Training

Courses & Workshops

Orion Canada Inc. courses and workshops provide clients with value-added tools and knowledge they can apply in their day-to-day jobs. To maximize the benefit from its training, Orion Canada customizes each course for its clients. Combined with very competitive prices and professional trainers, Orion Canada courses and workshops provide exceptional value.

Warning: Avoid courses that will not answer your specific questions!
Before you sign-up for a training course elsewhere, ask the course provider if the instructor "would tailor the course examples to provide answers to your organization's specific situation". RAB and the SCC preclude quality registrars from "consulting". Therefore, their courses remain generic and instructors avoid using examples that may guide participants to a practical solution! The result is far less satisfying to the course participants. Orion Canada is a consulting company whose professional trainers are certified practitioners who deliver the best value for the training dollar. 

Here is a sample of our more popular courses and workshops:

Quality Management/Best Practice Models

ISO 9000:2000 - Value Added Internal Audits

Building the Business Case for Investing in Quality

Picking the Correct Quality Strategy

Quality Awareness Training for Employees

Applying ISO 9001:2000 to Software Organizations

TL9000 - Introductory and Management Training

Introduction to the Capability Maturity Model - Integrated (CMMi)

Medical Device Regulations

Regulatory Compliance for Medical Device Quality Systems

ISO 13485:2003 - A Best Practices Approach to Regulatory Internal Audits

Putting Your Medical Device Product on the European Market

Performance Management

Lean Implementation of Quality Systems

Understanding Customer Requirements – the Voice of the Customer

Optimizing Operational Processes – Operational Process Tools

Reducing Risk

Introduction to Design for Experiment

Design for Manufacturing

Business Excellence Frameworks Overview

Cost of Quality

Facilities Layout

Design of Work Systems

Process Selection, Capacity Planning and Cost Modeling

Location Planning and Analysis

Aggregate Planning and Scheduling

Inventory Management and Inventory Cost Modeling

Just-in-time Systems

Supplier Selection and Development

Basics of Waiting Line Analysis

Key Concepts in Supply Chain Management

Outsourcing and Strategic Alliances

Supply Chain Development for Manufacturers

Problem Solving and Operational Tools and Techniques

Practical Problem Solving

Basic Statistics for Organizations

Introduction to Statistical Process Control

Introduction to Design for Experiment

Course Descriptions

Quality Management/Best Practice Models

ISO 9000:2000 - Value Added Internal Audits (2 Days)

A comprehensive tutorial on the ISO 9001:2000 requirements and how to effectively and efficiently plan, conduct and report on internal audits. Participants in this course will gain all necessary knowledge to confidently perform audits that add value to the organization. Numerous real life examples used during instruction. No prior audit experience required.

Contact Orion Canada Inc. for prices and to register for upcoming courses. A public course is scheduled each quarter. In-house courses available upon request. You may also consider outsourcing the complete internal audit function (planning, scheduling, performing and reporting) to Orion Canada's professional internal auditors.

Courses Scheduled:    Upon Request

ISO 9000:2000 - Getting Maximum Value from this Best Practice Management Model (1 Day)

Many management systems are designed with inefficiencies or implemented and then neglected. The result is a system that hinders efficiency and competitiveness. This course is intended for managers who are implementing or managing a quality management system and who wish to identify and adopt efficiency improvements that deliver bottom-line results. Participants are encouraged to bring to the course real examples of their organization's processes that are good candidates for critical evaluation.

Courses Scheduled:    Upon Request

Building the Business Case for Investing in Quality (2 hours)

This interactive seminar is intended for senior management who are considering investing in a quality management. The pros and cons of several popular quality improvement models is provided along with supporting empirical data. This frank discussion provides participants with lots of opportunity to ask questions. The result is a knowledgeable senior management team on the reasons for the decision to invest in a particular quality model and what should be expected from this organizational initiative. 

Courses Scheduled:    Upon Request

Picking the Correct Quality Strategy (2 days)

Participants are provided with a detailed overview of several popular quality improvement models, including Six Sigma, Lean Manufacturing, ISO 9001:2000, the National Quality Institute (NQI) Framework, the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model - Integrated (CMMi), and others. The interactive course provides participants with a strong foundation in quality management strategy and the models available. 

Courses Scheduled:    Upon Request

Quality Awareness Training for Employees (1.5 hours)

This general awareness training will provide employees with an overview of the requirements of the quality model (e.g., ISO 9001:2000). The requirements of the standard and how these impact employees are reviewed. Employees are given the opportunity to ask questions to Orion Canada's expert consultants. This course is an ideal Lunch 'n Learn topic.

Courses Scheduled: Upon Request

Applying ISO 9001:2000 to Software Organizations: The Lessons Learned (1 Day)

A list of process improvement lessons learned has been developed based on empirical research and more than ten years experience as a software practitioner and assessor. The course provides an overview of the ISO 9001:2000 requirements and an interpretation for software. ISO 9000-3:2003 is introduced. The course objective is to provide participants with a solid foundation to implement and manage a value-added and robust management system for software development.

Consider combining this course with a one-day software best practices gap assessment by an Orion Canada ASQ certified software quality engineer (CSQE).

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

TL9000 - Introductory and Management Training (2 Days)

Learn about the TL9000 adders and what it takes to comply with one of the most comprehensive quality management standards. Developed by the QuEST Forum, TL9000 adds requirements to ISO 9001:2000, including a comprehensive metrics program that allows blind benchmarking against other certified manufacturers or service providers. This course provides participants with a solid foundation in the standard.

Consider combining this course with a one to four day TL9000 gap assessment by Orion Canada certified auditor and professional consultant.

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Introduction to CMMi® (3 Days)

This course is officially recognized by the SEI and is taught by our SEI-authorized instructor. It introduces participants to the SW-CMMi® V1.1 and its fundamental concepts.

Half-day courses for management are also available. Consider combining this course with a three-day software best practices gap assessment.

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Medical Device Regulations

Regulatory Compliance for Medical Device Quality Systems (2 days)

This popular course has been taught throughout North America to medical device and regulatory affairs practitioners looking to make sense of the medical device regulations. The course compares ISO 9001:2000, ISO 13485:2003, the FDA Quality System Requirements, Health Canada's Medical Devices Regulations CMDCAS and the European CE Mark.

Courses Scheduled: Upon Request

ISO 13485:2003 - A Best Practices Approach to Regulatory Internal Audits (2 Days)

A comprehensive tutorial on the ISO 13485:2003 requirements and how to effectively and efficiently plan, conduct and report on internal audits. Participants in this course will gain all necessary knowledge to confidently perform audits that add value to the organization. Numerous real life examples used during instruction.

You may also consider outsourcing the complete internal audit function (planning, scheduling, performing and reporting) to Orion Canada's professional internal auditors.

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Putting Your Medical Device Product on the European Market (1 day)

Participants are provided with a "how to" seminar on getting a medical device compliant to the regulations required to sell in the European Union. The course is taught by one of North America's leading medical device authorities and an author of a popular book on medical device regulations. This course may be combined with a one-day Orion Canada Inc. gap assessment that identifies nonconformities and provides a roadmap for compliance.

Courses Scheduled: Upon Request

Performance Management

Lean Implementation of Quality Systems and Integrating Management Systems (3 Days)

Today quality management systems should mirror the processes that they are built on – they need to be flexible, adaptable and above all lean so they actually add value to an organization. In addition many organizations run multiple systems; e.g. quality, health and safety, environmental. This course will enable you to reduce the “red tape” traditionally associated with management systems whilst keeping them effective. Most importantly we introduce a methodology for reducing non-value add activities within an organization while listening to the voice of the customer. Specific topics include:

• Implementation of a lean system
• Customer focus – tools and techniques
• The process approach to lean systems
• Using your system to optimize processes
• Auditing the system by adding value
• Going on-line, going paperless
• Integration of management systems

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Understanding Customer Requirements – the Voice of the Customer (2 days)

All organizations have processes that impact the customer. Unfortunately there is always a finite resource (human and cash) to improve these processes to meet or exceed customer requirements. This course shows participants how to analyze customers and to find out which business processes have the biggest impact on its customers. Topics include:

• Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
• Customer identification and segregation
• Customer relationship management

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Optimizing Operational Processes – Operational Process Tools (2 days)

This course discusses how to optimize processes to reduce cycle time, improve service and save cash and resources at no risk to the customer. This course is provides the most value if taken soon after Understanding Customer Requirements – The Voice of the Customer. Topics include:

• Process mapping
• Critical path analysis
• Bottleneck analysis
• Flow charting
• Cross functional flow charting
• SIPOC analysis
• Measurement, assessment and metrics for process optimization

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Reducing Risk (2 days)

Reducing Risk looks at the key organizational processes (discussed in Optimizing Operational Processes – Operational Process Tools) in terms of risk assessment. The course discusses approaches to determine: What can go wrong and how likely is it to go wrong? From this we can now assign resources to assign key quality tools (see course: Integrating Quality Tools for Ongoing Excellence – Operational Quality Tools) to reduce the risk to the customer. Tools include:

• Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA, FMECA)
• 5 whys
• Matrix analysis
• Introduction to cost of quality

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Design for Manufacturing (3 days)

Design for manufacture is a strategy rather than a process or quality tool, although a well executed DFM strategy will drastically reduce lead times and impact quality issues. In essence in DFM the design team-work in co-ordination with the manufacturing floor and critical component suppliers to design a product that is easy to manufacture as well as meeting customer expectations. This course will address:

• Basics of Quality Function Deployment
• Failure Mode and Effect Analysis
• Overview of Design Of Experiment
• Production Part Approval Process (from QS 9000)
• Basic New Product Introduction process
• Design life cycle
• Integration of processes into management systems

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Business Excellence Frameworks Overview (1 day)

An introduction to public and private sector applications of business excellence frameworks (BEF). The course will review:

• Overview of excellence frameworks (Baldridge, Canada Awards for Excellence, European Federation of Quality Management)
• National Quality Institute PEP level program
• Implementation of BEF for organizational excellence
• The integration of BEF with other quality management systems

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Cost of Quality (2 days)

COQ aims to quantify financially the cost of poor quality as a result of defective parts or processes. This enable an organization to focus on the critical areas of high cost and vastly increase customer satisfaction. Topics include:

• Quality costing models
• 7 wastes analysis
• Activity based costing
• Dynamic cost models
• Cost reporting
• COQ in a Quality Management System
• Reducing quality costs

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Facilities Layout (2 days)

Many organizations today are now decoupling their IP generation from their product or service manufacture, delivery and maintenance. The critical factor is where to place your facilities (be it a factory or a call center) for maximum strategic benefit. Topics include:

• Product layouts
• Process layouts
• Fixed position layouts
• Combination layouts
• Cellular manufacturing
• Warehouse and storage layouts
• Line balancing
• Designing layouts

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Design of Work Systems (2 days)

The importance of any work system is underlined by the organizations dependence on human efforts. As one of the oldest aspects of operational development it is often the most overlooked. Today, sparked by studies indicating a significant level of dissatisfaction in work environments, there is a focus back on the design of these systems. Now they are seen as the backbone of business excellence and flexibility needed in public and private sectors. Topics include:

• Process mapping
• Critical Path Analysis
• Behavioral approaches to job design
• Methods analysis
• Time and motion study
• Work measurement
• Compensation
• Learning curves

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Process Selection, Capacity Planning and Cost Modeling (2 days)

Make vs. buy decisions. If the decision is to make – what type of process (e.g. continuous, intermittent or job shop), all have differences in their capacity planning strategies. Also focused on developing capacity alternatives to maintain optimal operating levels. Cost modeling Focuses on the relationships between cost, revenue and volume of output. This is a particularly useful tool for comparing capacity alternatives. Topics include:

• Make vs. buy decisions
• Types of operation – the effect on corporate strategy
• Defining and measuring capacity
• Determining capacity requirements
• Developing capacity alternatives
• Cost – Volume analysis and modeling

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Location Planning and Analysis (2 days)

Should you export or manufacture overseas? Should you subcontract? Do you automate or not? Where do you locate to maximize your effectiveness in the supply chain? These are all questions that are asked frequently by organizations of all sizes. Particularly useful for fledgling or startup organizations this course will guide you through the strategies and steps required to locate your business for maximum benefit. Topics include:

• The need for location decisions
• Strategic importance
• Objectives of location decisions
• Options for capacity expansion
• General strategy for location decisions
• Manufacture overseas
• Subcontracting

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Aggregate Planning and Scheduling (2 days)

Planning is the intermediate-range capacity planning that typically covers a time horizon of 2 – 12 months. This course covers the concepts of aggregation, inputs and outputs, demand and capacity options, how to meet uneven demand, disaggregation and master scheduling. Topics include:

• Techniques for aggregate planning
• Strategies for meeting uneven demand
• Planning
• Disaggregation
• Master scheduling in high volume, intermediate volume and low volume systems
• Sequencing
• Planning and scheduling in service environments

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Inventory Management and Inventory Cost Modeling (2 days)

Covers the principles of the nature and importance of inventories. Investigate the differences between dependant and independent inventory demand. Understanding the importance of demand forecasts. Inventory classification. Also considered is detailed cost modeling. Topics include:

• Requirements for effective inventory management
• Basic Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) models for non-perishable items
• Re-ordering points and frequency
• Single period models for perishable items

 Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Just-in-time Systems (3 days)

The term Just-in-time (JIT) refers to a production system in which the movement of material, inventory and work-in-progress during production, and the deliveries from the suppliers are carefully timed. The timing is such that at each step of the process the next batch arrives for processing just as the proceeding batch has been completed. The result is a small batch system with no idle items to be processed, and no downtime for workers or equipment. Kanban and/or Conwip tend to be precursors of JIT Manufacturing. For these concepts to succeed very careful process analysis needs to be performed and a very high integrity of product and process quality needs to be maintained.

• JIT building blocks and goals
• 5S (reducing the 7 wastes)
• Single Minute Exchange of Die (SMED)
• Kanban manufacturing control and stock replenishment
• Kanban refined – Conwip and hybrid control
• Production layout and capacity balancing
• Process mapping / critical path analysis
• Mistake proofing and in-line inspection
• Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)
• Yield management

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Supplier Selection and Development (2 days)

Today more than ever the selection and development of key suppliers, subcontractors and partners is mission-critical to the ongoing success of any organisation, public or private. This course will enable you to identify your key suppliers, prioritise them by risk and then implement a lean but effective certification program for ongoing continuous improvement. Topics include:

• The strategic importance of supplier sourcing and selection
• Marketing and channel restructuring
• Supplier certification, metrics and incentives
• How to effectively survey and audit your suppliers and subcontractors
• Risk management in the supply chain
• How to integrate the concept of slack in the supply chain
• How to be prepared – effective disaster recovery planning

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Basics of Waiting Line Analysis (2 days)

The goal of analyzing waiting lines is to minimize total costs and to maximize customer satisfaction. Queuing analysis has as much of an impact in manufacturing as it does in retail and service industries (sectors where you normally associate waiting lines). Topics include:

• Goals of queuing analysis
• System characteristics (population source, number of servers/channels)
• Arrival and service patterns
• Queue discipline
• Measures of system performance
• Queuing models (single and multiple channel)
• Multiple priorities
• Cost analysis

 Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Key Concepts in Supply Chain Management  (2 days)

Introducing the key concepts in effectively managing your supply chain your organisation will be able to gain the agility required to stay one step ahead in the marketplace. Topics include:

• Information flow in an integrated supply chain
• Process mapping the supply chain
• The basics of forecasting and demand planning
• How to avoid the sting of the bullwhip  - demand amplification
• Introduction to quality tools for the supply base
• The importance of open book costing
• The concept of pull rather that push supply
• Just-in-time supply
• Ship to stock programs
• Consignment stocking

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Outsourcing and Strategic Alliances  (2 days)

The key to an agile supply chain is the selection development of key business partners in the downstream supply chain. The selection of strategic partners and key subcontractors can make or break an organisation. This course will introduce a robust methodology for choosing these alliances and will guide you into a strategy for ongoing development for a true “win-win” partnership. Topics include:

• How to set up effective communication channels for global outsourcing and subcontracting
• The issues of sourcing suppliers and subcontractors in offshore
• Tools, methodologies for re-engineering the supply chain
• How to resolve conflicts in a supply chain relationship
• The importance of strategic alliances – the development of a true supplier partnership program
• How to develop a trusting win-win relationship with your key suppliers
• How to structure a supplier network

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Supply Chain Development for Manufacturers (2 days)

This course introduces key specifics for supply chain development for manufacturers. Whether you manufacture in house and purchase components or subcontract manufacture, this course will enable you to maintain a flexible, yet robust supply pipeline to minimise inventory, minimise risk and maximise customer satisfaction. Topics include:

• The issues of sourcing suppliers and subcontracting in Asia
• The realities of just-in-time supply
• Tools for ensuring component and part quality, the Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)
• Quality tools and techniques for product integrity and on-time-delivery
• Design for supplier manufacture
• How to utilise your suppliers for optimal new product introduction
• Effective methods for reducing incoming parts inspection
• Methods for the control of parts from component distribution
• How to set up a consignment stocking system
• How to be prepared – effective disaster recovery planning

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

If you are interested in a quality-related topic that is not listed, contact us to see if we can customize a course for you.

Problem Solving and Operational Tools and Techniques

Practical Problem Solving (1 Day)

This course provides a strong understanding of several excellent problem solving tools that will improve team performance and organizational efficiency. The instructor will review:

• Problem Solving Principles
• Stages of Problem Solving
• The Corrective Action Process
• The Preventive Action Process
• 8 Problem Solving Techniques
• The Inhibitors of Effective Problem Solving

Consider having Orion Canada facilitate team meetings, strategy sessions, management reviews or project post mortems.

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Basic Statistics for Organizations (2 days)

Participants are taught the basic statistical techniques required for data analysis. Topics include:

• Discrete and continuous distributions
• Statistical metrics
• Uncertainty and population
• Basic t-test
• Analysis of variance
• Applications in business

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Introduction to Statistical Process Control - SPC (2 days)

Statistical control charts are an important element of the process control system. They are used to chart a pre-defined quality characteristic and can be used to monitor the variation in a process. They are also used to predict certain events (normally out of control conditions) that are due to assignable variations in process output. Tools taught through this course include:

• Gauge R&R studies
• Stewhart control charts (attribute and variable)
• Non-Stewhart charts (e.g. EWMA)
• Process capability indices (Cp, CpK)
• Setting up SPC as part of a process

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request

Introduction to Design for Experiment (2 days)

Design of Experiment (DOE) is a family of techniques that enable an engineer to home in rapidly on the most important variables in new product design or process improvement. DOE techniques choose statistically correct “combinations” of the variable settings to give us a mathematically accurate insight into the product or process. This course gives an overview of the different methodologies and examples, including:

• Design Types (full factorial and fractional factorial experiments)
• Statistical techniques
• Design Evaluation
• Robust design (Taguchi philosophy)
• Optimization methods

Like all Orion Canada courses, this course may be further customized to meet a client's requirements. For example, more detailed instruction on DOE is available on request.

Courses Scheduled:       Upon Request