Congratulations! You have completed the course “Lean Process Improvement.”
We started out by defining Lean process improvement. We also learned that Lean has a history of over three hundred years that we continue to learn and benefit from.
Next, we learned about different ways of approaching Lean, and the distinction between Lean and Six Sigma.
Then, we learned about the influence of the Toyota Production System, including how the system was refined by learning from other companies, and how it continues to be relevant and influences Lean today.
With this foundation, we moved on to study five critical improvement areas: value, waste, variation, complexity, and continuous improvement. Next, we focused on creating a Lean organization, including going green with Lean and the characteristics of Lean organizations.
Then, we learned about the PDSA cycle and the R-DMAIC-S model used in Six Sigma. We also learned about several Lean thinking tools, including the 5W-2H, Genchi Genbutsu and Gemba, and how to undertake a 5S.
Next, we learned about data gathering and analysis and the applicability of tools such as flow charts, cause and effect diagrams, SIPOC diagrams, value stream maps, as well as useful tips for effective data analysis.
At the end of the course, we put together a plan for taking all this information and transferring it to the workplace.
You should now feel ready to be involved in a Lean program in your workplace, from conception, understanding, and applying concepts, to being a part of continuous improvement.