All content and news on InfoQ about Toyota Production System
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- Agile
- Topics
- Artifacts & Tools,
- Methodologies
In this InfoQ article Kenji Hiranabe applies lessons learned while working with Japanese manufacturers. While many Agile teams are optimizing only a portion of the value stream, Hiranabe proposes a simple way to adapt lessons from Lean Manufacturing's "Kanban" visual tracking system to make process visible to more of the organization, for better communication and process improvement.
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By Kenji Hiranabe
on Jan 14, 2008,

- Agile
- Topics
- Leadership,
- Teamwork
In this 90-minute talk from the Agile2007 conference, Lean software thought leader Mary Poppendieck reviewed 20th century management theories, including Toyota and Deming, and went on to talk about "the matrix problem", alignment, waste cutting, planning and standards. She closed by addressing the role of measurement: "cash flow thinking" over "balance sheet thinking".
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By Mary Poppendieck
on Nov 27, 2007,

- Agile
- Topics
- Delivering Value,
- Methodologies
In a 60-minute JAOO 2005 talk, Scrum creator Dr. Jeff Sutherland covers the history of Scrum from its inception thru his participation with Ken Schwaber in rolling out Scrum to industry, to its impact at Easel, Fuji-Xerox, Honda, WildCard, Lexus, Google. He looks at Scrum types A, B and "all at once" type C, and confirms the humorous rumour that Kent Beck "stole" Scrum practices when creating XP.
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By Jeff Sutherland
on Sep 20, 2006,
News about Toyota Production System
- Agile
- Topics
- Leadership,
- Change
"A fundamental premise of the 'train-wreck' approach to management is that the primary cause of problems is 'dereliction of duty'" said Peter Scholtes in his 2003 book on leadership. Mary Poppendieck's recent article on process, people and systems asked: "Which is more important - process or people?" and showed how Lean is an alternative to certified process improvement programs like ISO 9000.
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By Deborah Hartmann
on Sep 28, 2007,
- Agile
- Topics
- Collaboration,
- Methodologies,
- Agile in the Enterprise
David Anderson described how his team is using a kanban system for their sustaining engineering (maintenance and bug fixing) activities. Iterations have been dropped although software is still released every two weeks. Work is scheduled, monitored, and run via a "kanban board" and daily stand-up meetings.
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By Amr Elssamadisy
on Jun 05, 2007,
- Agile
- Topics
- Methodologies
Since the "Toyota Production System" emerged in the late 80's, GM, Ford and Chrysler have applied TPS ideas, but they still trail Toyota. In his article, "No Satisfaction at Toyota," Charles Fishman suggested that the key is in teaching new ideas about what success looks like. It's an interesting read for those thinking about waste reduction in software development.
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By Deborah Hartmann
on Dec 26, 2006,
- Agile
- Topics
- Delivering Value,
- Methodologies
Jeff Sutherland, an Agile Manifesto signatory, ran the first Scrum at Easel Corp. in 1993. At JAOO 2005 he covered the history of Scrum from its inception to its impact at Easel, Fuji-Xerox, Honda, WildCard, Lexus, Google. Along the way Sutherland shared interesting stories & looked at Scrum types A, B, and "all at once" type C, reminding listeners that cultural change is the hard part of Scrum.
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By Deborah Hartmann
on Sep 20, 2006,