Lean is a set of disciplines that can result in tremendous savings and profitability for companies. It can significantly reduce cycle times and increase customer satisfaction. Lean, however, must be applied efficiently and effectively to achieve optimum results. This book discusses project management concepts, tools, and techniques as they apply to managing Lean projects. It explains how you can apply the discipline of project management to fully harness the energy and power that Lean offers. Managing Lean Projects begins by discussing the major concepts and techniques that make Lean so powerful. It details the many benefits of Lean, along with the key challenges that must be overcome to fully reap its benefits. The book then goes on to describe the project management tools and techniques you can use to get the most out of Lean. It explains how the structure of each key project management process helps to keep the Lean project on course. The book devotes separate chapters to the project management processes for PDCA (plan, do, check, act) and DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) Lean lifecycles. In both chapters, detailed case studies help to demonstrate the concepts presented in a real-world situation. The author includes numerous diagrams, examples, and checklists throughout the book to get you started quickly managing Lean projects. As Lean continues to pick up momentum across many industries, it becomes imperative that project managers learn how to use it to achieve the desired results. With this book, project managers will be well-equipped to lead, not just manage, their Lean projects to success and to the benefit of their organization and the people who work in it. The Long Road to Lean Quality: A Short Historical Perspective Ten Trends in Quality Drivers for Lean Lean, a Long History What Is Lean? Key Lean Concepts Benefits Challenges Lean and Project Management Overview of Project Management Fundamentals What Is a Project? Stakeholders Projects, Programs, Portfolios Organizational Location of Projects Leading and Six Key Processes Project Phases and Project Management Processes How Much Project Management Is Enough? Enterprise Project Management Project Management Is Necessary Fundamental Lean Concepts, Tools, and Techniques Determine Context Capture Existing and Proposed Value Streams Define Requirements Collect Data and Information Perform Analysis Apply Tools and Techniques for Solutions Make Recommendations Plan and Execute Lean 101 Lean and Project Management Processes Key Concepts Overview of Project Management Processes Relationship to Lean Benefits Challenges Getting Started Defining Process Statement of Work Organizing Planning Executing Process Monitoring and Controlling Closing Final Insights Getting Started Checklist Lean Project Management Using the PDCA Cycle PDCA Cycle and Project Management Basics Goals Benefits Challenges Case Study Final Insights Getting Started Checklist Project Management for a Lean Project Using DMAIC Basics of DMAIC and Project Management Goal Benefits Challenges Case Study Project Management Works with DMAIC, Too Getting Started Checklist Ten Final Thoughts about Lean What Lean Is Not What Lean Is Project Management and Lean: One Final Thought
