Online Overview Courses

Lean Business/Services Courses + Yellow Belt Certification

The following seven Lean/Continuous Improvement courses are available separately or as a Yellow Belt Program. All are fully interactive self-paced, designed around specific objectives and with criterion-referenced final tests, SCORM and HTML5 compatible.

  • Each course has a main menu page breaking down the major topics of that course.
  • Pages with photos/videos/graphics are presented with both text and matching audio.
  • A previous/next button is used for navigation.
  • There are frequent interactive pages where you answer a question to proceed.
  • Tailored responses to interactive questions are provided with right/wrong choice.
  • The final exam displays, a pass/fail and final score – a default pass mark is 80%.
  • The test attempt and final score are also recorded to the LMS.
  • Participants can review their test responses to understand where they made errors.

About 1 to 1.5 hours/module + the final exam.

Lean/Continuous Improvement Concepts

Participants successfully completing the program will be able to:

  • Describe the benefits of “Going Lean”.
  • Recognize why every organization isn’t Lean.
  • Compare the attitudes and metrics of Lean with those of traditional organizations, and identify some of the obstacles to transformation.
  • Recognize the obstacles you must overcome to become a truly lean organization.

Lean/Continuous Improvement – Value Stream Mapping

Participants successfully completing this course will be able to:

  • Define Value Stream and explain Enterprise Value Stream Mapping and why it is important
  • Identify how and where to begin mapping the current value stream
  • Describe the development of a Future-State Value Stream Map
  • Describe how to develop a Future State Implementation Plan

Lean/Continuous Improvement – Kaizen Events

Participants successfully completing the program will be able to:

  • Describe preparation for a Kaizen event.
  • Describe the parts and functions of a Kaizen team.
  • Describe the first five steps in the Kaizen Event Process.
  • Describe the implement, evaluate, standardize and celebrate steps of the Kaizen process.

Lean/Continuous Improvement – Planning & Charters

Participants successfully completing the program will be able to:

  • Describe Lean as a total system driven systematically by goals and vision.
  • Explain the role of Management in Lean implementation via cycles of activity guided by Hoshin or PDCA.
  • Describe the role, structure, and purpose of charter documents.
  • Describe the typical attributes of a Charter Document and how it relates to Kaizens of differing complexity.
  • Describe the use of the A3 chart and compare/contrast its primary characteristics to a simple Kaizen Charter.
  • Explain the analysis and planning components of an A3.
  • Explain the value of A3 for reporting results.

Lean/Continuous Improvement – 5S

Participants successfully completing the program will be able to:

  • Describe the benefits and implementation of 5S.
  • Describe the benefits and implementation of the “Sort Phase”.
  • Describe the benefits and implementation of the “Set in Order” phase.
  • Describe the benefits and implementation of the “Shine Phase”.
  • Describe the benefits and implementation of the “Standardize Phase”.
  • Describe the benefits and implementation of the “Sustain Phase”.

Lean/Continuous Improvement – Mistake Proofing

Participants successfully completing the program will be able to:

  • Explain the basic concepts behind Mistake Proofing.
  • Describe the key characteristics of mistake proofing and fail-safe methods/devices.
  • Describe the process for implementing mistake proofing.
  • Recognize examples of how mistake proofing has been applied.

Lean/Continuous Improvement – Achieving Flow

Participants successfully completing the program will be able to:

  • Describe the key concepts of flow, including the relationship of flow to value from the customer perspective, customer demand, takt time, variable demand, flow vs push, and issues that prevent flow.
  • Explain how flow within the value stream is analysed, including the role of the EVSM process, identifying process steps and work elements, data gathering and analysis.
  • Describe the steps to remove blockages to flow including workplace organization, motion and transport, change-over/turnover, error proofing, over processing, and attention to people skills.
  • Explain the steps to improve layout for flow.
  • Describe methods for balancing work and facilitating flow.