Lean Enterprise Certification Program (LECP)

A LEAN, MEAN EMPLOYEE-POWERED MACHINE

What’s the best way to build - and sustain - a Lean culture so your company can successfully compete in an ever-changing global marketplace? By engaging your employees, developing their capabilities, and sharing a vision that’s grounded on continuous improvement efforts.

Impact Washington’s Lean Enterprise Certificate Program (LECP) gives your leaders the tools, strategies and hands-on practice they need to build a culture of Lean transformation. They’ll learn how to master the five Lean principles - and how to implement them in your business to streamline procedures, prioritize high-payoff activities, and minimize waste. 

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COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Adapted from the Lean Enterprise Certification Program(LECP) created by the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), this course will provide Lean training and experience to those who can then become “Lean Champions” for their companies. During the course, students are encouraged to apply their skills on a project at their organization.

The training combines site visits of local companies at varying stages of their Lean journeys so participants can see how Lean techniques are deployed in real-world scenarios.

The course is comprised of 40 hours of classroom time and 16 hours of project application. It concludes with a three-hour test from SME and a certificate of completion for each participant. This certificate can be applied, along with additional project hours, toward a bronze-level certification and career progression for silver and gold certification. The program can be complemented with tours of local companies employing best practices in order to demonstrate and visualize lean techniques in practice.

LECP-certified students are those who have successfully met the following LECP requirements:

  • Reading the four prescribed books
  • Completing four days of theory and simulation training
  • Performing a minimum of 16 hours of work on an internal lean project
  • Successfully completing SME’s Bronze test

Successful completion of the test is the first step of SME’s Bronze, Silver and Gold certification requirements.

BENEFITS OF LEAN CERTIFICATION 

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the Lean Body of Knowledge
  • Apply their learning to their company with a practicum project
  • Return to their organization equipped to champion continuous improvement.
  • Immediately begin implementing a culture of continuous improvement. 

LEAN CERTIFICATE CURRICULUM 

Day 1: Introduction to Lean Manufacturing

An introductory seminar that will combine the theory of Lean Manufacturing with a live simulation that incorporates the theory learned in the presentation.

Day 2: Introduction to Value Stream Mapping, Workplace Organization and Standardization, 5S, and Cellular Flow

Students will learn the common language of lean as they draw the current state map for a company, analyze that current state, find the non-value added activities, and draw a future state map that eliminates those unnecessary activities. Also covered:

  • The visual factory; visual devices are powerful solutions for working smarter, not harder
  • Organization and orderliness
  • Cellular flow: the linking of manual and machine operations into the most efficient combination of resources to maximize value-added content while minimizing waste.
Day 3: Set-Up Reduction/Quick Changeover, Pull/Kanban and Total Production Maintenance

On the third day, we’ll cover set-up reduction, a systematic, low-cost, shop-proven method that reduces set up and turnaround time in all types of manufacturing environments. Also covered:

  • Pull kanban systems, which effectively drive velocity and reduce the costs of over production
  • Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), a strategy to maximize the productivity of equipment over its entire life
Day 4: Problem Solving, Process Design, Quality, Productivity & Delivery Measures, Product Development, and Leadership & High Performing Teams

This class reviews models of problem solving, including the Deming Cycle and Six Sigma’s DMIAC. This training also covers the significance of Vision, Mission and Values to an organization. We’ll discuss policy deployment, the roles and responsibilities of employees and leaders, and the importance of leading change in a continuous improvement culture. Also covered:

  • Gap analysis, brainstorming, 5 Whys, and root cause analysis
  • Flowcharting, Pareto charts, histograms, and cause effect diagrams
  • Designing and improving process strategies
  • Variety Reduction, Engineering Changes and Design for Manufacture and Design for Assembly
Day 5: Company Tours & Exam Preparation

In order to demonstrate and visualize lean techniques in practice, the class will tour local companies that employ lean best practices. An alternative would be test and practicum preparation.

Day 6: Practicum

In addition to the presentation of the Theory of Lean, students will be assigned to work with a team on a practical application of a key component of a LeanTransformation. Students will present their projects to their classmates.

Day 7: SME Exam

The class will review and take a three-hour, 170-question multiple choice exam. Review time is approximately one hour and exam time is three hours. Recommended class size: 10-20 participants

THIS COURSE IS DESIGNED FOR:

General manager, operations and product development managers.

LENGTH:

40 hours of classroom participation and 10 hours of project application.