Upcoming Keynotes/Events

Look for us in BOOTH #6058 (in the Main Hall near Caterpillar).

FINALLY…A Change Management Book About The

Hidden Barriers That Prevent Mines From Getting Better!

We will be doing book signings at our booth each day of the show. Take advantage of the opportunity to get an autographed copy and visit with Kay about your improvement needs while you are there.

August, 2008
HYDRO 2008 2008 Robert S. Shoemaker International Symposium on Hydrometallurgy, Phoenix, Arizona

"Using Control and Response Plans to Minimize the Impact of Plant Upsets (Recovery Loss, Poor Quality, Excess Cost) and Support ISO Certifications"

SOPs focus on a myriad of operator duties and provide a step-by-step guide to safe equipment start-ups and shutdowns, procurement of supplies, etc. However, an operator may not know when a process control limit is being reached or will make on-the-spot decisions to fix an out-of-control event based on experience level and training. As a result, the total cost of an event can vary greatly (equipment damage, lost production, excess costs) based on who’s working when an event occurs.

Control and Response plans fill the void often left by SOPs by providing consistent information to operators about process control limits and optimum response steps to out-of-control events. This paper will contain an overview of these plans, discuss the value gained when these plans are incorporated into process documentation, and reveal linkages to ISO-9001/14001 that support compliance for ISO certifications.

June, 2008
Arizona Rock Products Association (ARPA) Annual Convention, Laguna Beach, California

“Defining Process Potential, Valuing the Gap and Linking the Result to the Management System – The “Triple Crown” of Sustainable Improvement"

In thoroughbred racing, one horse must win three designated races to win the Triple Crown. In continuous improvement, it takes three steps to maximize and sustain the value delivered by improvement initiatives:

Identify hidden opportunities to improve productivity
Prioritize these opportunities by financial impact
Incorporate these learnings into the management system to build a budget that is achievable, prevent approval of unneeded expansion capital and help drive culture change.

This session will cover the following topics, including real life client examples of successes and failures:

Setting Optimums for Mobile Equipment and Fixed Plant Processes.
Methodology for Valuing Recurring Problems as Lost Opportunities.
Tying optimums and valuation to the Management System to optimize expansion capital placement and avoid unachievable budget goals. • Driving Culture Change with the “Triple Crown”.

May, 2008
Freeport McMoran Engineering Conference, Tucson, Arizona

“Change Management Workshop - Barriers That Prevent Engineering's Success"

Overview of Change Management
Two Dimensions of Improvement
Organizational Barriers that Prevent Sustainable Change
Experience the Chaos - Su Doku Exercise
Removing Barriers - Mining Applications
Group Discussion, FMI Project Examples

April, 2008
Arizona Quality Alliance Spring Conference, Phoenix, Arizona

“Su Doku Your Way to Organizational Effectiveness" - Helping Departments "Think As One Mind" to Maximize Performance and Sustain Change

Organizations underestimate the value of actively managing information and process knowledge across department boundaries. This session is designed to raise awareness about how departmental silos negatively impact an organization's ability to:

Achieve operational and organizational excellence
Meet shareholder and customer expectations, and
Successfully execute and sustain process improvement changes.
Prioritize these opportunities by financial impact

Process Orientation will be discussed as one methodology to manage organizational knowledge. Case study stories will be shared. Attendees will participate in an interactive industry-neutral Su Doku exercise to help them EXPERIENCE and REMEMBER the impact that missing information has on productivity, optimal performance and sustainable change.