Utilizing technology tools to analyze data for process improvement and continuous improvement activities.

Introduction to Process Improvement Analytics provides the foundation for utilizing and understanding data in process improvement decision-making. It introduces data analytics for continuous improvement thinking and practice. Participants learn how spreadsheets document current performance, track and analyze variations, and connect the process flow of workstation and system operation and performance.

This course is intended for frontline employees. It includes experiential learning, numerous applications, one-to-one mentoring from an expert instructor and concludes with the opportunity to earn an industry recognized, nationally portable Introduction to Process Improvement Analytics credential from NIMS. Prerequisite: proficiency with computer applications, experience in manufacturing processes.

Learning outcomes include:

• Determine current workstation performance with data metrics
  • Quantify waste in the operation of the workstation
  • Interpret process metric data with spreadsheets
  • Identify and quantify potential impacts of changes and improvements
• Recognize variations in workstation and system performance
  • Track variation with spreadsheet-based time series data
  • Distinguish between common cause and special cause variation
• Analyze and visualize process flow
  • Chart and communicate process flow with computer drawing tools
  • Identify interaction between workstation and system operation and performance