Why Assess Maturity?
You cannot build a roadmap without knowing your starting point. A lean maturity assessment gives you an honest, structured view of where your organization stands across the dimensions that matter — and reveals which gaps have the highest impact if closed.
Most plants overestimate their maturity in some areas and underestimate it in others. An assessment replaces feelings with evidence and creates a shared understanding of priorities across the leadership team.
The 5 Maturity Levels
| Level | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ad Hoc | No standardized practices. Success depends on individual heroics. Firefighting is the norm. |
| 2 | Defined | Standards exist on paper but are inconsistently followed. Some islands of good practice. |
| 3 | Managed | Standards followed and measured. Daily management in place. Problems are visible and tracked. |
| 4 | Optimizing | Systematic continuous improvement. Teams solve problems independently. Performance trends improving. |
| 5 | World Class | Benchmark performance. Innovation culture. Improvement is embedded in daily work at every level. |
Assessment Dimensions
Rate your organization 1-5 on each dimension. Be brutally honest — overrating yourself produces a roadmap that misses the real gaps.
| Dimension | Level 1-2 Looks Like | Level 4-5 Looks Like | Key References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Standard Work | No documented standards, or standards that nobody follows | Standards for every process, audited via LPA, updated through improvement | Standard Work |
| 2. Visual Management | No visual boards. Performance discussed in emails or not at all | SQDCM boards at every area, updated real-time, actioned daily | Visual Management |
| 3. Daily Management | No structured meetings. Problems escalated by email or firefighting | T1-T4 tier meetings running, escalation working, action items closed on time | Daily Management |
| 4. Problem Solving | Problems "solved" by workarounds or retraining. Same issues recur. | Structured A3 and RCCA methods used at every level. Root causes eliminated. | Problem Solving |
| 5. Equipment Reliability | Reactive maintenance. Frequent breakdowns. No OEE tracking. | TPM with AM, PM, and PdM. OEE tracked on bottleneck. MTBF improving. | OEE, TPM |
| 6. Quality Systems | Rely on end-of-line inspection. High scrap/rework. | Jidoka, SPC, poka-yoke. FPY >98%. Quality built in. | Process Capability |
| 7. Flow & Pull | Large batches, push scheduling, high WIP, long lead times | One-piece flow where possible, kanban pull, leveled schedule, low WIP | Push vs Pull |
| 8. People Development | Tribal knowledge. No skill matrix. Training = "watch someone." | TWI for all training, cross-training plan, skill matrix posted, no single-point risks | TWI, Cross-Training |
| 9. Leadership Behaviors | Leaders manage from office. Command and control. Blame culture. | Go see, ask why, show respect. LSW followed. Coaching is primary leadership style. | Lean Leadership |
| 10. Strategy Deployment | No connection between corporate strategy and daily work | Hoshin kanri with catchball. Breakthrough objectives cascade to projects with owners and reviews. | Hoshin Kanri |
Running the Assessment
Common Assessment Trap: Overrating Yourself
"We have standard work" (it exists in a binder but no one follows it) is Level 2, not Level 3. "We do gemba walks" (the plant manager walks through once a month) is Level 2. Be honest. The assessment only helps if it reflects reality. A low score is not a failure — it is a clear signal of where to focus.
✅ Good Assessment Practice
- Cross-functional team scores independently, then calibrates
- Scores validated by gemba observation, not conference room opinion
- Gaps prioritized by business impact
- 2-3 dimensions chosen for focused improvement
- Reassessed every 6 months to track progress
❌ Assessment Anti-Patterns
- One person fills it out alone
- Scores inflated to look good to corporate
- Assessment done once, never repeated
- Try to improve all 10 dimensions simultaneously
- Results filed away with no action plan
🎯 Key Takeaway
A lean maturity assessment is your GPS — it tells you where you are so you can plan where to go. Score honestly across all 10 dimensions, validate at the gemba, prioritize the 2-3 biggest gaps, and reassess every 6 months. The assessment is not a grade — it is a focusing tool that prevents the common trap of trying to improve everything at once and achieving nothing.
Interactive Demo
Rate your lean maturity across 6 dimensions. See the radar chart and identify your weakest area.
Stop reading, start doing
Model your process flow, optimize staffing with Theory of Constraints, and track every shift — all in one platform. Set up in under 5 minutes.