One of the key elements in Lean is standardization. And despite the fact that standardization in Lean thinking is not the same as harmonization or making everything identical, the public opinion is that standardization will reduce flexibility and kill creativity. So why then does Lean focus on standardization? Could it be that the public opinion is wrong? Could standardization lead to more flexibility instead of less? And could standardization possibly require more creativity rather than eliminating it? (more…)
