MQ3IL08-Improvement Methods and Strategies

Module Provider: Leadership, Organisations and Behaviour
Number of credits: 0 [0 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring / Summer module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Dr Sinem Bulkan
Email: s.bulkan@henley.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module forms part of the Henley Executive Diploma in Managing Business Transformation (Improvement Leader Apprenticeship), and as such, sets out to provide the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by Improvement Leaders/Change Managers/Business Transformation managers in today’s world, in relation to Improvement Methods and Strategies. The module is designed to meet the learning outcomes of the Improvement Leader Apprenticeship Standard. 

The module covers the principles of Lean, Six Sigma and other improvement methodologies and strategies to enable continuous improvement strategy and to support business transformation. The module will equip the learners with the skills and knowledge required to align improvement methods and tools with organisational goals while critically reviewing the outcomes and identifying the gaps for improvement. The module is designed around a number of interrelated topics such as Self-Development (operational excellence), Lean concepts and tools, Six Sigma Methodologies, principles and methods to deliver business benefits, and benchmarking.  

The module extends the knowledge to the wider context by linking the improvement strategy (e.g., Lean) to the business planning cycle, analysing current state and opportunities and engaging with external enterprise to extend and strengthen the organisation’s transformation strategy. The module also aims to develop the learner’s skills in terms of assessing the organisation’s approach to latest thinking in continuous improvement, methods and tools selection, deployment of improvement methods and strategies, and benchmarking. The module also introduces future intervention areas for continuous improvement.  

Key behavioural skills – drive for results and strategic thinking –are strongly outlined throughout the module.  

Aims:

Aims:

The module aims to: 

• Develop knowledge and understanding of latest thinking in continuous improvement and operational excellence. 

• Develop knowledge and understanding of Lean, Six Sigma, and other improvement methodologies and strategies.  

• Develop the skills to translate and communicate fundamental Lean concepts for application to a wide range of business functions.  

• Develop the skills to communicate the importance of appropriate methods and tools to others and enable the organisation to make effective decisions through learning and tools.  

• Develop the skills to assess the effectiveness of a Lean strategy and make recommendations for improving outcomes.  

• Develop the skills to execute a benchmarking strategy to support an improvement programme.  

• Develop an awareness of key behavioural skills: drive for results and strategic thinking. 

Assessable learning outcomes:

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that programme members may be able to demonstrate their ability in the following areas: 



 

Knowledge and Understanding: 

K4: Self-development  

• To demonstrate knowledge of latest thinking in continuous improvement and operational excellence.  

• To assess the organisation’s approach to staying abreast of latest thinking in continuous improvement and operational experience and make recommendations for improvement. 

• To establish or improve the organisation’s approach to staying abreast of latest thinking in continuous improvement and operational excellence.  

Skills: 

S9: Principles and Methods  

• To select and apply appropriate methods and tools to deliver business benefits.  

• To communicate the importance of selecting appropriate methods and tools, and linking the inputs to one tool to the outputs of another (and vice versa). 

• To establish or improve the organisation’s approach to method and tool selection.  

S14: Lean Concepts and Tools

• To communicate fundamental Lean concepts and how Lean tools can be applied to deliver business benefits, using completed Lean improvement projects as evidence in different business functions. 

• To assess the organisation’s approach to Lean strategy and deployment and make recommendations for improving outcomes. 

• To develop a Lean strategy linking to the business planning cycle which includes analysis of current state and opportunities, considers development of an improvement culture, anddeployment and communication plans.  

• To engage with the external enterprise to extend and strengthen the organisation’s Lean strategy. 

• To benchmark approaches used by others to deploy Lean, and identify opportunities to enhance the business Lean strategy. 

S23: Benchmarking

• To develop a benchmarking strategy to support improvement activities. 

• To build the organisation’s knowledge and skills in terms of benchmarking.  

Behaviours 

B1: Be a primary advocate for Improvement and Operational Excellence acting as a role model for others, focusing on improving customer experience and delivering benefits. (Drive for results) 

 

B4: Drive future thinking for themselves and others.?Actively seek out new ideas, opportunities, methods and tools. Build a knowledge and best practice sharing network. (Strategic Thinking) 

Additional outcomes:

• 6 Sigma (DMAIC): Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control) Methodologies 

• Design for 6 Sigma (DMADV): Define, Measure, Analyse, Design, Verify)  

• 6 Sigma Team Management 

Outline content:

Outline content:

The module covers the following topics: 

• Self- Development (Latest thinking in Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence).  

• Principles and Methods  

• Lean Concepts and Tools (Lean and Continuous Improvement Methodologies, PDCA, Waste Elimination, Cycle Time Reduction, Kaizen, Value Stream Mapping, Just in Time, TOC: Theory of Constraints, OEE: Overall Equipment Effectiveness 

• 6 Sigma (DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control Methodologies) 

• Design for 6 Sigma (DMADV: Define, Measure, Analyse, Design, Verify) 

• Benchmarking 

-The topics are specifically linked to the behavioural skills (Drive for results and strategic thinking). 

-The content should be mapped against the OFSTED requirements (British values / Safeguarding / Prevent / Maths / English) and Professional Practice Module.  

-The content should acknowledge limitations and challenges to the approaches discussed within the module content. 

Global context:

The module is taught with reference to the global context of the learners’ organisations and their experiences through the inclusion of benchmarking approaches used by others to deploy improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma etc) and identify opportunities to enhance the business improvement strategy. 

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

eaching and learning takes place through a blended learning approach. The teaching and learning methods comprise a combination of self-study via a range of online materials on the Canvas learning platform, face-to-face workshops with Academic Faculty and Learning Coaches, and interaction with a Learning Coach (face-to-face and online) who supports the cohort throughout the module.  Each person participates in a facilitated Action Learning sets either individually or in teams in week 4 o f the module. 

Materials on Canvas include content on-screen, videos, PowerPoint presentations, journal articles, book chapters, practical activities, e-portfolio, and reflection points.  

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

N/A

Formative assessment methods:

One 1500-word Work-Based Project, for which formative feedback will be provided.  

Penalties for late submission:

There is no penalty for late submission. However, if learners are at risk of missing the deadline, they are asked to submit an ECF requesting a 14-day extension.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Evaluation of the work-based project leads to a decision of ‘Proceed’ or ‘Revise’.  In order to gain a ‘Proceed’ the learner must satisfactorily meet the assignment brief requirements. 

Any learning outcomes not achieved will be highlighted for the learner, so that it is clear that these learning outcomes should be addressed prior to reaching Gateway for the End Point Assessment (EPA).   

Learners may revise their project as many times as necessary, as they progress through the programme.  However, only one resubmission will be evaluated, and feedback provided by the Learning Coach (see reassessment arrangements, below).   

Reassessment arrangements:

The revised work-based project should be resubmitted by the deadline of the notification of the ‘revise’ decision.  This resubmission will be evaluated by the Learning Coach, feedback will be provided and an indication of whether the revised project has met the ‘Proceed’ criteria.  No further resubmissions will be evaluated by the Learning Coach.  The student will need to address any remaining gaps regarding achievement of learning outcomes prior to reaching Gateway for the L6 Improvement Leader End Point Assessment.  Students should discuss this with their Learning Coach at their planned review meetings. 

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

Travel, accommodation, and subsistence - Expenses when attending workshops (in the case of a workshop taking place at Greenlands or offsite). 

Last updated: 14 September 2023