Lean applications, which focus mostly on manufacturing, are deemed important contributors to industrial success. Today companies are striving for leanness in other functional areas such as product design and development. In this paper, we review the state of the art on lean design, and the appropriateness of two tools for lean design applications: Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) and Axiomatic Design (AD). The literature review section reveals the need and scope for more research on lean design. We also enunciate how the lean design approach fits within the traditional product design and development process, and then evaluate TRIZ and AD for their contributions to leanness. Our evaluation reveals a close correlation between these tools and the lean design metrics. The paper concludes by proposing the use of a synergistic problem solving approach based on TRIZ and AD to increase efficiency and quality of the process while also helping to achieve lean design goals for a company.
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