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IMPROVEMENT FUNDAMENTALS

Knowledge, Enthusiasm
and Ideas for Change

Popular courses and simulations unlock the power of your people to contribute efficiency, service, speed and satisfaction gains.

How do we make improvement ideas accessible, compelling and fun?

Common Sense

Improving things should not be mystical or technical.  Most core ideas of Lean Six Sigma, etc. are tried and true principles (even if not as common as they could be).

Improving Improvement

Most groups are already looking for better ways to work.  Continuous improvement training offers ways to make those efforts more successful.

Positive Energy

Drawing from real-life examples or one of our interactive simulations, the goal is to unlock people’s creative and practical thinking—making improvement rewarding and fun.

Flexibility

Strict rules about how to do improvement only turn people off.  More powerful are guidelines and smart practices that can be adapted to the situation.

Change Management

We infuse change management principles throughout our training to arm participants with the knowledge necessary to help make improvements stick.

Improvement Simulations

Sigma Station™ - Classroom or Virtual

Executives to Front-line Staff

This acclaimed program is a powerful way to give people a direct connection to what innovative, customer-driven business improvement is all about.  Playing roles in a growing media business—Sigma Station—participants are challenged to operate, analyze and improve a real-life process.  The simulation provides a platform to learn and practice some of the most important Lean and Continuous Improvement methods, from listening to customers and identifying problems to eliminating waste and measuring results.

Companies as diverse as Genentech, BP, adidas, Charles Schwab, Cisco and Kaiser Permanente – to name a few – have used Sigma Station™ as an engaging and effective way to build knowledge and enthusiasm.

Spectrum Solutions™ - Classroom

Managers, Supervisors, Front-line staff

A fun, fascinating activity designed specifically for operations and production groups. Participants in Spectrum Solutions prepare made-to-order “rainbows” of colored liquid for demanding customers, with strict quality and delivery-time requirements.  They must master the production process, work with others, track errors and identify non-value-adding activities, while driving down cycle time and boosting yield.  And they learn some fascinating facts about how liquids behave!  Proven highly engaging and a valuable learning platform for teams around the world.

Foundational Continuous Improvement Workshops and e-Learning

Core Concepts of Lean Six Sigma/Continuous Improvement

½ to 1 day

Combined with one of Pivotal’s Simulation activities, this workshop is a fast and powerful way to learn about the basics of Continuous Improvement and can be used as awareness and basic skill-building, or as a lead-in to a Green Belt program.  Participants learn to ask essential questions to clarify problems and develop improvements, then see the impact of their work.  Techniques and tools covered include problem statements, process mapping, voice of the customer, 8 wastes, data charts and more.

Continuous Improvement Yellow Belt Training

2 days

Designed for individuals needing more than an “introduction”—for example to participate in a Kaizen event or work on an improvement team—this workshop provides more “how-to” instruction and exposure to additional tools and practice opportunities.  Hands-on practice is provided through a case study or actual business improvement project.

nLighten

90 minute Self-paced E-learning

Through an entertaining, thought-provoking business scenario, nLighten is a convenient and effective introduction to customer- and data-focused process improvement.  Participants learn foundational concepts and work through a case simulation where they control the steps, learn the outcomes and verify their understanding through “checkpoint” quizzes.

A practical solution for social distancing, busy schedules, or large groups—and effective in the early stages of a CI program or as a vehicle to expand knowledge and enthusiasm.

Energize and expand improvement capability across your organization.