Introduction

Lean Business Systems (LBS) offers a wide range of courses which are designed for individuals or organizations who want to be introduced to the subject of Lean implementation or those who are already on the “Lean road” and want to enhance their skills. The courses are structured on a modular basis that will enable participants to select the subject areas they wish to address and return at a later date for the next appropriate module. 

LBS can develop custom courses which are tailored to the specific needs of an organization. These may involve addressing multiple Lean subject areas drawing actual examples from the organization to be used as learning tools for the participants.

The duration of the courses offered range from 1 day to 5 days and can be run either on or off site. The tutors are Lean Business practitioners who are hands-on Lean Consultants and have in-depth knowledge of the techniques and pitfalls associated with such implementations across a wide range of industry sectors. As a result, the course content and presentation styles will be practical, interactive and will have a hands-on feel to them. This will enable the participants to clearly understand the concepts of Lean, supervise implementation of a Lean programme in their workplace or become practical implementers of Lean using the tools covered on the courses.

The courses offered are divided into 3 levels

Level I courses are aimed at production operators plus professionals in the organization who are seeking an introduction to Lean and want to learn the basic concepts of workplace organization (5S) and problem solving.  

Level 2 courses are a mix of 1 and 2 day courses covering a wide variety of Lean tools.

Level 3 courses are aimed at the Management level or drivers of Lean in an organization. The courses will provide in–depth information on Lean and will take participants through Lean policy Deployment, Lean tools or a full Kaizan event.


Please click on the level of training of interest to you below to view more details.


Level 1 courses

1.     5S workplace organisation (1 day)
2.     Proactive problem solving (1 day)

Level 2 courses

1.     Lean Principles (1 day)
2.     Value Stream Mapping (1 Day)
3.     Process Mapping (1 day)
4.     Kaizan training for Team Members (1 Day)
5.     Kaizen training for Team Leaders (2 Day)
6.     Kanban pull (1 day)

Level 3 courses

1.      Lean Management course (1 day)
2.      Lean Management course (5 day)
3.      Kaizan event (5 day)

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Level 1 courses

1.    5S workplace organisation (1 day)

This course is intended for people at all levels in an organisation.  5S is an essential tool for Lean deployment and acts as a foundation for success with any Lean programme. The course covers the theory behind the 5S programme and provides details on the following areas:

Sort This is a process of removing all items from the work area that are not required. When this first pillar is well implemented, problems and annoyances in the workflow are reduced, communications are improved, product quality is increased and productivity is enhanced. Set in Order Items are arranged so that they are easy to find, easy to use and easy to return to their storage location. This is critical as it eliminates many types of waste in production and clerical activities. Shine One of the key purposes of shine is to keep all resources in top condition and ensure they are always available for use. When the third pillar is not well implemented, the problems that arise include safety hazards, equipment breakdowns, poor morale and an increase in the number of defects. Standardize This pillar is the sustainment of the above 3 pillars, sort, set in order and Shine. The basic purpose of standardize is to prevent setbacks in the first three pillars, to make them a daily habit, and to make sure they are maintained in their fully implemented state. Sustain The fifth pillar involves making a habit of properly maintaining correct procedures over time. No matter how well implemented the first four pillars are, the 5s system will not work long term without a commitment to sustaining it.

2. Proactive problem solving (1 day)

This course is intended for people at all levels in an organisation. It provides participants with a scientific methodology and a range of tools that will help them identify, analyse and solve problems at their root cause.  The course will provide participants with the knowledge to apply both Plan, Do, Check, Act and  Define , Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control methodology to problem solving.  It will cover the following areas:

• Problem definition
  
• Tools to help identify root causes
  
• Use of analysis tools
  
• Use of Improvement tools
  
• Use of sustaining tools
  

This will result in finding solutions that will benefit participants and their organisations and help towards setting up a culture of continuous improvement in the organisation. The tools that are thought on this course are applicable and transferrable to a wide range of everyday situations. Examples of the problem solving tools to be covered are as follows:

Flow chart the process to understand how it is working
Cause and effect diagrams to gain a better understanding of the problem causes and related effects
SWOT analysis to review Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Risk analysis so one can quantify risk factors
Use of improvement tools
Use of sustainment tools

There are many other tools which will be reviewed during the course and these will be introduced in the context of the problems presented for resolution.

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Level 2 courses

1.    Lean Principles (1 day)

The participants on this course will gain a clear understanding of the 5 Principles of Lean together with the practicalities of implementing each. The Principles to be covered are:

1. Value
   Define value from the end Customer’s point of view
2. Value stream mapping  
   Documenting the sequence of processes from Raw Materials to the final customer 
3. Flow
   Create a continuous flow from one process to the next without interruption
4. Pull
   Produce a product only when the Customer asks for it
   
5. Perfection
   Continuous improvement in pursuit of perfection
   
   

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2. Value Stream Mapping (1 Day)

Value Stream Mapping course is intended as a learning exercise to provide a methodology for people to map out the value stream of a reasonably complex production or service process. It will detail how a current state value stream map is created and will look at how an ideal value stream map is developed and identify the necessary actions to move to that ideal state. It is a planning process activity and looks in detail at both the material flow and information flow in the value stream. The course will cover the 10 necessary steps in developing a value stream as follows:

1. Define the Boundaries
2. Customer Requirements (Define the value)
3. Internal Process Details
4. Inbound Materials Flow
5. Information Flow
6. Add time Line
7. Develop the Ideal State Map
8. Develop Future State Map
9. Develop Action Plans and Tracking
10. Implement the future state
    

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3. Process Mapping (1 day)

Participants:                 

This course is intended for anyone in an organisation whose focus is on improving the performance and management of the core business processes.

• Define a process, in terms of the activities and sequences in which they are conducted
• Analyse a process in terms of value-added activity and critical success factors
• Optimise the process in the context of customer requirements.
  

Processes are fundamental elements to doing work and creating value for customers.  They need to be continually improved by removing waste and reducing the time associated with fulfilling their purpose.  Processes are also components of a manufacturing or service provision system.  Optimisation in the context of the system goals and customer requirements is equally important.  The participant must be able to balance these requirements by focusing on the input(s), activities and output(s) and define an action plan to achieve a better process in the future.  All this must be achieved without negativity impacting the overall system performance.

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4. Kaizen training for Team Members (1 Day)

To gain and sustain competitive advantage organizations must be committed to a program of change that provides continuous improvement. The hallmarks of a successful change program are quality and speed. The quality of improvement is dependent on the use of data and the application of scientific methods to deliver continuous improvement to a consistent standard.  The speed of change is dependent on the number of people within the organization with the ability to see the opportunities and the capability to implement them.

The Kaizen event is a learning activity that introduces the methodology, trains people within the organization on how to apply it while delivering tangible results for the stakeholders, the Customer, Employees and the Company.  Through Kaizen the organization will learn to trust and empower its employees to implement change unlocking the creativity and innovation of everyone, hence increasing its flexibility and capability. 

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5. Kaizen training for Team Leaders (2 Day)

Kaizen is the ability of an organization to make scientific continuous change where the culture is one of striving to improve daily. This is the interface between system development and process improvement where process change contributes directly to the system that has been designed to fulfill the value proposition, building operational competitiveness on a daily basis. This ability is not acquired easily and does not become a habit of the organization without first creating the right team environment, providing opportunities to develop and sharpen the skills of individuals. It also requires the organization to build confidence in its ability to deliver a win - win proposition for the stakeholders.

The Kaizen Leader represents the lens with which the organizational change is focused. They have responsibility to :

• Understand the system and the process,
• Know what to change and when to change it.
• Must deliver tangible results for the stakeholders, the Customer, Employees and the Company
• Unlock the creativity and innovation of the Kaizen Team members.
  
  

The course will setout how a Kaizan process works and how to tailor your approach for the particular situations being addressed. It will detail the approach to take when forming and guiding a Kaizan team and it will provide direction on the steps to follow to achieving dramatic results for your organization.

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6. Kanban pull (1 day)

Kanban pull course will teach the participants about the theory and practicalities of establishing a Kanban method of controlling the flow of work through a process based on a customer’s demand. Pull Systems control the flow of resources in a production process by replenishing only what has been consumed. These are customer order-driven production schedules based on actual demand and consumption rather than using forecast based system pushing product from supplier to customer. Implementing Pull Systems can help eliminate waste in handling, storing, and getting product to the customer.

The Kanban Pull Systems workshop illustrates how to link manufacturing output to customer demand. Participants are lead through a six-step process for designing and implementing a pull system, using hands-on exercises. This process applies to both purchased and manufactured products.

• Describe the concepts behind a “Pull” System and compare it to traditional “Push” system
• Identify examples of where Kanban Pull systems can be introduced
• Decide how to manage demand to meet customer requirements
• Locate and size supermarkets or buffers in the system
• Calculate order points and order quantities
• Select and implement appropriate Pull signals
• Recognize ways to monitor and fine-tune a Pull System
  

Successful implementation of a Kanban Pull System will reduce lead times, minimize work in process, optimize floor space usage, simplify production signals and improve customer service levels.

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Level 3 courses

1.    Lean Management course (1 day)

This course is designed to introduce Lean concepts and provide the participants with tools that will provide guidance on the implementation of Lean in their organization. The course will cover a number of areas as follows:

A.    It will address the generic challenges now being faced by the various industry sectors 
B.    It will plot out a methodology for addressing the above challenges
C.    It will take the participants through a number of “Lean implementation tools” 
D.    It will address the likely pitfalls and benefits an organization is likely to encounter while implementing Lean initiatives in their organization

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2. Lean Management course (5 day)

This 5 day course is designed to provide participants with the background and philosophy of Lean, introduce them to Lean Principles and cover the tools used in a Lean implementation to a level where the participants are confident of overseeing a Lean programme.

The areas to be covered are as follows

• Lean history
• Lean principles
• Lean system
• Hoisin planning
• Value Stream mapping
• Kaizen
• Waste identification, elimination
• Root cause analysis
• Visual Management
• 5S Workplace organisation
• Single minute flow
• Setup reduction
• Standard Work
• Kanban pull
• Line design

The course will be interactive and supported by a number of practical exercises which will demonstrate how to apply Lean principles utilising Lean tools to identify and resolve issues in an organisation. As the course will be presented by lean practitioners the theory will be reinforced by practical examples which they have encountered and resolved over the years.

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3. Kaizen event (5 day)    

To gain and sustain competitive advantage organisations must be committed to a program of change that provides continuous improvement. The hallmarks of a successful change program are quality and speed. The quality of improvement is dependent on the use of data and the application of a scientific method to deliver continuous improvement to a consistent standard.  The speed of change is dependent on the number of people within the organization with the ability to see the opportunities and the capability to improve them.

The Kaizen Leader represents the lens with which the organizational change is focused. They have responsibility to :

• Understand the system and the process,
• Know what to change and when to change it.
• Must deliver tangible results for the stakeholders, the Customer, Employees and the Company
• Unlock the creativity and innovation of the Kaizen Team members.
  
  

The course will setout how a Kaizan process works and how to tailor your approach for the particular situations being addressed. It will detail the approach to take when forming and guiding a Kaizan team and it will provide direction on the steps to follow to achieving dramatic results for your organization. 

Having selected the problem and chartered the team the Kaizen Event is typically conducted over a five-day period as outlined below:

Day 1:  Plan
Training on Lean principles, concepts, techniques, and tools pertinent to the problem to be resolved.
Observation of the current condition to collect and validate the data underlying the problem.
Witness the issues contributing to the problem directly.

Day 2:  Plan - Do
Start to implement counter measures that address the root-cause of the problems found.

Day 3:  Plan – Do - Check
Validate the counter measures.
Implement new counter measure if the initial ones are not effective.
Continue to experiment until a validated solution is identified.

Day 4:  Plan – Do – Check – Act
Establish “Standard Work” for all validated solutions.

Day 5:  Share and Celebrate
Present output to the management, customer and suppliers.
Identify cross-deployment opportunities.
Recognise the contribution of the team by respecting their achievements.

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