Lean Sigma business black belt

INTRODUCTION

The Lean Sigma Business Black Belt training develops the knowledge and experience to enable Belts to lead and deliver complex, cross-functional change improvement projects.

The programme integrates Lean and Six Sigma to provide an improvement model that concentrates on both reducing cycle time and variability. Lean tools are linked to the robust DMAIC problem-solving approach, and focus on analysing processes, customer demand and product flow – producing fast and visual process improvements. Six Sigma techniques are applied throughout the improvement process to provide robust data analysis, measurement and creative solutions required to reduce variability in product and processes.

This training is designed with a modular format which combines training inputs and practical simulation activities with an ongoing focus on project progress and reviews.

ACCREDITATION

The Smallpeice accreditation process for Lean Sigma Black Belts incorporates completing a project for formal assessment and passing a multi-choice examination.

BQF Accreditation Option: Smallpeice courses are also licensed for BQF (British Quality Foundation) accreditation, enabling candidates to achieve this external accreditation benchmark. The accreditation steps are as described above, with an additional £175 fee to cover the licensed accreditation route (Note: It is not necessary to decide which accreditation path is required before the start of the programme, and more details will be provided in Block 1).

BLOCK 1

DEFINE PHASE

MEASURE PHASE

October 4th

October 5th

October 6th

Programme Introduction

• Programme objectives & certification routes

• Improvement Project Roles and responsibilities

Taking a Structured Approach to Business Improvement

• Pre-requisites for successful projects

• Different levels of problem solving

• Different Introduction to the DMAIC roadmap

• Project selection criteria

• Application of the DMAIC toolkit in daily work

Project Identification & Scoping

• Introduction to the Define phase

• Initiating a project charter

• Writing a Problem Statement

• Using Boundary Examination to re-define the problem

• Scoping the project: SIPOC Mapping & the Y=f(x) Cascade

• Project work: Initial Problem Statement, SIPOC & Y=f (X) Cascade

Programme Introduction

• Programme objectives & certification routes

• Improvement Project Roles and responsibilities

Understanding the Voice of the Customer

• Understanding our customers

• Techniques for Collecting and analysing the Voice of the Customer

• Defining Critical to Quality Characteristics

• Project work: sources of VOC

• Case Study: developing CTQs

Building Momentum For Change

• Understanding the nature of change

• Analysing enablers and barriers to change

• Analysing and managing stakeholders

• Understanding the role of the project sponsors

• Writing an effective communication plan

• Leading Process Change

• Barriers & enablers to team effectiveness

• Influencing for change

Managing a Project

• Project Planning / Team Charter

• Project Vision Statement

• RACI / Initial Cost Benefit Analysis

• Project Management & Reporting

Understanding the Current State

• Introduction to Measure Phase

• Concept of a Value Stream

• Current State Mapping

• Planning & running the activity

Detail Process Mapping Tools

• Detail Process flow charting techniques

• Taking a proactive approach to identifying weaknesses in the current process

• Waste Walking

Identifying Potential Root Causes

• Process Analysis

• Use of cause and effect diagram to identify potential root causes

• Use of failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) to identify potential opportunities for defects

• Evaluating, reducing & managing risk

BLOCK 2

MEASURE PHASE

ANALYSE PHASE

November 1st

November 2nd

November 3rd

Data Collection Planning

• Understanding Variation

• Deciding what to measure

• Data collection planning

• Checking the measurement system

• Writing operational definitions

Introduction to Basic Statistics

• Measures of location; variation and proportion

• Introduction to probability

• Communicating statistics to a non technical audience

Taking a Structured Approach to the Analyse Phase

• Introduction to the analyse phase

• 5 Why Approach to problem solving

• Forming and testing hypotheses

• Writing an analysis plan

Visualising the Data

• What shape is your data? – Histograms

• Visualising Descriptive Statistics – Graphical Summary Tool

• Understanding confidence limits

Assessing Process Control

• What is happening over time? – Time Series Plots

• Understanding process control

• Anatomy & use of Control charts

• Applications of SPC Charts

Assessing Process Capability

• Understanding process capability

• Calculating process capability for Continuous and Attribute Data

• Selecting appropriate capability metrics & indices

• Dealing with non-normal data

Verifying the Root Cause

• Link to cause and effect diagram

• Stratifying the data – use of box plots

• Are there any relationships? - Scatter Diagrams

• Where are the biggest opportunities? - Pareto

• Links to project storyboard – hints and tips for summarising and presenting the analysis

• Introduction to significance testing approach

BLOCK 3

IMPROVE PHASE

CONTROL PHASE

December 8th

December 9th

Process Analysis: Developing a Future State

• Scoping improvement activity

• Developing a future state map

• Creating flow and Just-In-Time processing

• Mistake Proofing

Developing Alternative Solutions

• Challenges of the improve phase

• Innovation tools

• Generating alternative solutions

Selecting & Validating Solutions

• Solution selection, testing & piloting

• Check list for solution validation

• Implementation planning

Planning for Control

• Developing a control plan

• Choice of control mechanisms Visual Management Systems

Visual Management Boards

• Control Boards

• 5S / Standard Work

Embedding Change

• Managing the phases of resistance to change

• Post implementation reviews

• Managing the transfer of ownership

• Anchoring the change

BLOCK 4

DEFINE REVISITED

MEASURE PHASE

ANALYSE PHASE

January 10th

January 11th

January 12th

January 13th

January 14th

Course Introduction

• Expectations & objectives

• The role of a Black Belt

• Black Belt project selection

Define Phase Revisited

• Scoping complex cross-functional projects

• Use of quality function deployment to understand the voice of the customer

• Benefits calculation & tracking

• Planning for change

Managing your Black Belt Project

Advanced Data Collection Planning

• Planning data collection for Black Belt projects

• Sampling techniques revisited

• Gauge R&R using Minitab

• Checking the measurement system: Attribute Agreement Analysis

• Assessing process control for attribute and variable data

Advanced Statistics & Process Capability Revisited

• Basic statistics and probability revisited

• Probability distributions

• The central limit theorem

• Dealing with non-normal data

• Planning and communicating data analysis

• Process capability revisited – understanding long term and short term capabilities

• Use of Z bench capability metric

Use Of Statistical Process Control In A Transactional Environment

• Control charts for variable & attribute data

• Sub-group size and sampling frequency

• Generating control charts

• Practical implementation of control charts in the workplace

Graphical Analysis In Minitab

• Writing data analysis plans

• Minitab Graphical Tools revisited

• Case Study Exercise

Use Of Significance Testing To Verify The Root Cause

• Introduction to hypothesis testing

• Use of inferential statistics

• Significance testing route map

• Analysis of variable and attribute data

• Power & sample size

• Non-parametric techniques

BLOCK 5

IMPROVE PHASE

CONTROL PHASE

November 1st

November 2nd

November 3rd

November 4th

November 5th

Optimising the Process

• Regression Analysis

• Understanding correlation

• Introduction to simple linear regression

• Application in Lean Sigma Projects

• Introduction to multiple regression

Design Of Experiments

• Introduction to designed experiments (DOE)

• Applications of DOE techniques

• Basic system optimisation

• Screening techniques using DOE

Design the Future State

• Lean process design approach

• Future state value stream mapping revisited

• Flow processing techniques

• Implementing 'pull' in a service environment

• Lean layout

• Takt time, cycle time, standard work, daily management & use of Kanban in a transactional environment

• Use of visual management techniques

Barriers to Developing Flow

• Dealing with fluctuations in customer demand

• Dealing with functional silos – the role of the value stream manager

• Dealing with non repetitive work

• Dealing with complexity

Selling the Lean Vision

• Alternative approaches to developing and communicating the future state

• Building a business case

• Hint and tips for communicating the future state

Control

• Control phase techniques

• Embedding the change within the business

• Application of long term MSA

• Long-term control

Intro to DFSS

• Introduction to design for six sigma and the DMADV methodology

• Links to DMAIC

Leading & Developing Teams

• Role of the change leader

• Selection and forming of effective improvement teams

Implementing Change

• Putting the plan into action

• Monitor & control

• Managing resistance

Embedding Change

• New ways of working become the norm

• Maintaining momentum

• Transferring ownership

Anchoring the Change