The 2010 North American IQPC Best Improvement Program Winner: DTE Energy

In this Profit through Process podcast, Genna Weiss of Six Sigma IQ speaks with Jason Schulist, Director of Continuous Improvement for DTE Energy, who is the winner of the North American 2010 IQPC Process Excellence Award for Best Improvement Program. Schulist discusses the 10-plus year journey that DTE Energy, a Detroit, Michigan-based utility company, has taken to implement continuous improvement throughout the organization and how this improvement program has reached success. You will hear what led DTE Energy to take the "high road" by using continuous improvement for more than just closing the gaps within the organization, and how a hoshin planning-type process allows DTE Energy to deploy its improvement program’s strategic goals at the tactical level.

Schulist discusses the change management strategies that DTE Energy employed to increase leadership and employee buy-in for the program, which included having top leadership teach and mentor employees in continuous improvement, as well as securing the employment of any employee who engaged in continuous improvement responsibilities. Additionally, Schulist reveals the major business and financial benefits of DTE Energy’s improvement program, such as saving $1.1 billion dollars in the span of eight years.