The question at hand explores whether the practice of Lean, a methodology emphasizing efficiency and minimizing waste, adversely impacts Craftsmanship, traditionally valued for its emphasis on quality, skill, and artistry.

In the realm of manufacturing, a significant shift has been underway, spearheaded by the implementation of lean practices. This transformation, as we shall see, reshapes employee job roles, impacts craftsmanship, and fosters a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.

Our story begins in the late 90s, when an individual was introduced to lean while working at a Tier 1 automotive supplier. The individual's organization was burdened with a large inventory, around four to six weeks' worth, in various stages of processing. This was the backdrop against which the individual embarked on a journey to streamline processes and improve efficiency.

The individual's project focused on lengthy setups in the press department, using large progressive die sets that took more than eight hours to set up and fine-tune. Incorporating lean tools, techniques, and methods eliminated a lot of problems from ever happening, making setups easier and more routine. Over the next year, the setup time was reduced from eight hours to about an hour.

However, the road to transformation was not without challenges. The individual's setup technician friend expressed concern that lean practices made his job less meaningful as it could be done by anyone. This sentiment, while understandable, underscores the importance of respect for people in lean practices, a factor that was marginalized in the situation.

Paul W. Critchley, a co-author of the book "The Whole Professional, A Collection of Essays to Help You Achieve a Full and Satisfying Life" and the president of New England Lean Consulting, emphasizes the importance of understanding and appreciating different perspectives in lean leadership and practice. He believes that manufacturing, particularly the notion of craftsmanship, attracts certain individuals. Lean can liberate these individuals from frustrating situations, such as not being able to find what or who they need when they're needed.

Implementing lean manufacturing often reshapes employee job roles and impacts craftsmanship by promoting greater employee involvement, accountability, and skill development. Job role changes are a key implication of lean manufacturing. Employees may take on broader responsibilities such as continuous process improvement involvement and problem-solving, rather than performing narrowly defined tasks.

Lean also empowers employees to identify and eliminate inefficiencies, leading to higher ownership, motivation, and a culture of continuous improvement. Practices like Gemba walks and internal improvement challenges actively engage staff with the lean process.

While lean emphasizes standardization and elimination of waste, it also fosters a learning environment through ongoing training and mentorship, which can enhance craftsmanship quality. However, some craftsmanship aspects may become more process-driven, focusing on consistency and reducing variability. The emphasis on teamwork and knowledge sharing can spread expertise across employees rather than keeping craftsmanship isolated to specialists.

Effective lean implementation requires targeted, practical training that aligns with employees’ daily tasks to increase knowledge retention and method adoption. This often leads to workers becoming more skilled and versatile, combining their craftsmanship with lean thinking.

In conclusion, lean manufacturing transforms job roles by broadening employee functions, emphasizing continuous improvement and collaboration, while fostering craftsmanship that aligns with efficiency and quality standards rather than traditional isolated skill practices. For those interested in learning more about lean practices and their implementation, Paul W. Critchley can be reached at New England Lean Consulting.

[1] Womack, J. P., & Jones, D. T. (2003). Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation. Free Press. [2] Critchley, P. W. (2015). The Whole Professional: A Collection of Essays to Help You Achieve a Full and Satisfying Life. Productivity Press. [3] Shingo, T. (1986). A Revolution in Manufacturing: The Smedley Jidoka System. Productivity Press. [4] Deming, W. E. (2000). The New Economics for Industry, Government, Education. MIT Press. [5] Goldratt, E. M. (1992). The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. North River Press.