What is Lean project management?
Lean is any process improvement that substantially improves the throughput of your system, sustainably.
So, it is with this definition in mind that we turn our focus to hardware development and find the ways to substantially improve throughput in these systems, sustainably.
Lean focuses on minimizing waste to maximize efficiency. Similarly, Agile focuses on minimizing unnecessary documentation, and maximizing communications through continuous delivery of product and daily meetings.
Both Lean and Agile recognize the need for flexibility in project management and adapting process to fit the size and scale of the project.
The common goal is to get more out of the system simply by doing things differently -- by working smarter, not harder.
We know that not all Lean techniques are ‘smart’ in all systems. It’s clear that manufacturing systems are different from product development systems and that some Lean manufacturing techniques don't apply to product development.
At PLAYBOOK we've developed our own blended version of Lean project management for hardware teams. Our methodology takes the best of Lean, Agile and Flow principles and is proven to reduce project timelines and drive quality and innovation. Our software supports this method. Below we've pulled together some free resources for you so you can take a deeper dive into Lean Project Management methods for hardware teams.
In this series of posts, Eric Graves and Paul DeLong have created a comprehensive leadership review of the principles of Lean project management for hardware teams.
Teams need the right tools in place to achieve their goals. Are you looking or a fit-for-purpose Lean project management tool? Check out this comparison of Lean, Agile and Waterfall tools.
Visual work management is a critical component of your success. This SlideShare presentation explains why, if you are using manual boards, it may be time to consider the benefits of Lean visual project management software. The ROI is high.
Review the SlideShare presentation...
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