Book Review - Lean Solutions

Lean Solutions: How Companies and Customers can Create Value and Wealth Together
James P. Womack and Daniel T. Jones
HF 5415.5 .W64 2005

This book by the authors of Lean Thinking continues the thought process begun there, moving beyond the applications to manufacturing production and consumption into the realm of problem solving. The authors continue to work with the principles that they believe underscore lean thinking--1) Provide the value actually desired by the customer. 2) Identify the process necessary to bring this product to the customer. 3) Make the process flow continuously. 4) Let the customer pull what it needs from the company. 5) Repeat this process continuously to see how it can be improved. This book applies this same process beyond just the manufacturing stage, encompassing customer service and problem solving aspects of customer relations as well.