Course: Team Oriented Problem Solving (TOPS)

TOPS is used by many companies to ensure that all problems are approached in a consistent, systematic manner. This technique is used by the Ford Motor Company, who developed it as the “8D” approach; Chrysler, who called it the “7D” approach; and many other large corporations such as Motorola, IBM, and Monsanto.

Course: Root Cause Analysis

The Root Cause Analysis course covers the basics of analysis – identifying why you’re having a problem. This is the prelude to coming up with a solution. Once we have determined what the problem is, we move on to Tools.

Root Cause Analysis Tools picks up where the basics of identifying why you’re having a problem leaves off. We’ll talk about the more sophisticated tools that you can use to investigate a problem, and some of the pros and cons of these ways, and what specialized skills may be needed to analyze a process.

Course: Measurement System Analysis / Gage R&R

Gage R&R/MSA develops an understanding of the MSA Reference Manual in your organization. We will move through group activities as well as encourage individual participation. In general, you will gain an understanding of the MSA Reference Manual and its impact on your organization’s quality systems. Attendees will gain an understanding of the MSA elements and the relationship of MSA to a quality system. MSA has direct application to ISO/TS 16949:2002 and QS 9000.

Course: Production Part Approval Process

This course covers the basics of submitting a PPAP and the required records for PPAP submission at all warrant levels.

Course: Quality Tools

Quality Tools is a basics course for those who are new to the Quality field. It covers what tools are, which tool to use when, and how to use these tools effectively to ensure efficient solution of a problem or collection of data.

Our team of experts will work with your company and lead the teams through the beginning stages of Business Process Management, including understanding your customer’s wants and needs and setting up a system to break the deadlock of competing priorities; the critical stages of problem solving and development of a plan; setting baseline readings to determine improvement and review; and facilitation of the process for ongoing efficiencies.

Our facilitators will show your team how to overcome the hurdles they are facing and will provide expert guidance on how to implement their own process efficiently and effectively in the company.

Our facilitators will also hold mock executive reviews to help the teams prepare for management presentations, highlighting areas of focus to get the maximum benefit both for the team and for the company executives. This consultation may be requested in 1/2 day blocks.

Course: Project Management For Everyone
This course will present Project Management concepts in ways that non-Project Managers can understand and relate to. We’ll discuss how to manage a project to completion, how to handle mutliple priorities, and the measurements necessary to manage a project This course is intended for those who are not going forward for Project Management certification but wants to be more efficient in their assignments.

Course: Project Management Skills
This three day interactive course is designed to introduce you to a consistent process for managing any Project in an Organization. It is based on the information in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) from the Project Management Institute. To maximize learning, an actual PM example may be used for in-house courses.

Tools for Lean Implementation
This interactive one-day overview is designed to introduce the student to a set of methods/tools that minimize the resources required for processes by the elimination of waste (non-value add activities) that may lead to inflated costs, lead times and inventory requirements. Covered tools include: Kaizen, 5S, Mistake Proofing (Poka-Yoke), Visual Workplace, Standardized Work, Cellular Flow, Value Stream Mapping, Quick Changeover/Set Up, Pull Kanban Systems, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM). Lean Enterprise emphasizes the use of quality improvement programs, preventive maintenance, pull systems as well as flexible work forces and production facilities.

Lean ISO QMS Workshop
This interactive, three-day workshop provides students with the tools to move their organizations beyond mere conformance to ISO 9001:2000. Students learn through the integration of Lean Enterprise Tools, both on and off the manufacturing floor, that they can establish a continual improvement system that truly improves bottom line results. Lean Enterprise focuses on improvement though the elimination of waste in processes. ISO 9001:2000 is focuses on continual improvement as an integral part of an organization’s Quality Management System (there are over a dozen requirements for improvement in the standard).

Lean Six Sigma Overview
This interactive, two-day class provides students with an overview of the effective integration of Lean and Six Sigma tools to drive out waste, reduce variation, improve customer satisfaction and continually improve their organization’s bottom line results. Lean and Six Sigma Tools comprise a powerful continual improvement engine for any organization to achieve world class bottom line results.

Six Sigma is an initiative that ties quality improvement to tangible dollars saved. The formal program takes 4 weeks of intensive study and is very costly. The McDonald Consulting Group can show you how to achieve the same result by obtaining only the courses you need, and integrating them yourself.

Course: Implementing Baldrige Criteria
This five-day intensive course brings your team through the Baldrige criteria element by element, reviewing previous winners’ submissions in this category to provide an insight to how other high performing companies have interpreted the standard, as well as setting up appropriate targets and goals for your team. We will also outline the information that is needed for demonstration of each of the criteria elements, and will review any data as appropriate. This class is very intensive; the outcome is a blueprint for Baldrige implementation

Course: Baldrige Submission Review
This course will review your submission and provide you with a score based on the data and information presented. This review can then be used to fine-tune your submission prior to submission at the local, state, or national level. The review is done by an experienced Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) examiner.

Chris Heron of TECO Westinghouse said “Because of the nature of the class example/problem, it allowed significant insight into other aspects of the organization and the system of checks/balances in place… the course instructor was well-chosen for covering the material – knowledgeable, witty, personable, and an above-average facilitator.”

Dorothy Barufaldi, Siemens Business Communications, writes “This is the best of the 6 Internal Auditor Training Courses I’ve attended [we are required to recertify annually]. This instructor knows the material, is an outstanding presenter, and does excellent, meaningful role play!”

Lisa Dabbs, VP of American National Molding, stated that McDonald Consulting Group “is without a doubt a subject expert. Their knowledge and network of resources (other quality experts, etc.) provide you with all the information you need to set up an outstanding quality management system or enhance and improve an existing one.

In addition, the method in which the information is relayed is such that you are learning as you go. It was very important to us and to McDCG that the system we set up together be a unique system that specifically worked for our unique company.

While working with McDCG we felt as though they were completely focused on us. They were always very responsive to our questions and needs. In addition, they offered a personal touch in which we were treated more as colleagues or partners working toward a common goal.”

Dr. Barbara Fossum, Director of U. Texas’ IC2 Center, stated that “McDCG made the job interesting and enjoyable. They came into a very difficult situation, where habits were hard to break and attitudes were generally poor. We had absolutely no documented processes, and we had many problems. We were not even focusing on the right customer. McDCG handled the situation very well. We all learned much more than we expected during the projects.”

Debbie Martin RN, CEO, ICPA (Infection Control and Prevention Analysts, Inc.) stated that “we asked The McDonald Group to come into our offices to observe the workload in our technical support department and determine if we needed to hire another employee. Recent changes in personnel and an increase in company growth had made it difficult for us to assess our needs internally.”

“McDonald Consulting Group gave us several solid recommendations; none of which involved hiring a new person. One of the major recommendations that I implemented was to restructure my work day. In the past, I had an open door policy and was having near constant interruptions. Thanks to McDCG, I’m being productive again… Other suggestions that have been implemented include outsourcing our marketing. The cost-savings have more than paid for the consulting fees.”

Mike Freeman, Lab Manager, Praxair Distribution, wrote “I came to this class against my will (my boss sent me) but I ended up really enjoying the format and I learned a lot!”

“Way to go!” Ron Edgerton, CEO, SigmaTel, wrote “Thank you for all your [consulting and training] help! This is a key moment for SigmaTel, and we could not have done it without you. Please let me know if you need us as a reference. If anyone asks me for help in this area [ISO 9001:2000 and process improvement], I will send them your way. “

Scott Dawson, President, Core Business Solutions, wrote “The McDCG consulting expertise is the best. Our clients have appreciated the depth of understanding and insight the McDCG consulting staff has brought to every project assigned. I would not hesitate to rely on them for any project, from the simple to the complex. I highly recommend The McDonald Consulting Group. “

Rick Brizek, Quality Manager, Identco International, wrote “The McDonald Consulting Group provided an in-depth pre-surveillance audit that helped us identify weaknesses in our quality system and achieve our most successful Full System Surveillance audit to date. We will definitely continue to use their services. “

Sewall B. Rent, Jr., President of Duelmark Aerospace Corporation, wrote “We are a very small company with limited resources. The McDonald Consulting Group was hired to become our internal auditor and assist in our upgrade efforts to obtain our ISO 9001:2000 certification. The Auditor was able to grasp our company’s operation and documentation procedures very quickly. As a result of McDCG’s understanding of the ISO certification process, we obtained our upgrade certification the very first attempt with amazing results. It has been a very satisfying relationship with The McDonald Consulting Group personnel. “

Andrew Krupp, Director of Quality, National Instruments, wrote “Mary McDonald has been invaluable in supporting a myriad of efforts throughout our company. Her forte has been working closely with us to develop training classes that were customized to get a lot of information across in a short period of time, while still being fun. We started with a sparse curriculum and now have active courses in Internal Auditing/ISO 9001, Problem Solving, Quality Tools and Process Improvement that have been deployed to hundreds. We couldn’t have done it without her support. “

Company Background

The McDonald Consulting Group provides consulting and training services to a wide variety of clients - non-profits, service, high tech and low tech manufacturing, and engineering, to name a few.

We have worked with our clients to help them become more productive, by introducing innovative tools and techniques that are aligned with their corporate culture and/or their intended path.

We have been in business since 1995 and achieved a 40% year-to-year growth since 2000, due to our high customer satisfaction. See What Our Clients Say

How do we achieve this high customer satisfaction rating? We pay attention to our customer. We analyze gaps between where our clients want to be and where they are, and suggest tools and techniques to close the gap. We also provide training on many of these tools and techniques, as well as interpersonal skills training (from first line supervisor up to executive coaching). We only suggest what we think they need, not everything we have; and if we don’t think that we’re the best match for them, we’ll refer them elsewhere.

Locations

We have locations in the Northeast (New England), Southwest (including our Corporate Headquarters in Austin, TX), and Midwest (Detroit, MI), and plan to expand to the Southeast and West in 2009. Our consultants are constantly learning and innovating, in order to ensure that we stay at the leading edge of our field. Our consultants average 18 years’ experience. Our Firm only retains consultants with at least 10 years experience in industry or a non-profit organization prior to joining The McDonald Consulting Group.

What Makes Us Different?

We’re your neighbors. We know the area, the businesses, the people, and how ‘things are done around here’. Our client base covers the country, with focus in Baltimore/Washington DC, Boston/New York, San Jose, San Diego, Florida, Texas, and New England.

We’re globetrotters. We consult and train around the world. We have done training in all parts of the United States, Canada, Mexico, as well as Hong Kong, Europe, and the Pacific Rim. We consult in several countries for our multinational clients. We can adapt to your unique needs easily.

We’re not the ‘Queen Mary’. The old saying goes that, if someone went overboard on the Queen Mary, the ship would travel over one mile before being able to turn 180 degrees to get the poor watersoaked passenger. That’s not us! Being smaller allows us to react quickly to your unique needs. We can respond to your requests faster than the ‘big guys’ can, and can work quickly to help you solve your individual problems. If we’re not providing that, let us know and we’ll make it right for you, right away!

We’re affordable. The McDonald Consulting Group doesn’t have any hidden fees, any special clauses, or any huge contracts. Our contract is simple and straightforward. We spell out your costs, and help you estimate your expenditures based on the size and duration of the contract. We’ll only recommend what you need, not everything our company offers. And we can work with you to tailor our services to fit your budget. We’ll provide a quote that explains every step - and you can decide what you want. Some from column A, some from column B? No problem! We provide individualized solution options, and you select the quality services you need.

We’re available. We have a policy that our clients love - you’ll never be without an answer for more than 24 hours. We keep in touch via e-mail from all over the world. We answer voicemail within 4 hours if possible (if at another client, we wait for breaks or lunch in order to give them the attention the deserve; if not, you’ll get an immediate callback). We monitor our phones from anywhere in the world to ensure that if you need us, we’re there for you. So contact us: 512/280-7175, or info@mcdcg.com via e-mail; and we’ll discuss what we can do to help you improve your bottom line.
We Believe in Giving Back to the Community

The McDonald Consulting Group also believes in doing well by doing good — so we donate 3% of our gross receipts (that’s correct, gross receipts, not net profit) to worthy national charities such as Habitat for Humanity, and America’s Second Harvest. Both groups help others to help themselves - perfectly aligned with our corporate mission of improvement. And by selecting McDCG for your improvement needs, you are also helping Americans to earn affordable housing or receive a much-needed nutritious meal. Last year we were able to provide enough building materials for one half of a bedroom, and 225 bags of groceries for distribution. Our goal is to be able to donate enough to provide building materials for one house, and 1500 bags of groceries.

Presentations and Speaking Engagements

Mary McDonald and Terry A. Mors conducted a training class for Government Institutes entitled “Integrating Your Quality, Environmental, Health and Safety Systems” in Las Vegas on July 28 through 30, 2003. View the Training Flyer.