The Office of Continuous Improvement has implemented a Lean Workshop Series in order to fulfill the demand for continued continuous improvement teachings. Sign up for Lean training with the online registration form. There will be a brief pre-work assignment before the workshop, and you'll receive a certificate after completing a post-work assignment.
These five workshops are the Lean Basics series. If you complete all five workshops in the series, we’ll award you a Lean White Belt certificate!
Check back here or watch Tech Today for workshop announcements.
Workshops can also be scheduled for additional department training or a department retreat. If your department would be interested in a workshop, suggestions and special requests are welcome! Please contact improvement@mtu.edu or 906-487-3180 if you have any questions or concerns!
Processes, Flow, and Waste: Lean Fundamentals
3 Hours
In this workshop, you'll learn basic Lean concepts and methods you might encounter on the job. You'll learn about Lean culture and the principles of Lean thinking and participate in problem-solving using the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Adjust) model. You'll use the 5 Whys to discover root causes, identify waste and unsafe acts and conditions and recommend process improvements. When you finish the workshop, you'll be ready to actively participate in a kaizen (improvement) event. Sign up for Lean training with the online registration form.
Finding the Source of the Problem: Root Cause Analysis and Decision-Making Tools
3 Hours
When solving a problem, we must first gain a deep understanding of the current situation and set a goal condition. Then we perform a root cause analysis on the gap between how things are and how we want them to be. In this course, we’ll learn several fun tools for exploring the how, what, and why of the gap, brainstorming possible causes and using decision-making tools to select the most likely root cause to pursue. After this class, you’ll have a better understanding of: Brainstorming Techniques (Reversal, Metaphorical, Fantasy Chaining), Affinity Diagrams, Cause and Effect Diagrams, ICE, PACE, and Multi Voting. Sign up for Lean training with the online registration form.
Countermeasures: Solving Common Problems using Lean Methods and Tools
3 Hours
Countermeasures are the actions we take during experiments to close the gap between what is currently happening and what we want to happen. We develop countermeasures to address root causes during The Plan phase of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, then implement them in the Do phase. In this course, we’ll explore several Lean methods and tools that are used as countermeasures for common workplace problems, and explain the principles behind them. After this class, you’ll have a better understanding of: 5S, Kanban, Standard Work, Andon, and Poka Yoke (error proofing). Sign up for Lean training with the online registration form.
Practical Problem Solving: Leveraging the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle
3 Hours
Problem solving in a continuous improvement culture is highly participative, focusing on the problem, not the person, and involves the people who actually do the work. In this course, you’ll explore the problem-solving cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) to test and learn your way toward your goals. You’ll also practice the related methods of Kata and A3s for problem solving and the development of Lean thinking. After this class, you’ll have a better understanding of: PDCA, Kata, and A3s. Sign up for Lean training with the online registration form.
Understanding the Impact: Collecting and Visualizing Metrics to Support Improvement
3 Hours
Metrics help us describe what we currently know about the current situation, confirm whether an identified potential cause is contributing to the problem, and verify that our countermeasures are working the way we want them to. In this course, we’ll learn some simple methods for collecting and visualizing data to support improvements. In most cases, any employee can collect and interpret the data they need to improve their work. After this class, you’ll have a better understanding of: Data plans, Tally Charts, Pareto Charts, Histograms, Scatter Diagrams, and Run and Control Charts. Sign up for Lean training with the online registration form.