Process Improvement

Component

Marks

Description

Mapped CO

Simulations

20

Sim 1 (10M): The Process Map. Sim 2 (10M): The Gemba Walk (Virtual).

CO2, CO3

Case Study

10

"The Broken Process": Analysis of a service failure and redesign.

CO1, CO4

Presentation

10

"The Transformation Pitch": Proposing a BPR initiative.

CO5

Mid-Term

10

Internal written exam covering Lean & Six Sigma basics.

CO1

Project

10

"Process Audit": Mapping an "As-Is" vs. "To-Be" process.

CO2

Participation

10

Active involvement in Kaizen workshops.

All

Session

Topic

Pre-Reading (Charantimath)

Assignment / Case Study

1

Introduction to Process Improvement

Process thinking and the cost of poor quality (COPQ).

Ch 1: Quality Basics

Assignment: Identify a "broken" daily process.

2

Business Process Re-engineering (BPR)

Radical redesign vs. continuous improvement.

Ch 3: BPR Concepts

Case Study: Ford’s Accounts Payable Redesign.

3

Mapping the Process (SIPOC)

Suppliers, Inputs, Process, Outputs, Customers.

Ref: SIPOC Guide

Task: Create a SIPOC map for a pizza delivery.

4

Value Stream Mapping (VSM)

Identifying value-add vs. non-value-add steps.

Ref: VSM Basics

Assignment: Draft a Current State VSM.

5

The 7 Wastes (Muda) in Services

Translating manufacturing waste to consulting/service contexts.

Ch 15: Lean Systems

Task: Audit a bank branch for the 7 Wastes.

6

Six Sigma Methodology: DMAIC

Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.

Ch 6: Six Sigma

Project: Draft a Project Charter for improvement.

7

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)

Fishbone Diagram (Ishikawa) and 5 Whys.

Ch 7: Problem Solving

Assignment: Conduct RCA for a missed deadline.

8

Simulation Lab 1: The Process Map

Redesigning a chaotic workflow in real-time.

Manual: Flow Simulation

Assessment: Simulation Performance Score (10 Marks).

9

Mid-Term Internal Exam

Assessment of BPR, Lean, and RCA tools.

Review: Sessions 1–8

Assessment: Written Exam (10 Marks).

10

Statistical Process Control (SPC)

Understanding variation: Common cause vs. Special cause.

Ch 8: Control Charts

Task: Interpret a Control Chart for stability.

11

Kaizen and Continuous Improvement

The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) Cycle.

Ch 5: Kaizen

Assignment: Plan a "Kaizen Blitz" event.

12

Agile Process Management

Scrum fundamentals for process redesign.

Ref: Agile Guide

Task: Create a Backlog for a process change.

13

Benchmarking Best Practices

Types of benchmarking and implementation.

Ch 12: Benchmarking

Case Study: Xerox Benchmarking Story.

14

Simulation Lab 2: The Gemba Walk

Virtual observation of a process to identify waste.

Manual: Observation Guide

Assessment: Simulation Performance Score (10 Marks).

15

Theory of Constraints (TOC)

Identifying bottlenecks and managing throughput.

Ref: The Goal

Assignment: Identify the constraint in a airport security line.

16

Process Automation (RPA)

Identifying processes suitable for robotic automation.

Ref: RPA Basics

Task: Assess a process for automation suitability.

17

Change Management in Improvement

Overcoming resistance to new processes.

Ch 16: Culture Change

Case Study: Change Management at NHS.

18

Standardization and Poka-Yoke

Mistake-proofing processes.

Ref: Error Proofing

Assignment: Design a Poka-Yoke for a data entry form.

19

Capstone Presentation

Presenting "The Transformation Pitch".

Manual: Presentation Rubric

Assessment: Group Presentation (10 Marks).

20

Course Synthesis

Building a Culture of Excellence.

Ch 18: Future of Quality

Submission: Final Course Portfolio.