‘Lean lab’ approach enables quick research ramp down

Science Daily  May 14, 2020
According to researchers at MIT the benefits of ‘lean lab’ management principles, they call YelloBox, includes cost savings, increased productivity, and a strong safety record. The organizational strategy known as 5S which originated in Japan consists of five guiding principles to organize a workspace for efficiency and effectiveness: sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. One major element of the system is the visual organization of everything in the lab, which includes making sure every item has an assigned location. Each item is color-coded and its location is outlined in colored tape so it can be easily spotted and later returned to the right spot. The quantifiable result is that chemical consumption spending is reduced by 41%, between 2018 and 2019, whereas materials consumption spending is reduced by 52%. Meanwhile, there is a 116% increase in the number of fabricated devices, showing greater output using less resources. This management system also proved itself to be beneficial during emergency situations…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE