School of Lean

A general introduction to continuous improvement. Learn what lean is, why it matters, and how to lay the groundwork for a successful lean journey.  

5S is the first place many lean journeys start due to its quick and sustained impact on an organization. Our 5S courses will have you implementing a 5S program in no time.

There are seven (and sometimes 8) types of identified wastes that are keeping your organization from reaching its full potential. This is not just a manufacturing problem, all industries can benefit identifying and eliminating wastes.

Translated the word kaizen means to “change for the better”. In The Kaizen Way you’ll learn exactly what kaizen is and how it’s helping organizations in industries such as manufacturing, office environments, and healthcare reduce costs and increase profits without resorting to massive layoffs. In fact, during The Kaizen Way you’ll hear how one company managed to increase net profits by close to 25% even though their sales were down by 25% the same year!

Do you fully understand your entire production process from end to end?  The best way to get in deep to your business process's is with a tool known as value stream mapping, or VSM for short. In these courses you will see how to create your own value stream maps. Additionally you can also experience simulations used to prove the superiority of flow, over batch production for most processes.

Using the principles of lean thinking with office processes, knowledge work, and service businesses requires both an understanding of the proven methods and of the unique challenges involved in applying them to information flow. This course focuses on putting Value Stream Mapping into context for service processes by introducing several common methods, viewing real life examples, and gaining insight from expert teachers and authors.

We can say that the entire lean manufacturing system is a result of decades of continuous problem solving by all of the people and companies who have contributed to the development of lean systems. The Gemba Academy Practical Problem Solving course explains the exact 8 step problem solving process used by these lean exemplars around the world. In this course you’ll learn why PDCA is much more than 4 simple steps while also learning how to create and use statistical tools like control charts, Pareto charts, and scatter plots.

The Toyota Kata framework turns scientific thinking into a practical skill anyone, and any organization, can learn through the deliberate practice of a four step learning and discovery process.

What are the activities needed on a daily basis to keep your lean journey alive?  The courses presented here will enable your organization's leaders to keep the pulse of your teams through coaching, look for improvement opportunities, communicate visually and perhaps most importantly, go to the gemba.

We can say that the entire lean manufacturing system is a result of decades of continuous problem solving by all of the people and companies who have contributed to the development of lean systems. The Gemba Academy Seven Quality Control Tools course explains the exact 7 tools used by quality control experts. No matter if you work in a factory making “widgets” or in a hospital taking care of patients, the concepts taught in this course will forever change the way you use statistical methods to analyze and control quality. In this course you’ll learn the seven key quality control tools while also learning how to create and use statistical tools like control charts, Pareto charts, and scatter plots.

Explore how A3 thinking can positively impact any organization in any industry. View real-world case studies and hear testimonials from leaders that have benefited from A3s.

In this course focused on introducing the powerful topic of kanban, Ron Pereira explains what kanban are and how to implement some of the most popular kanban systems into a production environment. You'll also receive access to kanban calculators that make the sometimes intimidating math involved simple and easy to handle. Finally, Ron will explain what needs to be in place to ensure kanban success as well as the 6 rules to follow to ensure your kanban system not only survives, but thrives over time.

In this course, you’ll learn how Quick Changeover, or SMED, can be used to streamline your processes and drastically reduce your machine changeover time. While Quick Changeover can be used in virtually any industry, this course features custom foam fabricator Ram Technologies, which saw a 66% improvement after applying this powerful lean tool!

In this course we cover, in great detail, the 4 types of Standard Work that apply to any type of work or industry. You see, contrary to what some think… Standard Work applies to any type of activity no matter if you produce widgets in a factory or do so-called creative work in an office environment.

In this course focused on Built in Quality (BIQ) Chris Schrandt - a former Quality Engineering Manager at the Toyota Georgetown, KY plant - delivers a live workshop to a room full of lean thinkers at the Peterbilt Manufacturing Facility.

In this course, which was filmed in front of a live audience, Mike Wroblewski a senior consultant for the Kaizen Institute, discusses 3P (Production Preparation Process) as it relates to the design of a new healthcare facility such as a hospital.

In this pre-recorded, live training seminar shot at the Peterbilt Manufacturing Training Center in Denton, TX, Mike Wroblewski, a senior lean consultant from Gemba Consulting and the Kaizen Institute explains why Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is not optional for lean thinking companies who rely on machines and equipment to satisfy customer demand. During this course Mike explains what TPM is, and isn’t, while also covering important topics such as the 6 Big Losses and how to measure them using the extremely powerful Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) metric.

While the tools of continuous improvement are obviously important, one thing is certain. If we, as continuous improvement leaders, fail to respect, effectively motivate, and positively influence those around us we will never create strong cultures of kaizen. As such, during this course we will explore the human side of lean in great detail.

In this course, you’ll learn about gemba kaizen and lean from the legendary Mr. Masaaki Imai. Mr. Imai’s powerful way of explaining concepts and the stories he’s gathered over the years make his presentation particularly engaging.

Learn how to create a vision, mission, and then a hoshin plan of long-term, breakthrough, and annual objectives. Learn about catchball and the vital process of reflection to create organizational learning.

Training Within Industry, or TWI for short, is a set of three hands-on, "go to gemba" style training methodologies developed by the United States TWI Service at the beginning of World War II. These three methods are Job Instruction (JI), Job Relations (JR) and Job Methods (JM).

The best way to learn is by doing.  Simulations allow you to demonstrate lean concepts to your teams in a hands-on way, increasing understanding and also key benefits.  It's not enough to just watch our simulations, to truly understand is to run these simulations yourself with your teams.

When implementing Lean, you may find that your accounting practices no longer line up with your business objectives. Our Lean Accounting courses will show you how to line up your Lean activities with your Accounting.

Brad Schmidt, Managing Partner of Gemba Japan, explains the roots of several of the most popular lean terms. As you'll soon realize, Brad loves to talk, smile, and have fun. And the fact he speaks and writes Japanese definitely helps!

The Gemba Glossary series provides a very short description, history, and application of key lean concepts.

Gemba Academy continues to grow its library of Lean and Six Sigma learning resources every day. Along with our brand new videos, we also have a rich archive of content featuring concepts that are as relevant today as they were in the early days of lean. Originally produced by the Kaizen Institute, we are delighted to share with you this video series on kaizen and Just-in-Time production.

Practicing Agile involves identifying customer needs and developing solutions through collaborative efforts by cross-functional teams. Originating in software development, Agile is now widely-recognized as an effective approach to project management of all kinds. The benefits of incorporating Agile into your management system include a more in-depth understanding of your workflow, the ability to respond and adapt to change quickly, and an overall intensified focus on delivering value to your customers. In these courses you'll learn the foundational principles of Agile, the positive effect it can have on your processes, and how to deploy it within your organization.