Lean Manufacturing Program

Lean Manufacturing

Blue

WEEK 1 & WEEK 2 BLUE

September 8-12 & October 20-24, 2025
$6,900
Register

Location:

Ann Arbor, MI

Schedule:

Mon-Fri 8:30am-4:30pm ET

Course Summary

Learning Objectives

Course Overview

Credentials

Instructional Team

Course Summary

Go Blue Discounts
Instruction Time Completion Time CEUs
Lean Manufacturing 10 days Canvas access ends after 30 days 8

The Blue course includes the standard first week of Lean Manufacturing that focuses on the essentials. Week 1 is the same for both the Maize and Blue courses. When you return for the second week of the Blue course, you will learn about Lean tools and practice. Together, the two weeks teach you how to use Lean manufacturing tools and methods through expert lectures, case studies, exercises, and simulations.

Learning Objectives

  • Know how the philosophy and core methods of Lean manufacturing apply to your business
  • Value stream map the current state of your material and information flow through the value chain — understand where the added value is for the customer
  • Identify waste and its root cause in the value stream
  • Develop future state vision of your Lean systems by using kaizens (improvement events)
  • Use the leadership skills needed to drive Lean initiatives

Course Overview

*LAPTOP REQUIRED*

Complete the two-week course to earn your Certificate. Within two years, complete a third week (the five-day Week 2 course you have not yet taken—Maize or Blue) to earn the Master Certificate.

Week 1: Lean Manufacturing Essentials

  • Understand the Lean Manufacturing principles and benefits
  • Understand continuous flow, pull, and standardized work
  • Understand value versus waste and how to identify waste
  • Participate in a hands-on simulation where you have opportunity to use the principles of Lean to improve flow
  • Learn how to construct a current state value stream map and what data to collect for the value stream map
  • Learn how to interpret the data and the current state to identify capacity constraints, bottlenecks, and waste
  • Understand the role and function of “process boxes” and “data boxes” in a value stream map 
  • Learn the key factors to consider and the key questions to ask to develop a future state map from the current state
  • Practice the above learnings through a team-based exercise to develop a current state and a future state map for a supplier company
  • Understand the differences between a pull and a push system
  • Understand different kinds of pull systems and their implementation details
  • Understand how much inventory is necessary (number of kanbans) in a pull system and how to compute these numbers
  • Understand EPEI (every product every interval) and the role of set-up reduction in pull system design
  • Understand how to extend pull to purchased parts
  • Practice concepts in case studies and simulation
  • Learn how to see the “big picture” by constructing a PQ-chart (aka ABC analysis) for your product families
  • Learn how to estimate equipment and labor requirements for a cell as well as allocating work among the operators assigned to the cell
  • Learn how to compute and place standard WIP in a cell
  • Practice the above learnings by designing with your team two cells: an assembly cell for laptops and a fabrication cell for a component 
  • Understand the history of Kaizen and be able to articulate the different types of Kaizen events
  • Learn how to structure waste walks as a form of improvement event
  • Learn how to formulate different Lean tools as a structured Kaizen event
  • Learn how to plan, structure, and carry out a Value Stream Mapping Kaizen event
  • Develop tips for improving the effectiveness of Kaizen event facilitation by focusing on team dynamics and personality profiles
  • Understand the role of the facilitator in running Kaizen events and gain tips to improve the effectiveness of this role
  • Learn and practice the three phases of conducting a Kaizen event: 1. Planning and Preparation, 2. Implementation, 3. Presentation, Celebration, and Follow-up

Week 2 (Blue): Lean Tools and Practice

  • Learn a tool to rate an operation’s Lean state based on a quick tour
  • Understand how to rate Lean through visual clues
  • Learn how visual management motivates people and teams
  • Understand the relationship between Lean progress and cost savings in an operation
  • Learn how complexity and variability reduction relate to Lean improvement


Zingerman’s Mail Order Walk-Thru
610 Phoenix Dr, Ann Arbor, MI 48108

  • Learn the difference between standardization versus standards
  • Learn the background/history of standardized work
  • Internalize the steps to implementing standardized work
  • Demonstrate the application of the steps (defining product families, calculating takt time, performing standard work analysis, and developing standard work documents) in an academic case
  • Review the application of the standard work process in an industry case
  • Practice implementing the standard work process in a simulation
  • Learn how to train using standardize work leveraging the Job Instruction method
  • Learn how to use the simplify-eliminate-combine principle to reduce/eliminate material handling waste
  • Learn the role and impact of plan-for-every-part (PFEP) and lineside-back design
  • Learn the basic structure and operation of milk-run systems (fixed interval, variable quantity deliveries) and call systems (variable interval, fixed quantity deliveries) used in Lean plants.
  • Practice the above learnings by designing a milk-run system and a call system with your team for a manufacturing plant with known workstation locations and layout
  • Understand why it is not sufficient to have just a lean factory, and why to compete, one needs a lean and resilient supply chain
  • Understand supply chain design trade-offs, and how to measure and improve supply chain efficiency, and resilience.
  • Understand how geopolitical developments are affecting supply chain designs
  • Learn about the importance of mapping supply chains, and understanding how nodes in the supply chain can affect your manufacturing productivity.
  • Learn supply chain resilience through case-studies
  • Participate in a supply chain simulation where you design and price your product, pick suppliers (design your supply chain), plan production. 
  • Discuss the challenges faced in participants’ supply chains, and brainstorm ideas to improve the efficiency and resilience of the supply chains.
  • Understand the role of change management in a successful Lean implementation
  • Understand and gain the capability to implement change management using a structured (7-step) Lean change model
  • Apply the Lean change model in a simulation where you undertake Lean change in a complex, high-pressure environment
  • Apply the Lean change model to brainstorm ways to accelerate your company’s Lean transformation

Credentials

Powered by: 

Digital Badge

Digital badge earned after successful completion of this course.

Digital Certificate

Certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of this course.

Instructional Team

Izak Duenyas, Ph.D.

  • Lead Faculty
  • Associate Dean for Executive Programs, Herrick Professor of Business, Ross School of Business

Yavuz Bozer, Ph.D.

  • Lead Faculty
  • Professor, Industrial & Operations Engineering

Don Lynch, Ph.D.

  • Vice President of Quality, Strategy, and Transformation, SKF USA Inc.

JD Marhevko

  • Vice President of Quality, ZF Division U. Electronics & ADAS at ZF Group

Get Started

For more information or answers to any questions please email [email protected] or fill out the form.

Main Office:
2401 Plymouth Road, Suite A/B
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(734) 647-7200
[email protected]

Linkedin Instagram Youtube

MICHIGAN ENGINEERING ONLINE & PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

ONLINE DEGREES

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

© 2025 The Regents of the University of Michigan