This workshop is designed to teach people how to more effectively ‘Assess Improvement Effectiveness.’ Much of learning about lean involves learning to see. We have redesigned the Assessor Case study to more effectively describe an excellent organization’s improvement practices. We built the case study around AME’s Excellence Award Criteria and the AME’s Lean Sensei™ self-assessment instrument. Upon completion, attendees will also be able to write and apply for the AME Excellence Award and utilize the AME Excellence Award Criteria to elevate improvement practices in your organization. Learn how to use the criteria as a self-assessment tool. Learn how achievement reports are evaluated, and gain hands-on experience reviewing and scoring a sample achievement report. Take away valuable information to improve the written achievement report. Become more confident if you are or plan to become an assessor. You learn a lot about your organization writing an Achievement Report, even if you do not apply for the award.
This new full-day workshop is divided into two key blocks:
The morning segment is targeted to potential applicants as well as assessors and potential assessors. It will cover the award criteria and the overall application process and annual timeline, including review of key documents applicants must provide. Attendees will gain valuable information about how to effectively build a strong achievement report, the key document that applicant companies submit to summarize why they should be considered for the award. They will also come away with a clear picture of the process and timeline that the AME Excellence Award Committee uses to review, score and provide feedback to applicant companies.
The afternoon segment is primarily focused on the activities of award assessors, although potential applicants can also benefit from gaining an understanding of how assessors are expected to approach the various applicant review activities. Attendees will examine the role of the assessor and, through hands-on team practice using a mock achievement report, they will be challenged to identify the differences between a great versus an average achievement report. Time will be spent discussing and developing consensus scores for various segments of the mock achievement report and examining how good applicant’s feedback reports are developed. The standard work protocols for assessors will also be reviewed.
The AME Excellence Award recognizes North American manufacturing plants that have demonstrated excellence in manufacturing and business. The primary purpose of the award is to foster more effective continuous improvement practices; it recognizes best practices, creativity, and innovation. This award supports AME’s vision, mission and values of inspiring commitment to enterprise excellence through shared learning and access to best practices. The award council recognizes North American recipients who demonstrate excellence against the award guidelines and evaluation criteria. Recipients of the Excellence Award will be selected based on the combined results of the achievement report review and site visit observations. www.ame.org/excellence-awards
Doug Carlberg is chairman and CEO of M2 Global Inc., and a member of the AME Excellence Award Council. He has more than 35 years’ operations management experience in the electronics, telecommunications and defense industries. He previously served as senior vice president of worldwide operations at Harris Corporation’s Microwave Communications Division, which received many awards. Carlberg serves on the board of governors for The Shingo Prize and on the board of directors for AME. 
Pat Wardell is a senior consultant for the Greater Boston Manufacturing Partnership. She has many years of experiences as a lean practitioner/trainer/consultant and also serves as a member of the AME Excellence Award Council. In addition to being a lead assessor, she is one of a handful of people who have achieved the gold level of Lean Certification through the joint AME/SME/Shingo/ASQ certification program.
