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Learn a lot more about project management
Thurman Co is here to help educate and advise you on all things project management related.

Structured Problem Solving: Why Tools Without Routines Rarely Solve the Problem
Organizations invest heavily in structured problem-solving tools. Teams attend training on the 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagrams, Pareto Charts, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), A3

Bringing People Along on the Digital Transformation Journey
“Technology is easy. Change is hard.” Every organization embarking on a digital transformation eventually discovers the truth behind that statement. Whether implementing a new ERP

From Kaizen Events to Culture Change
At Thurman Co, we often see organizations arrive at continuous improvement through a familiar doorway: the Kaizen event. It’s a powerful starting point; focused, time-bound

Contract Closeout: The Forgotten Phase That Can Save You Money
When organizations discuss contract management, most of the attention naturally gravitates toward negotiation, execution, and performance management. Teams invest significant effort in drafting favorable terms,

Lean Manufacturing Metrics: Measuring What Matters
In manufacturing, there is an old saying: “You get what you measure.” Unfortunately, many organizations continue to measure the wrong things. Traditional manufacturing metrics often

Applying Lean Principles Beyond the Factory Floor
When most professionals hear the word “Lean,” they immediately picture manufacturing environments filled with production lines, takt times, kanban boards, and visual management boards. While

The Human Side of Change Management
In program management, success is often measured in schedules, budgets, milestones, and deliverables. Yet experienced program managers know that even the most technically sound initiative

How to Build a Risk Register That Actually Works
In project management, few tools are discussed more often, and used less effectively, than the risk register. Many organizations create one because it is required

Lean Daily Management: What It Is and Why It Works
In today’s fast-paced manufacturing and operational environments, success isn’t built solely on long-term strategy, it’s sustained through disciplined daily execution. Organizations that consistently meet their

Understanding the ISO 31000 Risk Management Framework
In today’s fast-moving business environment, uncertainty is no longer the exception, it is the rule. Whether managing supply chain disruptions, navigating regulatory changes, or launching

How AI Is Transforming Demand Forecasting in Manufacturing
There’s a quiet revolution happening on the factory floor, and it isn’t coming from new machinery or expanded square footage. It’s coming from smarter decisions.

Best practice: Standard Operating Procedures
There’s a quiet kind of excellence in organizations that run like a well-kept kitchen—everything in its place, everyone knowing their role, and no one scrambling

Visual Project Management: How Lean Tools Improve Team Alignment
There’s something timeless about seeing your work laid out right in front of you. Long before dashboards and digital tools came along, good managers knew

Data-Driven Decision Making: Moving from Gut Feel to Ground Truth
For generations, business decisions were guided by experience, intuition, and a well-earned “feel for the work.” In manufacturing, engineering, and project management, that instinct was

How I Found My Way into Manufacturing — and Why It Still Matters Today
Manufacturing has a way of finding people who enjoy solving complex problems, working across disciplines, and seeing tangible results from their efforts. My own path

Beyond On-Time Delivery: The New Metrics for Supply Chain Excellence
For decades, supply chain success was measured by a familiar trio: on-time delivery, cost, and inventory turns. These metrics still matter, much like balancing a

Navigating Contract Risk in a Changing Regulatory Environment
If there is one lesson project managers learn early and are reminded of often, it’s that the rules never stop changing. Regulations evolve, compliance standards

Driving Excellence: Project Management in the Automotive Industry
The automotive industry has always been a masterclass in orchestrating complexity. Multiple tiers of suppliers, volatile market demands, strict regulatory environments, fierce global competition, and

Creating Flow: Project Management Lessons from Lean Manufacturing
In manufacturing, few ideas are as foundational, or as transformational, as flow. When work moves smoothly from one step to the next, without bottlenecks or

Resilient Supply Chains Start with Supplier Relationships
Building Partnerships That Withstand Disruptions and Market Volatility In today’s unpredictable environment, even the best-engineered supply chains are only as strong as the relationships that

The Hidden Cost of Poor Quality: A Case for Preventive Action
In manufacturing and project management, quality isn’t a department; it’s a discipline. Yet, many organizations still treat it like a line item, trimming it when

How to Manage Multiple Manufacturing Projects Without Losing Your Mind
Manufacturing project managers often find themselves spinning multiple plates at once, launching a new product line, coordinating supplier qualification, and overseeing a facility upgrade, while

Building a Future-Proof Manufacturing Business: Strategies for Adapting to Market Shifts
The manufacturing landscape is no stranger to change, from disruptive technologies and economic downturns to global supply chain challenges and shifting customer demands. Yet some

Risk Management in High-Volume Production Projects
In the fast-paced world of high-volume manufacturing, even a small hiccup can ripple into a costly disruption. When your operation is running at full throttle—whether

Integrating Six Sigma Thinking into Everyday Project Management
If you’ve ever treated Six Sigma as something reserved for black belts, complex statistics, or only the biggest manufacturing lines, it’s time to reframe it.

Stakeholder Engagement in Manufacturing Projects: Who, When, and How
Manufacturing projects are rarely solo endeavors. Whether launching a new production line, introducing Lean practices, or onboarding a new supplier, these initiatives ripple through every

Managing Inventory Reduction Projects Without Disrupting Production
In today’s competitive manufacturing environment, organizations continually seek ways to reduce costs and optimize working capital. One of the most direct methods is reducing inventory.

Agile in a Manufacturing World: When Does It Work (and When Doesn’t It)?
Agile has become something of a buzzword across industries. Originating in software development, Agile emphasizes flexibility, iterative progress, and constant customer feedback. In recent years,

Supplier Onboarding Projects: A Step-by-Step PM Approach
In today’s complex supply chain environment, supplier onboarding is more than a formality, it’s a strategic process that lays the foundation for successful partnerships. A

How to Lead a Kaizen Event That Delivers Real Results
Kaizen events are powerful tools for driving meaningful, sustainable improvements in any organization. Rooted in the Japanese concept of “continuous improvement,” a Kaizen event focuses
