Lean Operations is the philosophy of management that emphasizes the minimization of all the resources used in the various activities of the enterprise. It also involves identifying and eliminating non-value-added activities in the product design process; the supply chain of timely inter-related events and focus on customer needs, success and satisfaction.

Our two day Lean Certificate Workshop was originally created to review the threads of lean operations that ultimately lead to successful lean adoption. Evolution of this program (since 2000) has resulted in a workshop that exposes attendees to lean terms, tools and techniques and more importantly, allows participants to immediately apply the lessons learned during the framework of our 2 day workshop.

Over the past decade, it has been realized that two audiences for the lean workshop exist. Some attendees only need and want a quick and intense workshop that exposes and reveals and discusses the principles of lean education. To that audience – this Lean Workshop will exceed expectations.

Our other audience requires that a lean foundation be quickly formed due to current organizational circumstances. Fortunately, our lean certificate workshop program provides the tools for a team or individual professional to implement at a project/team level. In fact, all attendees are encouraged to submit documentation of a project that demonstrates successful analysis and implementation of the learned lean principles. Execution  Improvement  Results. This workshop will exceed expectations.

Attendees can expect:
 To actively participate in a learning and application process of lean tools and techniques.
 To learn how to identify and eliminate waste; become a lean and competitive organization.

INTRODUCTION This session will:
 Introduce Perspectives and Perceptions – often an inhibitor to lean
 Explain what a lean operation is and the benefits it provides
 Identify waste activities and understand why they should be eliminated
 Participants will form into teams for the duration of the workshop. Teams will work through one or more generic (based on real) exercises and then report team results. Learn – Do – Reinforce

LEAN TEAMS This session will:
 Examine the value and importance of problem solving teams.
 Explore Lean team types and leadership skills for lean success.
 Provide an overview of the role teams contribute to success in lean implementation
 Encourage the formation of problem solving teams with discussion of past successes.
 Teams will work through a generic case study – applying basic problem solving concepts – reporting to the group. Learn – Do – Reinforce

5S METHOD This session will:
 Provide the definition and meaning of 5 S
 Understand the benefits of 5 S
 Emphasize the value of workplace organization for process change discipline.
 Learn that 5 S is a perfect starting point for companies to begin their journey toward lean.
 Examine the 5 S method as a foundation for delivering high-quality products & services.
 Teams will work through a generic case study – applying the learned 5S method; exposing benefits – and report to the group. Learn – Do – Present.

PROCESS MAPPING This session will:
 Learn how mapping can be the basis of lean transformation
 Introduce the basic mapping tools for lean analysis
 Discuss when and how various mapping tools can be used
 Analyze a process using process flow analysis approach
 Provide a framework and practical step-by-step guidance to developing current state maps, future state maps, and the action plan
 Teams will work through a generic case study – applying learned mapping techniques - creating process maps – and report to the group. Learn – Do – Reinforce.

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT This session will:
 Improvement and quality are at the heart of lean. Root cause problem solving, the visual factory, and the seven tools of quality, are addressed.
 To understand problem solving techniques and PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act)
 To explain what error-controlling devices can be used during production to reduce errors
 To learn the Seven Tools and Five Whys
 Teams will work through a generic case study – applying learned process improvement techniques – reporting to the group. Learn – Do – Reinforce.

LEAN QUALITY This session will:
 Illustrate the relationship between lean and quality
 Explore the application of some quality techniques in a lean context.
 Demonstrate how lean and six - sigma can work together.
 Teams will work through a generic case study – applying basic problem solving concepts – reporting to the group. Learn – Do – Reinforce.

LEAN APPLICATION This session will:
 Review our two days together and review team results
 Our immediate workshop objective  Prepare all attendees for the successful application of the lean tools and techniques learned using generic case study.

Basic - A Certificate of Completion – Lean Basics
(Awarded to all attendees)
(Provide certificate name on registration form and email address).

 Presumed Most attendees will want or need to participate in the Project Oriented program. Project documentation of applied Lean techniques will be required, as well as, measurement of improvement and results of successful lean implementation. (Highly encouraged)

Project - A Certificate of Successful Application – Lean Quality Yellow Belt
(Earned by attendees that have demonstrated significant improvement to organizational operations and/or improvement to bottom line results)
(Must submit project documentation with results)
(Provide certificate name on registration form and email address).

Mike Walsh, CPIM, QI.

Mike is Founder of The Quality Solutions Group (www.QSG.net); a Business Education, Training and Workforce Development company specializing in Lean Supply Chain Management, Quality Tools Training, Strategic Quality Management, and Continuous Improvement Programs.

QSG has dozens of satisfied domestic clients in all industries, and has been successful in serving the needs of international clients in Mexico, Canada, France, Italy and India.

Michael has 30 years of business experience incorporating senior management, and as a consultant, and as a practitioner and as an educator. His operating and management experience includes materials, purchasing, quality, inventory control, logistics, production and security.

Michael has been an APICS member for nearly thirty years. Mike has been an APICS Qualified Instructor since 1996 and is a frequent speaker at chapter meetings, regional/ international conferences and workshops. Michael currently serves APICS as the President of the New Bedford APICS Chapter # 1.

Mike is the Executive Director of New England Seminars which operates Seminar 1 (www.Seminar1.org) – New England’s premier supply chain conference and exposition.


Contact Information:
Email : Mikewalsh.qsg@comcast.net 
Phone : 508-367-9257 – cell
Web : www.QSG.net