Lean

Many organizations have effectively used lean principles in the past using Value Engineering or Work Simplification methodologies to eliminate waste and over the years much improvement has been achieved in the individual processes and as a result material and paperwork does move faster through the improved process.

However, overall lead times, door-to-door, and cost reduction efforts have not achieved their expectations.

As a result, best-in-class organizations have learned that both process-level improvements (process kaizen) and value stream improvements (system kaizen) are needed.

In the simplest sense, Lean is a waste management tool and one of the most significant contributions that Taiichi Ohno offered was the identification and classification of the 7 Great Wastes:

Course Outline:

1) Learn the context of Lean

2) Discover how Lean can significantly reduce product lead times and eliminate waste

3) Learn about the '7 Great Wastes', discover where waste exists in your organization and explore proven methods for eliminating it

4) Learn how to use the tools, techniques and methods for implementing Lean

5) Review, discuss and learn how to apply a 5-step process for implementing lean;

6) Discover the value of mapping material and paperwork flows and how it leads to continual improvment; and,

7) Prepare 'current state' and 'future state' maps, calculating the opportunity for reduction in production lead time and processing time for one of the organization's value streams

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Learning how to use the tools and techniques to find the waste, and modify our processes to effectively eliminate it, is the challenge!

Course materials include an illustrated, 73-page course workbook;  value stream flow icon stencil; a comprehensive list of lean terms with pronunciation guidelines; interactive exercises; a video; numerous handouts;  implementation forms; and, examples.

How participants rated a recent workshop…
(English was not the primary language for 6 particiapnts.)

Participant's average test score on the 20-point post assessment was 91%.

1) instilled a common language for discussing lean and lean concepts;

2) saw how lean was applied in 2 separate case studies that focused on the implementation of kanban systems;

3) identified over 100 specific areas of waste in their organization and explored methods to eliminate it;

4) reviewed and discussed a 5-step thought process for value stream mapping;

5) learned how to use the stencils and forms for value stream mapping; and,

6) prepared 'current state' and 'future state' maps for a key product line.

Participant's comments on this 'how-to' course included:
     "Never realized we had so many cost saving opportunities."
     "Exercises got everyone involved."
     "Good class for my preparation for lean."
     "Great class!."

Management's comments on this 'how-to' course included:
    CEO - "Nine staff members came up to me and commented on how great the course was."

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