Craig Otto

Is there a first principle of Operational Excellence? If someone asked that question, many of us would probably start listing Lean concepts like respect for people, continuous improvement, flow, standard work, or problem solving. Those are all foundational to Operational Excellence, but after years of working with organizations and reflecting on what separates lasting transformations from temporary improvements, I've become convinced there is a principle that comes before every one of them....

I've worked with many organizations over the years that invested heavily in Operational Excellence. They implemented Lean tools, improved processes, mapped value streams, conducted rapid improvement events, and introduced daily management systems. Some of those organizations achieved remarkable results that lasted for years. Others experienced improvements that slowly disappeared, even though they were using many of the same tools. That contrast caused me to ask an important question: Why do...

Batching and bay building feel efficient—but they quietly drive up cost, complexity, and lead time. One-piece flow does the opposite. It reveals problems fast and keeps value moving at the pace of the customer. This post breaks down why one-piece flow wins every time.