We live in the midst of a never-ending battle: disruption on a global scale, constant uncertainty, dynamics of change of exponential proportions.

Is Lean still relevant?

Is Lean the cure for today’s challenges?

Fully, partially or not at all?

I asked myself these questions while returning from an International Lean Management conference. During the conference, I heard this phrase: “Lean should be understood as the constitution of business.” Sounds great. However! Even the best constitutional provisions as we know them from history needed amendments. So too does Lean need them. Certainly Lean as a constitution needs a new preamble. The goal of Lean is no longer to make a company competitive. There is more significant value than just competitiveness or profitability.

Lean needs a few tweaks in its key areas like Gemba Observation in globally distributed processes, executed largely digitally and with AI, Value Stream Mapping, Problem Solving approach, QCD model. Perhaps also new paradigms of thought.

Or perhaps more importantly, a new framework (English)? Perhaps, like Scrum, Lean should hang up the heavy frame of times gone by in the closet and enter an agile, lightweight frame for new times.