Customer Experience: the Black Belt, Open Training
Antti Tarkkala, Supply Chain Director, Laattapiste Oy, participated in our open Black Belt training, which was held entirely remotely. Read Antti's experiences of the training and coaching:
Tell us about yourself?
"My name is Antti Tarkkala and my background is MBA in Information Systems and BBA in Logistics and Accounting. I work at Laattapiste Oy as Supply Chain Director, working on order-supply chain functions and processes, ERP system functions and infrastructure. In my job, I strive to make the company's order-to-delivery processes smooth and efficient by improving processes and systems."
Why did you choose Lean Six Sigma Black Belt training?
"I was already familiar with Lean methods and their use in process and operations development, but I wanted to deepen my knowledge and find new and useful methods to improve operations. The choice of Lean Six Sigma training was also influenced by the desire to better utilize statistical tools according to the teachings in carrying out improvement projects."
What are your experiences with BB training?
"The Black Belt training was entirely distance learning, with all course participants participating remotely. This distance learning approach suited me very well and even made it easier to fit the training into my busy life.
I appreciated the diverse range of remote working tools used during the course days and the strict guidelines set by the trainer regarding participation etiquette. The educational portal used as training material contains a wealth of information and, in my opinion, is compiled in a clear and comprehensible manner. It's also great that this material is available to course participants for an extended period after the course ends. So, you can always revisit the material whenever forgetfulness or uncertainty strikes."
What are your experiences of project coaching organised alongside the training?
"During the training days, participants gave good presentations on the progress of their own projects. They gave me a lot of ideas and coaching for my own course project. The peer support and comments from the course team were always helpful. These presentations were also a good reminder of the personal coaching sessions offered by the trainer.
In my course project, I tried to manage mostly with the lessons learned during the training sessions and the course material. However, at the end of the project, I participated in the trainer's coaching, which was really helpful, and I easily and quickly received assistance with a few questions that had been bothering me. As a result, I was able to finish my project quickly. Several people from my organization participated in the training simultaneously, and the project coaching arranged by the trainer was also very beneficial for them."
Would you recommend this training to others and why?
"I recommend Lean training to anyone interested in development and/or data-driven process improvement. Lean Six Sigma principles support development work comprehensively and guide towards fact-based decision-making. In Jaatinen's training, topics are thoroughly and comprehensibly covered. Theory was supplemented with good practical examples and exercises. I especially appreciated the section on soft skills related to leadership, which examined the implementation of improvements and their practical application from a human perspective. This complemented the other data-driven content well."
Do you have any other comments?
"It was nice to participate in the training organised by Jaatinen. I learned a lot and developed my own Lean skills. I will definitely use these lessons in my own work and spread Lean thinking to others in my organisation."