Non-value-added Steps and Tasks

Overview/Description
Anytime you have products sitting in inventory it means your resources are not producing cash flow. Identifying and removing the non-value-added steps and tasks in the supply chain is the key element in effective inventory management. This course examines how Lean businesses seek to integrate their supply chains with their production processes so as to minimize inventory levels, improve the flow of raw materials, and ultimately reduce costs.

Target Audience


Candidates for Black Belt certification; managers/executives overseeing personnel involved in the implementation of Six Sigma in their organization; consultants involved in implementing a Six Sigma proposal; and organizations implementing a Six Sigma project

Expected Duration


3.0 hours

Objectives :

Lesson Overview

  • recognize the benefits of being able to identify non-value-added activities in the supply chain

    • Muda

  • recognize examples of the seven types of waste (muda)

    • Managing Inventory the Lean Way

  • identify the inefficient business processes that may cause excessive inventories to exist in a given scenario

    • Inspections, Testing, and Rework Operations

  • recognize how inspection and test operations add value

    • The Lean Supply Chain

  • match the types of strategic initiatives available to deploy Lean supply chain efforts to examples

    • Implementing Lean Logistics

  • recognize examples of the key components required for implementing a Lean logistics network

    • Lesson Overview

  • recognize the benefits of reducing cycle time

    • Improving Cycle Time

  • match each KPA measured by cycle time to examples
  • match cycle-time tools to situations where they should be used

    • Achieving Significant Progress in Cycle-Time Reduction

  • recognize situations that will help to achieve significant progress in cycle-time reduction

    • Lesson Overview

  • match events in the history of production to the way they contributed to the development of JIT

    • The Zero Inventory Philosophy

  • identify the requirements for achieving JIT
  • recognize the advantages of using JIT

    • The Ideal JIT Environment

  • identify examples of the ideal conditions that should be in place for JIT to work
  • recognize the advantages of using cellular manufacturing


    • Course Number: oper_01_a02_bs_enus