Application~ Archives

31Mar 2026 by Jennifer Ayers

5S Workshop (Kaizen-style) April 21-22 – FULL

Application~, Beginner~, Classes, Foundational~

Invest two days that will make a lasting impact! This immersive 5S Workshop combines hands-on learning with real-world results. Attendees will kick off with a half day of targeted 5S training, then apply their knowledge through a one-and-a-half-day kaizen event in Danner’s Recrafting Department. You’ll experience the full power of the learn-do model—developing practical 5S skills, driving measurable improvement, and gaining insights you can take back to strengthen your own workplace. Completion of Lean 101/Introduction to Lean or equivalent experience is required to participate in this action-packed, kaizen-style event. Dates: Tuesday April 21st and Wednesday, April 22nd 2026 Time: 7:30am-4:30pm Location: Danner Factory Store (Recrafting Department): 12021 NW Airport Way, Portland OR Cost: $400 per person Key Concepts: Understanding that 5S is a problem exposure tool Defining the 5 S’s…

31Mar 2026 by Jennifer Ayers

3H Teamwork – May 6th & 27th

Application~, Beginner~, Classes, Developing People~

3H Teamwork class is a mini, team member focused version of our well known 3H Leadership class. This 2-session series focuses on: Personal Responsibility Personal Communications Constructive Confrontation Title: 3H Teamwork – Engaging your Heart, Head, and HandsFacilitator: Kari Penca Course Description:Lean organizations strive to continuously improve quality, lead-time and cost performance by harnessing the natural problem-solving creativity of all employees on a daily basis. This focus on problem-solving capability naturally emphasizes the importance of engaging employees critical thinking skills – their “heads”. Tapping the full potential of their creativity, however, also relies on engaging their human need to contribute and be creative – their “hearts”. 3H Teamwork is a series of two focused sessions for individual team members. These two sessions explore the building blocks for effective relationships and connecting with…

06Jul 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Lean Leadership Skills to Engage the Heart, Head, and Hands (3H) – Starts Sept 24th (FULL)

Application~, Classes, Developing People~, Leadership~

A day in the life of a Leader can be challenging. Leaders are faced with pressures from the business (quality, delivery, productivity) along with the often highly emotional demands of managing people. Your people are the foundation and critical link to the success of your business. To be an effective leader, one must first develop an understanding of and a system for building and maintaining relationships (engaging the heart 💜). Culture begins with us. If we are not primed to emulate the core values and culture of our organization, we can’t expect our team members to consistently perform and respond to situations and problems in ways we expect by engaging their critical thinking skills (using their head 😊). Unleashed potential is a hidden gem within your team/organization. The leading indicator for morale and engagement is the willingness of our employees to step…

05Jul 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Change that Sustains – Unlocking the Key to Successful Lean Transformations – Oct 14th

Application~, Classes, Developing People~, Leadership~

Learn how to effectively lead through change and transition. Ready to take your lean initiatives to the next level? Join this interactive workshop, grounded in the Lean Transformation Framework and shaped by Lynn Kelley’s executive experience at two Fortune 200 companies. Discover how to create lasting change by exploring the essential Change Questions—adaptable to any lean initiative or organization. Through real-world examples, stories and actionable tools, you'll gain the skills to tackle challenges and deliver meaningful, sustainable results. Participants will receive the Change Questions Digital Workbook, which can be used with their teams after the workshop, as well as a print copy of The Change Questions book by Lynn Kelley with John Shook. Topics Customized Change Strategies: Learn to develop robust plans tailored to your organization's unique needs. Insights from an Industry…

14Apr 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Process Analysis Deep Dive – May 6-22nd (FULL)

Application~, Classes, Intermediate~, Solving Problems~

In the early 20th Century the job of process improvement was limited to a handful of industrial engineering specialists. They studied the work, organized the jobs, and told everyone else how it should be done. Today, however, we want as many people as possible - especially our front line leaders - to fully participate in process improvement; not only to help improve the work, but to develop as leaders. With these skills they can turn their challenges into meaningful action. In this course we will focus on the first critical steps of this process, "Grasp the Current Condition." This is a hands-on practicum over six sessions. In each session we will introduce a new topic, answer questions, and assign a task or exercise that deepens your understanding of that step or…

14Apr 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Building Your Lean Management System – April 2, 16, & 30th (FULL)

Application~, Deploying Strategy~, Developing People~, Events, Intermediate~

Reach out if you want to join the waitlist. Join us for this 12-hour Lean Management System workshop, spread out over five weeks to provide a fully immersive experience where you design your pilot program, tweak, or revamp your existing LMS. Summary Most initial attempts at lean and continuous improvement focus on tools and improvement events (aka kaizen events). Unfortunately, after a while, people notice that the “lean journey” has lost most of its momentum, energy, engagement, focus, and breakthrough results. The lean management system (LMS) is a framework for building a culture of continuous improvement and shared learning. Its focus is on developing people to solve problems to improve performance. In this environment, improvement is not driven by a few lean champions but by everyone. Now everyone has a…

25Feb 2025 by Jennifer Ayers

Value Stream Mapping Workshop – April 8 & 10th (FULL)

Application~, Events, Intermediate~

This 2-day workshop is beneficial for those looking to learn how to document, analyze and improve the flow of information or materials required to produce a product or service for a customer. While analyzing one of Tosoh Quartz value streams, following a part from order start to order ship, participants will document the current state, identify and document a future state, and create specific steps to help Tosoh Quartz move toward their ideal future state. Don't miss this excellent opportunity to learn and practice one of the foundational Lean tools (and one of the lean principles - Map the Value Stream). Key Concepts:• Understand how to see the flow of value across a value stream• Visualize functional areas of work and how they interact• Identify waiting and waste in workflows•…

Category: Application~