Leadership & Management
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity
This course builds the skills to raise operational output, quality, and cost performance, covering process mapping, Lean and Six Sigma, constraint management, and productivity measurement.
Introduction
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity develops the practical capability to raise output, quality, and cost performance in operations and service delivery. Improvement rarely comes from working harder; it comes from understanding how work flows, where it waits, and which constraints limit the whole system. This Improving Operational Performance and Productivity Training Course builds those analytical and leadership skills. Participants examine process mapping, waste elimination, capacity and flow, quality improvement, performance measurement, and improvement leadership. Furthermore, the course covers Lean, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, the Theory of Constraints, PDCA, OEE, and the Balanced Scorecard. It also addresses engaging teams in improvement and sustaining gains. As a result, participants leave able to identify constraints and improve productivity with measurable evidence.
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity Course Objectives
- Map processes and value streams to identify delay, waste, and rework.
- Apply Lean principles and the eight wastes to operational problems.
- Apply Six Sigma methods including DMAIC, root cause analysis, and statistical thinking.
- Use the Theory of Constraints to identify and manage bottlenecks.
- Design capacity, flow, and workload balancing to improve throughput.
- Apply 5S, standard work, and visual management in the workplace.
- Build quality improvement with PDCA, FOCUS-PDCA, and poka-yoke.
- Select operational KPIs including OEE, cycle time, and first-pass yield.
- Engage teams in continuous improvement using Kaizen events.
- Sustain improvement with governance, reviews, and standardisation.
Course Methodology
The course applies interactive, practice-based methods:
- Facilitated workshops on live operational problems.
- Case studies from manufacturing, service, and public sector operations.
- Hands-on process mapping, value stream, and root cause exercises.
- Simulation of flow, capacity, and bottleneck decisions.
- Group work on improvement plans and KPI frameworks.
- Action planning that converts each method into an operational routine.
Who Should Take This Course
- Operations and production managers.
- Continuous improvement and Lean practitioners.
- Process owners and business analysts.
- Quality and performance managers.
- Service delivery and back-office managers.
- Supervisors and team leaders responsible for output.
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity Course Outlines
Foundations of Operational Performance
- • Defining productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness.
- • Understanding the productivity equation: output, input, and value.
- • Mapping current processes and identifying value-adding steps.
- • Applying process mapping and swimlane diagrams.
- • Recognising the eight wastes in Lean thinking.
- • Assessing your operation's current performance baseline.
- • Identifying improvement priorities in your area.
Lean, Flow, and Waste Elimination
- • Applying the five Lean principles.
- • Using value stream mapping to reveal delay and waste.
- • Applying takt time, cycle time, and lead time measures.
- • Designing flow and reducing work in progress.
- • Applying 5S and visual workplace management.
- • Building standard work and reducing variation.
- • Designing a value stream improvement plan.
Quality, Variation, and Root Cause
- • Applying Six Sigma thinking and the DMAIC cycle.
- • Using root cause analysis with 5 Whys and fishbone diagrams.
- • Applying Pareto analysis to prioritise problems.
- • Understanding variation and process capability basics.
- • Applying poka-yoke and error-proofing methods.
- • Applying FOCUS-PDCA to quality improvement.
- • Building a quality improvement project plan.
Capacity, Constraints, and Productivity Measurement
- • Applying the Theory of Constraints and the five focusing steps.
- • Identifying bottlenecks and managing drum-buffer-rope concepts.
- • Balancing capacity, workload, and demand across the process.
- • Measuring productivity with OEE, cycle time, and first-pass yield.
- • Building operational dashboards for daily management.
- • Using takt and demand analysis for staffing decisions.
- • Building a capacity and productivity measurement framework.
Sustaining Improvement and Leading Kaizen
- • Running Kaizen events and improvement workshops.
- • Engaging teams in improvement with clear roles and recognition.
- • Applying PDCA and daily management routines.
- • Sustaining gains through standardisation and audits.
- • Leading improvement change with Kotter's early steps and ADKAR awareness.
- • Reviewing improvement results with honest data.
- • Finalizing a personal operational improvement action plan.
Conclusion
By successfully completing Improving Operational Performance and Productivity, participants will have acquired practical knowledge of process mapping, Lean and Six Sigma methods, constraint management, capacity and flow design, and performance measurement. They will have gained skills in process analysis and waste elimination, quality and root cause improvement, capacity and constraint management, and productivity measurement with continuous improvement leadership, plus a personal action plan. Gentex Training Center designed this program to help organisations raise productivity with evidence and discipline.
FAQs
— What is the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course about?
It develops the capability to raise output, quality, and cost performance. Participants study process mapping, Lean waste elimination, Six Sigma methods, the Theory of Constraints, capacity and flow design, productivity measurement, and continuous improvement leadership.
— What are the key benefits of the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course?
Participants gain a clearer view of where work slows down, practical improvement methods, and measurable productivity gains. Organisations also reduce rework and waiting time, improve quality and delivery reliability, and build a culture of continuous improvement that keeps producing results.
— What skills will I gain from the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course?
You will develop four core skills: process analysis and waste elimination, quality and root cause improvement, capacity and constraint management, and productivity measurement with continuous improvement leadership.
— What tools, methods, or standards are covered in the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course?
The course covers process mapping and swimlane diagrams, value stream mapping, the eight wastes of Lean, takt time and cycle time analysis, 5S and visual management, standard work, Six Sigma and DMAIC, 5 Whys and fishbone diagrams, Pareto analysis, poka-yoke, FOCUS-PDCA, the Theory of Constraints and the five focusing steps, drum-buffer-rope, OEE and first-pass yield, Kaizen events, the Balanced Scorecard, and Kotter's early change steps with ADKAR awareness.
— How is the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course applied in real-world practice?
Participants apply the methods to live operational tasks, such as mapping a slow process, running a root cause analysis on recurring defects, identifying a bottleneck, building an operational dashboard, and leading a Kaizen event. Each module ends with an action commitment, so learning transfers directly into daily operations.
Contact our team and let us help you find the right option.
Introduction
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity develops the practical capability to raise output, quality, and cost performance in operations and service delivery. Improvement rarely comes from working harder; it comes from understanding how work flows, where it waits, and which constraints limit the whole system. This Improving Operational Performance and Productivity Training Course builds those analytical and leadership skills. Participants examine process mapping, waste elimination, capacity and flow, quality improvement, performance measurement, and improvement leadership. Furthermore, the course covers Lean, Six Sigma, value stream mapping, the Theory of Constraints, PDCA, OEE, and the Balanced Scorecard. It also addresses engaging teams in improvement and sustaining gains. As a result, participants leave able to identify constraints and improve productivity with measurable evidence.
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity Course Objectives
- Map processes and value streams to identify delay, waste, and rework.
- Apply Lean principles and the eight wastes to operational problems.
- Apply Six Sigma methods including DMAIC, root cause analysis, and statistical thinking.
- Use the Theory of Constraints to identify and manage bottlenecks.
- Design capacity, flow, and workload balancing to improve throughput.
- Apply 5S, standard work, and visual management in the workplace.
- Build quality improvement with PDCA, FOCUS-PDCA, and poka-yoke.
- Select operational KPIs including OEE, cycle time, and first-pass yield.
- Engage teams in continuous improvement using Kaizen events.
- Sustain improvement with governance, reviews, and standardisation.
Course Methodology
The course applies interactive, practice-based methods:
- Facilitated workshops on live operational problems.
- Case studies from manufacturing, service, and public sector operations.
- Hands-on process mapping, value stream, and root cause exercises.
- Simulation of flow, capacity, and bottleneck decisions.
- Group work on improvement plans and KPI frameworks.
- Action planning that converts each method into an operational routine.
Who Should Take This Course
- Operations and production managers.
- Continuous improvement and Lean practitioners.
- Process owners and business analysts.
- Quality and performance managers.
- Service delivery and back-office managers.
- Supervisors and team leaders responsible for output.
Improving Operational Performance and Productivity Course Outlines
Foundations of Operational Performance
- • Defining productivity, efficiency, and effectiveness.
- • Understanding the productivity equation: output, input, and value.
- • Mapping current processes and identifying value-adding steps.
- • Applying process mapping and swimlane diagrams.
- • Recognising the eight wastes in Lean thinking.
- • Assessing your operation's current performance baseline.
- • Identifying improvement priorities in your area.
Lean, Flow, and Waste Elimination
- • Applying the five Lean principles.
- • Using value stream mapping to reveal delay and waste.
- • Applying takt time, cycle time, and lead time measures.
- • Designing flow and reducing work in progress.
- • Applying 5S and visual workplace management.
- • Building standard work and reducing variation.
- • Designing a value stream improvement plan.
Quality, Variation, and Root Cause
- • Applying Six Sigma thinking and the DMAIC cycle.
- • Using root cause analysis with 5 Whys and fishbone diagrams.
- • Applying Pareto analysis to prioritise problems.
- • Understanding variation and process capability basics.
- • Applying poka-yoke and error-proofing methods.
- • Applying FOCUS-PDCA to quality improvement.
- • Building a quality improvement project plan.
Capacity, Constraints, and Productivity Measurement
- • Applying the Theory of Constraints and the five focusing steps.
- • Identifying bottlenecks and managing drum-buffer-rope concepts.
- • Balancing capacity, workload, and demand across the process.
- • Measuring productivity with OEE, cycle time, and first-pass yield.
- • Building operational dashboards for daily management.
- • Using takt and demand analysis for staffing decisions.
- • Building a capacity and productivity measurement framework.
Sustaining Improvement and Leading Kaizen
- • Running Kaizen events and improvement workshops.
- • Engaging teams in improvement with clear roles and recognition.
- • Applying PDCA and daily management routines.
- • Sustaining gains through standardisation and audits.
- • Leading improvement change with Kotter's early steps and ADKAR awareness.
- • Reviewing improvement results with honest data.
- • Finalizing a personal operational improvement action plan.
Conclusion
By successfully completing Improving Operational Performance and Productivity, participants will have acquired practical knowledge of process mapping, Lean and Six Sigma methods, constraint management, capacity and flow design, and performance measurement. They will have gained skills in process analysis and waste elimination, quality and root cause improvement, capacity and constraint management, and productivity measurement with continuous improvement leadership, plus a personal action plan. Gentex Training Center designed this program to help organisations raise productivity with evidence and discipline.
FAQs
— What is the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course about?
It develops the capability to raise output, quality, and cost performance. Participants study process mapping, Lean waste elimination, Six Sigma methods, the Theory of Constraints, capacity and flow design, productivity measurement, and continuous improvement leadership.
— What are the key benefits of the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course?
Participants gain a clearer view of where work slows down, practical improvement methods, and measurable productivity gains. Organisations also reduce rework and waiting time, improve quality and delivery reliability, and build a culture of continuous improvement that keeps producing results.
— What skills will I gain from the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course?
You will develop four core skills: process analysis and waste elimination, quality and root cause improvement, capacity and constraint management, and productivity measurement with continuous improvement leadership.
— What tools, methods, or standards are covered in the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course?
The course covers process mapping and swimlane diagrams, value stream mapping, the eight wastes of Lean, takt time and cycle time analysis, 5S and visual management, standard work, Six Sigma and DMAIC, 5 Whys and fishbone diagrams, Pareto analysis, poka-yoke, FOCUS-PDCA, the Theory of Constraints and the five focusing steps, drum-buffer-rope, OEE and first-pass yield, Kaizen events, the Balanced Scorecard, and Kotter's early change steps with ADKAR awareness.
— How is the "Improving Operational Performance and Productivity" course applied in real-world practice?
Participants apply the methods to live operational tasks, such as mapping a slow process, running a root cause analysis on recurring defects, identifying a bottleneck, building an operational dashboard, and leading a Kaizen event. Each module ends with an action commitment, so learning transfers directly into daily operations.
Partners in Learning
Our Partners in Learning include leading companies and organizations that trust Gentex Training Center for high-quality training courses and professional development programs. Together, we deliver impactful training programs that support skills growth, leadership development, and organizational excellence.
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