MacAdam states that the goal of applying Lean to project management is “to reduce the amount of time required to complete each project by eliminating wasteful activities, and increasing the amount of time spent on value-added tasks. Doing so will create more value for the customer at lower cost, and the benefits from the project will be realized sooner” (MacAdam, 2009). Read Peter Landau’s blog post at the link below, and then return to comment on ways you have successfully implemented lean principles into your project activities.

All businesses must make money in order to remain solvent and stay in business. The need for profitability is clear—how you get there is the tricky part.

One way is to deliver more value to your customers while creating less waste for the business. This is commonly called lean project management.

What Is Lean Project Management?

Lean project management focuses on delivering a manufacturing project with more value and less waste. It does this by systematically eliminating waste in the value stream of the lean manufacturing process.

To work, lean project management relies on continuous improvement. That means that every process in the overall business value stream is improved by applying the principle of greater value, reduced waste.

Lean manufacturing was developed by Toyota, which is why it uses Japanese words to refer to the elimination of waste in a manufacturing system (muda), waste created by overburden (muri) and waste that comes about because of uneven workloads (mura).

The lean manufacturing methodology has 5 lean principles, value, value stream, pull system, continuous flow and perfection. We’ll learn about those below.

…Read More »

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MacAdam, T. (2009). Lean project management: slashing waste to reduce project costs and timelines. Paper presented at PMI® Global Congress 2009—North America, Orlando, FL. Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute.