Featured content from Catalyst’s experienced team of Trainers and Consultants. Themes include Lean Six Sigma Training and Consulting, Continuous Improvement and Operational Excellence
When creating and growing a business, leaders typically focus most on acquiring and organising the skills, tools and other key resources required to achieve objectives and deliver results. The priority is often the tangible and visible components of structures, facilities, technology, infrastructure, partners/suppliers, customers, products and services. The organisation’s most precious resource meanwhile, its people,…
Have you heard of, or are you taking part in RED January? RED stands for Run Every Day. Those signing up make a commitment to run (or move!) every day in the month of January to help raise awareness of the mental health charity Mind, and open up conversations about mental health. I can proudly…
The Kano Model was developed by Noriaki Kano in 1984 to outline different types of customer requirement. The model shows how the fulfilment of each type impacts on customer satisfaction, and demonstrates that more is not always better. That’s not to say a Scrooge-like approach should be adopted – just that there is a smarter…
The Project Champion (or Sponsor) plays a vital role in a Lean Six Sigma project. The individual – we always recommend that this role is undertaken by one person – is responsible for giving strategic direction to the project team, providing resources, helping overcome issues, reviewing progress and ensuring the team remains focussed. While the…
As a Continuous Improvement practitioner do you find that improving your existing products, processes and services is not always sufficient to meet your organisation’s goals? Do you have stakeholders who are looking for a step change in performance rather than a slow evolution. Essentially, what is required here is a radical re-think of how things…
There’s a talk on TED that I came across recently that features BLACK, the Japanese YoYo World Champion. In it, he talks about finding his life’s passion (YoYos) when he was 8 years old, and devoting every spare minute to practicing, in order to show the world just how spectacular the YoYo can be. His…
You are on a train/in a meeting/drinking coffee and you hear the Breaking News alert on your phone. “What now?” you wonder. And you would be forgiven for including an expletive or two in your musing. Uncertain economic growth, unpredictable exchange rates, the future of the Eurozone … we live in ‘interesting’ times. In the…
As it’s the season for pantomime, This month’s blog is set in rhyme! It might seem whimsy or a little bit twee, But it’s still Lean Six Sigma, as you’ll see! Are you ready to start? It’s not so alarming This article’s about…Prince Charming! Have you ever thought, and did you consider, How…
It was the week before Christmas, and Santa’s workshop was very busy indeed. In Santa’s HQ, footage from SantaCams across the globe was being scrutinized to confirm who’s been Naughty or Nice, spreadsheets prepared and route-planners updated. Out in the stables the reindeer were being groomed, and the sleigh serviced and shone to perfection.…
It has been revealed this week that fake election news stories on Facebook were looked at more than true stories from major news outlets in the final three months of the US presidential campaign. Barack Obama has expressed his concern. “If we can’t discriminate between serious arguments and propaganda, then we have problems”, he…