When referring to Lean thinking, who is doing the pulling in a Pull System?

In the context of Lean thinking, a Pull System is driven by actual customer requests, orders, or consumption. This means that production and activities are based on demand rather than forecasts or schedules. The essence of a Pull System is to ensure that products or services are produced only when there is a specific need from the customer. This minimizes waste and ensures that resources are allocated efficiently.

When customers place orders or when there is consumption of products, this signals to upstream operations that they need to "pull" more resources or products through the system to meet that demand. This setup helps in maintaining inventory at optimal levels, reduces overproduction, and aligns production closely with customer needs.

This contrasts with other choices that do not capture the true essence of a Pull System. For example, while downstream operations are involved in the process, they do not define the "pull" aspect; rather, they are the recipients of the pull from customer demand. Takt Time and cycle time are related to production rates and efficiency but do not directly pertain to the customer-driven nature of a Pull System.