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Flow – Second Generation Lean Product Development, Auckland
December 17, 2012 - December 18, 2012
Overview
Lean methods have been used for over 50 years in production processes, producing huge economic benefits. They are based on principles that are transferable to product development. In fact, these methods are the only practical way to simultaneously achieve large improvements in the speed, quality, and cost of product development.
However, using lean methods in product development requires some insight. To succeed we must have a clear idea of which management practices obstruct flow, and how to remove these obstructions. Without this insight we will dilute our energy in lengthy process mapping exercises, and ultimately lose momentum.
This workshop focuses on proven leverage points. It concentrates on specific practical methods that have helped participants achieve as much as a 90 percent reduction in cycle time. Ituses a unique economic approach to identify which methods will provide the fastest payback and teaches you the science behind the methods. behind the methods.
About Don Reinertsen
Don Reinertsen is President of Reinertsen & Associates and author of the new book, The Principles of Product Development Flow: Second Generation Lean Product Development. He specializes in the management of product development processes. Before forming his own firm, he consulted at McKinsey & Co., an international management consulting firm, and was Senior Vice President of Operations at Zimmerman Holdings, a private diversified manufacturing company. For 30 years he has been bringing fresh perspectives and quantitative rigor to development process management.
In 1983, while a consultant at McKinsey & Co., he wrote a landmark article in Electronic Business magazine that first quantified the value of development speed. This article has been cited in the frequently quoted McKinsey study that indicated “6 months delay can be worth 33 percent of lifecycle profits.” He coined the term “Fuzzy Front End” in 1983 and began applying world class manufacturing techniques in product development in 1985. In 1997, his landmark book, Managing the Design Factory, first introduced the ideas that have become known as Lean Product Development. Don is co-author of the best-sellng book, Developing Products in Half the Time. He holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University and an M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School.
Who Should Attend
This program is designed for managers who currently play an important role in product development. It will be particularly useful to companies that are reaching the point of diminishing returns using conventional approaches to product development and to those who wish to quickly get benefits using lean methods. It is preferred that participants have a basic understanding of lean techniques and at least 5 years of experience in product development. Attendees should bring a calculator, since the course will involve some light calculations. The techniques covered are general methods of analysis rather than industry specific rules. Just as physics applies to both large objects and small ones, the methods used in this course can be applied in a wide variety of industries.