Continuous improvement, problem solving, and innovation

[wagner]

I am currently on a cross-functional team at work that has the task of designing, building, and facilitating a class about continuous improvement, problem solving, and innovation all within the business world.

 

I know there are some very smart and successful people on CR, what would you want to see in a class like this if it was being facilitated at your company? I’m trying to be innovative and pull some thoughts from people outside my organization to make this class have an impact.

 

One of the main ideas of the class is how continuous improvement, problem solving, and innovation all tie into each other overall.

 

Any useful feedback would be appreciated.

[Exodus]

Are you using the ITIL or Lean IT methodology for this class?

[miller11386]

Is this an entry level class for people or is this a "train the trainer" style class to understand the principals behind cross functional teams and continuous improvement?

 

In either case the biggest item is having drive from the top down on CI. Without management support, everything in CI is tossed by the way side when everyone gets out of an event and goes back to "there real jobs"

 

As I have quite a bit of lean experience, If I was taking the class, I would want to know more of the theory and techniques to utilize during an event.

[Cordell]

How do you teach people to have common sense, think outside the box, and improve their situation with said thoughts?

 

Best of luck Wagner, because as smart as you are, getting people to open their mind to those ideas sounds like an uphill battle. Sorry I don't have any awesome ideas to share, just wanted to post my two cents.

[wagner]

Are you using the ITIL or Lean IT methodology for this class?

 

I'm not 100% sure what those are, but would like to know in case we can use it.

 

Is this an entry level class for people or is this a "train the trainer" style class to understand the principals behind cross functional teams and continuous improvement?

 

In either case the biggest item is having drive from the top down on CI. Without management support, everything in CI is tossed by the way side when everyone gets out of an event and goes back to "there real jobs"

 

As I have quite a bit of lean experience, If I was taking the class, I would want to know more of the theory and techniques to utilize during an event.

 

This class is something anybody can take in the organization, its not a train the trainer style class.

 

A big point to all of the classes our internal training provides is that what we go over in class are things you can take back to your desk and use them right away.

 

Some of what we teach is going to seem "simple" to some, but the way the courses are set up there will be something you can pull from it.

[wagner]

How do you teach people to have common sense, think outside the box, and improve their situation with said thoughts?

 

Best of luck Wagner, because as smart as you are, getting people to open their mind to those ideas sounds like an uphill battle. Sorry I don't have any awesome ideas to share, just wanted to post my two cents.

 

Well, with activities and content we provide in the class. People who sign up for these usually have an open mind and want to learn something or get a fresh take.

 

 

One of the things we are going to teach in the class is a problem resolution flow chart. Yes, it seems simple and common sense, but we all know common sense is not common practice.

 

This will then tie back into the idea that you can use innovation to help solve your daily work problems.

 

We use NASA as an example of innovation and problem solving in the class.

[Exodus]

Pm me your email and I'll send you some documents. Also, will your company be using traction to record CI projects?

[miller11386]

A big point to all of the classes our internal training provides is that what we go over in class are things you can take back to your desk and use them right away.

 

So this is for an office environment? Not a manufacturing environment?

[wagner]

So this is for an office environment? Not a manufacturing environment?

 

Yes, but I'm open to any kinds of thoughts to see if they spark something in our team that is running the class.

 

We are trying to be innovative in how we build this class.

[Farkas]

Are you using the ITIL or Lean IT methodology for this class?

 

Nationwide has put forward both methodologies in our workplace.

[Exodus]

Nationwide has put forward both methodologies in our workplace.

I know I'm over in 250.

[Farkas]

I know I'm over in 250.

 

Howdy neighbor.. Plaza 3 data center over here!

[Miller]

I don't think IT specific methodology is the rabbit hole that Wagner needs to go down for his class. He could speak at a higher level to maybe process improvement and project management. NW uses ESDM/Agile and Waterfall.

[Trouble Maker]

I'm not sure how it would apply here, but one of the things I love about working at Honda is the 'open doors' type of environment. No one at any level is considered less than or more than in a problem solving situation. Of course, people are people, and there is still some hierarchic. But this is organization is flater and larger at the same time than anywhere I've ever worked at or even talked to anyone about them working at.

 

As someone else mentioned, it's really a top down, total organization mindset, that seems to make the best environment for things like innovation, creative problem solving and continuous improvement. Since these things require mgmt to allow people the freedom to work in their own way rather than 'the way that's always worked'.

 

Another good byproduct is that, for the given size of the origination, these things can help a place become more agile and flexible.

 

It's also amazing about how much better of a work environment these types of policies can create when they are fully embraced. Do you want to work in a place where your ideas are constantly shot down or a place where, when you have a good idea, they are given a chance?

[wagner]

I don't think IT specific methodology is the rabbit hole that Wagner needs to go down for his class. He could speak at a higher level to maybe process improvement and project management. NW uses ESDM/Agile and Waterfall.

 

Yes, I'm looking at a level above a specific job function, and more of the high level things that can be used anywhere.

[C-Mart]

I've found this is more about being part of a culture that empowers and values positive change than training people to find it. You likely have some people that 'get it' whether they have received formalized training or not, but he key is them identifying the problem, developing the solution, and seeing it through to implementation with the support of management.

[miller11386]

Yes, I'm looking at a level above a specific job function, and more of the high level things that can be used anywhere.

 

Techniques to identify problems & Solutions

cost/benefit matrix

5 Why exercises

Spaghetti diagrams/Time studies

Value stream mapping

etc

 

 

If you want to know more, feel free to contact me. I have always wanted to get into Lean consulting.

[Turbs3000]

Teach the greatest skill anyone could ever need, how to convince those above you that your idea is better.

[ShowHBK]

Teach the greatest skill anyone could ever need, how to convince those above you that your idea is better.

 

[ShowHBK]

Is the advice you are looking for more on the delivery side of things, content side of things, or both?

 

Would this be your first time teaching something to a group of people or do you do this everyday?

 

I ask, because I don't want to give advice you might already know. I have had multiple instances of teaching groups of adults and kids, but I am not sure of your capacity or experience with teaching something. I am willing to offer plenty or tips and information about content delivery if you are rusty on that.

[Rustlestiltskin]

[wagner]

Is the advice you are looking for more on the delivery side of things, content side of things, or both?

 

Would this be your first time teaching something to a group of people or do you do this everyday?

 

I ask, because I don't want to give advice you might already know. I have had multiple instances of teaching groups of adults and kids, but I am not sure of your capacity or experience with teaching something. I am willing to offer plenty or tips and information about content delivery if you are rusty on that.

 

I have been training people for a very long time, I'm looking for some extra ideas on content that we can stir into this cake.

 

We pretty much have most of the course objectives built and high level stuff in place.

 

I've got some good stuff from other contacts and I know there are some people on here that can provide useful things.

[wagner]

Teach the greatest skill anyone could ever need, how to convince those above you that your idea is better.

 

That's the sales has a class on that, they are on their own little island...

[ShowHBK]

I have been training people for a very long time, I'm looking for some extra ideas on content that we can stir into this cake.

 

We pretty much have most of the course objectives built and high level stuff in place.

 

I've got some good stuff from other contacts and I know there are some people on here that can provide useful things.

 

yea, sounds a little out of my area of expertise. I mainly would have given teaching advice on delivering the content, but from what you say I would not want to insult you and tell you something you already know. haha, best of luck with the class man... there are people on CR who know more about the content then I would.

[DavidBaustert]

I'm not sure how it would apply here, but one of the things I love about working at Honda is the 'open doors' type of environment. No one at any level is considered less than or more than in a problem solving situation. Of course, people are people, and there is still some hierarchic. But this is organization is flater and larger at the same time than anywhere I've ever worked at or even talked to anyone about them working at.

 

As someone else mentioned, it's really a top down, total organization mindset, that seems to make the best environment for things like innovation, creative problem solving and continuous improvement. Since these things require mgmt to allow people the freedom to work in their own way rather than 'the way that's always worked'.

 

Another good byproduct is that, for the given size of the origination, these things can help a place become more agile and flexible.

 

It's also amazing about how much better of a work environment these types of policies can create when they are fully embraced. Do you want to work in a place where your ideas are constantly shot down or a place where, when you have a good idea, they are given a chance?

 

This is probably my least favorite thing about working here. I feel like this concept actually constricts us to always doing the same things. Those who are very good at what they do are rewarded the exact same as those who constantly fuck things up. I would venture to say we're 10-15 years behind the curve in automation technology. We're just moving from COAX to Ethernet based networking for our machine data collection.

 

As far as the training goes, ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS TRAINING!!!! Another place I think new hires can benefit are the steps to solving a problem. I see it all too often that kids come in and are very anxious to hit the ground running, but skip over the first steps of solving a problem (understanding the cause of the problem, understanding that relieving symptoms of the problem isn't the same as solving the problem, etc.).