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Lean is a systematic approach to eliminating waste and creating flow within an organization to improve overall customer value. The foundation for success with lean is a problem-solving culture, based on coordinated process improvement and people development. Leaders from manufacturing, to service industries, to medical organizations have benefited from the techniques pioneered by Toyota.
This 4 day class series, February 3 - 6, teaches not only the tools of lean, but also offers proven leadership techniques for implementing lean in your organization, managing culture change, and developing continuous improvement engagement throughout your workforce. This training will assist companies in saving time, money, and precious resources by creating the most efficient team possible. Benefits of implementing these techniques include coaching and developing team members who actively pursue improvement in safety, quality, productivity, and intentional employee engagement.
Auburn Technical Assistance Center (ATAC) Since 1976, Auburn’s Harbert College of Business has been helping business, industry, not-for-profit entities, and government agencies to improve and enhance their competitiveness and efficiency. ATAC’s four program categories feature 35 concentrated courses. Programs ATAC offers Process Improvement, Organizational Development, Executive Coaching and Quality Systems training programs designed to apply Auburn’s proven business methodologies, demonstrate skill-building exercises, examine industry-specific case studies, and inspire change based on knowledge.
Why choose ATAC? 1. Four Comprehensive Programs 2. Experienced Professional Instructors 3. Teaching Innovative Business Strategy 4. Demonstrating Skill Building Exercises 5. In Safe, Fun, and Immersive Settings. AuburnTechnicalAssistanceCenter.
David Hicks is a Licensed Professional Engineer with more than 30 years of experience in manufacturing, quality & statistics, training, test engineering, plant management, and research & development. As an Auburn University Outreach Faculty member, David assists organizational leaders in strategic planning, improvement implementation, team member coaching & development, and creating intentional cultures. His clients include automotive manufacturing, hospitals, nursing homes, light and heavy manufacturing, marketing, transactional businesses, and service organizations, in the USA, Japan, and China. • SME/AME Bronze Certified Lean Manufacturing • Certified Training Within Industry Instructor • Senior Member of the American Society for Quality • B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Tennessee State University • M.S. in Engineering, University of Alabama Huntsville
February 3 - 6, 2025
Monday–Thursday 8:00 a.m.– 4:30 p.m.
Monday | Creating a foundation of stability and Training Within Industry Job Instruction, an introduction to Lean principles; 8 wastes are introduced coupled with lean tools & countermeasures
The Four-Step Job Instruction is demonstrated stressing important steps, key points & reasons for key points as the standard for consistency in training methods. Sustaining continuous improvement efforts requires defining the company culture and developing team members. The lean philosophy and process must be systematically aligned with the organization's core values in order to seamlessly cultivate a problem-solving culture. Lean culture exposes the participants to the systems necessary to prepare lean leaders, to foster the sustained process of continuous improvement, and permeate continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Tuesday | Kata—Improvement & Coaching and Intro to DiSC Communications.
Focus is on the application of the Toyota Kata discipline to drive continuous improvement, focusing on habits, rapid PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Adjust) cycles, and sustainability of continuous improvement initiatives utilizing the Buzz simulation. Teambuilding exercises reinforce the improvement Kata process and the communication skills essential for the Coaching Kata. The DiSC profile allows one to know their preferred style and how to more effectively communicate interpersonally and with teams. Leaders need the dual ability to improve processes and develop people to create and sustain a culture of improvement. A Kata is a discipline through which the lean leader serves as a coach/mentor to develop team members. This training introduces the Improvement & Coaching Katas. In the Improvement Kata, participants follow a four-step, scientific pattern that challenges team members to strive for improvement. Through the Coaching Kata, participants learn to follow a mentoring methodology that develops a leader’s skill to coach while simultaneously developing team members’ knowledge. The Kata process is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) scientific method through which actions are planned, tested, measured, and adjusted towards the achievement of a target condition. The DiSC profile assessment is used for participants to better understand behavioral and communication preferences within themselves and among others.
Wednesday | Leading & Sustaining with Eight-Step Problem Solving
Utilize a lean management framework and incorporate eight-step problem solving along with exercises in problem solving and teambuilding. Leading and Sustaining lean involves a framework of strategic alignment, disciplined culture, and operational transparency. The Lean Management System is comprised of elements including visual systems, process metrics, leader standard work, A3 problem solving, accountability boards, suggestion systems, and Gemba walks. This training is designed to teach a disciplined process to foster a problem-solving culture, to build accountability, and to reinforce PDCA thinking and management. Combining the Kata process with the Leading and Sustaining lean system builds the disciplined structure for successful lean implementations.
Thursday | Importance of Standards, Five S, TWI Job Methods & Job Instruction
Use of Quick Changeover Simulation to stress the importance of stability & standardization as the foundation for problem-solving. The foundation of continuous improvement is stability & standardization. Before a problem—a gap from a standard—can be identified, a standard must be in place. Utilizing a stamping press simulation, participants use the TWI Job Methods questioning process to break down the changeover. Stability is introduced via the 5S methodology (Sort, Set-In-Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain). PDCA Kata iterations are used to improve towards the target conditions.
- Understanding of lean principles from a leadership perspective
- Systems for a successful lean implementation
- Toyota Kata application to improve processes and develop team members
- Senior leaders
- Continuous improvement managers
- Lean specialists
We strive to host events that are inclusive and accessible to everyone to fully participate and engage. Please email events@ame.org if you have any questions.
If you are not already a member of AME, we invite you to join at this time. Membership benefits include complimentary and discounted event registrations throughout the entire year. To learn more about membership benefits, please visit here.
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Cancelation Policy: This event may be canceled by AME for any reason. AME is not responsible for incidental costs incurred by registrants. For paid events, registration fee less a $20 administration fee will be refunded up to one week before the event. Substitutions may be made up to three days prior to the start of the event.
