History

LAI's original goal was to develop lean processes across the aerospace industry. From the assembly line to final product delivery and maintenance, LAI developed a series of five phases that outline a lean process starting with the factory floor and ending with networked enterprises across the entire sector.

LAI's Current Phase: Phase V

 Phase V Concept of Operations

LAI's Previous Phases:

• Lean Enterprise Value Phase IV
• Lean Manufacturing Phase III
• Lean Manufacturing Phase II
• Lean Manufacturing Phase I

LAI Timeline

1990-1992
The Machine that Changed the World is published, prompting the U.S. Air Force to ask whether lean principles can be applied to military aircraft production. LAI's resounding answer is yes.

1993-1996
MIT pioneers the concept of lean thinking and practice. A consortium of industry, government, and labor organizations, the Lean Aircraft Initiative (LAI) acts as neutral broker for research, establishes benchmarks for best practices, and examines lean in terms of aerospace applications.

1996-1999
LAI expands its membership to include space-focused entities, evolving into the Lean Aerospace Initiative. It publishes data on the Lean Enterprise Model and launches team-based research in functional domains.

1999
LAI moves beyond examining lean practices at the factory floor to begin enterprise-level research and publishes its Transition to Lean Roadmap and the Lean Enterprise Self Assessment Tool (LESAT).

2002
LAI publishes Lean Enterprise Value: Insights from MIT's Lean Aerospace Initiative, winner of the IAA's 2003 Engineering Sciences Book Award, offering new insights on lean enterprise value.

2002-2005
LAI moves into its Enterprise Value Phase IV to deliver increased value to the U.S. aerospace sector.

2005
LAI completes its Enterprise Value Phase IV and commences Phase V.

2007
LAI's board approves a name change to Lean Advancement Initiative to reflect growing interest from other industries.