This workshop is hosted by New England Lean Consulting and Paul Critchley in partnership with Mark Graban
Workshop location: Sheraton Framingham 1657 Worcester Rd, Framingham, MA 01701 (Google Maps)
The price is $399, with a group rate available for 3 or more people registering together. I can also collect payment through PayPal or other means -- choose the "offline" payment option below.
The workshop fee includes lunch, beverages, and a copy of Measures of Success (your choice of a paperback, Kindle, or Apple Books).
NOTE: We are also running this workshop in Hartford, CT on May 23 -- LINK
Measures of Success — Better Metrics and Better Management
The metric has gone up since last month – should we celebrate? Does that mean we have a trend and we’re on the right track? Oh no, that metric is down and is now worse than our goal – should we react and look for a root cause?
The answers to those questions could be yes, no, or maybe.
Join Mark Graban for a full day’s workshop focused on improvement methodologies, with methods applicable to any industry, that will help you be more effective in driving improved performance in your organization. You might think of it as a way to improve your improvement system, especially in the context of strategy deployment and/or Lean daily management.
In the morning, we will start with core concepts from Mark’s latest book, Measures of Success. You’ll learn to distinguish signal (significant changes) from noise (routine fluctuations) in performance metrics, helping you to react less, lead better, and improve more. Instead of reacting to every up and down, we can make better use of our limited time at work to focus and prioritize improvement activities. Attendees will participate in the famed “Red Bead Experiment,” a fun way to bring these lessons to life.
The key questions that we will ask (and answer) about our metrics are:
Question 1: Are we achieving our target or goal?
Question 2: Are we improving?
Question 3: How do we improve, given the situation?
To answer these questions, we will learn how to create and interpret “Process Behavior Charts,” a simple (yet effective) method that helps us understand when we should react to a statistically-significant data point or trend (prompting immediate root cause analysis) and when we should step back and improve the system in a less-reactive, more systematic way, including A3 problem solving. Process Behavior charts also help us prove when improvement efforts have led to meaningful improvement.
Learning and having fun with the Red Bead Experiment
Key points include:
- Learning how to separate signal from noise in management / performance data
- Stop reacting to noise by asking for explanations to every up and down in the data
- Working to improve the system to boost performance… which is different than asking “what went wrong yesterday/last week/last month/last quarter?”
- Traditional management methods like threatening punishment, offering rewards, setting targets, doesn't sustainably improve performance in complex systems
We’ll then look at a number of cases and scenarios that help you build your skills in interpreting Process Behavior Charts and connecting what you see to different improvement modes, like daily Kaizen, A3 problem solving, and Rapid Improvement Events.
You are also invited to bring a chart or a data set from your organization (details about this will be provided), and you’ll be coached in creating and interpreting your own first Process Behavior Chart to use as a proof of concept from your organization. Or, you can practice with provided sample data sets.
This day will give you practical, proven methods to take back to your organization to be used immediately.
Previous participants presenting their first Process Behavior Chart to a previous class
Quotes from past participants:
- “I can't look at the typical charts and graphs the same way anymore after that workshop!”
- “Great session and presenter. I've already started using what I learned and have been sharing with my team.”
- “Made a dry subject (data) engaging. I wasn't ready for the class to be over at the end of the day.”
- “Easy to understand and kept the group involved.”
Mark Graban is an internationally-recognized consultant, published author, professional speaker, and blogger. He builds upon a deep education in engineering and management with practical experience working with executives and frontline employees in multiple industries to synthesize and practice methods including Lean management, continuous improvement, statistical methods, and people-centered leadership approaches.
Mark's motivation is to humbly help others learn how to improve and sustain performance. In his healthcare work, this means improving the quality of care and patient safety, while also reducing cost and improving the workplace experience. Across multiple sectors, goals also include improving the customer (or patient) experience, to help the development of leaders and employees, and to build stronger, more adaptive organizations for the long term.
He has learned, practiced, and taught these methodologies in settings including manufacturing, healthcare, and technology startups. Working independently since 2010, and in partnership with other consulting groups, Mark enjoys working with organizations that are looking for better ways to improve, with leaders who are willing to lead that charge.
Mark also consults part time as a Senior Advisor for healthcare clients with the firm Value Capture. He is also a Senior Advisor to the technology and software company KaiNexus.
Date and Time: May 22, 2019, 8 am to 4:30 pm
