Friday, August 7th, 2026 AT A GLANCEUpcoming EventsLean Coffee”AI & BI as Catalysts” – Virtual EventSeptember Summit Social – In-person EvenCLN Annual Summit Spotlight 2026Article Momentum: The Missing Ingredient in Continuous ImprovementPrecision Meets Process: Case Study How One Team Used Flow Efficiency to Improve Throughput by 29%COLORADO LEAN NETWORKAUGUST 2026  Welcome to the August edition of the Colorado Lean Network newsletter! August is the month where everything begins to move. Ideas sparked in July now gain momentum, teams begin preparing for fall initiatives, and the Colorado Lean Network shifts into full Summit mode!!!This month’s theme, Building Momentum, bridges the spark of innovation into the flow of execution — setting the stage for our biggest event of the year:2026 CLN Summit: Flowing to ExcellenceThursday, October 15 • CSU Spur • DenverThis Summit is designed to help organizations remove blockages, accelerate flow, and create clarity across their value streams. August is where we begin revealing the content, speakers, and experiences that will shape this year’s event.This month, we explore how to gain flow and traction within your opportunities for improvement — you can jump to the article or explore our August case study or flow your teams into Excellence at our Annual 2026 CLN Summit Spotlight!!!And of course, August brings another Monthly Lean Coffee and other virtual and in-person events!!Interested in hosting an upcoming Colorado Lean Network event, presenting on a topic with us, or sharing a tool you’ve found helpful? Visit the Lend A Hand page here!UPCOMING EVENTS  Join the Colorado Lean Network for our free monthly Virtual Lean Coffee – a relaxed, engaging space for Lean enthusiasts and practitioners of all experience levels to connect, learn, and share ideas. Each session is discussion-based and participant-driven, but there’s no pressure to speak – you’re always welcome to simply listen in and learn. Whether you’re brand new to Lean or a seasoned practitioner, you’ll gain fresh perspectives, practical insights, and peer learning in a supportive, low-stakes environment. Come curious, bring questions if you’d like, or just tune in and absorb. Wednesday, August 12th 12:00 – 1:00 PM MDT Sign up on Eventbrite to receive a link!REGISTER HERE! AI and BI as Catalysts: Empowering the Learning OrganizationExplore how BI connects support requests and performance metrics to improve learning, decision making, and operational outcomes.Join us for a one-hour virtual deep dive into the evolution of Business Intelligence (BI) and its pivotal role in supporting the commitment to becoming a true learning organization. We will explore how to anchor unstructured support request data to structured performance metrics to better understand the true impact of uncertainty on operational performance.This session will explore the following topics:· Identifying systems and signals used for support requests in operations.· The value of mapping unstructured inputs, such as support tickets, directly to structured process metrics.· The business case for targeted development and “just-in-time” knowledge transfer.· The benefits of escalation channels and data-driven insights on team engagement. Friday, Aug 21st12:00 – 1:00 PM MDT Sign up on Eventbrite to receive a link!REGISTER HERE!Connect with the Colorado Lean Network community before our Annual Summit at Woods Boss. Join us for networking and conversations!Join the Colorado Lean Network community for a pre-Summit networking event at Woods Boss Brewing! This is a great opportunity to connect with Lean Six Sigma and continuous improvement professionals, meet fellow CLN members, and build relationships before our Annual Summit.Stop by anytime between 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM to network, share ideas, and connect with others passionate about process improvement. Appetizers will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there and kicking off the Annual Summit with the CLN community! Wednesday, July 23rd4:30PM – 6:30 PM MDT Sign up on Eventbrite!REGISTER HERE!CLN PRESENTS:THE ANNUAL SUMMIT 2026 SPOTLIGHT FLOW TO EXCELLENCE  Get Ready for the 2026 Colorado Lean Network Summit!Join us in person on Thursday, October 15th for an exciting day packed with insightful talks, hands on workshops, and awesome networking opportunities. Whether you’re a Lean enthusiast or just curious, this Summit is the perfect place to connect, learn, and grow with over 150 attendees. Don’t miss out on the chance to meet with likeminded folks and dive deep into Lean principles. Details to follow and lunch will be provided. Hope to see you there!EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTED TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW WHILE QUANITITES LAST!!!REGISTER HERE!FEATURE ARTICLE — Momentum: The Missing Ingredient in Continuous Improvement     Flow doesn’t happen by accident — it requires momentum, the force that keeps improvement moving forward even when obstacles appear.Three Momentum Builders for CI Teams:Clear direction — teams need to know where the river is flowingConsistent cadence — improvement must move at a steady paceVisible progress — wins must be seen, shared, and celebratedMomentum is what transforms a spark into a stream — and a stream into excellence. |
CASE STUDY — How One Team Used Flow Efficiency to Improve Throughput by 29%    BackgroundA manufacturing team struggled with unpredictable throughput and long lead times.InterventionThey implemented:Flow efficiency measurementDaily visual flow boardsWeekly “blockage removal” huddlesFuture‑state flow mappingResults29% increase in throughput18% reduction in lead timeFlow stability across shiftsHigher team engagementKey InsightFlow efficiency gave the team a new lens — one that revealed hidden delays and unlocked momentum.Closing ThoughtsAugust is where momentum builds, clarity increases, and the path toward excellence becomes visible. As we move into September, we’ll shift into full Summit mode with:Full agendaAll breakout sessionsAll sponsorsLogisticsParking“What to Expect Thursday”Final ticket remindersWe can’t wait to flow together at the 2026 CLN Summit on Thursday, October 15th at the CSU Spur.Stay focused. Stay flowing. Stay connected.Thank you for being part of the Colorado Lean Network. We look forward to connecting with you at our August and September events! |
Newsletter July 2026
