| |
ODI Unveils Its New Rapid Results Process Improvement System
December 21, 2002
BOSTON, MA Ð Organizational Dynamics, Inc. (ODI) an international
leader in organizational training and consulting, unveils Accelerated
Process Improvement (API), a rapid results consulting and training
system that comprehensively improves critical processes. API combines
proven TQM and Six Sigma practices and is designed to quickly
provide measurable results at a dramatically reduced investment.
"Our clients and the marketplace are struggling to do more with
less," states Dr. George Labovitz, ODI's CEO and Chairman. "They
need a process improvement program that eliminates bureaucracy
and enables all levels within the organization to quickly identify
and improve critical processes. Senior management wants results
and they want results without spending the entire organization's
training budget," remarks Dr. Labovitz.
API is designed as a "learn-as-you-go" development program, where
facilitators, team leaders and team members learn critical facilitation,
leadership and process improvement tools on an applied, real-time
project. Alan Burleson, ODI's Chief Development Officer and the
creator of API explains, "API trains management sponsors as project
champions. These management sponsors help the organization identify
and prioritize critical business processes while helping to overcome
obstacles. API draws on ODI's twenty-five years of experience
in team based, customer-focused, data-driven problem solving and
process improvement. This program incorporates all of the lessons
we've learned in assisting organizations implement process improvement
and puts it into a complete system."
Background Information about Accelerated Process Improvement
(API): API consists of three modules and is implemented through
direct ODI facilitation, management intervention, one-on-one coaching
and group workshops. Facilitator training is conducted via shadowing,
direct application and through a certification workshop, while
team leader and team member training occurs when working on the
project.
Module one, Leading Process Improvement, is a management workshop
that develops the process improvement plan by identifying critical
work processes, choosing selection criteria and writing team charters.
Executive sponsors are identified and trained on their role, while,
facilitators, team leaders and team members are selected. Measurement
and monitoring procedures are developed to guide the process.
Module two, the Team Leader Guide, is designed to develop highly
effective leaders. "We have learned that team leaders are best
prepared via individual coaching from a facilitator, not in a
training class," says Burleson. The Team Leader Guide provides
fundamental reading material for team leaders, which is used in
conjunction during their coaching by facilitators. Team leaders
benefit through applied training and development. They learn:
- Team roles and responsibilities
- Stages of team development
- Group dynamics
- Leadership skills
- Meeting management
- How to handle problem situations
Module three, Improving Work Processes, delivers a five-phase
process improvement template. Each phase has steps, core tools,
supplemental tools and phase outputs. There are sixteen core and
fourteen supplemental tools designed to be taught as they are
used within a team and are sequenced based on how people actually
work on process improvement. The final phase involves measuring
and monitoring the impact of the new process, and once the process
has been controlled, the teams are launched at the next level
down in the organization. Once the process has been controlled
teams are launched through the next levels of the organization.
Accelerated Process Improvement is designed as a complete system
and can be implemented within a few weeks. API achieves management
commitment and planning through module one, prepares team leaders
to be effective through module two and creates a common language
of process improvement through the use of module three. "Our goal
is to create an immediate return on investment for organizations
competing in today's challenging economy. The end result is a
just-in-time process improvement system that delivers rapid successes,
saves time and money and ultimately empowers a customer-centric
[internal and external] workforce," says Dr. Labovitz.
Click to download the pdf.
Back to top
|
|
