Over the last year, Enterprise Technology & Services (ET&S) transitioned all its Lean training from in-person to online, utilizing collaboration tools, videos and team activities to teach University System of New Hampshire (USNH) employees the benefits of continuous process improvement through the lens of Lean.
The ET&S Portfolio Management Services and Customer Engagement (PMSCE) team leads Lean training efforts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this team redesigned the content and delivery method for all its Lean programs, from Intro to Lean to Lean Yellow and Green Belt certifications to Lean for Leaders. Since the online transition occurred in September 2020, the Lean team offered training for 148 participants, including Don Birx, president of Plymouth State University, who enrolled and completed Introduction to Lean training.
“Thank you for offering this course,” Birx said. “I’ve taken this course twice, and each time I learned something new.”
The online transition of Lean training allows employees to attend virtual instructor-led training without leaving their home or office, saving time, travel expenses and providing safety during the pandemic. It also provides enhanced team collaborations across USNH campuses through virtual hands-on project work.
The Lean team also worked with UNH Professional Training & Development to create and issue Micro-Credentials for all Lean training attendees, past and present. Micro-Credentials are digital badges that contain detailed information about a skill or experience that enables viewers to ascertain a learner’s completed activities and assessments. These badges are a way for USNH employees to showcase their achievements and promote USNH on sites such as LinkedIn.
