Lean Thinking was born in the middle of the last century as a compelling alternative to less flexible and more costly mass production schemes. First viewed in the West as a system for continuous improvement suited mainly to large repetitive manufacturing, Lean methods and philosophy are now applied universally in organizations large and small, and in applications ranging from healthcare to manufacturing to service and government. In the first two decades of this century, Lean leaders have adapted the tools of Lean to provide greater customer value across a wide spectrum of applications. Over the same period, the emergence IoT, the Internet of things, has created a remarkable potential to interlink the components of complex systems in ways that are reshaping organizational structure and enhancing productive capability. From learning robots to multi- sensory technology and analytics to AI and digitization of everything and everyone, the Internet of things is ever-present seemingly all-knowing.
In a pre-pandemic world GBMP originally selected a conference theme, “21st Century Lean” to address questions concerning the harmonization of Lean and IoT:
- How will Lean linking thinking influence the intelligent application of IoT; will it, as some pundits have claimed, produce Lean on steroids?
- How will the IoT technology burst impact Lean thinking in the 21st century? Will it enhance or evolve Lean thinking?
- Or, will the fascination with technical capability eclipse Lean thinking and further diminish the emphasis on human development?
Ironically, Covid-19 challenges of the last several months have highlighted the critical need to speed innovation in delivery of products and services – central themes to both Lean and IoT. In that spirit, GBMP has pivoted our 16th annual Northeast Lean Conference to virtual approach — to bring our Lean community together in an engaging but safe environment. “21st Century Lean” will include:
- The best Lean and IoT thought leaders and practitioners,
- The Community of Lean Lounge
- The Silver Toaster Award
- Lean networking
- Key partners and sponsors
And you. Please join us for conference that will be virtual and memorable.
