Watch your senior management scramble to sort Lego against the clock in this Lean Lego Game, designed to illustrate how Lean and Agile techniques can make your process more efficient. This proven Lego game was designed by Danilo Sato and Francisco Trindade and presented at Agile 2008 and 2009. The large pack of files includes clear instructions and professional presentation material. Everything you need to run your own version of the game is included, except the bricks. Covering many Lean concepts including waste (the seven wastes), inventory buffers and kanban, kaizen and workcells, it’s perfect for facilitating your own Lego session, whether you’re implementing Lean in software development or on a manufacturing shop floor. This game runs for 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on whether you want to run the long or short version. The long version includes an extra iteration of the game. Slides (Long and Short Version) The production quality of the game material is top notch.
The facilitator's guide is easy to follow and the slides are approaching Steve Jobs-like quality (i.e. excellent). With the emphasis on software development, it will fit right into your Agile training session, while some minor massaging of the material will be necessary for a manufacturing or other Lean environment. The game is played with 4 teams of operators who work different stations. First team sorts the Lego bricks into colours Second team sorts the bricks into different sizes (keeping colours separated) Third team sorts the bricks into specific lots required to build a Lego house Fourth team takes specified bricks and builds a house according to the instructions Here’s a video of the Lean Lego game in action: Overall, this is a very well presented game. It has clear instructions and appears to be easy to teach people due to the simplicity. I love the push vs. pull approach between rounds 1 and 2. It clearly illustrates the benefits of Lean and reducing WIP.
Also, since the game can become quite frantic and fast-paced, it's actually an excellent form of stress management and could help people manage similar situations in the actual workplace. In Round 3, the work cell concept is discussed and demonstrated clearly. I would have liked to see a break-up of the building of the house to level the process, rather than building 4 identical structures at the same time. Perhaps a 2 person work cell for building, each doing half a house would work better. But I come from a manufacturing background, so perhaps that’s my own preconceptions bubbling to the surface! I’d be interested if anyone separated the building aspect into two parts as a kaizen during any of the sessions run at the Agile conferences. You can request all the material to run your own session of this game from Danilo Sato or Francisco Trindade. Here’s a photoset of the Lean Lego game being played on Flickr. As always, please comment if you’ve had any experience playing this game or running a session.
Also hop on over to the creators’ blogs and share your comments there. I’ve added this game to my growing list of Lean games and simulations.How to create a learning environment to discuss Lean principles and practices, while having fun?This was the question we had in mind when we developed the first version of the Lean Lego Game. After revolutionizing the automobile industry, Lean principles have been applied to different knowledge areas, from Manufacturing to Supply Chain Management, to Health Care and more recently, to Software Development. However, not many people have been introduced to the concepts that made Lean successful.This is an interactive session where participants work in teams in a small Lego production line, experiencing problems and applying Lean practices to overcome them. Designed to alternate hands-on activities with retrospective/discussions, and content slides, participants throughout the workshop will be introduced to concepts such as:Push vs. Pull SystemsKanbanSystems ThinkingWork CellsWasteKaizenWhy create this page?
We wanted to create this page to serve as a reference to anyone interested in learning more about the Lean Lego Game, and for sharing experiences with people who already ran it. This workshop is a work-in-progress and every time we run it, we find improvements and gather important feedback from participants. If you have any question/comment/suggestion about the game, please leave a comment here.Material and LicenseWe are distributing the material we use to run the game in a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial license. This means that you’re free to use and adapt it, as long as you give appropriate credit and do not use it for commercial purposes. We also kindly request for your feedback to help us improve the workshop. To ask for the material, simply get in touch by e-mail. The package contains:Facilitator’s Guide: instructions and tips for running the workshop (list of materials, suggested agenda, room setup, …)Slides: currently 2 versions (short-version: 1:30h / long-version: 3:00h)Print material: instructions and Lego specifications ready to be printedThe only thing that we can’t provide are the actual Lego bricks, so you have to get them yourself :-)Lean Lego GameView more presentations from Danilo Sato.The Lean Lego Game has already been presented at…
Encontro Ágil 2009 – São Paulo, SPAgile 2009 – Chicago, USThoughtWorks UK Away Day 2009XP 2009 – Sardinia, ItalyAgiles 2008 – Buenos Aires, ArgentinaInternally at ThoughtWorks (London, China, …)(let us know if your session is missing here)CreditsSome of the inspirations and influences for developing/improving the Lean Lego Game were:The Red Beads Experiment, by Dr. W. Edwards DemingLego XP Game, by Sam NewmanFeedback from a lot of amazing ThoughtWorkers (and ex-ThoughtWorkers) Lean Lego Game by Danilo Sato & Francisco Trindade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 3.0 Unported License. lean manufacturing simulation game adds pizzazz and effectiveness to a company's training program. Most important, it gains the required company-wide commitment, support and participation required for a successful, lean manufacturing transformation. Most training programs jump right into the tools and techniques of lean with little or no employee buy in.
The first objective of any training rally company-wide support and commitment to the change initiative. achieve this, you need an introduction training package that effectively communicates the reason for the change, the commitment required, and the need for company-wide support and participation. Bill Gaw's, Lean Manufacturing Simulation Game is a proven solution for this challenge. Why Most Lean Transformations Fail to "The Lean Manufacturing Simulation Game!" What I do ... Push vs. Pull Simulation Exercises Package, and Push vs. Pull Video A most important 30 to initiates a discussion of the pros and cons of each This is where the learning process yields program understanding, commitment and participation. The Lean Manufacturing Simulation Game will clearly demonstrate the complexity of shop floor control under a standard MRP (Push) production system. The opening of shop orders, picking of parts, building of assemblies and the final product production process are carried out in real-time.
Game is a demonstration of how sequential production and point-of-use inventory can turn a marginally successful product line into a huge winner. is demonstrated and recorded, pros and cons of each methodology recorded and a post exercise forum drive home the lean manufacturing to set up and facilitate. instructions for each are included for each of the exercises. games fail to meet expectations and end up in a closet somewhere. We guarantee that our simulation game will exceed your expectation or you'll get a full refund. With over 358 games sold, we have experience We have been using Bill Gaw's ShowTime! Lean Manufacturing Simulation Game for well over five years and have used it to introduce over 40 team members to Lean Manufacturing concepts. It allows the trainees to experience the difference between the MRP "push" system vs. theClassroom training has its' place, but this simulation really hammers home the difference between the two
Experiencing the difference is much more powerful than simply learning about it. Bill has also been very responsive when we have had questions or needed additional supplies or insight. ,without reservation, recommend Showtime! to anyone searching for a simulation to demonstrate the benefits of Lean Manufacturing. Tom Doyle, Quality Assurance and including the famous oldie Push vs. Pull Video training package will help lean participants: * Discover the power of sequential production and * Identify and study the basics of lean "firefighting" to proactive problem * Eliminate the root cause of Another customer saying it even better than we can: manufacturing training materials are the easiest and fastest way to understand the practicalities of manufacturing success that I have seen in many years of management consulting activity. I intend to use them in my practice, if you are agreeable, since I am now extending into
Luis Nascimento, DMA Consultores, Our customer list speaks for itself. These companies are serious, as we know you are, about optimizing results from their lean initiatives and improving their bottom line. Below is a partial list of our 358 customers using Bill Gaw's Lean Package in their effort to transform their MRP supporters into Lean What Does It Cost? Much less than you would imagine. In fact, we make the Lean Manufacturing Simulation Game Training Package affordable so that it can fit easily within your company's training budget. We want you and your company to have the best lean manufacturing simulation game available and the best way to do that is to make it affordable. 2. CD, Lean Manufacturing, 3. CD, Value Stream Mapping, A $887.00 value... discounted 44% The Lean Manufacturing Simulation Game "Bill Gaw's "ShowTime!" is focused on the "how to." Unlike other training materials that tell you only
what you need to do... Bill's "ShowTime!" presents what you need to do and then shows you how to do it." Our Guarantee Says it all Believe this, we will never consider your purchase binding until you have used the Lean and put it into practice. We know that you, like our other customers, will be thrilled with the results. In fact, we are so convinced that your Lean Manufacturing will work for you that if you aren't completely satisfied for any reason at any time, simply return only the LEGO bricks and bins for an immediate refund of your purchase price. (You can keep the training modules andYou simply can't lose. Remember, if you continue to work the same way, you're going to get the same results. The next move is up to you. I've shown you that our training tool as risk free as an offer can come. You and I know that if you've read this far, you're seriously interested in improving your lean manufacturing training program and helping yourself and your company achieve their full growth and earnings potential.
ORDER NOW BONUS No. you order during this we will include a This is the famous "Oldie but Goodie" HP Push vs. Pull systems, one-piece-flow, stockless production, and cycle time MRto lean manufacturing advocates shipping and handling are free. If you place your order via our secure email and we'll ship your LEGO game, via To place your order, simply click on the orange bar below the credit card icons phone: call us at 760-212-6048. To order by purchase order: simply email us your The Ball is in Your Court If you think this training will help your company but you're not in a position to make the buying decision, may I suggest that you discuss this training package withHe/she may surprise you. Lean Manufacturing-Operations Excellence Training and Management Development you'll not find in the ... neither in the APICS Library nor the HBS Press. 6003 Dassia Way, Oceanside, CA 92056