ABSTRACT
Lean challenges the way we have looked at our processes and suggests taking a view from another
perspective, i.e. through the lens of customer value. If we would like to apply lean to improve
educational systems, a first step is to rethink customer value. Schools should identify what aspects
of customer value have to be considered for a process that provides educational services, and to
specify the customer requirements and constraints for the delivery of these services. Next, process
descriptions of current and desired state have to be constructed, various types of waste have to
be identified and eliminated, and flow has to be realized through the use of pull. Finally, an
improvement cycle has to be implemented that aims at continuous improvement using a plan-do-
check-act approach (Womack and Jones, 1996).
