The Lean Advancement Initiative (LAI) is a research consortium that offers the newest thinking, products, and tools to enable and accelerate the transformation of complex enterprises. LAI and its members engage collaboratively to develop and institutionalize principles, processes, behaviors, and tools for enterprise excellence. Founded in 1993, LAI resides within the Sociotechnical Systems Research Center of the Engineering Systems Division (ESD) in the School of Engineering. Faculty from the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the MIT Sloan School of Management participate in LAI research. More than 225 graduate students from Aeronautics and Astronautics, ESD, Mechanical Engineering, Sloan School of Management, System Design and Management, and other programs have completed master's and doctoral theses within LAI.
LAI conducts its research in close collaboration with its members and has developed an array of unique products and tools to help members assess, analyze, transform, and architect their enterprises. These products include the Lean Enterprise Self-Assessment Tool, Enterprise Transformation Roadmap, Enterprise Strategic Analysis for Transformation, Product Development Value Stream Mapping Manual, and Systems Engineering Leading Indicators Guide Version 2.0.
LAI's Educational Network (EdNet) is an international group of 65 educational institutions that develop and deploy curricula based on LAI's latest research, practical knowledge, and member best practices. These curricula include the LAI Lean Academy®, LAI Lean Engineering SeminarTM, LAI Lean Healthcare AcademyTM, Lean Enterprise Value Short Course, and customized courses.
LAI has captured major findings in its 2011 book, Beyond the Lean Revolution: Achieving Successful and Sustainable Enterprise Transformation. Additional information is available on the LAI website.