Practical Tools to Understand Workflows, Identify Gaps, and Improve Process Performance

Processes often break down because work is not clearly understood, documented, or communicated across departments. Tribal knowledge, unclear handoffs, rework, batching, waiting, duplicate work, and communication gaps can all create frustration, delays, and inconsistent results.

This interactive course introduces practical process mapping tools that help manufacturing teams understand how work is actually being done, identify where problems are occurring, and support improvement efforts through the PDCA cycle.

Participants will learn how to use process maps to grasp the current situation, diagnose process issues, explain problems more clearly, plan improvements, and support action using practical tools that can be applied immediately in a manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Learn:

Participants will learn practical process mapping tools to better understand workflows, identify process gaps, diagnose problems, and support continuous improvement within manufacturing environments.

• Identify how process mapping supports problem-solving and continuous improvement
• Use process maps to better understand current conditions and grasp the situation
• Recognize common process issues such as tribal knowledge, unclear handoffs, rework, batching, waiting, duplicate work, and communication gaps
• Understand when to use different types of maps, including SIPOC, block diagrams, value stream maps, swim lane maps, and operator balance charts
• Use high-level maps to describe the nature of a problem and the conditions of a process
• Apply process maps to diagnose issues, explain problems, plan improvements, and support action
• Connect process mapping to the PDCA cycle
• Improve real-world process observation and data collection
• Select the best mapping method based on the process, problem, and improvement goal
• Apply process mapping tools through hands-on examples and practical exercises

Course Highlights:

• Designed for manufacturing teams looking to better understand, document, and improve their processes
• Focused on practical tools such as SIPOC, block diagrams, value stream maps, swim lane maps, operator balance charts, and other mapping methods
• Helps teams move beyond assumptions and tribal knowledge by visually capturing how work is actually being done
• Supports problem-solving, continuous improvement, communication, and operational consistency
• Provides tips for real-world process observation, data collection, and identifying common process problems
• Includes hands-on examples to help participants apply mapping tools in practical manufacturing scenarios

Who Should Attend:

• Supervisors and team leads responsible for improving daily operations
• Production and operations managers
• Quality managers, quality technicians, and inspectors
• Continuous improvement personnel
• Maintenance and reliability leaders
• Engineering and technical staff
• Employees involved in process improvement, problem-solving, standard work, quality, scrap, rework, downtime, or operational flow
• Teams looking to reduce tribal knowledge, improve handoffs, and better understand how work moves through the organization

About the Course:

• Led by an experienced professional who has a proven track record of success
• Includes a variety of teaching methods, including instruction, examples, discussion, and hands-on activities
• Content Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Course Requirements: N/A
• Number of Sessions: 1
• Time: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
• WedNET Eligible: Yes. This course is generally reimbursable under the WedNET PA state training grant at $2,000 per employee, subject to eligibility, funding, and compliance. At your request, our on-staff grant specialists would be pleased to assist you in applying for this or other funding programs available to reduce your net investment.