Summary
Individuals at Level 1a should have an awareness and basic understanding of Lean principles, underlying continuous improvement concepts, and an ability to understand and articulate fundamental Lean ideas.
Prerequisites for Level 1a
There are no prerequisites required for Level 1a
Level focus
On the underlying principles of Lean thinking, its development and antecedents
Course knowledge outcomes
- A1: Origins and evolution of Lean thinking and continuous improvement
- A2: Underpinning and related concepts and approaches
- A3: Key Lean/CI principles and frameworks
- A4: Core elements of Lean and CI
- A5: Awareness of the human and strategic dimensions of Lean thinking
Course practice outcomes
There are no practice outcomes required for Level 1a.
Indicative Topics
A course aligned to Level 1a will typically include several of the topics listed under each subject area below:
Origins & evolution, key contributors
Ford, Taylor, Deming, Training Within Industry (TWI), Toyota-TPS (Ohno), Shingo, Womack & Jones.
Underpinning and related concepts and approaches
Scientific thinking and the ‘scientific method’; systems thinking, process thinking, continuous improvement, Kata, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints,
Key principles & frameworks
W&J’s Five Lean Principles; Seddon’s CHECK methodology; PDCA; DMAIC (& variants); ToC
Core elements
Value, waste, flow, pull; value adding/non-value adding; the value stream; muri (overburden) and mura (unevenness); demand understanding – value and failure demand;
Human and strategic dimensions
Human dimensions and the enabling factors for sustainability and culture change; engagement, leadership, strategic alignment.
Delivery
A course or programme designed to deliver Level 1a outcomes can be organised in several ways and there is no prescribed format. It will typically use a combination of:
- Face to face, taught in groups – in modules or blocks of hours/days.
- Digital delivery and eLearning.
- Blended learning
The total learning time guidance for a Level 1a course is between 3 and 6 hours. This will vary depending on the delivery methods used. For example face to face teaching with interactions and simulations will take longer, while course digitally delivered will be shorter. Note that the total learning time could include face-to-face teaching, web based learning, post course activities, and assessments.
Level Assessment
The assessment shall demonstrate that the outcomes have been achieved.
Knowledge
An assessment that demonstrates the learner can remember and understand Level 1a Lean Awareness, for example, through a multiple choice test or essay exam.
Practical Application
There is no requirement for practical application to be assessed at Level 1a
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