Best Brion Hurley Podcasts (2024)

1
E115: Using Lean to Minimize Waste Within ESG Initiatives 1:08:14

1M ago1:08:14

1:08:14

Continuing our discussion on Lean Six Sigma and ESG, I brought back last episode’s guest, Erin Bauer (Product Development Manager at ASQE) and added a new guest, Beth Cudney. She is a Professor of Data Analytics and the Program Coordinator for Data Analytics at Maryville University. She received her B.S. in Industrial Engineering from North Continu…

1
E114: Sustainability Benchmarking Studies with Erin Bauer 1:10:50

1M ago1:10:50

1:10:50

I had a great interview with Erin Bauer, who is the Product Development Manager at ASQE, which is a trade association created by ASQ to provide benchmarking assistance to corporations within ASQ. One of their key products is the Insights on Excellence® (IoE) Benchmarking Tool. The benchmarking survey results are available to members and nonmembers …

1
E106: The Lean Journey at Rockwell Collins with Clay Jones - Part 3 11:55

2M ago11:55

11:55

This is part 3 of the 2006 speech given by Rockwell Collins CEO, Clay Jones. I worked at Rockwell Collins from 1999-2017, and was heavily involved in the Lean Electronics program. In this clip, you'll hear him discuss why they brought in some external consultants like John Shook and Denny Mead to try and figure out why all the improvements were not…

1
E105: The Lean Journey at Rockwell Collins with Clay Jones - Part 2 12:17

2M ago12:17

12:17

This is part 2 of the 2006 speech given by Rockwell Collins CEO, Clay Jones. I worked at Rockwell Collins from 1999-2017, and was heavily involved in the Lean Electronics program. In this clip, you'll hear him discuss how they created and rolled out Lean Electronics program across both manufacturing and the office, and selected Decorah (Iowa) as th…

1
E104: The Lean Journey at Rockwell Collins with Clay Jones - Part 1 8:32

3M ago8:32

8:32

For the next few podcasts, I'll be sharing clips from a 2006 speech given by Rockwell Collins CEO, Clay Jones. I worked at Rockwell Collins from 1999-2017, and was heavily involved in the Lean Electronics program. I credit Clay and the "Lean Electronics" program for giving me the skills and experience to make this my passion, allowing me to eventua…

1
E113: Applying Lean Six Sigma within Nonprofits and Life Coaching with Aleshia Jordan 1:07:37

3M ago1:07:37

1:07:37

I had a great interview with Aleshia Jordan a few weeks ago, to discuss how she transitioned from finance to Lean and Six Sigma consulting, and how she is now taking her Master Black Belt skills and over 20 years of experience into her firm Virtualocity, LLC to help organizations, nonprofits and individuals in their Continue Reading…

1
E112: Applying Lean Six Sigma to Healthcare and Career Development with Sarah Tilkens 48:43

3M ago48:43

48:43

Making a real difference in your organization can be a struggle, but there is a way to leverage powerful tools and strategies to drive positive change, while also boosting your own career development. In this episode, I introduce you to Sarah Tilkens, a former biologist turned operational excellence leader, who cracked the code on impactful Continu…

1
E103: How to gather data before starting an improvement project 7:01

3M ago7:01

7:01

In a recent class I taught, we were discussing the Project Charter, which asks you to fill in the baseline data for the metric you're trying to improve. I explain how you need to be persistent to find data, and not to start a project if you don't have any data, especially for a training class, or for your first project. I also answer a student ques…

1
E102: How Green Belt training can benefit you personally and your organization 5:07

4M ago5:07

5:07

In this podcast, I share a short clip from a recent training class, explaining the benefits of Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training to an organization, but more importantly, why it's important to the people attending the clas personally. If you're interested in taking a Lean, Green Belt or Black Belt course, consider these self-paced affordable cours…

1
E111: Apply Lean to Nonprofit Boards with Sally Toister 48:35

4M ago48:35

48:35

Sally worked many years in the hospitality industry applying Lean Six Sigma, and she shares her experiences to improve the guest experience. She also shares an example of a project that determined the optimal reward points to get customers to agree to reduced or no housekeeping, which was good for the environment, resulting in less Continue Reading…

1
E101: My thoughts on former Boeing Quality Manager (John Barnett) interview prior to death 7:50

5M ago7:50

7:50

In episode 101, I share an interview clip from John Barnett, former Boeing Quality Manager, as he discusses the culture of quality that might explain the recent airline issues. He was found dead while he was giving a deposition about his former company, but I don't go into those details. I wanted to share my insights about a comment he made that in…

1
E100: How 6 M's and Fishbone (Ishikawa) or Cause and Effect Diagrams Can Help Reduce Water Consumption Usage in your Company 7:07

5M ago7:07

7:07

In episode 100, I share a segment of a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training course I conducted, where I went into details about the Fishbone Diagram and the 6 M's, and I thought you might find it useful. When you are trying to uncover possible causes of a problem, using the 6 M's with a Fishbone Diagram is a great way to enhance your team brainstormi…

1
E99: Excerpt from the book, "Lean Six Sigma for Good - Lessons from the Gemba (Volume 1)" 6:56

6M ago6:56

6:56

In episode 97, we released an excerpt by Elisabeth Swan from "Lean Six Sigma for Good: Lessons from the Gemba (Volume 1)" This is an excerpt from the audiobook version Volume 1. I share the story of running a small nonprofit organization in Portland, called Recycling Advocates (now called Waste-free Advocates). We created a fundraiser conference ca…

1
E110: Lean for Community Projects with Lean Portland – Lean Global Connection 2023 27:41

6M ago27:41

27:41

In this podcast, I share the presentation given by my peers who helped us create the Lean Portland group back in 2015. They gave this presentation at the Lean Global Connection on November 30, 2023. It is a free annual online event put on by the Lean Global Network (LGN). The event took place over Continue Reading…

1
E109: Applying Lean Tools to Environmental and Social Challenges – Lean Global Connection 2023 28:31

6M ago28:31

28:31

In this podcast, I share the presentation I gave virtually at the Lean Global Connection on December 1, 2023. It is a free annual online event put on by the Lean Global Network (LGN). The event took place over a 24-hour period. All the presentations were recorded, and I encourage you to check out all Continue Reading…

1
E98: Lean Six Sigma training and Coaching Program Case Studies 11:56

6M ago11:56

11:56

In this podcast, I expand on Podcast #96, where I talked about the questions to consider in a training and coaching program. I go through 6 different case studies of customized training and coaching programs I've helped develop with clients to meet their specific needs, and how the payback on training is often as short as a few months! If you'd lik…

1
E97: Excerpt from the book, "Lean Six Sigma for Good - Lessons from the Gemba (Volume 2)" 6:44

6M ago6:44

6:44

This is an excerpt from the audiobook version of "Lean Six Sigma for Good: Lessons from the Gemba (Volume 2)" Elisabeth Swan shares the story of volunteering with the Cape Cod Childcare Development nonprofit organization. She discusses getting a call from the CEO to help the organization utilize more Lean Six Sigma Green Belt skills and methods wit…

1
E96: What is the best option for effective Lean Six Sigma training and coaching? 12:20

6M ago12:20

12:20

When I talk to clients about training their team, that usually opens up a lot of questions in my mind that we'll need to discuss before I can give them a ballpark number quote. In this podcast, I run through the questions you need to consider in order to create an effective training program that will result in hands-on application and payback on th…

1
E95: Hypothesis Testing Basics - Can James Bond tell the difference between a shaken or stirred martini? 4:37

7M ago4:37

4:37

To explain the concepts of hypothesis testing (null and alternative hypothesis statements), I use an example of James Bond. His famous line is "shaken, not stirred" when ordering a martini. In a hypothesis test, we would set the null (default) hypothesis to say that he cannot tell the difference. The alternative hypothesis would be proven if there …

1
E94: Interested in a Free "Lean at Home" Coaching Program? 3:39

7M ago3:39

3:39

Back in 2020, I created a course called "Home Efficiency Using Japanese Lean Productivity Techniques" and I'm offering a free coaching program this month to help you complete the course and get help implementing the concepts into your personal life. Are you interested? Contact me at brion@biz-pi.com Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Home Efficiency Using Japanese Lean…

1
E108: Interview with Maria Grzanka and Reed Harrison 51:41

8M ago51:41

51:41

In this podcast, I share an interview I had with Reed Harrison, Executive Director of Mind Matters Portland, and Maria Grzanka, a process improvement expert and prolific volunteer in Portland, Oregon. Reed worked in Supply Chain management and Operations with major companies like Adidas and Columbia Sportswear, but ended up as Executive Director at…

1
E107: Lean Methods for Sustainable Businesses – ISBF Webinar Series 59:52

8M ago59:52

59:52

In this podcast, I share a presentation that was Part 1 of a 2-part sustainability webinar series sponsored by Iowa Sustainable Business Forum and Iowa Lean Consortium (part of CIRAS). It was geared towards introducing those in sustainability roles to Lean methods, which have become some of the most popular improvement methods used in high-performi…

1
E93: An overview of Statistical Process Control (SPC) 6:49

8M ago6:49

6:49

In one of my recent Six Sigma classes, I provide a simplistic explanation of SPC and control charts, and why they are essential to detecting problems quickly in your processes. If you're interested in learning more about SPC, check out the link below. Links ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠SPC Module within Six Sigma Green Belt Training ⁠Lean Six Sigma Project Coaching Progra…

1
E92: Should my kaizen event be a planning session or a working session? 8:16

8M ago8:16

8:16

In one of my recent Lean classes, I discuss the difference between planning kaizen events and working kaizen events. Planning events end up with a 90-day implemenatation plan. Working events end up with 80% completion of actions by the end of the event, with 30 days to complete the remaining 20% of the actions. I try and encourage more working sess…

1
E106: Lean and Green Case Study – Prefab Home Manufacturer Saves $300K 34:57

9M ago34:57

34:57

In this podcast, I share a “Lean and Green” case study I supported for a prefab home manufacturer in California in 2020-2021. I was asked to speak to the Industrial and Systems Engineers class by Professor Corey Kiassat at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. He contacted me after my presentation at the Lean Global Connection Continue Reading…

1
E91: How can I get the most frontline worker participation in a kaizen working event? 6:23

9M ago6:23

6:23

In one of my recent Lean classes, I discuss ways to engage front line workers in working kaizen events. I talk about the differences between working and planning sessions in my last podcast. I discuss options for working ahead, catching up afterwards, having half-day sessions (half kaizen, half working), splitting the event across many shifts, and …

1
E90: Free Lean and Sustainability Webinar Series - Nov 28th and 30th 7:05

9M ago7:05

7:05

I've been helping set up a webinar series with support from the Iowa Sustainable Business Forum and the Iowa Lean Consortium. There are two webinars you can choose from, or sign up for both. I will be presenting the first webinar, Lean Methods for Sustainable Organizations. I will introduce those in sustainability roles to Lean methods, which have …

1
E89: Q&A from Six Sigma training - What to do when data collection system is under development? 5:11

9M ago5:11

5:11

In this episode, I answer another question in one of my Six Sigma classes. The student said they were having supplier issues, but the data wasn't very good. There is a plan to implement a data collection system, but it might not be ready for a few months. Should she wait until the system is ready and then start her project, or start now and collect…

1
E88: Q&A from Six Sigma training - What if solutions are part of your Six Sigma project charter? 7:45

9M ago7:45

7:45

In this episode, I answer a question in one of my Six Sigma classes. The student said they were not sure if their project could be used, because it alreadys mentions some solutions to the problem, and the training said no solutions can be defined at the beginning of a Six Sigma project. He wanted to know how to handle this situation, which is very …

1
E87: Six Sigma in Real Life: Taguchi Loss Function for Hotel Pool Temps and the Solar Eclipse 9:37

10M ago9:37

9:37

In this podcast, I discuss the Taguchi Loss Function again, this time using some real-life examples. I discuss hotel pool temperatures, solar eclipses, and fruit ripeness. I originally talked about this topic in Episode 37, explaining how an increase in variation away from the target value (even within specification limits) leads to an exponential …

1
E86: Camping and the 8 Wastes (TIM WOODS) 20:57

10M ago20:57

20:57

In this episode, I go through TIM WOODS, which is an acronym to describe the 8 types of waste in a process. As an example, I discuss how the 8 wastes apply to recent camping trips I've been making with my wife this summer and fall. Hopefully, this gives you some ideas on how to see waste in your daily activities and work tasks. Sorry for the length…

1
E85: Six Sigma Criticisms #1 - The Motorola 1.5 Sigma Shift 9:36

11M ago9:36

9:36

In this episode, I discuss some common criticisms about Six Sigma that I've been hearing about over the years. These tend to make their rounds on LinkedIn every few months or years, so I wanted to take each one and go much deeper in the podcast than I can online. Let's start with one of the biggest ones, the 1.5 sigma shift, also called the Motorol…

1
E105: Improving Government Services to Protect Children and Elections with Kerry L. Bass 44:56

11M ago44:56

44:56

In this podcast, I interview Kerry Lewis Bass, who has many years of experience improving processes in the corporate world and within government agencies. He has recently launched his consulting business to assist leaders in an organization to “develop, and successfully implement, assess and improve operational strategy and initiatives.” We discuss…

1
E84: Using Process Mapping and Regression to Reduce Electricity Usage 13:06

11M ago13:06

13:06

In this episode, I discuss my work with a client that is trying to improve their sustainability score. One of the next steps is to establish a goal for electricity reduction, since it is a large contributor to their carbon footprint. I explain how to apply process mapping to heating and cooling a building, and why regression modeling and analysis c…

1
E83: Clip from Interview with Climate Change Professional David Saunders 6:44

12M ago6:44

6:44

In this episode, I discuss an interview and discussion I had with Climate Change Professional and former Quality executive, David Saunders. We talk about how to leverage your skills of process and quality improvement to improve the environment and help mitigate climate change. Links Full interview with David Saunders: Video | Audio Podcast Need hel…

1
E104: How Process Improvement Can Help Address Climate Change with David Saunders 56:40

12M ago56:40

56:40

In this episode, I speak with David Saunders, who is a retired Quality consultant and has focused his next career on using improvement tools to reduce the impact of climate change. He is a Certified Climate Change Professional (CC-P) through the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), and volunteers with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network…

1
E82: Q&A from SPC presentation - What software to use? What about nonnormal data? 7:34

12M ago7:34

7:34

In this episode, I share some audio from a presentation I gave to Lean Portland for their July Happy Hour. I discussed Statistical Process Control (SPC) and how to detect out of control conditions. I'm sharing two questions that were asked at the end of the talk: 1) For office applications of SPC, what software package would be recommended to make …

1
E81: Does Toyota use SPC Control Charts? 8:49

1y ago8:49

8:49

In this episode, I share the audio from a presentation I gave to Lean Portland for their July Happy Hour. I discuss Statistical Process Control (SPC) and why it's not seen very much in Toyota facilities anymore. I also include a question that was asked related to the transition from monitoring outputs to inputs. The full presentation can be watched…

1
E80: Reduce environmental impacts in your business with Ecology's Lean/Green program 8:48

1y ago8:48

8:48

In this episode, I discuss the Washington State Department of Ecology Lean and Green program that I've been supporting the last few years as a consultant. The audio is an interview with the program administrator and my contact point at Ecology, Hugh O'Neill. He shares how this program can help businesses save money, reduce their environmental impac…

1
E79: How to measure variation using Range and Standard Deviation 5:57

1y ago5:57

5:57

In this episode, I discuss how to measure variation in a process, using Range and Standard Deviation. Variation is an important concept to understand how to improve a process. This was audio from a recent Six Sigma Yellow Belt course I taught. You might have heard of these concepts before, but hopefully it will be a good refresher for you. Links Op…

1
E78: How to measure central tendency using the mean and median (and which is better) 9:43

1y ago9:43

9:43

The following topic was taken from one of my recent Yellow Belt courses, explaining how to use Mean (or average) and Median to measure the middle of a set of data, whether it is solar panel production, calories eaten per day or electricity consumed per day. Links OpEx Learning Yellow Belt Course Need help in your organization? ⁠⁠⁠Let's talk! Schedu…

1
E103: Applying Lean and Social Responsibility within Interface with Billy Ingram 1:07:15

1y ago1:07:15

1:07:15

In this episode, I speak with my good friend Billy Ingram, who is the Director of Lean Product and Process Development at Interface. We discuss his process improvement background prior to Interface, then talk about his current work that is extending the environmental sustainability vision provided by founder Ray Anderson. He has helped developed mo…

1
E77: Client Survey Shows Daily Huddles Improve Communication and Engagement Based on Paired T-Test Analysis 8:48

1y ago8:48

8:48

For one of my clients, we conducted a survey of their employees to understand if daily huddles were helping them be more engaged in their work. The results of the 7 questions found a statistically significant improvement in scores after the huddles were implemented. Listen to the episode to learn more about the questions and the Paired T-test analy…

1
E76: Why You Should Not Skip Over Measure and Analyze in your DMAIC Improvement Project 4:26

1y ago4:26

4:26

In this episode, I share some audio about DMAIC from a recent class I taught, and I thought you'd find it helpful. I express the importance of ignoring improvement ideas in a DMAIC project until after you go through Define, Measure and Analyze first. You will get pressure to jump to Improve before you're ready, so resist that urge and trust the pro…

1
E75: Lean in Real Life - Small improvements add up with water cooler and dealing with small samples 11:24

1+ y ago11:24

11:24

In this episode, I discuss an improvement I made at home, that saved time in my personal life, and why small improvements are worth pursuing and not overlooking. I also discuss how small sample sizes are not a barrier to running statistical tests of significance or hypothesis tests. Links 2 Second Lean with Paul Akers Need help in your organization…

1
E102: How Massport uses Lean to Achieve Sustainable Airport Operations 58:45

1+ y ago58:45

58:45

In this podcast, I share a webinar held with Dr. Luciana Bardi and Darcy DeGeorge from the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport). MassPort is a state authority responsible for three airports including Logan International Airport, four maritime facilities as well as real estate in Boston. They give an overview of Massport along with the lean engin…

1
E101: Applying Lean to Healthcare and Nonprofit Boards with Katie Anderson 47:38

1+ y ago47:38

47:38

In this interview, I talk with Katie Anderson, a leadership coach who has extensive lean experience in healthcare, and author of the award-winning Lean management book, “Learning to Lead, Leading to Learn.” She lived in Japan for many years, where she learned directly from John Shook‘s former manager, Isao Yoshino, and the book is a Continue Readin…

1
E74: 10 things to consider before completing the DMAIC Control Phase 8:43

1+ y ago8:43

8:43

In this episode, I discuss the importance of the Control phase in a Six Sigma DMAIC Improvement project, including the key considerations to make before closing out your improvement activity. Create a system and/or process to monitor the results Update any documentation of the processes and procedures Update any training of the processes Create a r…

1
E100: How Lean Six Sigma Professionals Can Make The World A Better Place – Orlando March 2023 38:47

1+ y ago38:47

38:47

I’m very excited about episode 100, it’s a great milestone in any podcaster’s journey. Thank you for listening! It has taken many years to get to this, but it’s a sustainable pace that has worked for me, and why I feel that I can get to #200 someday. In this 100th podcast, I share a Continue ReadingBy Brion Hurley: Lean Six Sigma for Good

1
E73: Women in Manufacturing Panel Discussion on Lean Manufacturing 10:13

1+ y ago10:13

10:13

In this episode, I share the audio from a panel discussion I was asked to participate on Wednesday this week. The discussion was focused on Lean Manufacturing, but we also discussed Six Sigma quite a bit. The event was hosted by the Texas Chapter of the Women in Manufacturing Association. They are the only national and global trade association dedi…

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Brion Hurley Podcasts

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