Bruce Hamilton

President, vice chair, teacher, change agent

Bruce Hamilton, president of the Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership (GBMP), brings hands-on experience as a manager, teacher, and change agent. Prior to GBMP, Hamilton led efforts to transform United Electric Controls Co.’s production from a traditional batch factory to a single-piece-flow environment that has become an international showcase. Hamilton has spoken internationally on lean manufacturing, employee involvement, continuous improvement, and implementing change. Also, he has contributed to numerous texts ranging from visual control to variety reduction. Hamilton’s blog, Old Lean Dude, is an ongoing reflection on lean philosophy and practices, with an emphasis on keeping good jobs close to home.

Mon, 11/14/2016 - 12:13
When PDCA Meets SilosBoundaries between production, inspection, and engineering obscure opportunities for process improvement
Wed, 07/21/2021 - 12:02
PDCA—plan, do, check, act (or adjust)—is one of those acronymic concepts that regularly finds its way into lean discussions. Descended from Francis Bacon’s scientific method (hypothesis, experiment, confirmation), PDCA has become a ubiquitous…
Extra SpaceThe health of the stockroom says a lot about overall flow of value to the customer
Thu, 05/13/2021 - 12:02
This time of year the abundant ads for junk removal and cheap storage units remind us that it’s time for spring cleaning, an annual pastime that has perhaps been bolstered by the need to unlock extra space in the home during the pandemic. Businesses…
WonderfulA story of teacher and student
Wed, 02/24/2021 - 12:01
At the tender age of 21, living in a universe with far too many parallels to present day, I took a job—which turned out to be more than a job—to support myself in college by working as a caregiver, cook, driver, and constant companion to a man who…
Looking to the FutureSmall changes for the better
Tue, 02/02/2021 - 12:02
As we begin to take our approximately 4 1/2 billionth trip around the sun, I’m reflecting on the previous 525,600 minutes and looking ahead to the new decade. The decade (the ‘20s), by the way, began last month, not a year ago, a factoid noted in a…
Tribute to NormNorman Bodek, ‘Mr. Productivity,’ was among the first to bring lean to America
Tue, 12/22/2020 - 12:02
Norman Bodek, who sadly left us on Dec. 10, 2020, at the age of 88, will no doubt best be remembered for the amazing library he brought us more than 30 years ago from Japan: primary sources like Taiichi Ohno and Shigeo Shingo, as well as brilliant…
Us and ThemTake a they assessment
Tue, 10/20/2020 - 12:03
Over years of listening to people describe their work, one single word has surfaced repeatedly as a barometer of what is frequently called “culture.” The use of the word “they” in conversation gives me insight into an organization’s ability to…
Pole Vaulting 4.0Too many organizations spend millions for new technology but skimp on training employees how to use it
Thu, 10/08/2020 - 12:02
One summer when I was a kid, my friend Rick and I built a pole vault setup in my postage stamp-sized backyard with a plant box (the place where you plant the pole as you begin your vault) and a couple uprights to hold the crossbar. We used bamboo…
Culture ChangeWhen you sow seeds of change, prepare the soil
Wed, 07/29/2020 - 12:02
Shortly after a recent post, in which I referred to sowing the seeds of change, I enlisted the help of my son, Ben, to reseed a particularly bare area of our yard. I’d neglected this spot for a few years, and it had become sparse and dormant.…
Thinking Outside the PandemicNow, as the economy begins to reopen, two lessons learned
Wed, 07/22/2020 - 12:01
For the last four months, GBMP has, of necessity, pivoted to predominantly virtual consulting, training, and coaching. Now, as the economy begins to reopen, I’d like to share with you two lessons that we have learned. Office space adds limited…
Why Not?‘99 percent of objection is cautionary’
Tue, 05/05/2020 - 12:02
Most lean folks use 5 Whys daily to problem solve, but relatively few are familiar with a clever problem-solving device developed 30 years ago by Deming Prize winner Ryuji Fukuda, called the why-not diagram.  Because objection is a natural human…