About the Facilitator 

Jeffrey A. Berk is a consultant and trainer. Berk teaches a graduate school course on process improvement at Loyola University in Chicago and formerly at Northwestern’s Kellogg School in Evanston Illinois.  He has participated in performance improvement projects internationally.  He has spoken on these topics and has been quoted and published in numerous periodicals.  He is the author of Champions of Change: The Managers Guide to Creating Sustainable Improvements in Business Process.

Berk, a CPA, is a former auditor.  He has an MBA from the University of Chicago and undergraduate degrees from Kansas.  He is currently the Chief Operating Officer for a technology firm in Chicago, IL.

Overview

Hear the concepts that MBA candidates at prestigious universities like The Kellogg School at Northwestern learn.  This workshop is a teaching tool for all managers regardless of their industry or functional area.  It educates them on the concepts and tools needed by managers in leadership positions to make process changes in the areas for which they have accountability. 

Objectives

• Learn a methodology of process improvement and tools to execute it
• Compare/Contrast popular performance improvement movements (6 Sigma, ISO, Baldrige)
• Discuss critical process improvement tools and their practical application on audits
• Learn the concept of process mapping and how to apply it
• Gain knowledge on the delicate balance between risk management and best practice efficiencies
• Glean insights into performance measurement principles and project management guidelines.
• Learn how to create action plans to communicate process improvement ideas to process owners
• Understand the components of effective change management for process improvements
• Construct a process to quantify the tangible ROI on process improvements
• Discuss the 17 principles to Excellent Business Processes
• Read real-world case study examples

 Resources

The text Champions of Change: The Managers Guide to Creating Sustainable Improvements in Business Process is a recommended resource. The book has hundreds of examples and a handful of in depth case studies.  All attendees receive a detailed slide deck, case study examples, action plan templates, links to process improvement websites, and examples of process risks and controls.