Process Improvement

2.5 credits

This course will teach a systematic method for understanding and improving ongoing business processes. The techniques learned in this class provide a systematic method of asking questions, collecting data, and analyzing that data to learn how processes work (or are failing) and what can be changed to improve them. The statistical techniques you will learn are SPC (Statistical Process Control, used as a proactive tool for investigation rather than its traditional role as a reactive tool), MSA (Measurement Systems Analysis, for determining if your measurement system is capable), FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), and DOE (Design of Experiments). In addition to these analysis tools, there will be a strong emphasis on the process of data acquisition. To support the process of acquiring the right data and learning the analysis tools, you will do a small outside project for the class and a series of in-class simulations. You will learn to use two additional tools that support the questioning that leads to good data acquisition: process mapping (of the process you will be improving) and thought process mapping (of the process you use to solve the client's problem).