EPISODE · May 22, 2007 · 28 MIN
Factory Physics, Flow, and the Myth of “Efficiency” — with Dr. Mark Spearman *
from Lean Blog Interviews: Real-World Lean Leadership Conversations in Healthcare and Beyond · host Mark Graban
Show notes: https://www.leanblog.org/25 Remastered July 2021 For Episode #25, I'm pleased to have Dr. Mark Spearman, Founder and President/CEO of Factory Physics, Inc. (www.factoryphysics.com). You may know Dr. Spearman from his book, co-authored with Dr. Wally Hopp, Factory Physics. If there is ONE operations management textbook to own, this is it (it's well worth the cost). I was fortunate, as an Industrial Engineering undergrad at Northwestern, to take Dr. Spearman's operations course. The introduction given about Lean and the Factory Physics / Little's Law concepts (among others) have served me very well during my career. In the Podcast, we talk about his company, Factory Physics, and the work he is doing today in the manufacturing world. Show Notes, Links, and Keywords Episode #25 Keywords: Throughput, Lean Six Sigma, Lean, WIP, work in process, continuous improvement, variation, flow, Dell Computer Dr. Spearman explains The 3 Buffers: Inventory, Time, and Capacity
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What this episode covers
In this episode of the LeanBlog Podcast, Mark Graban talks with Dr. Mark Spearman, co-author of Factory Physics, about the fundamental laws that govern flow in manufacturing, healthcare, and service systems. They explore variability, work-in-process (WIP), cycle time, throughput, and the three critical buffers: inventory, time, and capacity. The conversation explains why eliminating buffers too aggressively hurts performance, how Lean and Six Sigma fit together, and why system design must come before execution. This episode offers timeless insights for executives, operations leaders, and continuous improvement professionals who want better flow, faster delivery, and more resilient systems.
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Factory Physics, Flow, and the Myth of “Efficiency” — with Dr. Mark Spearman *
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