Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
ME-498 / 5 credits
Teacher: Kaboli Amin
Language: English
Withdrawal: It is not allowed to withdraw from this subject after the registration deadline.
Summary
Continuous Improvement encompasses the ongoing effort to capture, create, and deliver value to internal and external customers. This course equips students with practical skills and tools to improve products/services/processes with the support of technology and empowering people.
Content
This course is based on the following four modules:
Module 1- Introduction to Continuous Improvement
- What is Continuous Improvement and why do all manufacturing/service companies need it
- What is value and how to capture, create, and deliver it
- What are the main pillars of Continuous Improvement
Module 2- Process (Operational Excellence)
- Operations Improvement: Improvement Mindset, Skillset and Tools, Operational Excellence
- Process Strategy: Process Types, Volume vs. Flexibility, Standardization vs. Competence
- Capacity & Constraint Management: Capacity Planning, Bottleneck Analysis, Theory of Constraints (TOC), Capacity Simulation
- Quality Management & Analytics: Product/Service Quality, Quality Costs, Quality Tools, Quality Control, Process Capability, Six Sigma, Quality Simulation
- Facility Layout: Product and Process Layouts, Line Balancing, Minimizing Transportation Costs/Distances, Facility Layout Design Simulation
- Lean Operations: Principle of Lean System, Building blocks, Lean Tools
Module 3- Technology (Digital Process Improvement)
- Disruptive Technologies for Product/Service/Process Improvement: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, Data Analytics, Process Mining, ...
- Platforms & Digital Ecosystems: Innovation and Disruption, Connectivity, Cyber-Physical Systems, From Product to Platforms, Benefits, Challenges, Roll out, Governance
- Defining a Digital Roadmap: Mapping Industries, Digital Transformation Frameworks, Simplifying the User Experience
- Leading Sustainable Change: Why Change Projects Fail, Managing Change, Articulating a Sustainable Change Plan, Emotions of Change, Change Models, Effective Communication of a Change Plan, Effective Digital Crisis Management
Module 4- People (Engineering Leadership)
- Engineering Leadership: How engineers become leaders, Why it matters, What are the main building blocks
- Leading Self: Growth Mindset, Emotional Intelligence, Connecting and Bonding, Building and Maintaining Trust
- Leading Teams: Leadership Styles, Effective Communication, Conflict Resolution, Team Dynamics, Psychological Safety
- Leading Complex Projects: Seeing the Big Picture, System Dynamics & Systems Thinking, Social Responsibility & Awareness, Sustainability & Engineering Ethics, Responsible Engineering Practises
Keywords
Continuous improvement, Value Chain, Product/Service, Process, Technology, People, Operational Excellence, Engineering Leadership.
Learning Prerequisites
Required courses
- Probability and Statistics
Recommended courses
- Production Management
- Supply Chain Management
- Data Science for Business
Important concepts to start the course
- Data analysis using Excel
- Active engagement and teamwork
- Advanced level of probability and statistics
Objective of this course
- Understanding how a manufacturing company captures, creates, and adds value for its customers
- Analyzing the product/service/process of a manufacturing company
- Developing and driving improvement plans for the product/service/process
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, the student must be able to:
Transversal skills
- Evaluate one's own performance in the team, receive and respond appropriately to feedback.
- Write a scientific or technical report.
- Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.
- Negotiate effectively within the group.
- Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
- Chair a meeting to achieve a particular agenda, maximising participation.
- Resolve conflicts in ways that are productive for the task and the people concerned.
- Make an oral presentation.
- Take account of the social and human dimensions of the engineering profession.
- Identify the different roles that are involved in well-functioning teams and assume different roles, including leadership roles.
- Take responsibility for environmental impacts of her/ his actions and decisions.
Teaching methods
- Formal lectures
- Case studies
- Project-based learning
- Games and simulations
- Videos
- Book chapters, hand-outs, and notes
- Guest speakers
The course is based on the implementation of theoretical concepts and models to practical cases. Students work in a group on multiple cases during the whole semester.
Expected student activities
- Individual: Self-study, Active class discussions, case evaluations, Q&A
- In-group: Teamwork (respect, brainstorming, involvement and constructive feedback)
- Presentation: Share your findings weekly in class/group coaching sessions
Assessment methods
Continuous evaluation of case reports, projects, individual and group presentations, class discussions, during the semester. More precisely:
- 25% Participation, and class engagement,
- 45% Class assignments, presentations, projects, and case reports,
- 30% Final (Final report and presentation and understanding of the case)
Supervision
Office hours | Yes |
Assistants | Yes |
Forum | Yes |
Resources
Virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI)
Yes
Bibliography
Series of book chapters, hand-outs, and notes will be shared in the class. The following books are recommended for further reading (and not mandatory);
Process:
- Stevenson, W. J. (2020). Operations management. McGraw Hill.
- Slack, N., Chambers, S., & Johnston, R. (2016). Operations management. Pearson education.
- Sterman, J. (2010). Business dynamics. Irwin/McGraw-Hill c2000.
- Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and practice of the learning organization. Doubleday.
- Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change. Harvard business press.
Technology:
- Porter, M. E., & Heppelmann, J. E. (2014). How smart, connected products are transforming competition. Harvard business review, 92(11), 64-88.
- Porter, M. E., & Heppelmann, J. E. (2015). How smart, connected products are transforming companies. Harvard business review, 93(10), 96-114.
- Agrawal, A., Gans, J., & Goldfarb, A. (2018). Prediction machines: the simple economics of artificial intelligence. Harvard Business Press.
- Rogers, D. L. (2016). The digital transformation playbook: Rethink your business for the digital age. Columbia University Press.
- Gupta, S. (2018). Driving digital strategy: A guide to reimagining your business. Harvard Business Press.Chicago
- Iansiti, M., & Lakhani, K. R. (2020). Competing in the age of AI: strategy and leadership when algorithms and networks run the world. Harvard Business Press.
People:
- Dweck, C., (2007). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success. Ballantine Books
- Goleman, D., (2005). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Random House Publishing Group.
- Tan, C. M. (2018). Search inside yourself. HarperOne; Reprint edition.
- Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Macmillan.
- Kahneman, D., Sibony, O., & Sunstein, C. R. (2021). Noise: A flaw in human judgment. Little, Brown.
- Kohlrieser, G. (2006). Hostage at the table: How leaders can overcome conflict, influence others, and raise performance(Vol. 145). John Wiley & Sons.
- Rosenberg, M. B. (2002). Nonviolent communication: A language of compassion. Encinitas, CA: Puddledancer press.
- Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, S. (2010). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most. Penguin.
Ressources en bibliothèque
- Rosenberg, M. B. (2002). Nonviolent communication: A language of compassion
- The digital transformation playbook / Rogers
- Tan, C. M. (2018). Search inside yourself
- Goleman, D., (2005). Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
- Stone, D., Patton, B., & Heen, S. (2010). Difficult conversations: How to discuss what matters most
- Dweck, C., (2007). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
- Competing in the age of AI / Iansiti
- How smart, connected products are transforming competition / Porter
- Business dynamics / Sterman
- How smart, connected products are transforming companies / Porter
- Prediciton machines / Agrawal
- Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow
- Driving digital strategy / Gupta
- Operations management / Stevenson
- The fifth discipline / Senge
- Kahneman, D., Sibony, O., Sunstein, C.R. (2021). Noise : A flaw in human judgment
- Operations management / Slack
- Leading Change / Kotter
- Kohlrieser, G. (2006). Hostage at the table: How leaders can overcome conflict, influence others, and raise performance
In the programs
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Semester: Spring
- Number of places: 50
- Exam form: During the semester (summer session)
- Subject examined: Continuous improvement of manufacturing systems
- Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
- Project: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks