A push system is the production or performance of any item or activity performed at required times by a given schedule that has been planned in advance.  Many push systems are built mainly to forecast.  Push systems can also include issuing material or performing an activity based on a schedule rather than need.  Push systems create excess inventory which is one of the 8 forms of waste.  

  Takt time is a German phrase for the baton the conductor uses to set the tempo of an orchestra.  In Lean and Six Sigma applications Takt time refers to the rate at which products, information and/or services need to be completed in, to keep up with customer demand.  ​Much like the pulse of a heart rate, Takt time tells us whether we are beating at a healthy rate or we are falling behind.

  A process is a sequence of interdependent and linked procedures designed to transform inputs into the desired outputs.  Each stage of a process consumes some type of resource (e.g. time, energy).  Some parts of a process are intended to create value while other parts of a process are intended to support the creation of value. 

  Waste can be defined as any activity that does not add value to the product or service.  In many cases waste not only adds no value, but adds costs instead.  Waste generally has three defining characteristics to it:

  We’ve all heard that Lean and the Just in Time System are the Same.  And, while there are some similarities, the two systems are in fact, different.  Generally speaking, the Just In Time System makes up one pillar of a Lean Organization and although the principles and techniques can be applied to service environments, the Just In Time philosophy is mainly used in manufacturing.  The philosophy helps an organization achieve three main focuses:

• Produce only what your customers want.
• Produce when your customers want.
• Produce only the amount your customers want.

  The Affinity Diagram is a powerful tool to use during projects with team members.  It is an analytical tool that teams can use to organize ideas into subgroups with a common theme or relationship. The affinity diagram can help you see correlation in large amounts of data/information.  

  Poka-yoke (ポカヨケ) is a Japanese term that means "mistake-proofing".  It is derived from poka o yokeru (ポカを除ける), a term in shogi and igo referring to avoiding an unthinkably bad move.  

  A Customer is any party that receives or requests goods or services.  Customers are oftenties considered to be one of the most important participants in a supply chain.  They drive value.  They create demand and they express wants and needs that can be transformed.

  Value added work is the actual work that a customer is willing to pay for.  It can be described as any activity that transforms a product or service from one condition to another, is done right the first time through and somebody is willing to pay for it. 

  The cause and effect diagram, fishbone diagram or Ishikawa diagram is a tool used to discover possible causes of an effect.