Our Blended Lean Foundations delivers the same hands-on learning that our Lean Foundations course offers along with the flexibility of online learning. The online portion of the workshop introduces the four lean rules and five lean principles that are the bedrock for any lean transformation. In the in-person two-day portion of the workshop then gives learners the opportunity to take the knowledge acquired from the online modules and apply it to real world simulations.

Online Modules: Introducing Common Thinking and Lean Tools

The online portion of the course consists of 28 lessons that cover the four lean rules, the five lean principles, and lean tools such as mapping, visual displays and controls, standard work instructions, waste walk, A3 report, and the after-action review. Each lesson is followed by a short quiz. The approximate time to complete the online modules is 10 hours, and they can be accessed anytime, anywhere (an internet connection is available), and on any device including tablets and cell phones.

Day 1: Identifying Wastes and Lean Tools

Day One begins by tackling many of the stereotypes associated with the terms “lean”, “lean manufacturing”, and “continuous improvement.” Once we’ve addressed these barriers, learners will be immersed into a team activity that shares a common goal – to produce high quality ATV vehicles in our Lean Quad simulation. Because each member becomes consumed with their individual role and responsibilities, each individual ends up pursuing the same goal in very different ways, leading to a variety of undesirable results. The remainder of Day One will focus on why this happens and will introduce four lean rules that will help the team objectively evaluate the process design rather than rely on individual experiences and opinions. Participants will learn to establish a common and complete understanding of the process through mapping, waste walks, and high agreement tools such as standard work instructions and visual management.

Day 2: Taking Action

Day Two begins with teams using structured experimentation to improve their Lean Quad performance. Teams will then execute their improvement ideas using their redesigned Lean Quad processes. We will then compare their round one performance against their round two performance and show the opportunities addressed from their principles and rules analysis. Learners will explore a structured method to identify lessons learned from their simulation. Learners will then review how learning occurs in their organizations and how that impacts the lean journey. Day Two will conclude with a reflection on the course and learners will identify opportunities for action items that they can take back for immediate impact in their work environments.