Lean Systems Overview (one day)

Built around a simple, but carefully designed and illustrative multi-round simulation, this course teaches lean thinking and lean operations. It is perfect for building wide understanding of the operational, management, and human components of lean systems across your organization. It can help you to build enthusiasm for change and get everyone on the same page with a clear understanding of what lean is all about. Content, emphasis, and level of presentation are adjusted to the needs of any audience, which might range from front line operators to professional staff at corporate headquarters. This course is normally one day (9 hours) in length, but shorter versions are available, including abbreviated versions for hands-on engagement of large groups. (The latter is suitable for major corporate meetings and is delivered in a fun, attention-grabbing manner.) Some companies extend the course to provide an overview of the basic lean tools such as 5S, visual control, and source quality, that support lean thinking.

A key feature of this class is that it explains lean as integrated approach that addresses operations structure, management systems, organizational culture, and human performance. Course content addresses:

• Lean as a business philosophy that focuses on value creation and respect for people
• Structural principles as a requisite for waste elimination and lean operations management: product focus and work aggregation, continuous work flow regulated by pull, pacing and leveling, and selective resource dedication.
• The lean work system, a collection of practices built upon ownership, teamwork, and standardization that promotes engagement of everyone in the organization to continuously improve work practices and methods.
• Visibility and jidoka, management systems put in place to make quality, safety, and other operational issues immediately visible and to insure their containment and rapid, permanent resolution through designed response systems and structured problem solving.
• Value stream management: a systematic approach for aligning all operational systems with delivery of maximum value to the customer.
• The role of tools such as 5S, visual control, setup reduction, and source quality in supporting the lean system

The presentation is rich with examples of success stories and lean practices across a wide range of industries that will make the dramatic potential of lean to improve your business clear to all. It breaks down notions that lean is a “collection of tools” or a “program of the month” and quickly builds passion and enthusiasm for lean transformation. We are happy to customize this course to meet the needs of special audiences and circumstances.