Better Business Processes - Faster, Standardised, Quality, High Performing Processes

All business processes contain some wasted time and effort. On average, over 30% of your business process activity does not add value from the customer’s perspective. However, this creates an improvement opportunity for organisations to do more with the same or less, and provide an improved customer experience.

Introduction to Lean Thinking

Lean Thinking is a management philosophy based on principles and practices aimed at the elimination of wasted time and effort. It uses a set of concepts and tools that create and deliver the most value from the customer’s perspective while consuming the fewest resources.

In 2007, Doing Business Better introduced the Australian government to the benefits of implementing Lean systems, which resulted in Lean Thinking methods, tools and techniques being adopted across multiple government agencies. We oversaw the implementation of a consistent "whole organisation" approach to excellence, productivity and process improvement. Contact Doing Business Better for more information about the Lean Thinking training workshop.

We offer a half day program, full day program both face to face or virtual online interactive delivery.

An example of the virtual full day program is provided below. Note that the virtual online interactive program can be delivered in one day or split into three shorter sessions usually one week apart.

2. Virtual Training Program Outline

Lean Thinking – work process streamlining

The virtual Lean Thinking training program has been designed to engage and educate staff in Lean Thinking principles, tools and techniques. The three part series of two hour virtual workshops is delivered over one day or over a number of days at the discretion of the Council.

The outline of the program is as follows:

Program Overview

The one day face to face workshop has been modified to be delivered over 3 interactive virtual workshop sessions.

Each virtual interactive session provides participants with training, practical, interactive hands-on activities and discussions, case studies, photographic and video examples in Lean Thinking principles, tools and techniques. Participants will learn how to apply Lean Thinking process improvement and streamlining tools to improve customer experience, improve everyday work processes, to save time, effort, simplify the way they work and reduce the frustration of lengthy and often overly complicated manually handled end-to-end business processes.

During the program, participants will learn the language of Lean and how to see wasted time and effort and other forms of non value adding activity in daily work processes. This program introduces participants to the Value Stream Mapping improvement technique. Value Stream Mapping is a highly effective business improvement tool which can be immediately applied in your workplace and lead to better outcomes for the client/customer, workforce and organisation.

This interactive program will provide participants with the opportunity to apply their new learning to current workplace processes. Participants will also take a hands-on role led by the facilitator and begin to map one of their key business processes in the workshop at a detailed process steps level. Hands-on practical training is the most effective method of learning and retaining knowledge. Following activities to learn how to see waste, participants being to map an existing current processes and immediately commence identifying new opportunities for process and productivity improvement.

In this program, participants will be introduced to:

Lean Thinking principles
Value Stream Mapping improvement techniques
Two key problem solving techniques: 5 Why’s, Fish bone Cause and Effect diagram

Led by the facilitator, participants will identify causes and potential solutions to a number of process problems identified in the Value Stream Map produced in session 2.

In the third and final session, participants will be made aware of a number of analytical tools to assist the process flow, eliminate variation and defects resulting in lead time reduction, improved quality and customer experience including:

Ohno circle, Walk the process to identify the waste, Batching versus Single piece flow, First In First Out (FIFO), Push systems, Pull systems, Spaghetti diagrams, Fast Track Fall Out, Error proofing including checklist, Fix and go, Voice of the Customer, Failure Mode Effect Analysis, Swim Lane diagrams, Kanban and 2 bin systems, Takt time, Standard Work, Standard Operating Procedures

Participants will also learn the fundamental of process redesign and how to plan for implementation. Participants examine techniques to overcome the issues often faced by staff during Lean process review projects, which makes execution of implementation a challenge.

Program content. This program will include:

Understanding the role of leadership to drive and support a culture of continuous improvement

How to engage staff in improving the way they work
Measure for Improvement and the PDSA cycle (Plan, Do, Study, Act)
Developing a continuous improvement mind-set together as a team
Process improvement and measurement simulation
How to see the eight forms of wasted time and effort in business processes (including activity)
Identification of value adding and non value adding activity
Detailed Value Stream Mapping
Detailed Value Stream Mapping activity
A number of analytical tools to improve productivity and process flow including Single Piece Flow, Pull Systems, Kanban, FIFO, Spaghetti diagrams, production levelling and visual controls
Problem Solving tools including 5 Why’s and Cause and Effect
Implementation planning
Drafting of Action Plan going forward

Learning Objectives:

The key objectives of the sessions are to develop knowledge and capability to:

Understand Lean Thinking principles
Learn to see the eight forms of process wasted time and effort
Be capable of identifying non-value add activity in order to eliminate it
Be aware of the Value Stream Mapping tool and how it can be applied improve productivity and efficiency across many business processes
Be aware of a range of process improvement analytical tools and techniques to make work processes simpler, easier to perform, faster with less errors, and with no rework and chasing for information and materials
Work better as a team
Learn problem solving techniques used to determine the root cause of process problems and how to eliminate them
Learn how to engage staff in continuous improvement
Be capable of using the PDSA (Plan, Do, Study, Act) cycle of continuous improvement
Know how to use Process problem solving techniques to engage staff and make work easier to perform
Understand the Lean language
Understand the importance and approach to successful implementation planning
Develop the mindset to create the environment for successful implementation
Know how to approach continuous process improvement
Appreciate the environment required for successful and sustained implementation

Agenda

The agenda for the 3 interactive virtual workshop training sessions is detailed below:

Introduction to Lean Thinking

Templates to be completed during each session will be emailed to each participant to print prior to the commencement of each session delivery.

Session 1 (2 hours duration): 9am – 11am

Video – Typical day at work

Key concepts of Lean Thinking – DIFOT, Not pass on a defect, unevenness and overburden

Group Discussion – What frustrates you about work processes?

The origins of Lean – foundation stones
The role of leadership and management in creating the environment for sustained change
Lean Thinking principles
Learn to See Waste (TIMWOODS)
- Waste Walk exercise
- Discuss findings and improvement opportunities
Model for Improvement
- Video – Measurement for Improvement
- Discussion on types of performance measures
PDSA cycle (Plan, Do, Study, Act)
- Explanation of Process improvement simulation exercise
- Participants complete PDSA template
- Group Discussion on results

Session 2 (2 hours duration): 12:30pm – 2:30pm

Introduction to Value Stream Mapping

Explain the purpose and use of the Value Stream Mapping improvement tool
Case study examples used in similar organisations
Video – Using the Value Stream Mapping improvement tool
Demonstration of process mapping and identify opportunities for improvement
Exercise: Commence mapping the value stream of a process

Session 3 (2 hours duration): 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Problem Solving (5 Why’s and Cause and Effect diagrams)

o Learn problem solving techniques

o Exercise develop ideas for improvement using 5 Whys

o Exercise develop ideas for improvement using a Cause and Effect diagram

o Identification of solutions to current process problems identified by the participants

o Group discussion of interventions and solutions to put in place in existing processes

We also cover:

Explanation of applying a number of analytical tools
Group discussion of applicability to work processes. Where they can be applied.
Creating an Issues and Ideas Register
Exercise: Enter issues and ideas for improvement on the template
Group discussion
Designing an improved future state process
Mapping the design of an improved process
Error proofing
Experimenting, simulating, Piloting, deployment
Implementation Planning
Team capability building to lead each improvement
Exercise: Complete an Implementation template for one approved improvement idea
Group Discussion
Drafting an Action Plan. Group Exercise: Complete an Action Plan arising from the days learning

Expected outcomes

Each participant will receive an electronic set of resource templates which they can use as a reference guide.

The program is for groups of up to 15 participants.

Program Duration: One day 9am – 5.00pm or three sets of 2 hour workshop sessions.

3. Executive Lean Briefing

Doing Business Better has worked with over 200 organisations seeking operational excellence. Our Executive Lean Briefing provides insight and research into why some organisations succeed and others fail in deploying Lean systems. This workshop is designed to inform, empower and fast track senior management’s understanding of Lean Thinking, the potential benefits of deploying Lean principals across the wider agency, and the role of senior executives to build internal Lean practitioner and business process problem solving capabilities.

Workshop Covers:

The true meaning and goal of building a Lean Thinking organisation.

How Lean Thinking is being applied across government agencies to improve processes and productivity, reduce costs and improve the quality of services.
The role of executive leadership to develop a culture of continuous improvement.
Lean Thinking business process and productivity improvement methods.
Tools and techniques used to design and implement a more efficient, cost-effective and higher quality service delivery system.
Critical success factors for the effective long term and sustainable deployment of Lean Thinking across the entire department.
Opportunities to harvest savings and reinvest released capacity into “front line services”.

Contact Doing Business Better for more information or to book an Executive Lean Briefing training workshop.

3. Value Stream Mapping

Value Stream Mapping is a process improvement tool.

Doing Business Better offers one and two day training workshops. We offer face to face or online training options.

Everything we do is part of a process. In any workplace, there are a number of activities that do not add value. Mapping the process allows these non-value adding activities to be easily identified.

Value Stream Mapping is a highly effective business improvement tool used globally to chart the flows of information, processes and physical goods. It exposes sources of process wasted time and effort in order to eliminate or minimise it. It is most frequently performed using a paper-and-pencil representation of every Value Add and Non Value Add process step in the material and information flow of the end-to-end process.

We use Value Stream Mapping as an improvement tool by working with staff and customers to improve quality and make work easier to perform. Mapping the current state process, allows for issues to be identified, opportunities for improvement, designing a future state that is value adding.

Mapping a process is just a technique. What is important is implementing a value adding flow process that has minimal: delays, waiting, double handling, re-work, errors and unnecessary hand-offs.

Value Stream Mapping is an engaging business improvement tool that can improve your processes by identifying and removing non value adding time and costs, minimise staff frustration and lead to better outcomes for the client/customer, workforce and organisation.

By mapping the Value Stream diagrammatically, it provides the user with:

• a visual flow of information and materials

• a better understanding of the linkages or lack of linkages between material and information flow

• an improved process that has less non value adding activity

• a process where value of each process step is defined by the customer so if the customer does not see value

in the step, then you learn to question why are you doing it

• an opportunity to see the waste in a process (often for the first time) and where to apply process

improvement techniques

• engagement of staff involved in the process to be part of the improvement and changes which will save time,

frustration, effort and resources

• freed up time and effort to re-invest back into more value adding activity elsewhere

• a common language for staff and the wider organisation

• information for management to make decisions about the causes of time delays and wasted effort eg:

bottlenecks and rework

• an opportunity to empower staff and management to link information flow with material process flow

• a basis for an implementation plan

Value Stream Mapping method

Value Stream Mapping initially involves mapping the Current State “As is” process with the staff directly involved in the process, and how it actually works rather than the way it should work.

The key to creating an excellent current state Value Stream Map is to document and collect data on what you actually see with your own eyes rather than how the process is supposed to work, or was designed to work.

For each key process step, the value and non value added activity, role, technology, doing time, waiting time and elapsed times are identified. We use symbols to show the flow of information and materials.

Once the Current State Map is validated, staff involved in the process “Learn to See” process waste and are engaged to identify opportunities for improvement.

Identify process problems in the Value Stream Map. Perform problem solving and root cause analysis to identify probable solutions and interventions to reduce or eliminate re-occurrence of the original process problem. We want to implement changes that will ensure we do not experience the same problem again.

Ideas for improvement are brain stormed with staff using a number of idea generation techniques. A Register of improvement opportunities are assessed for ease of implementation, cost, business impact, strategic effort and behaviour change resistance. All improvement opportunities are reviewed by management and each approved improvement progresses to the design stage of an improved process or as we call it the “Future State” Value Stream Map.

A Future State map is developed together with the staff that aims to improve the flow of information and materials, reduce as far as practicable over processing, duplicate handling and other forms of process waste.

A Future State map is then drawn as to how the process should work. Staff involved in the process and other key stakeholders will examine where the new process may fail. A Failure Mode Effect and Analysis tool is used to identify where further improvements can be built into the new model before it is piloted.

The potential for any negative side effects and risks are examined and any further improvements are incorporated into the new model before full deployment and integration across the organisation.

Value Stream Mapping designs an improved business process that achieves a faster and more reliable process that has less process waste, more released labour capacity and elapsed time which can be re-invested back into the business.

Value Stream Mapping seeks to answer the following questions:

What process steps are not adding value?

What are the root causes of sub optimal process performance?
How can we improve the customer’s experience?
What is impeding the physical and information flow?

The Future State Map then becomes the foundation for the documentation of Standard Operating Procedures and training of staff in the new process.

Contact Doing Business Better for more information or to book a Value Stream Mapping training workshop.

4. 5S in the Office, 5S in the Factory/Depot/Warehouse

5S is a 5 step process aimed at reducing wasted time and optimising productivity through maintaining an orderly workplace and using visual cues to achieve more consistent operational results. 5S saves time and effort searching for documents or items, it boosts productivity and supports a safer workplace. A more orderly workplace leads to a safer workplace.

5S is a simple and easy to implement productivity improvement technique that facilitates and sustains an organised workplace to eliminate wasted time and effort searching, looking or asking where to find documents, information or equipment.

5S provides businesses with the opportunity to save time and money now by organising the workplace so they eliminate clutter, enable staff to find what they require to do their job immediately, improve visual management so that staff can see where to find parts, equipment, documentation and files first time, every time.

Contact Doing Business Better for more enquiries or booking a 5S in the Office, Factory or Warehouse training workshop.

5. Time Management

Staff waste too much time being handling emails, being interrupted by queries, looking or asking for information, handling work that should be delegated to others, or dealing with processes that are overly complicated and take too long to perform.

Understanding how we waste time and developing strategies to deal with the larger pieces of work in an organised way will make work easier to perform and improve the productivity of staff.

Program content:

This program will develop knowledge and skills to be better able to:

Prioritise tasks according to Importance and Urgency
- Learn how to:
  - Perform a self-analysis
  - Create a baseline of current time wasted
  - Understand the impact of interruptions
  - Manage emails
  - Manage paperwork
  - Better manage and administer meetings
  - Create more effective meetings
  - Delegate
  - Learn to say “no”
  - Avoid Procrastination
  - Create Tasks Lists
  - Schedule work
  - Understand Maslow’s Learning model
  - Apply better practices to handling day-to-day activities
  - Learn new habits
  - Understand the impact of the internet, social media and personal mobile phones usage on workplace productivity
  - Learn a structured approach to time management
  - Understand 5S systems which create a more productive workplace
  - Lean principles and value stream mapping
  - Develop discipline as a foundation stone for improvement
In this training we will develop an Action Plan to implement effective techniques to manage time on a daily basis.

Learning objectives

During this program, participants will increase their knowledge of:

Tools and techniques to change their personal habits and use new methods to use their time more effectively

Identify and set new disciplines to better manage time
Tools to manage daily and future tasks according to a new priority definition
Techniques to start planning and scheduling tasks according to a predefined methodology
New templates to use as an individual, across the team or organisation that will more effectively manage emails, meetings and the flow of work.

Contact Doing Business Better for enquiries or to book a Time Management training workshop.

6. Lean Six Sigma White Belt (0.5 day workshop)

Lean Six Sigma is a structure management process using statistical measures (fact based approach) of how well your process is satisfying your client. It is a business improvement methodology that can eliminate waste and improve the performance of business processes.

Lean Six Sigma follows a structured technique and tools for solving significant business problems. It is a powerful continuous improvement methodology which focuses on the learner gaining the skills to identify and reduce errors and variation within processes.

White Belt introduces participants to DMAIC model for improvement (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control).

It provides an overview of the Lean and Six Sigma methodologies and prepares participants for supporting Lean Six Sigma projects or advancement into Yellow Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt programs.

The White Belt program is also idea for:

· leaders considering implementing Lean and/or Lean Six Sigma program

· managers who want to implement significant changes and learn more about productivity improvement, performance

enhancement or organisational change

· those seeking greater conceptual understanding of Lean and/or Lean Six Sigma

Program content

Students will learn:

· History and Fundamentals of Lean and Six Sigma

· Structure of Six Sigma

· Understanding the Voice of the Customer

· DMAIC Processes (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)

· Process of Waste Minimization and Connection to Customer Satisfaction

Participants will learn:

· Fundamentals of Lean and Six Sigma

· The structure of Six Sigma

· Understand the Voice of the Customer

· DMAIC processes (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control)

· Process of waste minimisation and the connection to Customer Satisfaction

Participants also learn how to support Lean Six Sigma projects.

Contact Doing Business Better for enquiries or to book a Six Sigma White Belt training workshop.

7. Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt (1 day workshop)

Lean Six Sigma Yellow belt provides participants with the knowledge of the fundamental methodologies, metrics and the techniques of Six Sigma and process improvement.

Program content:

Yellow Belt participants learn:

· The meaning and purpose of Lean Six Sigma

· How to identify process wasted time and effort

· Approaches to problem solving

· How to effectively contribute to problem solving and idea generation

· Use of a number of process improvement tools available to eliminate waste

· Use of techniques to reduce variation and eliminate defects

Participants also learn how to be responsible for the development of process maps to support Six Sigma projects.

Yellow Belt participants become an effective core team member or subject matter expert on a project. Participants are provide with the tools to be a more valuable member of a Lean Six Sigma process improvement project.

Summary of course content:

In this one day workshop you will gain an overview of the Lean Six Sigma methodologies and how they can be applied to your business processes.

Participants will be guided through each of the five steps of the Six Sigma framework. Learn how this method of business improvement can be applied in your workplace to eliminate waste and a reduction in variation found within processes.

Course Outline – Description of the one day program

Over five sessions, participants are introduced to each of the stage of Six Sigma projects (DMAIC - Define, Measure. Analyse, Improve, Control)

– Define a particular problem to work on (the pain). What are the opportunities to improve? What will have the biggest pay-off for time and effort to improve? Topics covered include:

– Project Charter

– Metrics Table

– Y Table

– Critical to Customer Requirements

– SIPOC

– Select the team

– Roles and Responsibilities

– Voice of the Customer, Voice of the Business

– Measure What is the extent of the problem? How are we doing? What is our current Sigma performance? Topics

covered include:

– Data collection plan

– Measurement System Analysis

– Sigma calculation

– Analyse What is causing the pain (where do we feel the pain?). What is the root cause of the pain? Topics covered

include:

– Pareto Analysis

– Value Stream Mapping

– 5S

– Problem solving, 5 Why’s, Cause and Effect

– Visual management

– Idea generation

– Role and Functional Swim Lane

– Source of Variation

– Force Field Analysis

– Take action to Improve the situation. What are the possible solutions? How can we improve? Topics covered include:

– Generate Solutions

– Future State

– Error proofing

– Validation

– Implementation Plan

– Communication Plan

– Simulate

– Pilot

– Deploy

– Put in place Control mechanisms to ensure that improvements stick. Topics covered include:

– Process Control Charts

– Standard Operating Procedures

– Training

– Replication opportunities

– Team evaluation

– Post Project review

Contact Doing Business Better for more information or to book a Six Sigma Yellow Belt training workshop.

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