Course Description:

Kaizen is an improvement philosophy in which continuous, incremental improvement occurs over a sustained period of time, creating more value and less waste, resulting in increased speed, lower costs and improved quality.

This is a hands-on 3-day Course that teaches and equips individuals to define, facilitate and lead Lean IT Kaizen improvement initiatives. The Course teaches students how to effectively use the Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) improvement model leveraging the Lean A3 problem identification and planning tool to complete a full improvement cycle.

This certification Course provides the knowledge, skills and methodology required to identify, plan and implement incremental service and Process improvements focused on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of any Process or value stream. It also prepares for the Lean IT Association Kaizen certification exam.

Course Topics:

● Module1: Introduction

● Module2: Organizing Kaizen

● Module3: A3 Method

● Module4: Define

● Module5: Measure

● Module6: Analyze

● Module7: Improve

● Module8: Control

Learning Goals:

● Understand Lean Principles related specifically to leading a Kaizen event

● Understand how to apply the Lean A3 tool to support continual improvement

● Gain practical how-to knowledge of how to use of the Six Sigma DMAIC improvement model as a structured improvement methodology

● Learn about improvement scoping and validation

● Learn how to gain voice of customer input and establish critical to quality Requirements

● Learn how to apply and use Value Stream Mapping (VSM) techniques to identify Process waste and speed improvement opportunities

● Understand how to use root cause analysis techniques to support problem analysis

● Learn how to identify, select and use various improvement options

● Understand how to establish effective controls

● Understand how to establish methods to improve quality and mistake proof future Process activities

Course Agenda:

Day 1

● Welcome

● Module1: Introduction

● Module2: Organizing Kaizen

● Organizing Kaizen – contd.

● Module3: A3 Method

● Module4: Define

● Exercise 1 : Define

● Make a problem statement

● Define contd.

● update A3

● Module5: Measure

● Exercise 2a Measure: determine which data needs to be collected

● Closure

Day 2

● Recap of day 1

● Measure Contd.

● Exercise Measure 2b: Create data collection plan and update VSM

● Module6: Analyze

● Exercise 3: Analyze: determine which data visualizations are required for problem

● Exercise 3 contd.: Analyze: determine which data

● visualizations are required for problem

● Analyze Contd.

● Exercise 4 : Analyze: root cause

● (update A3 with analysis)

● Module7: Improve

● Closure

Day 3

● Recap of day 2

● Exercise 5: Solution Selection (using techniques: brainstorming; reverse thinking or scamper)

● (present A3 with solutions)

● Improve Contd.

● Module8: Control

● Exercise 6: Create a control plan

● (update A3 with regard to implementation)

● Control Contd.

● Exam preparation (sample exam and time for questions)

● Exam

● Closure

Who can Attend?

● A Kaizen Lead is someone who is involved with a Lean improvement initiative at any level of the organization and within any department.

● The Course is designed for IT practitioners interested in expanding their practical knowledge and skills to lead targeted Lean improvement initiatives focused on continual service improvement, including:

● Managers tasked with department level Process improvements

● Business analysts

● Project managers

● Software developers

● Quality assurance managers

● IT Consultants

● Any roles responsible for quality, efficiency and continual service improvement