Lean Production

What an experience!

First of all, I would like to thank all lecturers and guest lecturers for this course (Lean Production) for their valuable materials. They all made this course possible for their vast knowledge and experience in the area(s) they taught. They made my learning experiences bit easier and possible. The big big-up to them all!

Also, I would like to thank edX Team and TUM for coming up with such an exciting and excellent way of learning that for sure it is going to change the way learning is conducted in the foreseeable future.

As I was previously experienced my learning via tradition way in the bricks and mortar classes with the lecturer in front of you, I found this new way very interesting and appealing despite missing that face-to-face interaction with your tutor. I know, a lot can be improved and will improve, but as a working- family man, miles away from where the course is conducted, I think, it fits the purpose. Big time!

I have learned a lot of things in this course, knowledge-wise (the course itself) as well as the experience (the way the course has been conducted-the means).

In knowledge-wise, in the Lean Production course, I have learned (only some);
1. The importance of lean in both manufacturing and the service industry. Not only, it can save an organization's bottom line by improving quality and cycle times, but also it can improve job satisfaction amongst employees and hence more productivity.

As this is a new concept to our company, I will definitely convince the management to embark on the lean journey as I could see the amount of wastes we are incorporating in our operations at the moment (almost all famous 7 wastes in lean!). This could save money and improve our cashflow, which is an issue at the moment, among other things.

Not to mention, lean can be applied in our households by using its famous 5S to sort out the mess include a lot of unused items that can be hazardous and time-consuming and even make your house not "inhabitable", sometimes.

To start with, here in my household, as I have a lot of items cluttered all over the place. They need to be SORTED, SET IN ORDER, SHINED, STANDARDISED the process and STUSTAINED the process to maintain its continuity.

2. The lean implementation in an organization does not necessarily mean more expenditure to be used rather (as pointed out earlier), it can help saving costs in a short as well as long term. What is needed, is a cultural change within an organization and accept the concept as a real game-changer and make it sustainable. Lean needs the involvement of a large part of employees in order to reap its benefits.

As mentioned earlier, I will pitch to the management to start implementing lean in things that would not make them break the bank (for the start); things like standardising operations (which at the moment aren't) and to document them, managing emails (sent or received) that do not add any value to our customers-this has been a big source of waste (in terms of time) to staff members. I would like to champion this process. I don't think hiring a consultant would be "viable" proposition for now to avoid costs.

3. Another important thing that I have learned after this course, Lean Production, not in the course itself but on its mode of conductivity/delivery.

At the time I joined this edX course for the first time, I couldn't foresee that it would be fun, great, understandable and enjoyable! I have learned, it's. And I can recommend this edX platform of learning to others in my situation to take the course of their desire.

Thank you all for making this possible,

Aziz Senzia
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, East Africa
Logistics and transportation

Hi All, My name is Max Lu from Infineon Taiwan. My job function is for OSAT (Outsourcing Subcontractor Assembly Test) operation management for engineering.
After the training Six Sigma Part 3: Lean Production, I learn more about the core concepts of Lean including quality control, quantity control and waste and cost control.
And understand the relationship between productivity and waste, process analysis and calculate the impact of variability and of setups on capacity on flow time and Overall Equipment Effectiveness. Know how to calculate the effect of improvements such as Total Productive Maintenance, Single Minute Exchange of Die, Pull-Systems, and mixed-mode
production. Understand methods of quality control including Kaizen, visual management, 5S, poka yoke and jidoka. All the key spirits of Lean-Thinking will help my daily job more effective and efficiently. Thanks!

Name: Viorel Mihail Ciric
Location: United Kingdom
Company: Regional Director at a Data Centre Construction Company

As someone in a leadership role within the data centre construction industry, I have always been focused on improving operational efficiency and reducing waste across the company’s multiple projects. After completing the Lean Production Six Sigma course, I feel more equipped to drive performance improvement in our organization and streamline our processes.

Here are three key takeaways from the course that I found particularly impactful:

Understanding of the DMAIC Process (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control):
One of the most valuable concepts I learned was the DMAIC framework. This structured approach has been particularly useful in the context of our data centre construction projects. For example, we often face delays and quality issues during the procurement phase of the project. By applying the DMAIC approach, I was able to clearly define the problem (delayed deliveries and quality inconsistencies), measure the process (by analyzing lead times and defect rates in materials), and analyze the root causes (supplier lead times, communication gaps). From there, we implemented improvements such as establishing better communication with suppliers and introducing more rigorous quality checks before deliveries, leading to a significant reduction in defects and delays.

Waste Reduction (The 7 Wastes of Lean):
The course taught me how to identify and eliminate the seven types of waste (overproduction, waiting, transport, extra processing, inventory, motion, and defects). In my role, we frequently have to manage multiple construction sites and vendors, which can result in inefficiencies. For instance, the waiting time between different project phases often caused idle periods for our workers. By applying Lean principles, we restructured the workflow to reduce unnecessary waiting times between stages, allowing us to optimize labor utilization and improve overall project timelines. We also streamlined our inventory system by focusing on just-in-time deliveries, reducing excess materials and minimizing storage costs.

Data-Driven Decision Making and Statistical Tools (Six Sigma):
Another significant takeaway was the emphasis on data-driven decision-making. Prior to this course, I made decisions largely based on intuition or general experience. However, Six Sigma’s focus on statistical analysis has helped me take a more data-centric approach. In one of our recent projects, I applied statistical process control (SPC) to monitor construction quality during the building phase. This allowed us to spot potential defects earlier and take corrective actions before they escalated into costly problems. By utilizing tools such as control charts, I was able to track our processes in real-time and prevent issues, leading to a decrease in rework and warranty claims.

How the Course Has Helped in My Role:

The knowledge gained from this course has already helped me improve the operational efficiency of my team. As a Regional Director, I am often tasked with optimizing our data centre projects across multiple locations. Implementing Lean and Six Sigma tools has helped us reduce costs, enhance project delivery times, and improve the overall quality of our builds.

For instance, in one of our recent projects, we applied value stream mapping (VSM) to visualize the flow of materials and tasks across the construction process. This allowed us to identify bottlenecks and unnecessary steps, leading to improved project timelines and cost savings.

The course has also helped me foster a culture of continuous improvement within my team. I now lead weekly reviews where we discuss ongoing projects and apply Lean tools to ensure that we are eliminating waste and enhancing value in every aspect of our work. This has not only made me a more efficient leader but has also positioned me to better drive change within the organization.

In Conclusion:

I highly recommend the Lean Production Six Sigma course for anyone looking to improve efficiency and reduce waste in their organization. It has given me a deeper understanding of how to streamline processes, use data to drive decisions, and foster a culture of continuous improvement. This course has directly influenced my approach to managing large-scale projects and has empowered me to take on leadership challenges more effectively.

— Viorel Mihail Ciric
Regional Director, UK

I am ashamed to admit that coming into this course I had no idea what Lean Production was and was only taking the course as it was part of the Six Sigma Yellow Belt certification program that I was interested in obtaining. I could not be happier with myself for taking this course because the information I obtained there has helped me immensely in my work and home life.

The material was presented in an easy-to-understand and logical way, with concepts that were learned earlier on in the course becoming applicable again in later sections. Lecture slides were provided, which was nice since I like printing them out and making notes on them while watching the lecture content. While some may feel that this course would only be useful to those working in manufacturing, this could not be further from the truth. Working in IT, I have already applied some of the concepts learned in my daily work such as visual management (shadow board, labelling shelves containing specific equipment) for tools and equipment on-hand, Kanban cards for inventory, and Single Minute Exchange of Die for optimizing installations and processes. I have also implemented the 5S (Sort, Set In Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) model when it came to organizing my tools and supplies both at home and at work.

The instructor, Dr. Holly Ott, was one of the best I had ever experienced, coming from an in-class and online university-level course perspective. Not only were her lectures engaging and informative but she showed a genuine interest in the subject matter. She went above and beyond what I would expect from any prof and in addition to providing a great portion of the lectures herself, was also a frequent poster in the discussion forums. The guest lecturers that were brought in were world-class experts and it showed. They were able to explain increasingly difficult concepts using basic examples and to me, that is a sign of someone who really knows what they’re talking about!

I also wanted to mention that taking good notes in this course is a must since there are so many different concepts being thrown at you that unless you take good notes now, you may be a little bit confused later on. I still sometimes re-read my notes or re-watch a video to get a better grasp on a topic and see if and how I can implement it at work and in my daily life.

Thank you, Professor Ott, all of the guest lecturers and TAs, and the rest of the TUM team that worked tirelessly to bring this MOOC to us!

I thoroughly enjoyed the Lean Production course. As a Quality Manager, each topic was highly instrumental and will definitely influence my approach going forward. I gained a deeper understanding of the role of quality in Lean Production and how eliminating waste through effective quality control drives continuous improvement. The “5 Whys” technique for identifying root causes was a real eye-opener — I’ve already started applying it to resolve quality issues more effectively. The entire Six Sigma journey was both challenging and rewarding, truly pushing me out of my comfort zone. The course content deserves a 10/10, and Holly and the team did an outstanding job delivering it with professionalism and clarity. I’m looking forward to receiving my certificate and applying all the valuable lessons in my day-to-day work and personal life.
Tsakane - Gauteng, South Africa

Hi, I am Anubha Asthana from India. I am currently working for Globallogic Technologies Pvt. Ltd. as Quality Analyst on the project of Google.
The three specific things I learned in the course were:
1. Ample amount of information and learning. For a person who does not know about 6-sigma can also take this course as its very easy to learn. However, I learned about six-sigma and lean in MBA itself but this course was very vast than what I studied.
2. For a person looking for a job in the field of analysis, the course is very much appropriate as it gives the person pursuing it an edge over the others if he has a yellow/green/black belt. And that too from a very reputed university. I have made notes of it. And I plan to use my notes whenever I'll go for a job interview.
3. I enjoyed completing it and I look forward to taking up the green belt course too as I might look for a change of job after things get normal. The course has taught me patience. And also I was never so excited to complete the entire course all at once as I was seeing my progress increasing. The best part about the course is the homeworks because I enjoyed submitting them.

Hello, I have attended this course from Germany, where I have already applied the principles of LEAN to processes in my industry (Pharma). This training has provided me wit great insight to the principles of the Lean Production. Its content includes the 7 wastes, types of defects, Value Stream Analysis and Design, Process mapping, capacity analysis, demand management, set-up times and SMED, Batch optimization, overall equipment effectiveness (OEE), workplace visualization, 5S technique, Pull and push systems, JIT, defect prevention and quality, continuous improvement, Kaizen, POKA YOKE.
It also describes the differences and correlation with Six Sigma.

I am confident that I will be able to apply all the concepts to my current work but also considering setting up my own small manufacturing business.