Finally another American challenging the industrial tourists and "lean". I am with you Stewart, but I work with service industry. The toolheads have dominated the consulting industry for too long. My Vanguard partners in the UK have long discovered the myth of tools and their misapplication. John Seddon (Vanguard's MD) has several books listing the problem with this thinking "Freedom from Command and Control" and "Systems Thinking in the Public Sector."

The need for tools should be outlined by 3 questions:
1) Who invented the tool?
2) What problem were they trying to solve?
3) Do you have that problem?

We have found in service industry that new tools emerge from understanding the thinking and not looking for 7 wastes, standardization, best practices, etc.

Good luck with your thinking approach for manufacturing. The tools-based groups have a head start. A fool with a tool is still a fool.

Regards,
Tripp Babbitt
www.newsystemsthinking.com
www.thesystemsthinkingreview.co.uk (Government)