Lean Design - Tools and Methods

A Lean Design Tool is simply a well-defined activity or technique that addresses a specific aspect of product cost reduction. These tools are intended to be practical and flexible, and can be easily adapted to your own unique circumstances. There are currently eighteen lean design tools in our "toolbox," as shown in the Quick-Reference Guide presented below. These tools are arranged in semi-chronological order, from initial project selection and business-case development to the final launch of a new product into rate production. Which tools you use, and in what order, is entirely up to you. For example, if you were initiating a project to customize an existing product for a new market segment, you might focus your attention on "voice-of-the-customer" tools such as the Lean QFD, along with methods for driving down individual product costs, such as the Quick-Look Value Engineering event and the "How's it Built?" Review. On the other hand, if you're planning a major renovation of an existing product line, or the launch of an entirely new line of products, a more aggressive application of the toolset would be warranted. Platform design techniques, a Product-Line Roadmap, and the "Seven-Alternatives" Process (derived from Toyota's Production Preparation (3P) Process) could all yield dramatic cross-product-line cost savings. Once your design teams learn the tools and understand how they are used, it is straightforward to integrate the most applicable techniques into your current product development process. Note that the "Section" column in the figure refers to sections within The Lean Design Guidebook, where each tool is described in comprehensive detail.