LEAN INITIATIVE WORKSHOP

Overview
Cycle time, inventory management and waste reduction challenges typically demand a purely Lean approach – taking an end-to-end view of the process and applying tested principles to streamline and reduce costs. Pivotal's Lean Expert workshop is perfect for these high-value opportunities, combining training with focused work on a specific Lean project.

The Lean Expert workshop follows a four-phase model – Define, Investigate, Streamline and Control (DISC) – that provides a solid structure for a project and draws on many tools common to both Lean and Six Sigma disciplines. The course seeks to integrate and leverage these highly complementary disciplines.

During the first 6-day session, participants progress from the Define to the Investigate phase of their projects. They produce Value Stream maps of their processes and gather other critical information, identifying opportunities and obstacles to removing waste, inventory and/or accelerating cycle time. Using such techniques as stakeholder analysis, voice of the customer and variation assessment, action plans are developed to attack high priority opportunities. Here, sub-projects may be launched to develop solutions using a variety of possible approaches, including DMAIC, process management or FastTrack (quick hit) methods.

During the second 6-day session, participants complete the Streamline and Control phases of the DISC model. A critical emphasis is placed on developing and implementing solutions that add net value or efficiency to the process without negatively affecting other parts of the flow. Monitoring and sustaining new “lean” results through measures and other Control methods is also an important component of the learning.