Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Certificate Course

The Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Certificate Course provides an introduction to the two of the most popular business process methodologies being employed by corporations across the globe. Our Six Sigma Online courses introduce the different concepts and philosophies that has helped eliminate defects and waste in business processes.

Key Learning Objectives

• Develop a 360 degree view of Six Sigma and how it can be implemented in any organization
• Identify the fundamentals of lean manufacturing, lean enterprise and lean principles
• Describe the key dimensions of quality - product features and freedom from deficiencies
• Develop attributes and value according to the Kano Model
• Understand how products and services that have the right features and are free from deficiencies can promote customer satisfaction and attract and retain new customers
• Describe what is required to regulate a process
• Give examples of how poor quality affects operating expenses in the areas of appraisal, inspection costs, internal failure costs and external failure costs
• Using basic techniques such as DMAIC and how to identify Six Sigma Projects
• Use specific criteria to evaluate a project
• Discover root causes of a problem
• Design and install new controls to hold the gains and to prevent the problem from returning

Lean Process and Six Sigma Online – Requirements

The Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Certificate Course is delivered 100 percent online 24/7 and only takes 6 to 8 hours of study to complete. 

To complete this course, a student must:

• Have access to the internet and the necessary technical skills to navigate the online learning resources
• Have access to any mobile device with internet connectivity (laptop, desktop, tablet)
• Be a self-directed learner
• Possess sound language and literacy skills

Quick Course Facts

1. Course content is structured for easy comprehension
2. Approximately 6 to 8 hours of study is needed to complete the course
3. Registered students gain unrestricted lifetime access to the Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Certificate Course
4. All course material is available online 24/7 and can be accessed using any device
5. Study online from anywhere in your own time at your own pace
6. All students who complete the course will be awarded with a certificate of completion

Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Course – Outline

Module One - Getting Started

Module Two - Understanding Lean

In this part of the Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Certificate course, we discuss two of the most popular business processes today.

About Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a structured, data-driven process of solving critical issues from a business perspective. It uses the Sigma capability or Z for measurement. This measurement can be used to measure business processes in terms of its capability to stay within the quality limits established for that process.

About Lean

“Lean” means continuously improving towards the ideal and achieving the shortest possible cycle time through the tireless reduction of waste.

History Behind Lean

The term “lean manufacturing” was coined in the 1980’s and has its roots in the Toyota Production System. Most of the goals in the lean system are based on common sense.

Toyota Production Systems

This is a management system that embraces continuous improvement. It is based on the approach created by the founders of Toyota.

The Toyota Precepts

• Challenge
• Kaizen
• Genchi Genbutsu
• Respect
• Teamwork

Module Three - Liker's Toyota Way

This module looks into Toyota’s philosophies which have become a pinnacle of modern manufacturing.

Principles and Philosophy

• Principle 1: Base your management decisions on a long-term philosophy, even at the expense of short-term financial goals.
• Process
• Principle 2: Most Business Processes are 90% Waste and 10% Value-Added Work.
• Principle 3: Use a pull system to avoid overproduction.
• Principle 4: Level out the workload (Heijunka). 
• Principle 5: Build a culture of stopping to fix problems, to get quality right the first time.
• Principle 6: Standardized tasks and processes are the foundation for continuous improvement and employee empowerment.
• Principle 7: Use visual control so no problems are hidden.
• Principle 8: Use only reliable, thoroughly tested technology that serves your people and processes.
• People and Partners
• Principle 9: Grow leaders who thoroughly understand the work, live the philosophy, and teach it to others.
• Principle 10: Develop exceptional people and teams who follow your company’s philosophy.
• Principle 11: Respect your extended network of partners and suppliers by challenging them and helping them improve.
• Principle 12: You need to go and see for yourself to thoroughly understand the situation (Genchi Genbutsu).
• Principle 13: Make decisions slowly by consensus, thoroughly considering all options; implement decisions rapidly (Nemawashi).
  Principle 14: Become a learning organization through relentless reflection (Hansei) and continuous improvement (Kaizen).

Module Four - The TPS House

We discuss the Toyota Production System, the blueprint for a Lean Enterprise and one of the most recognizable symbols of modern manufacturing.

The Goals of TPS

• Overburden or stress in the system (Muri)
• Inconsistency (Mura)
• Waste (Muda)

The First Pillar: Just In Time (JIT)

JIT refers to making what the customer needs, when it is needed, in the right amount. Ideally, this means nothing is produced unless a customer is identified, and the product is ordered.

The Second Pillar: Jidoka (Error-Free Production)

This refers to a process which starts from the time an operator detects an error on an assembly line until the problem is resolved.

Kaizen (Continuous Improvement)

This is a Japanese term that translates to continuous improvement. The continuous cycle has seven phases, these are:

• Identify an opportunity
• Analyze the process
• Develop an optimal solution
• Implement the solution
• Study the results
• Standardize the solution
• Plan for the future

The Foundation of the House

Also called Heijunka and means “leveling”. It refers to a method of reducing waste by producing goods at a steady rate. The Foundation of the House aims to make production more predictable and prevent sudden spikes in production.

Module Five - The Five Principles of Lean Business

In this section of the Lean Process and Six Sigma Online Certificate course, we take a close look into five great principles also known as Womack’s principles.

• Value – the voice of the customer or the value of a product or service as understood from the customer’s point of view
• Value Stream – mapping the process and following the actual path taken by the part in the plant
• Flow – process of obtaining raw materials until the completed order flows to the customer
• Pull – in this philosophy, operations benefit from reduced recycle time, reductions in inventory to improved customer service levels
• Seek Perfection – this is the result of identifying value from the customer perspective, eliminating waste, using Pull production, and continuous improvement in these 3 areas

Module Six - The First Improvement Concept (Value)

The Kano model is product development and customer satisfaction theory.

Basic Characteristics

• Must-be attributes
• Performance attributes
• Surprise and delight factors

Satisfiers

• Competitive Analysis
• Interviews, Surveys
• Search Logs
• Usability Testing
• Customer Forums

Delighters

• Field Research
• Marketing/Branding Vision
• Industrial Design
• Packaging
• Call Center Data
• Site Logs

Applying the Kano Model

• Identify the Voice of the Customer
• Analyze and rank the voice of the customer. Then rank into categories called Critical to Quality Characteristics (CTQs):
• Dissatisfied – Must be – Cost of Entry
• Satisfier – More is better – Competitive
• Delighter – Latent Need – Differentiator
• Evaluate Current Performance

Module Seven - The Second Improvement Concept (Waste)

Muda refers to the waste and work that does not add value to the product. This module discusses Muda and how to eliminate waste.

Muda

• Unnecessary Motions
• Waiting for work and materials
• Transportations
• Overproduction
• Processing
• Inventories
• Corrective Operation (rework and scrap)

Mura

Variations in the operation process

Muri

Placing excessive demand on equipment, facilities, and people caused by Mura and Muda

The New Wastes

• Waste of untapped human potential.
• Waste of inappropriate systems
• Wasted energy and water
• Wasted materials
• Waste of customer time
• Waste of defecting customers
• Waste of unused creativity

Module Eight - The Third Improvement Concept (Variation)

In this module, we discuss variations, understanding how the system works, and how it will continue to work in the future.

Common Cause

This refers to variations produced by the system itself

Special Cause

Variations brought about by unusual, special situations

Tampering

Variations caused by changes to a process when it does not need adjustment

Structural

These variations are cause by regular, systematic changes in output. These might not be noticed in the short-term but continuous variations can affect long-term processes.

Module Nine - The Fourth Improvement Concept (Complexity)

This part of the course explain how complex product or service tends to be more expensive and add more work.

What Causes Complexity?

• Complexity is the result of developing a variety of offerings, features, and attributes.
• Complexity escalates under sheer volume of back-operational work.

How to Simplify?

• Standardization
• Optimization

Module Ten - The Fifth Improvement Concept (Continuous Improvement)

This module discusses how we could continuously improve by following three basic principles.

• Challenge
• Kaizen
• Genchi Genbutsu

The PDSA Cycle (Plan, Do, Study, Act)

• Plan the change
• Do implement the change on a small scale
• Study the results
• Act on what was learned

The DMAIC Method

• Define
• Measure
• Analyze
• Improve
• Control

Module Eleven - The Improvement Toolkit

This module provides some basic methods and organization advice to improve work and personal life.

Gemba

This refers to the “actual place” or where you create value for your customers. This principle states that engineers must go to the source to understand the full impact of the problem.

Genchi Genbutsu

Genchi Genbutsu means “go and see for yourself.” This contrasts with Western thinking where decisions are usually made behind a desk.

Kaizen

A problem-solving technique to determine the root cause of a problem and involves criticizing every aspect of what one does.

A Roadmap for Implementation

A Six Sigma initiative begins with a deployment program from the top down. Individuals must go through the required training to become certified belts, and projects have to be identified.

Module Twelve - Wrapping Up

Recognition & Accreditation

The courses offered by Courses For Success are unique as they are taught in a step by step process enabling students to complete them quickly and easily, so that you can obtain your qualification sooner. All students who complete the course receive a certificate of completion. Courses For Success is committed to high completion rates and therefore 100% student satisfaction.

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