
Nope, it’s not a post about gym.
It’s about the concept of lean manufacturing. Basically, it’s a system designed to cut waste—like excess inventory, overproduction, and inefficiencies—while maximizing value. The goal? Do more with less. Sounds simple, but it was not always obvious. In fact, it’s quite revolutionary.
The concept was pioneered by Yaiichi Ohno at Toyota in the 1940s-50s. Post-WWII, Japan was resource-strapped, so Toyota had to get creative. They developed the Toyota Production System (TPS), which became the foundation of lean manufacturing. By focusing on continuous improvement (kaizen) and just-in-time production (making only what’s needed, when it’s needed), Toyota became a global powerhouse.
Fast forward to startups, take Eric Ries and his book The Lean Startup. Ries took lean principles and applied them to entrepreneurship. The idea? Build-Measure-Learn. Startups should create minimum viable products (MVPs), test them fast, learn from feedback, and iterate. No wasting time or money on stuff nobody wants. It’s about being agile, scrappy, and resource-efficient.
But here’s the problem: lean isn’t always perfect. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, lean manufacturing backfired for some businesses. Companies had cut their inventories so thin that when supply chains broke, they couldn’t produce. It showed how lean systems left businesses vulnerable. No buffer = no flexibility when things go sideways.
So, should manufacturers still go lean and risk or better be prepared for black swan events like COVID? Or can you do both?
@javohirakramov