Source page: McKinsey & Company
Commentary
Lean management or agile teams? It depends on what you’re doing
Operations | Lean | Agile
August 14, 2020 – And it’s not really an either/or question. Each includes a range of approaches or processes, and which to use depends on what type of activity you’re performing. You might use elements of both models.
To read the article, see “Lean management or agile? The right answer may be both,” July 14, 2020.
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Visual form
Scatter Plot: qualitative two-axis operating-model map with lean-management and agile-team model zones.
Layout / body structure
The vertical axis moves from predictable demand to variable demand, and the horizontal axis moves from repeatable operational activity to creative, customer-facing activity. Dark and dashed oval regions place lean and agile models inside that coordinate space.
What is being compared
It compares which team model fits different kinds of work, from work cells and self-managed teams near repeatable operations to specialist pools, expert choreography, flow-to-work, and cross-functional squads in more variable or creative territory.
Measurement system
The axes are qualitative rather than numeric. Position on the map expresses relative fit: farther up means more variable demand, and farther right means more creative or customer-facing activity.
Visible structure inside the graphic
Lean-management models cluster around repeatable operational work, while agile-team models spread toward more variable and creative work. The overlap shows that some work types can draw from both model families rather than forcing a single choice.
Main takeaway from the visual
The chart shows that lean versus agile is not an either-or decision. The right operating model depends on the work being done and on whether the demand pattern is predictable or variable.
Key standout values or extremes
End-to-end cross-functional squads sit in the most creative and variable corner. Work cells and self-managed teams sit closer to repeatable work with more predictable demand.
Controls / sequence, when applicable
This is a static two-axis positioning map; there are no in-chart controls to operate.
Companion media, when applicable
There is no separate companion audio or video; the operating-model map is the full visual on this page.