Detailed programme Operational Excellence
Detailed program
The programme is held in two modules of three days each. The first module covers the foundation of Operational Excellence. The second module focuses on several topics that link to Operational Excellence: e.g. Six Sigma, factory physics, bottleneck management. Theory and examples address both manufacturing and service contexts. During both modules, practitioners will speak about their experiences.
Module 1
Strategic Context of Operational Excellence
In this introductory session, we start out with the strategic context of Operational Excellence. We discuss why it is important in the current global settings to continuously improve your operations and how this can create a competitive advantage. We look at the history of lean thinking and how it can contribute to your firm in today’s business environment.
Value Stream Mapping
Value stream mapping provides an organisation with a comprehensive overview of the company. It captures the complexity of an organisation and transforms it into a simple, visual, value stream map. The map covers the process from customer order till delivery of the product or service, taking into account the communication, information and documentation flow. It is a first step in determining what adds value to the customer.
Lean Tools
By implementing the lean principles, a firm can realize substantial improvements in all domains of its operations. We introduce the main basic principles such as 5S, 7 wastes, Kaizen, Jidoka, Andon etc. These principles are translated into practice, e.g. how to manage the workspace to eliminate waste, reduce the chance of error, rework and injury, and to ensure that all time spent is productive.
Lean Planning & Scheduling
Adopting lean manufacturing methods means shifting from mass production (push) to a pull methodology in which production is triggered by customer demand. The intricate relationship between planning, scheduling and materials management in relation to demand management will be discussed. Methodologies on how to synchronise these interrelated domains while overcoming any possible bottlenecks that may delay production are illustrated.
Lean assessment
During this session there will be an introduction to a lean assessment tool that will enable participants to audit their own organisation. It helps companies to facilitate the improvement process and includes major lean techniques, as well as soft aspects like people and culture.
Module 2
Bottleneck Management
The theory of constraints is developed to enable organisations to improve information or product flows in a service or manufacturing context. It is based on the fact that in any complex system at any point in time, there is most often only one aspect of that system that is limiting its ability to achieve more of its goal. In order to attain any significant improvement, that constraint must be identified and the whole system must be managed accordingly.
Capacity and Variability Analysis (CVA)
One of the most commonly ignored relationships in planning, both in a service as a productive environment, is the relationship among capacity utilisation, inventory and customer service. Increasing the capacity utilisation may require unacceptable high amounts of inventory to support customer service. It is also known that the presence of high degrees of variability negatively impacts the performance of a system. In the capacity and variability analysis course we explore this fundamental relationship and demonstrate the damaging impact of variability, outages and capacity constraints.
Quality Processes
The focus on quality is one of the hallmarks of operational excellence. An introduction of tools and processes such as Kaizen, Continuous Improvement and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will help to understand the support role they can play in helping an organisation move from a traditional process set-up to lean quality processes. We focus on Six Sigma.
Lean Supply Chain
In some industries, more and more subunits of the finished goods are being ‘outsourced’ driving lean organisations to encourage their suppliers to introduce lean into their organisations. This will encourage businesses and their suppliers to work together to improve quality and delivery while reducing overall costs. The characteristics of a lean supply chain strategy are tighter integration of buyers and suppliers. These lean suppliers are often geographically close to the buyer’s plants and are often involved earlier in product development.
People Management during Change
How can you assure the success of your transformation towards continuous improvement? Get everyone involved! By focusing too much on the tools, philosophies and techniques, an organisation can overlook the most effective method of change –employee commitment and involvement. Accomplishing the transition to Operational Excellence hinges on including people in the process.
Implementing Lean: testimonials & company visit
Implementation of lean is a rather foggy subject. Most firms stumble through the implementation with trial and error. Most of the projects fail because of resistance to change. We invite business people with testimonials of successful lean projects. Key issues that are faced during implementation will be discussed in class with professors and practitioners. Participants also get the chance to verify the theories during a company visit.
Exam (optional)
An optional exam will enable participants to obtain the certificate ‘Lean Competency’ accredited by the Lean Enterprise Research Centre. The exam consists of two parts:
- A closed book written test that measures to which extent the participant has acquired knowledge on the theories taught in class.
- An oral presentation and discussion with Vlerick professors, during which the participant explains a well-defined project plan in the area of Operational Excellence, taking into account the concepts that were introduced during the programme.