"Creative" and “lean.” Do those words go together? I have been a lean practitioner for more than 20 years, and I’ve never heard the phrase “creative lean.” But don’t we love those creative solutions? Don’t we get excited when an idea comes from out in left field and it works? Why do we love those creative solutions so much more than just applying standard methodologies when problem solving? Could it be that hidden creativity gene buried somewhere inside of us?
There’s only one thing holding us back from being more creative on the assembly line: ourselves. Engineers tend to be pragmatic. We see things in black and white. We are data driven. Manufacturing tends to attract level-headed, hard-working types who enjoy making things. We take raw part A, process it through machine B, and out comes widget C.