Lean Sigma Learning Lab

For most organizations, up to 25% of revenues are consumed by waste. Each 10% reduction in wasteful activity can contribute as much as 2.5% to their bottom line.

Lean Sigma Learning Lab

Lean Sigma helps you accelerate the performance of your current processes and has a multitude of applications. Our LEAN course includes real world case studies, tools and templates and everything else you need to put the powerful concepts of LEAN to immediate use.

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Price per student: 1,495.00

People looking at computer screen
  • Web-Based Training
  • Focused on Applying LEAN
  • Includes real world case studies
  • Includes all necessary project tools
  • Accredited by the Council for Six Sigma Certification

Here Is What You Will Learn

Look through our Table of Contents to see more information.

Introduction to Quality and Performance Improvement
  • A Very Brief History of Quality
  • Key Points of Improvement Methods
  • Basic Principles of Quality
  • Basic Principles of PI
  • Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ)
  • Costs of Quality
  • Many Methodologies
  • Deming and Juran
  • Deming’s Fourteen Points
  • Tools: PCDA
  • The Pioneers
  • The Juran Trilogy
  • Juran’s Analogy
  • Six Sigma Concept
  • Six Sigma Emphasizes
  • Six Sigma Characteristics
  • Six Sigma Approach
  • Lean
  • Lean Six Sigma
  • Value Stream Management
  • Rough Comparison of Approaches
Introduction to Lean
  • What is Lean?
  • Steps in Lean
  • Steps in Lean and DMAIC
  • What Is Lean Thinking?
  • Staff Worried About the Intent?
  • Waste According to Toyota’s Taiichi Ohno
  • Get Rid of the Waste
  • Value-Added Steps
  • Examples of Muda
  • Five Principles of Lean Thinking
  • Value
  • An Example of Value
  • The Critical to Quality Tree
  • Viewpoint: Who is the Customer?
  • What is a Value Stream?
  • Value Stream
  • Value Stream Map Example
  • Flow
  • Contrasting “Flow” and “Batch”
  • Flow of Work
  • Bottlenecks
  • Hand-offs
  • Pull
  • Perfection
Six Sigma and Lean Linkages
  • Comparing Six Sigma and Lean
  • What Does “Six Sigma” Mean?
  • Definition #1: Six Sigma is a Statistical Measure of Quality
  • Why 3.4 Parts Per Million?
  • Definition #2: Six Sigma is a Problem Solving Methodology
  • Definition #3: Six Sigma is a Management Philosophy
  • Lean Thinking and Six Sigma
  • The Steps of DMAIC
  • Linkages
  • Lean Metrics
  • Short Term and Long Term Six Sigma and Lean
General Lean Concepts
  • What is Wanted?
  • The Basic Tenets of Lean
  • Toyota Production System
  • MUDA in TPS
  • The 8th Waste
  • Six Rules for Lean (Toyota)
  • Basic Image of Lean Production (Toyota)
  • Customer Focus
  • Stability
  • Stable vs. Capable
  • Standardization/Standard Work
  • Elements of Standard Work
  • Just-in-Time Production
  • Jidoka
Tools and Techniques
  • The Right Process Will Produce the Right Results
  • Seven Types of Muda (Waste)
  • Visual Management
  • Make it Obvious to the Eye
  • Visual Controls
  • Elements of Standard Work
  • The 5S Technique and Visual Management
  • The “5’s”
  • Lean and Six Sigma Tools for Operation Excellence
  • Sort, Set and Shine
  • Standardize and Sustain
  • Scan – the Pre-5S Step
  • Other Considerations for 5S
  • Remember the Kanban?
  • Kanban Example
  • Buffer and Safety Stock
  • In-Process Stock
  • Pitch and Lot Size
  • Takt Time and Staffing
  • The “Real” World
  • Takt Time vs. Cycle Time
  • Little’s Law and Lead Time
  • Heijunka (Load Leveling)
  • Example of Heijunka Box
  • Example – Balancing
  • Just In Time
  • Work Sequence
  • Work Layouts
  • Example – Work Sequence/Layout
  • Total Productive Maintenance
  • Poka-Yoke
Common Cause and Special Cause Variation
  • “Fix or Six”
  • How Lean Fits In
  • Control Charts
  • Common Cause Variation
  • Special Cause Variation
  • Special Causes and Cases
  • Trends, Shifts and Cycles
  • Control Chart Example
  • Control Charts and “Fix or Six”
  • Misinterpreting Data
  • Control Chart Example
  • What Should Managers Do?
  • Variation Management Paradox
  • Management Using Control Charts
Selecting Lean Projects
  • Elements for Successful Projects
  • “Ideal” Projects
  • But What Do I Really Need?
  • Problems In Project Identification
  • Lean Is Supposed to be Faster
  • Questions to Ask (and Answer)
  • Project Selection and Rating Tool
  • Exercise
  • Implementation – Must Haves
  • Barriers to Implementation
Lean Project Definition and Goals
  • The Lean Approach
  • Team Charter
  • Elements of A Good Charter
  • The Business Case
  • Business Case Example
  • Project Scope
  • Scope Examples
  • Project Scope Guidelines
  • Problem Statement Elements
  • Comprised of Two Statements
  • Problem Statement Evolution
  • Problem Statement Examples
  • The SIPOC
  • Whate is a Process?
  • Steps in Using the SIPOC
  • Problem Statement in Coordination with the SIPOC
  • Picture Frame
  • Using the Picture Frame
  • Goals/Objectives
  • Goals and Objectives Example
  • Milestones
  • Roles/Responsibilities
  • Team Charter Template
Customer Focus
  • Service-Profit Chains and Customers
  • In Any Process…
  • Roles May Change
  • Customers, Needs and Requirements
  • Know What A Customer Is
  • External Customer
  • Internal Customer
  • Cautions
  • Segment Customers (If Necessary)
  • Customer Needs Do Not Equal Customer Requirements
  • Prioritize the Customer Requirements
  • The (Noriaki) Kano VOC Model
  • Using The Kano Model: Must-Be
  • Using The Kano Model: 1-Dimensional
  • Using The Kano Model: Delighters
  • Kano Model “Migration”
  • “Kano’s” Model – Examples
Current State
  • What Is the Current State?
  • First Things First
  • Different Types of Process Maps
  • Process Mapping Symbols
  • Process Mapping Example
  • Process Observation
  • Other Considerations
  • Work Flow/Spaghetti Diagrams
  • Work Flow Diagram Example
  • Work Flow Diagrams
  • Relationship Mapping
  • The Relationship Table
  • Medication Process: Current Relationship Map
  • Swim Charts
  • Swim Chart Example
  • Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
  • What Are We Looking For?
  • Relationship Diagram into Value Stream Mapping
  • Basic Layout of Current State VSM
  • General Guidelines for VSM
  • Step 1: Customer Consumption
  • Step 2: Flow of Materials
  • Step 3: Supplier Information
  • Step 4: Push Arrows
  • Step 5: Information Flow
  • Disconnects
  • Step 6: Time Line
  • Time Measurement
  • Why Fewer Samples in Lean?
  • VSM Signs of Waste
  • What VSM’s Don’t Reveal
  • Value Analysis
  • Value-Added Steps
  • Non-Value-Added Steps
  • Value/Non-Value Grid
  • Example of Completed Grid
  • Value-Added Line
  • Value Stream – Neurology
  • Value Analysis Example
  • Relationship Map
  • Some Questions to Think About
  • Example – Project Background
  • Example – Swim Chart
  • Value Stream Map – Current State IP X-Ray Throughput
  • Example – Value Analysis: Subprocess Map
Designing the Future State
  • Designing the Future State
  • What is a “Future State?”
  • Needs
  • Begin Designing the Future State
  • Tools and Concepts
  • Future State Questions
  • Customer Needs
  • What Does the Customer Really Need?
  • Takt Time and Staffing
  • Lead Time and Cycle Time
  • Pitch and Lot Size
  • Checking Performance
  • How Often Will You “Check?”
  • Mistake-Proofing
  • When You Can’t Error Proof
  • Visual Management
  • Visual Controls
  • Information Overload
  • Example – Monitoring
  • Maximize Value
  • Steps in Value Analysis
  • Defining the Value Stream
  • Value-Added Steps
  • Non-Value-Added Steps
  • Non-Value Added (NVA) Classes
  • Disconnects
  • Swim Chart With NVA Analysis
  • Value Analysis Example
  • Relationship Maps: As-is vs. “Might be”
  • Decreasing Work Interruptions
  • Flow of Work
  • Interruptions
  • Just-in-Time Production
  • Kanban
  • Kanban Example
  • Work Sequence
  • Work Layouts
  • Centralization or Decentralization?
  • Example – Work Sequence/Layout
  • Balancing Workload
  • Load Leveling
  • Example – Balancing Work
  • Which Improvements?
  • What Improvements Will Be Needed?
  • A Useful Place to Start
  • Standard Operating Procedures
  • The 5S Technique
  • 5S: Standardization and Organization
  • The 5 Whys
  • Example – The 5 Whys
Selecting and Piloting Your Lean Project Solutions
  • Problem-Solving Approaches
  • Improvement Implementation
  • Improvement Work Plan
  • Breaking it Down
  • Prioritizing Improvements
  • Kaizen
  • Pilot Implementation
  • Pilot Implementation Activities
  • Pilot Follow-Up
  • Example: Exchange Cart
Controlling and Sustaining
  • Implementation – Must Haves
  • Barriers to Implementation
  • Ensuring Acceptance
  • Stakeholder & Resistance Analysis
  • Sustaining Gains Through Control Plans
  • What Is A Control Plan?
  • The Control Plan Tightrope
  • Control Plan – Example
  • Control Plan: Supplements
  • Other Documentation
  • Statistical Process Control (SPC)
  • Decision Rules
  • New Control Limits?
  • Control Chart Example
  • Common Pitfalls
  • Audit Process
  • Auditing a Process
  • Corrective Action
  • Designing the Control Plan
  • Project Closure and Handoff
  • When to “Get Out”
  • Disbanding the Team
Bonus Module: Human Factors and Usability
  • What Are Human Factors?
  • Why Human Factors?
  • Taking Human Factors Into Account
  • Donald Norman
  • Some Factors Affecting Performance
  • What Can Go Wrong?
  • Usability: ISO 9000 Standards
  • Usability
  • Usability: The 5 E’s
  • Case Example: OR Suite Set-Up
Case Studies
  • Reducing Wait Times in a GI Clinic
  • Timely Receipt of Admission Orders

“I am TRULY enjoying the course! It is very well-written, concepts are easy to follow and master, and the content is accurate. I’ve worked in CQI/Performance Excellence since 1987, but your course is a great refresher and applicable to my current work in healthcare. Thank you.”

Yvonne Simmons Howze, PhDKellogg National Leadership FellowASQ CMQ/OE
St. Augustine, Florida
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