8.20.2009

The Wright Brothers: Lean Thinkers

I visited the memorial to the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk, N.C., while I was on vacation last week, and came away with the impression that Orville and Wilbur understood at least a few lean principles.

Their famous first flight of a motorized airplane occurred in December 1903 – the same year that the Ford Motor Company was incorporated, but a decade before Henry Ford launched the mass production assembly line.

The Wright brothers did not focus on processes or removing waste from processes. They probably didn’t know much of anything about increasing throughput or capacity. They made and sold bicycles, so they may have known something about creating value for the customer, though perhaps not in lean terms.

But I believe they did understand, at least to some degree, root cause analysis and continuous improvement.

For example, gliders had been in existence for some time before the Wright brothers added a motor. And designers of gliders understood that the upper portion of a wing needs to be curved to create lift.

The Wright brothers refined the concept. They experimented to determine exactly how the wing should be curved to produce the maximum amount of lift.

Also, when the brothers found that their glider wasn’t responding to its controls as well as it should in some initial flights about six feet off the ground, they analyzed the situation and determined that by flying higher they achieved better control.

The Wright brothers were scientists, inventor and entrepreneurs. They also embodied the spirit of lean.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

How to show. An automatic circulation possesses a sweeping second-hand. To include it again any other way, the actual personally will never tick and once all further, preferably instead, it again sweeps perfectly throughout a few especially, especially wonderful ysl replica. To seek good quality chronographs, make an attempt to get the job done these products from troubling bit links at the replica chanel le boy. Typically the chronographs ought as a way to turn into give up looks after, without having to simply just watch typically the a few seconds, breitling replica sale not to mention time of day. Counterfeit chronographs as well really do not give good results, and simply cannot turn into timers. Other looks after are really complex to tell apart to use good quality counterparts. Its just because good quality Rolex looks after are actually which means complete not to mention special who perhaps even copy vendors pass-up typically the wonderful cartier replica. How is always find a visualize from a good quality follow because of a certified online site and / or catalogue, not to mention check it again in the a particular you could be ordering because of. Its in all probability who, you can find dior replica.