Lean Lexicon 5th edition (NL)

Lean has its own terminology. Anyone who works with it will sooner or later come across terms like heijunka, poka-yoke, jidoka, or takt time: words that are used in training sessions as if everyone knows them, yet still regularly cause confusion in practice.

The Lean Lexicon is the standard reference guide for anyone who wants to understand the terminology precisely and use it correctly.

What can you find in the Lean Lexicon?

The Lean Lexicon isn’t a book you read from cover to cover; it’s a reference guide. It contains clear, concise definitions of all key Lean terms, concepts, and tools, supplemented with illustrations that visually clarify complex ideas.

You’ll find the core concepts of the Toyota Production System, ranging from value stream mapping and kanban to standardized work and takt time. Japanese terms such as gemba, kaizen, genchi genbutsu, muda, mura, and muri are carefully explained in their original meanings as well as in their application in Lean practice. Concepts that are often used interchangeably, such as flow and pull, or the various forms of waste, are clearly distinguished from one another.

This is the fifth edition, revised and expanded to reflect the latest developments in Lean thinking. The Dutch translation was published by the Lean Management Institute.

Why should I read the Lean Lexicon?

A shared language is the foundation of collaboration. Teams that use the same words in different ways end up talking past each other, even when they think they’re discussing the same topic. The Lean Lexicon provides teams, coaches, and managers with that shared language: precise, accessible, and based on the original sources.

For beginners, it provides a solid introduction to Lean terminology. For advanced users, it serves as a reliable reference for verifying and keeping concepts sharp. And for trainers and coaches, it is an indispensable tool for training sessions, workshops, and on-the-job coaching.

Who is the Lean Lexicon intended for?

• Anyone who works with Lean and wants to stay on top of the terminology—from beginners to seasoned practitioners
• Teams that want to develop a common Lean vocabulary
• Lean coaches and trainers who want to provide participants with a reliable reference
• Professionals who are taking Lean training courses and are looking for a concise reference guide to accompany their study materials
  
  

What do fellow writers think of this book?

"The Lean Lexicon is the book that’s always on my desk. Not to read, but to consult—and to let others consult—when we disagree on the exact meaning of a term." — Jim Womack, founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute

"Language matters. The Lean Lexicon ensures that we're all on the same page when we use the same words." — Jeffrey K. Liker, author of The Toyota Way

Additional Information

About the authors

Chet Marchwinski is a writer and editor with many years of experience at the Lean Enterprise Institute, where he played a central role in the development and editing of a large portion of the institute’s Lean publications. He is responsible for compiling and editing multiple editions of the Lean Lexicon, thereby contributing to the standardization of Lean terminology worldwide.

John Shook was the first Western manager to work for Toyota in Japan and gained an inside-out understanding of the Toyota Production System. He is the co-author of Seeing Is Believing, former CEO of the Lean Enterprise Institute, and one of the most influential Lean thinkers of the past three decades. His contribution to the Lean Lexicon reflects his broad knowledge of both the Japanese origins and the Western application of Lean concepts.