INTERMEDIATE: BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE SIX SIGMA MEASUREMENT SYSTEM IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

Six Sigma initiatives live and die by their measurement systems; if results can’t be proven, the quantitative foundation of the method is undermined. While measuring manufacturing operations tends to be straightforward, operational metrics in financial services are inherently more complex.

This workshop provides an end-to-end look at how to rapidly plan and incrementally deploy effective measurement systems across a financial services enterprise, employing techniques from Lean and Agile project management in concert with tried-and-true Six Sigma methods for increased speed and accuracy.

Topics that will be addressed include:
* What types of metrics are useful in managing financial services operations across the enterprise?
* How can metrics be linked effectively throughout the value chain?
* What technology solutions are available for common domains, and how do they compare to one another?
* How can Lean initiatives and Agile projects be applied to speed and enhance ground-level implementation of measurement systems?

ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP LEADERS:

Tiran Dagan, Managing Consultant, CC PACE
Tiran Dagan is a Managing Consultant with the Lean-Agile practice at CC Pace Systems. He is a Six Sigma Black Belt and an Agile Project Management Certified ScrumMaster with over 20 years experience in Information Technology and Business Strategy in the financial and healthcare industries. He applied Lean Six Sigma & Agile practices to reduce time to market, improve efficiency and reduce variation of business critical processes with Fortune 500 firms such as Wachovia, Capital One and T. Rowe Price to name a few. Prior to joining CC Pace Systems, Tiran held various roles in systems architecture, software development and Project & Portfolio Management.

Arlen Bankston, Director, CC Pace Lean-Agile Practice, CC PACE
Arlen Bankston is Director of the Lean Six Sigma group within CC Pace’s Lean-Agile Practice. He has spearheaded Lean and Agile adoption at Fortune 100 companies, leveraging a diverse background in business process management, user experience design and Agile software development to help clients become faster, more efficient and more flexible. Arlen is a Certified ScrumMaster Trainer, Six Sigma Black Belt, and widely published author and presenter. He has led numerous Agile and Lean Six Sigma project teams in disparate domains including marketing, financial services operations and risk management. His extensive experience in usability, information architecture, and interaction design has lent him a deep appreciation for aligning organizations with the true needs of their customers. Some of his recent work has focused on blending elements of Lean Six Sigma, Agile project delivery and user experience practices to ensure that customer-focused strategies are realized effectively through project execution. Arlen has a B.S. in Management Information Systems.

BEGINNERS/INTERMEDIATE: INTEGRATING LEAN AND SIX SIGMA TO ACHIEVE ACCELERATED RESULTS IN FINANCIAL SERVICES

This workshop will present an innovative model for integrating the Lean and Six Sigma concepts and tools into an accelerated deployment model for financial services.

Specific Concepts Include:
* Introduction to a unique project selection and characterization model that provides the foundation for rapid, efficient integration of Lean and Six Sigma Tools.
* How to implement a just-in-time “step ladder” approach to developing and certifying Lean Six Sigma Belts.
* How to rapidly increase engagement of line managers and employees without the need for extensive classroom training.

Through a combination of case study presentation, simulation and hands-on application of tools, this session will provide participants with ideas and practical strategies for increasing engagement and results from their process improvement efforts. Special focus will be place on adapting and applying Lean tools and concepts for Financial Services.

ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP LEADER:

John Tucci, Founding Partner, LEAP TECHNOLOGIES, INC. has more than 15 years experience in process improvement and strategy execution. Leap Technologies has conducted on-going research across industries to identify best practices in Lean Six Sigma Deployment. John’s has worked with numerous financial services organizations including First Chicago, Bank One, LaSalle Bank, HSBC, The Northern Trust Company and Volvo Commercial Finance.

BEGINNERS/INTERMEDIATE: TURNING LEAD INTO GOLD: DEPLOYING LEAN SIX SIGMA IN THE MOST OVERLOOKED EXPENSE ON YOUR INCOME STATEMENT – CORPORATE REAL ESTATE

Real estate-related costs represent the second or third highest expense on the income statements of most financial services firms. Yet few companies have been successful in broadly deploying Six Sigma in their real estate operations. Properly implemented, Six Sigma can achieve stunning results in corporate real estate – from rationalizing property portfolios pre- or post-merger or acquisition, to creating programs aimed at reducing and controlling spend, to complying with Sarbox and other regulatory and reporting requirements. This workshop will explore:

* Improving top and bottom line performance
* Identifying and overcoming barriers to deployment
* Selecting projects that will succeed
* Databases, analytical tools, and systems
* Aligning with service providers who walk the talk

The workshop will be presented by members of The Crestar Alliance, a consortium of specialty firms which has developed an array of services aimed at corporate property consumers and institutional property owners.

YOUR WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Gary Cone, President, GLOBAL PRODUCTIVITY SOLUTIONS
Steve Blau, Director, NAI MERTZ CORPORATE SERVICES
Rick Sabat, Partner, MORGAN LEWIS & BOCKIUS
Barry Tuman, President, TREESOFT

BEGINNERS/INTERMEDIATE: LAUNCHING PROCESS EXCELLENCE TO ESTABLISH A STRUCTURE FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Process Excellence is applied when leaders want to change the way they manage their organization. The goal is to transition from a departmental/functional view to an end to end process view. It also enables leaders to integrate VUE into their daily problem solving activities.

This workshop provides an overview of how to establish both a structure for delivering sustainable results and a framework to support ongoing improvement activities. By establishing an end to end process view, leaders will be able to understand how their processes impact each other.

Topics that will be addressed include:
* Establishing a governance committee to manage ongoing improvement activities
* Creating a core process model and assigning process owners to insure all activities are aligned with the clients expectations and needs
* Collecting voices to make sure client, crew, and leader perspectives are represented in the business’ priorities
* Creating a dashboard to identify performance gaps and launch improvement projects.
* Launching initiatives to improve processes, manage the project portfolio, and deliver sustainable business results
* Developing an Everyday Excellence program to align crew member improvement suggestions with business priorities

ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP LEADERS:
Andrew P. Billet, Master Black Belt, THE VANGUARD GROUP
Andrew Billet is a Master Black Belt in Vanguard’s Center for Excellence. Mr. Billet is responsible for the implementation of Vanguard’s process improvement quality program. Prior to joining Vanguard in 2003, Mr. Billet held a Master Black Belt role at Penske Logistics where he supported Operations, Finance, Sales, Engineering, Sourcing and Corporate. Prior to the Master Black Belt role, Mr. Billet was an operations manager for Penske Logistics where his responsibilities included client relationship management, service execution, and financial performance. Mr. Billet received his B.S. degree in Accounting from Bloomsburg University and will receive his MBA from St. Joseph’s University in 2008.

Kathleen A. Graham-Kelly, Champion and Black Belt, Center for Excellence, THE VANGUARD GROUP
Ms. Graham-Kelly leads the Corporate and Retail divisional VUE program and manages crew members nominated into the Center for Excellence. Her current responsibilities include partnering with divisional business leaders to identify, resource, and sponsor strategic and operational improvement initiatives that will enhance the overall client and crew experience. Ms. Graham-Kelly leads crew members through Expert certification and oversees execution of improvement initiatives using VUE methodologies that include Six Sigma tools and practices. Ms. Graham-Kelly received a B.S. degree in Accounting and Finance from Cabrini College and an M.B.A. certificate from St. Joseph University.

BEGINNERS: PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR SIX SIGMA – MANAGING SIX SIGMA FROM BEGINNING TO END

Six-Sigma is a continuous process improvement methodology that helps companies reduce expenses and increase profits by streamlining operations, improving quality, and eliminating defects. Successful Six-Sigma deployment starts with properly identifying high payoff projects to tackle in your organization. We will discuss how to prioritize projects for success and how to manage projects using A-3 methodology. A-3 is a visual management project structure that promotes effective and efficient dialogue and fosters understanding followed by agreement. A-3’s visual system promotes rapid project completion for your organization.

In this workshop we will learn what is included in an A-3, how to write problem statements, how to complete the current and future states using visual tools, how to develop an action plan.

ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP LEADER:

Peg Pennington, Director of Continuous Improvement – Center for Operational Excellence, THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY, FISHER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Peg Pennington manages the Lean Sigma Forum for the COE which is designed to promote Lean and Six Sigma principles for The Center for Operational Excellence member companies. As a Management Sciences faculty member, Peg teaches both graduate and undergraduate students in Operations Management, Lean and Six Sigma methodology. She has been selected to teach the top business students as a faculty member in the honors program. The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business is consistently rated one of the top 25 business programs according to US News and World Report. The rigorous 21-month curriculum develops critical thinking skills, global perspectives and real-world leadership experience. Peg also has diverse industry experience and is the coordinator of the Honda Lean Supplier Best Plant Award given to the outstanding supplier in the Honda Lean Network. She teaches in the Textron Growth and Leadership Program which is targeted to the top 1,000 executives at Textron, Inc.

INTERMEDIATE: APPLICATION OF KAIZEN WITHIN FINANCIAL SERVICES

Getting things to change quickly in a financial organization can be excruciating slow, especially when several organizations are involved with the process. Leveraging the Kaizen methodology, significant process improvement can be implemented quickly.

This workshop will look at developing and executing a Kaizen event in a transactional environment.

Focus will be given to:
* Identifying successful project opportunities
* Sponsor engagement
* Preparing for the event
* Elements of a successful Kaizen event
* Event deliverables and action planning
* Case study examples

The thing that separates a Kaizen event apart from a process improvement or brainstorming event is execution. The Kaizen philosophy mandates that process change occur immediately! Through the evaluation of case studies and activities, participants will be exposed to the tools and methods necessary for executing a successful Kaizen event in a transactional environment.

ABOUT YOUR WORKSHOP LEADER:
Michael Stock, VP, Master Black Belt, FESCo Customer Quality, FIDELITY INVESTMENTS has been involved in process improvement for over 12 years and a Master Black Belt for over 5 years. He has been involved in Six Sigma deployment in three companies including Ford Motor Company, Bank of America and Fidelity Investments. He currently is responsible for deploying six sigma in three organizations within Fidelity.