9.00 Workshop E: Making Innovation work – creating new products and services that customers really want

So many organisations say innovation is critical to the future of their business in these recession-hit times, and one of the few ways to protect and grow margins. But how to innovate successfully is a key question facing businesses. IFSSTM (Innovation For Six Sigma) is an answer to that question, making innovation a predictable, repeatable process that produces winning products and services. In this session, you will explore what IFSSTM is, how it works, how it integrates with other quality tools and methods, and how it can help your business innovate successfully.

In this session you will learn:

• How to innovate to produce new products and services that delight customers and attract premium prices
• Practical strategies to integrate IFSSTM with other product and process design tools to round out a successful product design approach
• Where this approach to innovation will work, and where it won’t
• Barriers to successful adoption the pitfalls, and how to avoid them

9.00 Workshop G: Integrating the Supply Chain Reference Model (SCOR) with Lean for a strategic implementation framework

This workshop will guide participants in the use of the SCOR framework and SCOR project roadmap, together with the power of Lean techniques, for supply chain optimisation.

This workshop will include:

• Using SCOR as a diagnostic tool for supply-chain management and Lean implementation
• How SCOR enables you to address, improve, and communicate supply chain management practices within and between all interested parties
• How SCOR can create a strategic framework for Lean implementation and significantly increase the business benefits and ROI

Douglas Kent
SCOR, Lean & Six Sigma Knowledge Expert
Supply Chain Council

13.00 Workshop H: Creative Thinking For Real Business Results

WARNING! This workshop is not about Lean or Six Sigma!

Whilst we recognise the value of process excellence we also know that, whatever your approach, it’s easy to get stuck looking for new ideas.

So, if you’ve ever...

• Wondered how some people find it easy to come up with new ideas?
• Tried all the usual stuff, but still can’t find a way forward?
• Arrived at a point in the process where you are stuck?

Don’t panic! The Creativity Cooker specialises in helping individuals and organisations get unstuck by finding new approaches, developing fresh ideas or just by looking at things in a different way. Our Point C creative thinking techniques will help you develop your own creativity and unleash the creativity of your colleagues.

In this interactive workshop you will:

• Discover how to be more creative by exploring possibilities at Point C
• Sample and try a range of high-impact creativity techniques
• See how we help our clients tackle real business problems
• Have a go at generating ideas for your own issues

If you’re looking for something different, this session is the place to be!

13.00 Workshop I: Creating a culture of continuous improvement through Employee Involvement outside the factory

As the oldest engineering company in the UK, GKN embarked on its lean journey some 7 years ago. GKN started Lean within its manufacturing environment. It progressed into applying Lean into its non-manufacturing areas, Business Processes some 4 years ago. It now has an extensive structure and management system to support the ongoing deployment of Lean and continuous improvement throughout its business.

Lean implementation often starts with a project based approach to deployment. Organisations continue with this theme creating large central teams to implement Lean “to others”. This may well lead to widespread use of the Lean tools but the real question is “how can you truly create a culture of continuous improvement throughout your organisation involving everyone?”.

In this session you will learn about GKN’s approach to Employee Involvement in Business Process and how to take the first steps towards creating and sustaining the culture of continuous improvement outside the factory.

• How to successfully deploy Continuous improvement in the office environment
• How to introduce a Lean management system to sustain and grow your Lean deployment
• How to engage Leaders to lead lean effectively

Neil Trivedi
Global Business Process Excellence Director
GKN PLC