Andy & Me: Crisis And Transformation On The Lean Journey

In a cool, readable style, Andy & Me follows Tom's relationship with Andy Saito, a reclusive, retired Toyota guru whom Tom persuades to help save his plant through the "teaching" of legendary Toyota Production System (TPS).

On this journey, the reader learns that TPS is more than just a collection of tools; it entails a new way of thinking and behaving. Though Tom finds success — both in his plant and in his personal life — he learns from Andy that successful improvement is "endless and eternal."

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Don't waste your time, 2008-09-24
This book took about an hour and a half to read, and while quick, it wasn't worth the effort. The LEAN portion of the book was vague with little explanation, the characters were shallow and unrealistic, and the details in the book were pretty pointless for the most part. While it wasn't terribly written, it seemed very rushed and I gained little to nothing from having read it. A textbook would have been more informative, and a true novel would have been more interesting. Save your time and don't bother with this one.


1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

A quick read but not worth it. , 2007-06-23
I had hoped this book would provide more detail on TPS, but it is very light on any detail and glosses over many points. After you have read The Goal and are use to its style of teaching manufacturing principles in the context of a novel, this book leaves you feeling really disappointed.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

Andy & Me, 2007-01-19
YES read "Andy & Me" for a quick overview and high-level understanding of the LEAN process. The book will not tell you how to create the LEAN process but will give you a basic understanding to build on and insight into the questions you may need to ask for your particular situation.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

A Good Read about Lean - if a little light on detail, 2006-12-03
As soon as I had finished this book, I reread it - to get the most out of the material presented. It is the best written lean business novel I have seen (though I also like "Who's Counting" by Jerry Solomon - available on Amazon.com). The book launches straight into the lean journey and presents the issues and challenges well. It is a good introductory read to help you get to grips with the ideas. My problem with it is that it doesn't go into any detail. There is no explanation of how the culture is changed to support involvement on problem solving; or how to do 5S, or kaizen; or how to map the value stream. But it provides a great overview and it is upbeat in tone - great for getting your energy up on the start of the lean journey, or to refresh your spirits when problems arise. Easy to read on the train or plane too. Recommended.

The author, Pascal Dennis, also wrote "Lean Production Simplified" a very clear plain English guide to lean principles and processes.


0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

A Golden Nugget, 2006-07-23
I have read a few business improvement novels in the past few years, but this one blew me away. I picked it up and was halfway through the book before I was forced to put it down by some prior engagements. It had a wealth of information that someone eager to learn could consume and digest without trouble, as well as a story line that kept me interested and willing to keep flipping through pages. I highly recommend this literature to anyone interested in manufacturing, lean initiatives, or reading.

I wouldn't recommend this book to Amazon, because rather than buying the next book I'm probably just going to re-read this one.

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