Location
People who work in engineering and technical disciplines tend to be problem solvers. However, without a proper discipline around solving problems we will get stuck in a never-ending loop of trial and error with little progress and little learning. At Rockwell Automation we have found that the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach makes available such a discipline and using the Toyota Kata method for improvement and coaching provides the right environment for developing these skills. This session will provide attendees an example of Software Development program using the kata approach on a daily basis to achieve results for the customers. It started with a book discussion on kata approach for agile product development and how the team initiated kata boards, scheduled daily meetings for improvement, weekly coaching and established regular cadence for target conditions and challenges that fit the Lean-Agile environment. This session will be targeted for those working in product development who are considering alternate methods for improvement, but also anyone else interested in alternate applications of kata approach.
Rockwell Automation We are the largest company in the world that is dedicated to industrial automation and information. Across the globe, our flagship Allen Bradley® and FactoryTalk® product brands are recognized for excellence. Our keen focus on technology innovation, domain expertise, and integrity and corporate responsibility fuels our success. https://www.rockwellautomation.com/
Michael Crossen has been in the industry since 1978 working as electronics technician and eventually finding his way into component engineering which was when he discovered Quality Practices, most notably Dr. Deming. After receiving Six Sigma Black Belt and working in Rockwell Automation manufacturing as process quality engineer, Michael decided to pursue a new career in Healthcare at Cleveland Clinic and eventually Philips Medical Systems implementing Lean Sigma. During this time Michael, ASQ (American Society for Quality) member, was publishing a comic strip he created called Mr. Pareto Head. Every month, ASQ members received Quality Progress magazine with Mr. Pareto among the first few pages. Mr. Pareto was sort of a Dilbert for Quality geeks! Also, during his time with ASW Michael has been certified and quality engineer, manager and auditor. After several years in Healthcare, Michael made his way back to Rockwell Automation, but this time in Product Development. Many of the tools/methods learned from his days on manufacturing actually had an application in Lean Product Development, particularly Software Development which employed Lean-Agile practices. This is where Michael met the other guest speaker for Improvement Kata, Ravi Mahangare. Ravi and Michael both discovered Toyota Kata through the Cleveland AME Lean Consortia and began to put learnings into practice at work. Michael is married with 1 child, 4 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Hobbies include writing and playing music (rock, Americana, Bluegrass) as well as Hiking (member of Cleveland hiking Club). Michael and his wife Ann just returned from hike in Peru (Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain) this past fall and will be going to Switzerland Alps in 2025.
Ravi Mahangare has over 20 years of experience in the Industrial and Simulation Software domain, where he has held various roles including engineering manager, tech lead, scrum master, and RTE. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Instrumentation & Control Systems from Pune University, India, and a Master’s degree in Computer Science from Penn State University. In 2012, Ravi joined Rockwell as a project engineer. Over the years, he transitioned into leadership roles, guiding Agile teams to deliver successful releases, showcasing his adeptness in engineering management and Agile methodologies. Prior to his tenure at Rockwell, Ravi amassed a decade of experience in Simulation Software Development, working as a Software Engineer and Tech Lead for Hexagon and Siemens PLM. Ravi is passionate about lean-agile transformation and implementing continuous improvement practices. He actively seeks opportunities to learn tools, methods, and continuous improvement techniques from other domains, especially in the manufacturing domain, and applies them in Software Product Development. As a member of the Cleveland AME Lean Consortia, Ravi has found valuable resources for learning continuous improvement practices. It was here that he and Mike discovered Toyota Kata and began applying those learnings to Software Product Development. Ravi also co-hosts Rockwell’s internal podcast, “ROKPod-Culture of Improvement”. Outside of work, Ravi is a devoted family man. He is married and has a 12-year-old daughter. Ravi enjoys spending quality time with his family, particularly accompanying his daughter to her various activities and coaching her softball team. He also indulges in outdoor activities such as hiking and biking, as well as participating in sports.
Monday, August 26, 2024
12:45 p.m. Check in
1 p.m. Introduction
1:05 p.m. Presenter presentation
1:50 p.m. Q&A
2 p.m. Webinar concludes
- Kata approach to continuous improvement can be utilized in just about any environment. We are demonstrating doftware development application
- As much effort as possible should be employed to ensure you are taking the disciplines of Kata (True North, 5 Questions, Target Condition, retrospective) and integrating into your existing process…don’t call it a kata program!
- Anyone who leads people, participates in meetings or wonders how to open up a work culture is the audience for this webinar
- Professionals in product development and/or in Agile environment
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.
By participating in this event, you grant AME, or anyone authorized by AME the right to use or publish in print or electronic medium any photograph or video containing your image or likeness for educational, news, or promotional purposes, without compensation.
To fully participate in an AME virtual event, a high-speed internet connection, speaker/headphones, microphone, and webcam are needed. While not required, you will have a better online experience if you do not use wireless internet service. A wired/ethernet connection will have a stronger signal than wireless. Live captioning will be available for this event. Make sure you download the Zoom Client for Meetings desktop application for the best experience. Do not use the version available through your web browser as it has limited features. https://zoom.us/download.
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.
