What’s on at the UK Lean Summit 2024

What’s on at the UK Lean Summit 2024? The UK Lean Summit takes place Tuesday 23rd and Wednesday 24th April returning to The Spine, Liverpool. The summit is structured around how lean thinking and practice help us navigate the key problems of today.

We have organised the content as a series of plenary talks and interactive learning sessions. We have a fantastic range of speakers and organisations – including Akoova, Canal and River Trust, Collins Aerospace, CSL Seqirus, Hologic, London Stone, TechnipFMC, Toyota and Weightmans LLP ready to share their stories.

At the recent Lean Global Connection online event, we heard from organisations around the World, tackling their problems. When we first began organising the event we drew upon the themes for the 2023 UK Lean Summit. With this in mind, we have expanded them to a list of 9 challenges for 2024:

• Navigating the digital landscape in the age of AI
• Overcoming supply chain disruptions
• Tackling climate change
• Boosting productivity
• Battling inflation and the cost-of-living crisis
• Talent acquisition, retention and development
• Aligning strategy with activity
• Helping meet every person’s basic needs (from shelter to food security)
• Developing new products and services to deliver value for customers

We learned that these issues are global. Organisations and individuals face these challenges everywhere. For the UK Lean Summit 2024 we’ve taken these challenges as themes to provide an in-person event where we have more time to learn, network and share how organisations and individuals are meeting these challenges head on.

Productivity Challenge

The productivity challenge runs through a number of talks. Lean Thinkers know that productivity can improve when we direct problem solving activity to it. Therefore we’ve asked Andy Glyde from The Canal and River Trust to share how their charitable organisation is developing A3 problem solving capability.

Rapid Problem Solving & Business Process Improvement

In addition, we’ve asked James O’Sullivan and John Blacklock from Hologic to explain how they have introduced rapid problem solving to address gap from standard activities in their Manchester site. Also we’v easked Martin Lunn to describe how Collins Aerospace are using lean thinking in their business processes.

Lean & Digital

There is no doubt that the world is interconnected and therefore, digitisation and improved transportation are key factors. We’ve asked Lean Start-up entrepreneurs Ossy Spadano and Zac Stevens how they use lean in their on-line e-commerce business. In addition we have an exciting story from Weightmans Legal that Stephen Hepplestall will share about the way they are managing virtual working and the management of digital information.

Environmental Crisis

The environmental crisis is an ever present challenge for all of us. Jon Hunt, Senior Manager for Hydrogen Transformation at Toyota will share how the organisation is approaching this technology. My guess is that following a series of options in a set based way will be part of the answer.

Lean Product & Process Development

With that in mind, we’ve asked Professor “Josh” Yu-Hsiu Hung from the National Cheng Kung University where he researches and teaches Industrial Design. Josh will share how lean product and process development needs to be a key part of any lean transformation, to develop new products and services that deliver value for customers.

Lean Management Systems

As lean thinkers, we know how important both the technical and social side of lean are. We’ve asked Toyota to share reflections on their management system, as well as Alex Aske from TechnipFMC to explain how they have been developing a lean management system in their subsea services organisation in Norway. A key part of the management system is aligning strategy with day to day activity.

We develop people and their capability are an intrinsic part of a successful lean management system, so we’ve asked Toyota to also share how they do this including the people processes of talent acquisition, retention and development.

Kaizen

Finally, we know just how important it is to build a network of lean thinkers. Last year Gavin Whalley and members of the team at London Stone attended the event. Following our 2024 Summit, London Stone are presenting & sharing how they have embraced kaizen. It’s so important that each UK Lean Summit builds upon previous events whilst still being accessible to people just starting out on their lean journey.

Jim Womack

All of this plus co-founder of the lean movement, Jim Womack challenging us to reflect and think about our next steps and our LEA team who will support facilitation in the learning sessions and share our research into core leadership skills, behaviours and management routines.

With sectors as diverse as retail, manufacturing, engineering, pharmaceuticals, legal, and service there is something for everyone – whether a seasoned lean thinker or someone starting out on their lean journey. We look forward to seeing you at the event.

Purchase your UK Lean Summit 2024 Today!

UK Toyota Visits 2024

The day after the UK Lean Summit 2024 (25th April), we are giving attendees the opportunity to visit either Toyota. Choose from either Toyota’s Engine Manufacturing Site or Vehicle Manufacturing Site. The visit provides a unique experience into Toyota’s production and other processes. All proceeds from the visits are donated to Toyota’s Charitable Trust. Learn more about the Toyota visits here.

Capability Development Workshops 2024

The day before the UK Lean Summit 2024 (22nd April) we will be conducting hands-on, practical workshops. These workshops are tailored to enhance your learning, understanding, and capability development in specific subject areas. Above all, these workshops will engage you in hands-on, real-world activities that go beyond theory, allowing you to acquire practical skills and capability. Learn more about the workshops here.