Supply Chain Optimization by applying Lean and Six Sigma

A company’s supply chain is its lifeblood.  The opportunities for improvement and change are numerous once identified.  To dramatically improve the speed, flexibility, and cost of the supply chain requires a structured and systematic approach.  Our proven approach follows the DMAIC Six Sigma operations improvement process, integrates Lean principles, and includes the DMADV Design for Six Sigma process as well.
The following outline describes at a high level how to achieve Supply Chain Continuous Improvement.

1. Mobilize for Improvement and DEFINE the Opportunities
   
   1. Systematically evaluate and select opportunities focusing on tangible improvement
   2. Build and train teams assigned to specific improvement projects
2. MEASURE, Monitor, and Analyze Performance
   
   1. Performance Measurement Indentification
   2. Performance Measurement Tracking
   3. Performance Measurement Monitoring and Analysis
3. ANALYZEand Diagnose the Supply Chain
   
   1. Design of Products and Processes DFSS (Excellence, Assembly, Manufacturability, Installation, Service, and Reliability)
   2. Supply of Raw Materials and Components
   3. Conversion and Production
   4. Fielded Product Reliability and Customer Feedback
4. IMPROVEthe Processes, Products, and Service Delivery
   
   1. Establish and Implement the Required Actions
5. CONTROLthe Processes, Products, and Service Delivery
   
   1. Quality Management System
   2. Monitor the Steady State

Process Predictability Management has applied this process to numerous supply chains with dramatic results.  We can both teach and guide your team to apply these methods to your supply chain.  If you are serious about dramatic and continuous improvement contact us.  We are here to help.

Keys to Successful Operations Improvement

Operations improvement is not magic, but strategically focused hard work. The keys to successful operations improvement include these five elements:

• Performance Metrics tied to business goals and objectives
• Leadership agreement on, and support for, select improvement projects
• Project teams staffed for success
• Project centric training
• Accountability for timely successful project completion

Include these elements sequentially in the operations improvement plan as your strategy for success.

Performance Metrics tied to business goals and objectives

The leadership team reviews the goals and objectives for the business and selects the performance metrics that measure success. Often, Quality Function Deployment (QFD) or a Prioritization Matrix is used to align and rank the performance metrics with the business goals and objectives. The marching orders are now set for the improvement projects.

Leadership agreement on, and support for, select improvement projects

The leadership team reviews the processes across the supply chain from the beginning to the end. Where are the issues? Where do we fall short of expectations? Where is the waste in the system? These questions drive the brainstorming to identify potential improvement projects. A list is made of the projects and incorporated into another QFD or Prioritization Matrix to align and rank the improvement projects with the rated and ranked performance metrics. Using the matrices keeps the prioritization of the projects aligned with the business goals and objectives.

Project teams staffed for success

The leadership team focuses on the top four or five projects based upon the priorities they have agreed on using prioritization matrices. The teams for these projects are selected from the best and the brightest personnel within the organization that have knowledge or skills relevant to the project. Often these individuals are considered too important or too busy to work on improvements. That is the reason for their selections. These personnel decisions answer the question, “Are you serious about making improvements?”

Project centric training

Each project and its assigned team progress through the Lean Six Sigma training and apply the tools and techniques directly on their improvement opportunity. As quickly as methods are learned they are applied to make progress toward the completion of the project following the train and do philosophy. If the opportunity is a process improvement the methodology follows DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control). If the opportunity is a design improvement the methodology follows DMADV (define, measure, analyze, design, and validate), or Design for Six Sigma.

Accountability for timely successful project completion

Success requires the leadership team and the improvement project teams be held accountable to complete the projects in a timely manner. Deliverables based project plans focus the effort of the teams to move through the DMAIC, or DMADV, process phases successfully. Phase exit reviews are held between the project and the leadership teams. Phase exit reviews assure that all parties involved are held accountable to achieve successful strategically focused operations improvement.

Six Sigma and the Bottom Line

Many companies have gone down the path of continuous improvement only to be discouraged by the lack of “breakthrough” results. All of the texts on Total Quality harp on the need for strong commitment from senior management for these initiatives to be successful. What is it that motivates these business leaders? The answer is straightforward; Business Leaders are motivated and driven to achieve bottom line results and increase value to shareholders. Six Sigma provides a structured and rigorous approach with a customer focus that drives benefits to the bottom line.

What is Six Sigma?

• A Program that follows a Structured and Rigorous Approach to Process Improvement
  • Production Processes
  • Service Processes
  • Basically, applicable to all Business Processes

• Where Projects are Identified and Prioritized Based upon “Bang for the Buck”
  • Outwardly Customer Focused
  • Bottom Line Impact Potential is the Key Driver
  • Facilitates allocation of a business’s “scarce” resources to the projects with significant business importance
  • Separates the “Vital Few” from the “Trivial Many”

• Where Specific Targets for Improvement are Base lined and Monitored
  • Cost (hard, soft, and cash flow)
  • Cycle Time
  • Non-Value Adding Activities
  • Rework
  • Failures
  • Defects

The Structured and Rigorous Improvement Process is called DMAIC and is comprised of the following five phases.

• Define
  • In this first phase the projects purpose and scope are defined as well as the initial pass at a business case. Process and Customer information is collected to identify how well the process is meeting customer requirements.
• Measure
  • The goals of the Measure phase are to establish baseline process performance, narrow the focus of the project scope and problem statement, and increase the accuracy of the business case. The output from this phase provides the data necessary for the analyze phase.
• Analyze
  • The goals of the Analyze phase are to identify potential root causes of process issues that directly effect critical to quality customer requirements. Theories are tested and validated with data. The output from this phase is verified causes that lead to solution development in the next phase.

• Improve
  • The goals of the Improve phase are to develop and pilot proposed solutions, validate that they address the root causes of the process issues, and achieve or exceed the expected benefits. Once validated, plans are developed for full-scale implementation of solutions.
• Control
  • The goals of the Control phase are to evaluate the new process performance and compare it to the baseline. The business case is updated with the quantified benefits and booked by finance. Standards, documentation, and training in the new process are completed. Process controls are institutionalized to maintain the gains and identify further opportunities for continued improvement.

Teams utilizing the five phases of DMAIC can deliver breakthrough improvements to business processes. This is the road to the Six Sigma stretch goal of 3.4 defects per million opportunities.

How Do Six Sigma Efforts Impact the Bottom Line?

• Income Statement Elements affected:
  • Reduces Cost of Goods Sold
  • Increases Gross Margin
  • Reduces Operating Expenses
  • Increases Net Income
  • Positive Impact on Profitability Ratios
  • Increases Return on Sales
  • Increases Return on Investment

• Balance Sheet Elements affected:
  • After Processes are Improved and Stabilized
  • Inventory Reductions Become Possible
  • Impacts Activity and Efficiency Ratios
  • Increases Asset Turnover
  • Increases Inventory Turnover
  • Decreases Inventory on Hand

Reductions of 10%-30% in both Cost of Goods Sold and Operating Expenses are common, with most companies averaging 20% reductions.

• Consider this example:
  • $200M Sales
  • $100M Cost of Goods Sold
  • $90M Operating Expenses
  • $5M Depreciation and Interest
  • Return on Sales ratio of 2.5%
  • $100M Total Assets
  • Asset Turnover Ratio is 2.0
• Given a conservative reduction of 10% in both COGS and OE from a Six Sigma implementation the Return on Sales increases from 2.5% to 12%.
• Without any balance sheet improvements the Return on Investment Ratio increases from 5% to 24%.
• Inventory is generally addressed after processes have been improved and the need to carry excess inventory to meet customer demand has been reduced.
• A project to reduce the cycle time on the accounts receivable process is often addressed early on in six sigma implementations.

How Do Six Sigma Efforts Do It?

• The key to Six Sigma successes at achieving bottom line improvements is following a Structured and Rigorous Improvement Process that is Customer Focused.

The DMAIC Process comprises the following:

• Define Elements
  • Project Charter and Business Case
  • High Level Process Map called a SI P O C
  • Suppliers to the process
  • Inputs to the process
  • Process steps (5-7 at this level of detail)
  • Outputs from the process steps
  • Customers of the process outputs
  • Voice of the Customer information
  • Needs
  • Drivers
  • CTQs (Critical to Quality Requirements)

• Measure Elements
  • Data Collection Plan
  • Sampling Strategy for Collecting the Data
  • Measurement System Analysis
  • Data Collection
  • Graphically Assessing Patterns in the Data
  • Establishing the Baselines from which to Measure Improvements
  • Business Case Metrics
  • Process Sigma Levels

• Analyze Elements
  • Organize potential root causes using:
  • Affinity Diagrams
  • Cause & Effect Diagrams
  • Process Analysis
  • Analyze Cycle Time
  • Identify Value Added and Non-Value Added activities
  • Data Analysis
  • Identify variation over time
  • Identify relationships between process inputs and outputs
  • Hypothesis Testing (Theory Testing)
  • Does one or more of the potential root causes actually make a difference?
  • Here is where we answer those questions.
  • Regression Analysis of Historical Data
  • Identify the process variables that if controlled, allow us to predict with great certainty the outcome of the process.
  • For example, what is the time (+/- some number of minutes) and the temperature (+/- some number of degrees) that will cook the perfect pizza based upon historical customer feedback of their critical to quality preferences?
  • Design of Experiments
  • Testing that is designed to specifically identify which process variables affect process outputs and is conducted in a controlled fashion.
  • Provides the ability to test many variables where historical data may not have existed, or was not collected in a manner allowing analysis.

• Improve Elements
  • Develop potential solutions using Brainstorming and Advanced Creativity methods.
  • Conduct FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) to assess risks and potential failures of the proposed solutions. Try to understand and determine what could go wrong?
  • Rate the severity of a potential failure.
  • Rate the Occurrence of a potential failure.
  • Rate the ability to detect the existence of the failure.
  • Identify the best solutions to minimize failures, or defects.
  • Test the best possible solutions in a pilot implementation.
  • Using the Analyze phase tools answer the question, “Is there a difference with the new method versus the old method?”
  • Select the solutions that actually make a difference.
  • Plan for full-scale implementation.
  • Implement the solutions on a full-scale basis.

• Control Elements
  • Determine and implement process controls.
  • Develop, Document, and Implement Standards.
  • Procedures
  • Policies
  • Operational Definitions
  • Monitor process performance metrics.
  • Evaluate the improvement from the baseline to the current improved state.
  • Determine and quantify the improvement in terms of cost, cost avoidance, revenue enhancement, cycle time, and customer satisfaction.
  • Close the project and celebrate a job well done by the Six Sigma team.

Six Sigma is not just another “Quality” program like TQM, or Quality Circles, but one that has teeth rooted in the financials of the business. Projects are only undertaken if they meet strict business case guidelines set by the senior management team. Not all projects make the cut. Some typical minimum thresholds for a green belt project are $150k cost or expense reduction, $500k cost avoidance, or $1000k cash flow depending on the nature of the business process. The first wave of 5 to 7 projects, completed within 12 to 14 weeks after green belt training, should yield $1 to $2 Million in annualized benefits. That’s bottom line “breakthrough” results.

DMAIC or DMADV, Which Process to Choose?

To choose the proper process for the improvement project requires a brief understanding of each of the acronym based processes of DMAIC and DMADV.  DMAIC is namely Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. Its five phases are geared toward breakthrough improvements in products, processes, and service delivery.  DMADV is namely Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Validate.  Its five phases are geared toward development of new products, processes, or service delivery.

Choosing which process to follow can be a little confusing at the outset of an improvement project where the names of the first three phases for each of the processes is exactly the same.  To clarify the differences in the first three phases in DMAIC it’s clearly spelled out as Define, Measure, and Analyze with no hidden meanings.  In DMADV the definitions need clarification:

• Define - Development Project Definition


• Measure – Product, Process, or Service Delivery Requirements Definition


• Analyze - Product, Process, or Service Delivery Conceptual Design

If the project’s goal is to develop a new product, process, or service delivery than clearly the process to follow is DMADV, which is a five phased development process.  If the project’s goal is to improve an existing product, process, or service delivery than clearly the process to follow is DMAIC, right?  In most cases it is, but if the existing situation is so broken and just fixing it won’t provide the ability to meet or exceed customer requirements a course correction to DMADV from DMAIC is in order.

Was time wasted by starting off with DMAIC?  The Define and Measure phases in the DMAIC process generate deliverables that will be essential in the development project.  The Analyze phase provides great detail about the failure modes that a new product, process, or service delivery will have to mitigate to be successful.  Time wasn’t wasted, but the conversion from DMAIC to DMADV should take place during the Analyze phase at the latest.  Often after the Measure phase it is clear that a new development is required to meet customer expectations.

From the outset if the project is a new development it is DMADV.  Otherwise, start with DMAIC and course correct if it is determined that redesign is required for the product, process, or service delivery.  Time will not have been wasted unless you don’t course correct.

Where is Lean Six Sigma Applicable?

Lean Six Sigma is a five phased improvement process that employs tools and techniques to meet, or exceed customer requirements. If your organization has external customers, internal customers, or suppliers then opportunities exist to apply Lean Six Sigma.

In every case, the improvement team defined the issues that were getting in the way of satisfying customer requirements. Measurements were used to establish a baseline of the current state of performance. Analysis was conducted on the measurement information to isolate the root causes of the issues. Creative solutions were then developed to improve performance beyond the current state. To assure that the issues resolved remained resolved controls were implemented. The preceding illustrated the Lean Six Sigma process of Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. The following are examples from numerous organizations.

Sales and Marketing

Order cycle time reduction

Promotional marketing effectiveness

Sales support efficiency

Healthcare

Discharge cycle time and cost reduction

Medication dispensing efficiency

Reduction in non-reimbursed claims

Bio-Hazardous waste reduction

Supply Chain Management

Supply chain cycle time and inventory reduction

Tactical corrective action process effectiveness

Enhanced supplier communications

Specification and revision control management

Education

School bussing system optimization

Athletic field water management

Curriculum effectiveness

Hotel and Hospitality

Purchasing and logistics for cruise ship consumables

Hotel supplies inventory management

Restaurant supplies inventory management

Defense Systems and Military

Light vehicle armor kit quality, delivery, and cost improvement

Gun and guided missile system cost reduction

Capture and disseminate field lessons learned cycle time reduction

Training material update and global distribution cycle time reduction

Manufacturing

Inventory management and control

Assembly operations cycle time, cost, and inventory reduction

Production yield improvement and cost reduction

Furniture finishing quality and consistancy

Lean Six Sigma is applicable for any organization’s operating processes, delivery of services, or their production of products.

Lean Six Sigma DMAIC Analyze Phase Course

New eLearning course just launched.

The Analyze Phase Course of the Lean Six Sigma DMAIC Improvement Process is now available via eLearning. Learn the tools and methods to dissect your process, product, or service delivery issues. Learn how to uncover the root causes of the problems and quantify their impact on your customers.

The Analyze Phase covers Lean Root Cause Analysis, Hypothesis Testing, Teamwork Listening and Thinking Skills, Linear Regression, and Design of Experiments. The course features hands on exercises with video demonstrations of software tools and the breakout exercises. You will become proficient with the Minitab Statistical Software Package along the way.
We provide plenty of spreadsheet tools to help you with breaking down your problems.

Sign up for this course Today, its only $299.95 and you can take it at your own pace.

To view the course details Click Here

Lean Six Sigma Certification Training at Missouri State

Management Development Institute brings you Green Belt and Black Belt Certification Training at the Missouri State University Campus in Springfield, MO

MDI provides training so you can Learn, Lead, and Succeed.

Fall 2009

Green Belt

September 14-18, 2009

October 12-16, 2009

Black Belt

September 14-18, 2009

October 12-16, 2009

November 16-20, 2009

December 7-11, 2009

4 Week Black Belt Certification Training: $4995

2 Week Green Belt Certification Training: $2995

Ask about team discounts

Contact Belinda Davis the MDI Course Manager with any questions or to Bulk Register a Team. bdavis@missouristate.edu

How does the Certification Process Work?

Green Belts complete the first 2Wks of training, complete a verifiable Lean Six Sigma Project, and submit a project report per the guidelines and format provided.

Black Belts complete the 4Wks of training, complete 2 verifiable Lean Six Sigma Projects, and submit project reports per the guidelines and format provided.

Master Black belts are awarded after completion of 5 verifiable Lean Six Sigma Projects, and submission of project reports per the guidelines and format provided.

Our certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belts can:

Lead a project team through the 5 phases of DMAIC and apply Lean and Six
Sigma methods to achieve quantifiable improvements

Conduct analysis using spreadsheets and Minitab statistical software

Uncover and implement solutions to operations issues

Our certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belts can:

Organize multiple project improvement teams

Apply advanced statistical methods

Apply advanced Lean and Six Sigma methods

Coach and facilitate multiple operations improvement projects

Course instructor is Charlie Carpenter from EducateVirtually.com

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course Curriculum Click here to review course details

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Course Curriculum Click here to review course details

Register for the Fall course offering at the Management Development Institute Click here for the MDI course homepage

Contact Belinda Davis the MDI Course Manager with any questions or to Bulk Register a Team. bdavis@missouristate.edu

Lean Root Cause Analysis

Do you have processes that don’t perform the way you would like them to?

Do you have processing errors and customer complaints?

Does it seem like nothing ever gets out the door on time?

Are you tired of the inefficiencies and waste in your processes?

If you are in this situation then finding the root causes in your processes is the answer. Lean Root Cause Analysis begins with mapping of the current state, which is where you are now. All it takes is a walk through review of your current process, a digital camera to capture actual evidence, some sticky notes, sharpies, and a roll of brown paper.

Depicting the current state of your process on a Process Map, whether it is a Value Stream Map or a Deployment Process Map, gives you a visual representation from the beginning to the end of your process. You will be able to take a step back and review what’s actually going on objectively.

Photographs provide reminders of what is actually taking place. Sometimes the photos show some pretty scary things taking place in the process.

Information that should also be captured are cycle times, processing times, lead times, quantities of good and bad process outputs, travel distances, and inventory. The list is not all encompassing, but a good start.

The next step is to classify and quantify the Value Adding activities and the Non Value Adding Activities. We define Value Adding activities as ones that (1) the customer considers to be important and would be willing to pay for them, (2) the “THING” that travels through the process is physically changed, and (3) the process activity is done correctly the first time through the process. All three requirements must be met or the process activity is considered to be Non Value Adding.

To reduce or eliminate the Non Value Adding activities in the process requires an understanding of the root causes that created the need for them. We use Cause and Effect Diagrams, Failure Mode Effects Analysis, and 5 Why Brainstorming to uncover the root causes.

Devise your corrective actions and implement the improvements. Sounds pretty easy and it can be. Just follow the 5 step DMAIC improvement process. Define your current state, measure what is actually happening, analyze the information to uncover the root causes, develop creative solutions to improve the process, and then implement the solutions and install controls to maintain your gains.

If you need some help getting started then take our course Lean Root Cause Analysis

The Lean Root Cause Analysis course teaches practical application tools for uncovering the root causes in your processes. Lean concepts are demonstrated with a simulation. You will then learn how to define your current state and uncover the root causes that are the impediments to your future state success. Budget friendly at only $69.95

Register for a Course Today at EducateVirtually.com

Measuring Improvement without Data

When faced with a process that cycles infrequently it is often deemed impossible to measure the improvement from the current state to the future state. It doesn’t have to be.

FMEA (failure mode effects analysis) can be used to show before and after improvements based upon the difference in RPN (risk priority number) Score. The question then becomes, “What does an RPN reduction of 500 points actually mean from an improvement standpoint?”

We have developed a table that links the RPN Score to Process Yield which in turn links to Process Sigma. By using the table we can calculate the improvement in Process Sigma from the current state to the future state.

To see how this concept works take our Free Nano Course. Complete topics in 5 minutes or less. (this course is actually about 8 minutes, oops)

To see the Nano Courses available visit EducateVirtually.com

This Nano sized course introduces FMEA, RPN, and converting RPN to Process Sigma Level.

FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is a powerful tool for identifying, defining, and quantifying root causes to operations issues.

The RPN (Risk Priority Number) is calculated by multiplying the severity score times the occurrence score times the detection score.

The RPN quantifies the impact of a potential root cause providing the means to rank the root causes.

This is how we separate the vital few from the trivial many.

Converting the RPN into a Process Sigma Level is shown in a handy table.

When processes cycle infrequently the FMEA, RPN, and conversion to Process Sigma level provide the means to quantify the improvement.

Try a Nano Course, then Register for a Course Today!

More Free Nano Sized Courses

Our Nano courses cover complete topics in 5 minutes or less. These courses are offered for Free!

Take one today, then register for a full sized course that you can take at your leisure, when the time is right for you.

The New Nano Courses

TAKT Time and Process Flow are explained in this Nano course. Our bucket and spigot analogy fully illustrates the concept. Take this course today in less than 5 minutes!

Classifying Customer Wants and Needs Statements using the Kano Model. This Nano course includes an interactive quiz. Take this course in 5 minutes and 50 seconds

Each Nano Course will cover a Continual Improvement Topic, or Software Application, that supports improvement of products, processes, and service delivery.

Try a Nano Course, then Register for a Course Today!

To see the Nano Courses available visit EducateVirtually.com

Test Your Knowledge of Continual Improvement

Test your knowledge of Continual Improvement Methods

Six Sigma

Lean

Quality Tools

Statistics

Design Development

Communications

Each Knowledge Test has 5 Interactive Questions

Your Score is provided at the end of the Test

Follow this link Test Your Knowledge

Lean Six Sigma e-Learning - $299.95 per DMAIC Phase

Our premise is to provide the Lean Six Sigma Training by DMAIC phase concurrently while you work on your Lean Six Sigma Project. The format follows a train and do philosophy.

You will learn the deliverables, be provided with the templates to get them done, and have Master Black Belt support via e-mail for review and coaching.

The Define and Measure Phase Courses are currently available.

As you work on your project we provide the training when the time is right for you to coincide with the progress you are making on your project. When you finish the five DMAIC Phases of the Lean Six Sigma e-Learning, and complete your project you will be eligible for a University Certified Green Belt in Lean Six Sigma.

Taking the course by DMAIC Phase as you work a project is a great way to get certified and your organization benefits from the completed improvement project. It’s budget friendly at only $299.95 per DMAIC phase.

For course information visit EducateVirtually.com

Review our Success Stories Results from Applications of Our Training

For further reading Click here for Reference Books we Recommend

Free Nano Courses – “The How To” in 5 minutes or Less!

We offer free Nano sized courses to give you a taste of some e-learning short subjects.

Each Nano Course will cover a Continual Improvement Topic, or Software Application, that supports improvement of products, processes, and service delivery.

Try a Nano Course, then Register for a Course Today!

To see the Nano Courses available visit EducateVirtually.com

Lean Six Sigma Certification Policies: What are they in your organization?

The problem is no organization or entity has been able to define and establish a universal definition that everyone agrees upon. The ASQ established a testing criteria that has gained some acceptance, but still not universal. Many companies have struggled with what the criteria should be. Many consulting and training firms have defined what they think the criteria should be.




The Management Development Institute (MDI) of Missouri State University has stood by a criterion that was established 8 years ago. It has proven to be very successful with green belts becoming black belts and a few achieving the master black belt status. One of these master black belts was awarded the Missouri Quality Award which is analogous to Malcolm Baldrige, but at the state level.




These certified “belts” have been able to effectively conduct Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma projects and drive them to successful outcomes that their companies and organizations are extremely happy with. The total savings on certified projects from this program are close to $20 million dollars at this point with projects completed in the United States, Germany, Mexico, and South Africa.

The MDI criterion is as follows:



• Green Belts – complete the Green Belt Lean Six Sigma Training and successfully complete their 1st Project for their organization.


• Black Belts – complete the Black Belt Lean Six Sigma Training and successfully complete a 2nd Project for their organization.


• Master Black Belts – successfully complete their 3rd, 4th, and 5th Projects for their organizations.

Successful completion requires confirmation from the management team of the organization, documented and submitted project report to MDI MSU, and master black belt review by the instructor.




The key to certification is demonstrating the use of the tools and methods by completing projects that benefit your organization. Your reward is certification!




The instructor for MDI is Charlie Carpenter, President, Process Predictability Management Inc, and founder of EducateVirtually.com.




To find out more please visit EducateVirtually.com

Process Predictability Management Inc Receives Endorsement

Process Predictability Management Inc (PPM) has just received an endorsement of the quality and effectiveness of its training and coaching services from DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc. of St. Louis, Missouri.

Naples, Florida (PRWEB) 22, May, 2009 -- “PPM’s dynamic and entertaining teaching methods create a truly effective learning environment. The instructor’s real-life application of the Lean Six Sigma tool kit allows the students to quickly relate the material to their own workplace and responsibilities. With PPM’s support, DRS Sustainment Systems, Inc., now has a sustaining Six Sigma program which has realized in excess of $3 million in savings.”

Companies, organizations, and individuals want to increase their skill sets through continuing education. PPM’s goal has always been to provide businesses, organizations, and individuals with outstanding, relevant, and high quality course selections that are worthwhile investments in continuing education.

Unfortunately, the cost of on site training is becoming prohibitive in today’s economy. Affordable training available on the internet in a self paced format with testing and certification of course completion is the answer for a company, organization, or an individual.
In keeping with a tradition of excellence in training delivery and to offer affordable alternatives to on-site training PPM launched their website EducateVirtually.com in March, 2009. According to a study completed recently by “Economist Intelligence Unit” the future for continuing education will be the adoption of e-learning and distance learning technologies.

The following is a quote from the study: Global education 20/20: What role for the private sector published by the Economist Intelligence Unit Limited March 2009 report sponsored by Cisco. The survey comprised 211 respondents, 123 from private sector companies and 88 from educational institutions.

“When asked about a range of educational delivery mechanisms, 80% of all respondents – and 86% of those representing an educational institution- say technology and innovation, such as e-learning and distance learning, will be important or very important ten years from now”.

EducateVirtually.com has taken proven live classroom courses that successfully transfer knowledge and skills, and developed self-paced e-learning offerings. The e-learning courses challenge the students with interactive exercises, quizzes, and exams. Formal certificates are issued to the students upon course completion.

PPM will continue to provide training and coaching at client’s locations to meet their needs. The Management Development Institute of Missouri State University has been an affiliate for over 7 years and provides certifications for the Lean Six Sigma and Kaizen Facilitator course offerings.

For additional information about the affordable alternatives to on-site continuing education visit http://www.educatevirtually.com/course-offerings

To view the press release on the newswire visit PRWeb

About Process Predictability Management Inc

The mission of (PPM) has been to provide training, coaching, and facilitation services to drive continual improvement across all aspects of any organization’s supply chain.

Review our Success Stories Results from Applications of Our Training

For further reading Click here for Reference Books we Recommend