Jennifer Ayers, Author at NWHPEC

01Mar 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

Kata Practitioner Day – March 22nd (Full)

Application~, Classes, Developing People~, Intermediate~

Explore the 4-step Improvement Kata method through practitioners sharing real world examples. What is Toyota Kata? It's two intentional routines - the Improvement Kata, layered with the Coaching Kata. Together, these two routines help individuals become stronger, more confident problem solvers. The purpose of a Kata Practitioner Day is to: Provide a forum to learn from your fellow NWHPEC Kata practitioners, Introduce the Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata to those new to this improvement and skill building approach, and Hear how the Improvement Kata and Coaching Kata is being applied in all aspects of an organization Event Details: Date: Wednesday, March 22, 2023Time: 9am – noonLocation: Smith Gardens (23200 Hubbard Cutoff Rd NE, Aurora, OR)Cost: No charge (we just ask that you aren’t a no-show)Registration: Limited to NWHPEC members. Email…

01Feb 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

Book Club: The Work of Management, weekly starting Feb 24th

Book Club

This Winter's book selection is The Work of Management by Jim Lancaster. About the book: "The role of Daily Management - Gemba Walks, Leader Standard Work, and good Tiered Accountability is often undervalued when discussing business transformation. In Jim Lancaster's book, The Work of Management, the reality of applying daily management is explained in a very approachable way showing how to add value to the bottom line. This is a good book for anyone who is working on improving their daily management system or is trying to figure out why their improvements are not sustaining. Jim provides great examples from his own experiences as a CEO (both processes and visual boards) we can use as templates to try out." If you haven’t participated in one of our book clubs before, I…

01Feb 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

Executive Leadership Tour: Developing a People-First Organization – March 8th (FULL)

Learning Tours

Business leaders are responsible for achieving positive results while building an environment where their people are challenged, respected, and valued. Scott Simmons, CEO of Skutt Ceramics, is opening their doors to NWHPEC members to share his philosophy and practices for creating a thriving workplace and positive company culture. Specific steps Skutt has taken to help team members achieve their potential and professional growth in a respectful environment will be shared and discussed. You'll have the opportunity to attend their leadership daily management huddle. Additionally, a shop tour to highlight steps taken to achieve his goals will demonstrate specifics to aid other executives pursuing similar results. "Our premise, when Team Members are valued through specific challenges, they achieve things they never thought possible. We intentionally develop opportunities for their input and…

17Jan 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

Intro to the Improvement Kata – Jan 26th (Class is FULL)

Beginner~, Classes, Solving Problems~

This class is an experiential introduction to the improvement cycle and coaching cycle of the Toyota Kata, a structured approach to continuous improvement that helps people develop a scientific mindset. How fast can you lay out 24 cards in a precise sequence? You’ll discover that and more in this 2.5-hour program. You will be introduced to a structured improvement cycle that will let you discover how to reach a significant challenge in a series of incremental experiments. Through a series of coaching questions, you will learn how to take a step, make a prediction, observe the outcome and learn from it in a way that can inform your next step. You will leave familiar with these two cycles and a strong appreciation for how they can help you improve just…

17Jan 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

Best Practice Sharing: Order Fulfillment – Preparing to Hyper-scale – Jan 19th

Member Sharing, Webinar

Curious about how to utilize Value Stream Mapping in your organization? Join us online on Jan 19th @10am to hear how RealWear value stream mapped their order to invoice process and is using that to create a strategic plan for their order fulfillment growth. In early December, the NWHPEC community came together to learn and apply Value Stream Mapping (VSM) to RealWear’s ‘Order to Invoice’ process. This report out is an opportunity for you to see how the process unfolded, the direction they are heading, and how they are approaching the implementation of improvement ideas generated during the event. The RealWear supply chain team shares why an improvement was needed, the process used to understand the current state, what they learned by mapping the process, and how they intend to…

15Jan 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

Practical Problem Solving (8-Step)

Application~, Igniting Innovation~, Intermediate~, Solving Problems~

Speciality Workshop Problem Solving is the foundation of Continuous Improvement. The tools within a Lean operating system are designed to identify problems. Do you have standardization and the expertise at all levels of your organization to solve them? The extent that you train and engage your organization in problem solving will ultimately determine your success in the lean journey. Mike Hoseus, co-author of Toyota Culture, will review how a Lean organization establishes their culture for problem solving at all levels. This Executive Forum will highlight the 8-Step systematic problem solving process through examples and case studies in the Overview Session, followed by an optional 2-day hands on Gemba Workshop. The Practical Problem Solving Overview Session is intended for a large audience and is a standalone event. The Problem Solving 2-day…

15Jan 2023 by Jennifer Ayers

A3 Thinking

Application~, Developing People~, Intermediate~, Leadership~, Solving Problems~

Speciality Workshop Do you think of an A3 as just a document or form to complete? A3 thinking is much more than that! Solving problems is not a linear process, but rather requires iterative thinking, evidence gathering, analysis, and input from stakeholders. The A3 problem-solving framework, and the thinking it represents, is foundational to the development of a culture of continuous improvement. The practice of A3 thinking develops evidence-based problem solving, fosters communication and consensus among stakeholders, and creates better alignment to strategic goals. The process of A3 thinking and coaching also serves as a method for people development, knowledge sharing and change management. During this two-day interactive workshop taught by Katie Anderson (author of Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn), you will learn how to more effectively practice A3…

Author: Jennifer Ayers