1st Edition
Integrating AI into Lean How to Drive Smarter Continuous Improvement
SECTION 1 — CONDITIONS: PRINCIPLES FOR LEAN + AI
Chapter 1 - AI Does Not Fix Lean — It Reveals It
Chapter 2 - Lean Must Lead — AI Must Follow
Chapter 3 - Respect for People Is the Constraint
Chapter 4 - Learning Speed — Not Efficiency — Is the Advantage
Chapter 5 - Visibility Without Judgment Is Dangerous
Chapter 6 - Gemba Cannot Be Digitized
Chapter 7 - Small Experiments Build Trust — Big Launches Destroy It
Chapter 8 - Capability, Not Tools, Determines the Outcome
Chapter 9 - Lean Civilizes AI
SECTION 2 — EVIDENCE: VOICES FROM THE FIELD
Introduction: Why Voices Matter
Expert–Question Map
Chapter 10 - The Premise: Why Lean + AI, and Why Now
Chapter 11 - Real-World Application: Where AI Meets Continuous Improvement
Chapter 12 - Hopes, Risks, and Lessons Learned
Chapter 13 – Change Management, Adoption, and Trust
Chapter 14 – Practice and Process: Gemba, PDCA, and Digital Tools
Chapter 15 – Foundations and Definitions
Chapter 16 – Strategy, Leadership, and the Future Enterprise
SECTION 3 — PRACTICE: LEADING LEAN + AI
Chapter 17 - Where Leaders Go Wrong – and What to Do Instead
Chapter 18 - What Must Be Stabilized Before Introducing AI
Chapter 19 – How to Experiment with AI Without Damaging Learning
Chapter 20 – Integrating AI in to Daily Management Without Losing Control
Chapter 21 – Knowing When – and When Not – to Scale AI
Chapter 22 - Sustaining Lean + AI Over Time
Closing
A Final Word on Co-Intelligence
Expert Index
Biography
Randy Kesterson is a transformational leader, author, and trusted advisor with over 30 years of experience in manufacturing, operations, and organizational change. As founder and CEO of The Kesterson Group, Inc., Randy has guided companies across aerospace, defense, industrial, and private equity sectors through strategic transformations -- often at the intersection of Lean, leadership, and innovation.
Throughout his career, Randy has held executive roles at companies such as Curtiss-Wright Controls, General Dynamics, Doosan Bobcat, and Cobham AES, leading global operations across North America, Europe, and Asia. He is a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Prosci-certified Change Management professional, Executive Coach, and Certified Scrum Master. He has overseen over a dozen manufacturing sites and successfully led multi-site Lean transformations and M&A integrations in highly regulated environments.
Randy’s unique strength lies in blending strategic vision with hands-on execution. His advisory work ranges from revitalizing plant operations to coaching leadership teams through Lean deployment and digital transformation. He has supported clients such as Caterpillar, Ford Motor Company, Abbott Labs, Danaher, and Johnsonville Foods, among many others.
This is Randy’s third book, following published works on Lean strategy deployment and organizational change. He is a frequent keynote speaker and contributor to industry publications, including Fast Company and Chief Learning Officer Magazine, and is known for his practical, human-centered approach to continuous improvement.
A lifelong learner, Randy holds a BS in Engineering Operations from Iowa State University, an MBA from Syracuse University (Beta Gamma Sigma) and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Duke University. He was also accepted to the MIT Sloan Fellows Master’s Degree Program. When he’s not advising clients or writing, Randy enjoys spending time with family, mentoring emerging leaders, and staying curious about the world of work. He lives in Davidson, North Carolina, and continues to support organizations navigating the evolving landscape of Lean, AI, and Change Management integration. Learn more at KestersonGroup.com and RandyKesterson.com.
