AME Boston conference sessions are grouped by topic so that you can easily find sessions that suit your interests. In addition, sessions (formerly referred to as "presentations") are offered in a variety of formats at varying levels of interaction. Learn more about the topics and formats below.
AME Boston 2017 - Topics
People-centric Leadership
All organizations seek the elusive engagement of its team members – to engage their heads and hearts, along with their hands. Experience has shown that leaders who connect on a personal and even emotional level with their team members can succeed where others have failed in this important objective. Leaders must develop the necessary skills and mindsets to create a culture that instills engagement.
(Keywords: respect for people; employee engagement; leadership behaviors; lean culture)
People Development
An organization’s greatest asset is its people. In fact, it is one of the few assets that appreciate over time. The successful organizations in the future will be those that develop all team members to their fullest potential. This includes their knowledge and skills, as well as their mindsets for problem solving, improvement and change in general. The result will be an adaptive organization that is much more likely to succeed in an uncertain future.
(Keywords: problem solving; change management; Toyota kata; PDCA; A3 thinking)
Fundamental Concepts and Tools
Every organization must be familiar with and capable in the fundamentals of enterprise excellence. Further, they must understand their application in all environments - production, service and office. Each concept and tool must be properly applied in order to realize the expected benefits. This includes the approach that is taken in their application. Experience has shown that an inappropriate approach can give rise to misunderstanding and even resistance. Only with sufficient familiarity can such situations be avoided and the results maximized.
(Keywords: TWI; jidoka; heijunka; standard work; pull/kanban; 5S; SMED; value stream mapping; kaizen; TPM; office services)
Purpose-driven Change
People and organizations do not willingly change. There must be an inspirational purpose to embark on the journey to enterprise excellence and change in general. An organization must define that purpose and communicate it in ways that pervade through its culture. This will guide the decisions it makes and the improvements it undertakes. The result will be an organization where all team members are working towards a common direction and unleashing untapped potential in doing so.
(Keywords: (hoshin kanri/strategy deployment; strategic planning; inspiring change; visioning; organizational alignment)
Innovation
The pace of change is ever increasing and organizations in all industries must stay ahead or risk being left behind. New technologies to address business and market challenges must be persistently pursued and developed. This can be accomplished by a single organization, or entire industries working together collaboratively. Awareness of developments and trends is incumbent in all organizations to better insure their long-term viability.
(Keywords: process design; 3P; lean product/service development)
Lean Management
The Lean Management System is an engine for continuous improvement, but like any engine it must be ‘fueled’. Leaders and the activities in which they are involved will or will not drive continuous improvement over time. The cycle of daily ‘firefighting’ must be broken so that managers can spend time on activities that truly improve the business through associate engagement. Over time, these activities become routine thereby keeping the ‘engine’ running smoothly.
(Keywords: metrics; visual management; daily management; leader standard work; lean accounting; lean supply chain)
AME Boston 2017 - Formats
Practitioner Presentation (1 hour): 50-minute PowerPoint presentation given by lean practitioners + 10-minute Q&A.
Deep Dive Session (1 hour): Continuation of keynote/practitioner presentation + Q&A or session with subject matter experts + Q&A.
Expert Speed Chat (2 hours): Panel session with senior leaders/subject matter experts. First hour will be presentations by panelists + Q&A and second hour will be panelists rotating around small groups.
Panel Discussion (1 hour): Panel session with senior leaders/subject matter experts + Q&A (no rotation by panelists).
Idea Exchange (1 hour): Each session has a different topic for discussion with a facilitator guiding the dialogue. Attendees can ask questions of the group and share their ideas and perspectives.
A3 Poster Session (1 hour): Several A3 poster board owners will present to small groups + Q&A.
Speednetworking (1 hour): A high-impact and structured event that produces exceptional results. Get engaged by enhancing your networking opportunities by being in control of who you connect with. Note: This session requires advance sign up and is an additional fee.
