WLEI - Lean Enterprise Institute’s Podcast

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with software industry veteran Robert Martin. Robert is one of the original signers of the Agile Manifesto and the author of several influential books, including Clean Code: A Handbook of Agile Software Craftsmanship. 

During the conversation, Robert shared insightful perspectives on some of the biggest challenges facing software development today. From the demographic problem of perpetual inexperience to his pioneering approach to development dubbed "software craftsmanship" that aims to promote quality work, Robert covered a wide range of issues impacting the industry. Some other topics discussed include:

• Balancing speed and quality in development and emphasizing a quality-first mindset.

Be among the first to get the latest insights from LEI's Lean Product and Process Development (LPPD) thought leaders and practitioners. This podcast was delivered to subscribers of The Design Brief, LEI's newsletter devoted to improving organizations' innovation capability. It is the second of four in a series focused on craftsmanship or pursuing perfection in products and people. Craftsmanship embodies simple elegance, precise execution, and a deep, personal connection to work that transforms both the creation and the creator.

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, Jim Womack and John Krafcik share the origin story of the term "lean." Jim led the MIT global benchmarking study of the automotive industry, which led to the seminal book The Machine That Changed the World, and John was one of the principal researchers. Jim went on to co-author a similarly influential book, Lean Thinking, and founded the Lean Enterprise Institute. John Krafcik became an executive in the auto industry, serving as CEO of Hyundai America and Waymo. The discussion closes by turning from the past to the future with updates on Waymo's autonomous driving technology.

This conversation took place at LEI's Lean Summit in March 2024.

Special note: Are you keen to explore how technology such as autonomy will reshape the future workplace? Join us at "The Future of People at Work Symposium" July 18-19 in Detriot, MI, to learn about these challenges from business luminaries like Jim Womack and Jeff Liker and collaborate with peers to address them. Click here to learn more and register.

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Dr. Jackie Gerhart and Dr. Christopher Longhurst. Dr. Gerhart is a family physician and VP of clinical informatics at Epic Systems, while Dr. Longhurst is the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Digital Officer at UC San Diego Health. 

In the discussion, we explore: 

• How health systems are using AI to improve patient outcomes.

Special note: As this conversation demonstrates, the workplace is rapidly changing, fueled by technological advancements like AI, shifting generational expectations, and evolving customer demands. 

Join LEI at "The Future of People at Work Symposium" July 18-19 in Detriot, MI to learn about these challenges from business luminaries like Jim Womack and Jeff Liker and collaborate with peers to address them. Click here to learn more and register.

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Alan Goodman, professor and department chair of quality engineering at Milwaukee Area Technical College. Alan spent his career in operations at GE before becoming a professor. The podcast explores his recent work to teach young students lean skills to prepare them for careers after school.

In the discussion, we explore: 

• Alan's background in lean and how he's transferring his skills to students through a program he's grown from a one-week online course to a year-round initiative. 

If you'd like to support Alan's work, check out https://cityonahillmke.org. 

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Ben Armstrong, Executive Director of MIT's Industrial Performance Center, and Jim Morgan, Senior Advisor at the Lean Enterprise Institute. They share perspectives from Ben's extensive research on the history and future of US manufacturing and Jim's first-hand knowledge of developing new products and production processes. 

In our discussion, we explore:

• The rise and decline of America's manufacturing expertise and how the decoupling of design and production has impacted innovation.

This podcast was delivered to subscribers of The Design Brief, LEI’s newsletter devoted to improving organizations’ innovation capability. It is the second of four in a series on process development entitled “Making Things Well.” 

Subscribe to the Design Brief newsletter by clicking here.

Electrification has given rise to new American automotive ventures such as Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid Motors. Aside from the powertrain, these companies are innovating the driving experience through breakthrough performance and by deeply integrating software into vehicle architecture.  

These disruptions demonstrate exciting possibilities but raise a challenge: how can companies innovate while upholding customer expectations of quality? 

In an episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI sat down with industry veteran and Lucid Motors’ Vice President of Quality Jeri Ford to explore that question. Jeri has over 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, having held leadership roles at Ford and Rivian before joining Lucid. 

The conversation explores: 

• How product development impacts quality downstream in manufacturing and supply chain. 

Listen to gain these insights and learn about the challenges facing the automotive industry in an era of technological change.

Be among the first to get the latest insights from LEI’s Lean Product and Process Development (LPPD) thought leaders and practitioners. This article was delivered to subscribers of The Design Brief, LEI’s newsletter devoted to improving organizations’ innovation capability. It is the fourth of five in a series on quality entitled “Whatever Happened to Quality First? Rethinking Product Development the Wake of Recalls and Catastrophic Failures.” Click to read the first, second, and third articles.

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Emily Swaney and Alli Kulp from OhioHealth. Emily is the senior director of OhioHealth's lean promotion office, leading the organization's continuous improvement team. Alli is a senior advisor in the lean promotion office and previously worked as a registered nurse.

In our discussion, we explore: 

• The lean journey at OhioHealth since 2006 and their goal of creating a culture of 35,000 problem solvers. 

Emily and Alli will lead a learning session on creating leadership assessment tools to foster development at the Lean Summit on March 19-20 in Carlsbad, CA. 

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, we speak with Dennis Wade from Oakland University and Lisa Eshbach, PhD from Ferris State University. They share their universities' programs that provide hands-on lean learning experiences for students through collaboration with industry partners. 

In our discussion, we explore: 

• The backgrounds and roles of Dennis Wade and Lisa Eshbach in academia and their work connecting students to real-world lean projects. 

Dennis and Lisa will lead a learning session on connecting industry to academia at the Lean Summit on March 19-20 in Carlsbad, CA.

To contribute to the James P. Womack Scholarship, which funds student internships at Oakland University, email us at [email protected]. Click here to read case studies from past student projects funded by the scholarship.

In this episode of the WLEI Podcast, our guests are Jennifer Trask and Brittney Heatherington from MillerKnoll. Trask is the Director of the MillerKnoll Performance System (HMPS) for business processes and dealer network, while Heatherington is a continuous improvement coach for the dealer network. 

In our discussion, we explore: 

• MillerKnoll’s methodical approach to people development. 

In this episode of the WLEI podcast, LEI speaks with Billy Taylor, former operations executive at Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He is now President of LinkedXL and author of The Winning Link: a Proven Process to Define, Align, and Execute Strategy at Every Level. 

In our discussion, we explore:

• Billy’s career journey from third shift supervisor to director of North American operations for Goodyear.