Why SFM?

SFM (Shop Floor Management) will transform your production from firefighting to fact-based management – right on the shop floor, every day. Clear goals, visible KPIs, short stand-ups during the process, and immediate escalation of problems will reduce response times from hours to minutes. Your managers will get specific tools to manage performance, quality, and safety, instead of just collecting data for reports. Two days of training, after which you can start changing the way you manage production the very next day at work.

How everything will look

Practical training in which participants learn the principles of Shop Floor Management step by step and learn how to implement them in everyday production management. We build everything on the “Go & See” approach, standard work for managers, and visual management so that SFM truly improves performance, quality, and safety while developing people.

What key takeaways will participants gain?

• A clear SFM structure that links objectives, indicators, and action management at the point where opportunities/value arise.
• A set of practical tools (boards, meetings, escalations, KPIs) and templates ready for immediate use.
• Ability to conduct short, effective stand-ups, assign tasks, and manage their completion.
• Procedure for connecting DMS (Daily Management System) and SFM and setting roles and responsibilities.
• Problem-solving methodology on the shop floor and team development through problem solving and coaching.

What we will learn together

• Define, read, and understand processes, lines, and production units.
• Identify process needs and opportunities using the “Go & See” approach.
• Create a DMS for the production environment.
• Connect production processes with DMS and SFM with an emphasis on purpose, process, and tools.
• Quantify opportunities and present them to the process owner.
• Use problem solving as a tool for developing processes and people.

We will try everything out in practice using model situations. The aim is for participants to be able to independently support production within Lean initiatives and deliver measurable results.c

Training content

• Shop Floor Management: principles, leadership behavior, respect for people, 5P approach.
• Linking lean manufacturing tools: SFM as the “glue” between 5S, standard work, Kanban, TPM, etc.
• Management in a lean corporate culture: the role of leadership, gemba, coaching.
• Visualization in Shop Floor Management: boards, KPIs, andon, escalation paths.
• Characteristics of effective SFM: rhythm, cadence, discipline, escalation.
• SFM goal-setting methods: cascading goals, leading vs. lagging KPIs.
• Basic elements of SFM: daily meetings, standard work of leaders, SFM audit.
• Problem-solving principles: action management directly in production, PDCA.
• Employee motivation through coaching: questions, involvement, delegation of responsibility.
• Standard work for leaders: LSW (Leader Standard Work), gemba walk.
• Management of company strategy and objectives: linking KPIs → SFM.
• Problems and pitfalls of implementation: how to avoid problems, sustainability.

Target groupc

The training is intended for production and improvement/LEAN managers, foremen, team leaders, improvement/LEAN engineers, process engineers (technologists), planners, and members of production support teams.

Form and methodology

A combination of short presentations, team exercises simulating production, simulation of an SFM meeting, working with visualization. Emphasis on immediate transferability into practice.