Overview
Most project management training emphasizes planning and control despite the fact that these activities seldom consume more than 5% of the overall project budget. So when it comes time to execute the plan, to actually deliver on the plan, many project managers are left to apply antiquated practices from approaches developed many years ago. This often leads to substantial waste and inefficiency.
The solution? Keep the meat and cut the fat. But how? By applying the Seven Lean Principles to eliminate the Ten Sources of Waste. In this workshop, you will learn about both the theory and practice of the Lean Movement. You will see how Lean techniques developed for manufacturing can be adapted and applied to projects. You will learn how to avoid mistakes in applying key project management techniques. In a series of exercises, you will have the opportunity to apply Lean tools to cut the fat from your own project practices.
This two-day program is designed to help you develop the skills needed to make your projects more efficient and more cost-effective. Approximately 70% of classroom time is devoted to hands-on exercises and directed discussion.
Key Learning Objectives
Upon completion, you will be able to:
- Describe the core concepts that support Lean approaches
- Explain how Lean Principles can be applied effectively to projects
- Identify the sources of waste in your projects
- Reduce or eliminate the Ten Wastes on your projects
Detailed Topical Outline
Introduction
Program overview
Learning objectives
What is “Lean”?
Dimensions of quality
Key quality concepts
Heritage of Lean
Exercise: Patterns and Anomalies
Principles of Lean
Exercise: Principle Violations
What is “Lean Project Management”?
Philosophies of project management
Scope-oriented and work-oriented processes
Where does waste hide in projects?
Value Stream Mapping
Choosing a process to map
Components of a Value Stream Map
Value vs. Waste
Generic sources of waste in projects
Eliminating Waste in Planning
Exercise: mapping the value stream of project planning
Specific causes of waste in project planning:
- Early commitments
- Lack of project success criteria
Lean tools to eliminate waste in project planning:
- Last planner
- Delegation
Exercise: cutting the waste from your planning value stream
Eliminating Waste in Control
Exercise: mapping the value stream of project control
Specific causes of waste in project control:
- Single-point estimates
- Over-commitment of resources
Lean tools to eliminate waste in project control:
- Meeting design
- Stand-up meetings
- Resource scheduling
- Responsibility assignment matrix
Exercise: cutting the waste from your project controls value stream
Eliminating Waste in Execution
Exercise: mapping the value stream of project execution
Specific causes of waste in project execution:
- Lack of strategic alignment
- Short-staffing
Lean tools to eliminate waste in project execution:
- Motivation
- Lessons learned
Exercise: cutting the waste from your project execution value stream