The Progressive Machine: Before We Called It Lean

The story of innovation isn't always told in novels. Sometimes it evolves from ingenuity, curiosity, and sheer will. That is the story of Lean--before we called it "Lean." The Progressive Machine is Stephen Weller's definitive primer on how a very important concept in production and service excellence came into being. Like the philosophy itself, the ideas neither start nor end here, helping to develop a leadership mindset that not only continuously improves, but also continues to grow. That is the heart of Lean. By always looking for better ways to think and do things, we are always changing the world, one step at a time.

This book is less about the concepts and more about the people who brought them to life. These innovators saw opportunities to increase the value of the work around them. In doing so, they each laid the foundation for what is now considered an integral part of how to operate.

Stephen Weller was introduced to Lean while working as a manufacturing production leader. He has held the position as Plant Lean Manager for two manufacturing plants. In 2010, Stephen was sought after to consult for a hospital within surgical services where he found his passion within the health care space. Stephen's passion led him to specializing in surgical services optimization, impacting the lives of health care professionals and improving the quality of care for patients across the nation. Stephen is the author of the Progressive Series, where his knowledge and experiences are shared in a creative manner that combines fiction with fact. Outside of work, Stephen enjoys reading, looking for old books, collecting '80s memorabilia, and watching old sci-fi TV series on VHS.