essons Learned in Operational Excellence

What are your key takeaways from this course?

• What are your favorite tools that you studied in this course? What do you like most about them?
  • When answering this question, consider: ease of implementation, application to your particular organization, receptivity by your colleagues, etc.
• How have you applied, or how will you apply, these tools? If applicable, what results were achieved?
• What impact has this course had on your professional performancse?

Post your initial response by Wednesday, midnight of your time zone, and reply to at least 2 of your classmates' initial posts by Sunday, midnight of your time zone.​

1st person to respond to

Faith

Hello Professor and class the favorite tool that I have studied in this course would be the six-sigma program. Six Sigma is a set of tools and techniques that are designed to improve business processes which will result in a better product or service. What I like most about the program is that it helps  improve the customer experience, by eliminating defeats in the process. I like how the program  breaks down the different assets and gives you steps on how to go about fixing it. Six Sigma is broken down into DMAIC which means define, measure, analysis, improvement, and control. I plan to use the six sigma program to help increase our customer service. I want to use the tool to maximize the benefits for customers. When I took over this new position I quickly learned that they are not up to date with taking care of the customers. They are just for getting the job done and not caring. I want to install the value of the needs of their customers and the drivers of sales. If I am able to get this the working I would be able to show the customers that they are important and we need them just like they need us. I want our customers to feel like they are valued, and not have the attitude where will feel we can just get new customers. This course has shown me different ways that I can use to help me implement the goals that I want to achieve. It has shown me what actions should be taken when I am trying to enforce something. When I am working on different things, I keep what Mr. Jack said in mind. “Why do we need innovation? Why do we need continuous improvement? There’s very little room for the status quo in any company because your competitors are about three hours from a product to nail you.” (Jack Welch)

JWI 550: Operational Excellence Week Ten Lecture Notes

LinkedIn Learning: Implementation challenges

2nd person to respond to

Karen.

RE: Week 10 DiscussionCOLLAPSE

Hello Class,

What are your favorite tools that you studied in this course?  What do you like most about them?  When answering this questions, consider: Ease of implementation, application to your particular organization, receptivity by your colleagues, etc.

I would have to say, Value Stream Mapping, as I found myself reverting back to the value stream map throughout this course to aide me in my discussion and assignment submissions.  I appreciate that it gives a visual of the process, which in my opinion, caters to a wider audience.  In my organization, I understand that people have their own ways of collaborating, communicating and understanding.  From my experience, the majority of key stakeholders are very receptive to visuals because help connect the dots and provide even further clarification.  Value Stream Maps are also easy to implement in my organization because we collaborate quite frequently across multiple organizations and we generally request a perspective of their respective end to end experience.  It would be more efficient and very eye opening to create an initial value stream map and have each organization build on that value stream map to develop one single birds eye view for us to evaluate.

How have you applied, or how will you apply, these tools?  If applicable, what results were achieved?

We’re always looking ways to improve processes.  While I created my first value stream map in this class, I have grown a profound appreciation for the tool.  I have not achieved any results yet, as I have not formally introduced or applied the tool at work, however, my VSM on improving the pre-order iconic device process has given me new insight into additional gaps in the process that I will be sharing on the next project call.  As we look into planning our 2023 action plan, I will leverage the VSM tool to map out each process along the way to plan our mitigation tactics.

What impact has this course had on your professional performance?

I have a great deal of operations experience so I initially thought this class was going to serve as a great refresher, however, this course helped me understand LEAN and SIX SIGMA more thoroughly and the importance of Design thinking.  We have shifted our operations from your typical project management style to a more agile workplace so I was surprised and relieved that we were able to apply and leverage some of the tools and resources to our discussions and assignments, giving us that first-hand experience.

References

1. Karen Martin & Mike Osterling. December 16, 2023. Value Stream Mapping: How to Visualize Work and Align Leadership for Organizational Transformation. McGraw Hill.