CLIENT
CHALLENGE
GlaxoSmithKline (Glaxo Wellcome, at the time) came to us to
find a better way to teach their process improvement methodology
to employees (individual learners and intact teams). Their
current training program was thorough but didn't motivate
or teach at a deep personal level. They felt that something
more was required to really leverage the talents of their
employees in the company's large commitment to process improvement.
They also required a program that was custom designed so that
their own process improvement approach could be fully leveraged
and taught. The learning outcomes would need to be focused
on the practical tools for process improvement so that they
could be used immediately in process teams and projects.
CREATIVE RANGE
We were given a broad creative range on this project and so
chose to create a theme for the learning program that was
outside participants’ normal business but still represented
an organization that had process measures and other tools
that could easily be related to.
We did extensive research into the process
methodologies at a number of companies including those taught at
GlaxoSmithKline. We interviewed a broad cross section of employees
at the company and began to form a picture of how process
improvement was viewed, how the tools of process improvement
were used and not used, and how to find the path of greatest
impact and least resistance.
e! SOLUTION…
BridgeTown:
Building the Bridges of Process Improvement
BridgeTown is a very engaging, three-day
process improvement simulation and workshop. BridgeTown provides
participants with the specific and practical tools to continually
improve their business processes. Teams compete to win the
bridge building contract with the Mayor of BridgeTown. Each
team builds three bridges over the course of the highly engaging
and information packed agenda. In the process of executing
the contract, they improve their processes with incredible
results: substantially improved quality and safety measures,
completion times that are decreased by 90%, and financial
reductions up to 50%. Real teams complete the program with
a plan to use the tools within their work areas, and with
the support of Process Improvement Facilitators to design
follow-up programs for monitoring the teams’ results.
Individuals complete the program equipped and inspired to
contribute to improving processes and their company’s
results!
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- understanding Process Improvement (PI)
& its various approaches;
- appreciating how PI contributes to
achieving the organization's strategy;
- comprehending how processes are being
improved within the organization to increase effectiveness
and efficiency;
- knowing how to identify process customers
and understand their requirements;
- being able to apply PI concepts, tools
and methods;
- being able to apply team skills within
their work teams;
- creating a plan for applying PI back
'on the job'.
RESULTS
GlaxoSmithKline has called BridgeTown one of the most effective
programs in their company. Years later, they are still using
the program and have documented the exceptional results that
their process teams have generated over the years. These time
and cost savings now are documented to be in the millions
of dollars and BridgeTown has played its key training part
in that process. When the company subsequently evolved its
process tools and process teaching, they rehired exper!ence
it inc. to redesign the simulation to fit this new reality
and continued to use the simulation.
THANKS
This powerful learning program would never have been developed
were it not for the belief of Susan Dennison and Mark Towers.
Their continued efforts, ideas and insights made BridgeTown
come to life. Several years later, in the spirit of the simulation's
learning outcomes, we revisited BridgeTown, improving and
tailoring it to the company's new process systems. At that
time, Tammy Purdy joined in to make something magical happen
inside the world of the new BridgeTown. Tammy's energy and
commitment made this already successful product even better
and more tightly aligned with the company’s new direction. |
