Lean Six Sigma Green Belt for Service Organizations

The majority of organizations in this country are focused on providing services. Health care, banking, utilities, insurance, finance, governmental agencies, military and education are all examples of industries focused on processing and/or delivering services. This Center for Quality Lean Six Sigma program is designed specifically for service-focused organizations and service-based functions within manufacturing organizations (e.g., finance, engineering, HR, accounting).

In becoming Lean Six Sigma Green Belts, attendees will learn how to contribute to and even lead Lean Six Sigma improvement teams. Participants will gain a strong knowledge of how to apply the Lean Six Sigma methodology to the improvement of service-based processes enabling cost reductions and improvements in productivity, quality and customer satisfaction. Participants receive 10 days of intensive, workshop-focused instruction. Those achieving Green Belt status often later progress to Black Belt status by taking the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt to Black Belt transition course.

Who should attend:
Individuals in service organizations or service functions who wish to utilize Lean Six Sigma Green Belt tools to drive cost reductions and improvements in quality, productivity and customer satisfaction.

Prerequisite: A basic knowledge of Algebra

Requirement: Personal laptop computer with Excel™ software is very highly recommended. Minitab™ software is desirable, but not necessary.

Duration: 80 Hours – 10-day course (two sessions, non-concurrent weeks)

Course Content:

Introduction to Lean Six Sigma
This section introduces the Green Belt to the fundamentals of Lean Six Sigma. It creates an understanding of the Lean Six Sigma framework within the organization and the framework of a Lean Six Sigma project.

The Lean Six Sigma Organization
- Gaining a competitive advantage
- Improving quality and productivity
- Reducing waste
- Value-added vs. non value-added
- The definition of quality
- Variation reduction concepts
- Process vs. product thinking
- The DMAIC process
How Lean integrates with and enhances Six Sigma
- Key characteristics of Lean and Six Sigma
- Understanding the impact of the Lean Six Sigma on productivity, quality, customer satisfaction & profitability
- Value-added activities-on target, with minimum variation
- Lean Six Sigma Systems – goals & objectives
- The combined Lean Six Sigma model
Benefits of Lean Six Sigma programs
How to effectively implement Six Sigma in an organization
- Cultural issues
- Strategic issues
- Tools issues
Six Sigma Project Methodology Overview
- Define
- Measure
- Analyze
- Improve
- Control

Define
This section details the initial phase of the Lean Six Sigma methodology.

Project Selection
- How to select appropriate projects
- How to avoid inappropriate projects

Project Scoping
- Avoiding scope creep
- Aligning resources

Defining customer requirements
Developing a comprehensive Project Charter
- Problem statement, goal statement, objectives, business case and milestones
- Base lining the process

Process mapping
- SIPOC
- “Swim lanes”

Introduction to Value-Stream-Mapping (VSM)
- Why Value-Stream-Mapping?
- Best application areas
- Key principles
Project Plan

Measure
This topic provides coverage of measurement assessment and Lean Six Sigma data collection. Key concepts include understanding measurement systems as processes. Core tools center on the assessment of measurement system accuracy, precision and linearity.

How to collect data
- Propriety of data collection
- Collecting data over time
- “Converting” attribute date to measurements
Identifying Measurements
- Input/Output matrices
- Data collection planning tools and check sheets

Measurement discrimination
- Attribute vs. measurements data
- How much discrimination is needed

Measurement System Assessment
- Attribute Data
  - Short method
  - 2x2 matrices
  - Logistic regression
- Variables data overview
  - Gage R&R
  - Bias studies

Analyze
This statistically intensive section of the Green Belt training provides the participant with a comprehensive array of tools used to drive to root causes and optimize processes. Participants receive a firm grounding in basic core Lean and Six Sigma tools as well as an overview of advanced tools such as designed experiments and applied statistics.

Core Quality Tools
- Pareto charts
- Trend charts
- Histograms
- Box Plots
- Brainstorming and affinity diagrams
- Prioritization tools
- Force field analysis
- Cause and effect diagrams
- Check sheets
- Is/is not analysis
- Scatter plot
- 5 whys

Lean Analyses
- Calculating process times vs. total throughput times
- Concept of TAKT time
- Identifying non-value-added elements

Introduction to Statistics
- Types of data
- Location, spread and shape
- Testing for normality

Statistical Process Control
- Control chart concepts (process vs. product revisited)
- Key variation concepts
- Attribute data charts
  - Shortcomings of attribute data
  - p chart
  - np chart
  - c chart
  - u chart
- Variables data control charting
  - Advantages of variables data
  - X and Rm charts
  - X-bar and R charts
- Rational sampling
  - Sample size considerations
  - Sampling frequency
- Process capability

Applied Statistics
- Non-parametric tests
Design of Experiments Overview
- DOE fundamentals
- Planning an experiment

Improve
This phase of the Lean Six Sigma process is focused on selecting and implementing process improvements to achieve or exceed project goals. Key focus is on Lean tools and methods that can drive process improvements.

The philosophy of Lean revisited
Types of waste revisited
Principles of Lean implementation
Attributes of a Lean process
- Value streams
- Push vs. pull
- One piece flow
Using the value stream map to identify waste

5S Organizational housekeeping
- The 5S’s defined
- The value of 5S
- Sorting
- Set
- Shine
- Standardize
- Sustain
  - 5S audits
- 5S photos

Flowing Work
- Benefits of good workplace layout
- Fixed position vs. cell/continuous layouts
- Cell/continuous flow layout strategies
- Balancing the process
- Takt time
- Pitch

Standardized Work
- Working smart vs. working hard
- Establishing best practices
- How to document standardized work
- Elements of standardized work
- Training to standard work

Pull Systems and Kanbans
- Kanban defined
- Kanbans in the office
- Benefits of kanbans
- Computing number of kanbans vs. demand, lead time, safety stock and batch size
- Batch size minimization

Visual Management
- Organization, department and job level visual management
- Types of visual management

Mistake Proofing
- Types of mistake proofing
- Application of mistake proofing for service, safety and environmental improvement
- Mistake proofing examples and case studies

The Concept of Kaizen
- What is Kaizen?
- Using the value stream map
- Getting outside the bo
- The Kaizen blitz
- Steps for a Kaizen blitz
- Kaizen as a continuous improvement strategy

Selecting Improvements
- Utilization of data
- Brainstorming
- Prioritization tools

Verifying Effectiveness
- Applied statistical tests
- Control charts
- Moving averages charts
- Pareto charts

Control
Participants receive multiple methodologies to ensure that the project gains remain effective and in place to maximize benefit to the organization.

Change Management

Force Field Analysis
- Supporting forces
- Inhibiting forces

Visual Management

Document Control
- Quality system documents
- FMEAs
- Other documents

Control Plans

Control charts

Project documentation
- Project notebook
- Lessons learned
Project Closure
- Handing off the improved process
- Project closure checklist
- Training process owners
- Long-term follow up

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