Episode 18: Shingo Prize Winner Peter Ward on Operational Excellence and Innovation

In Episode 18 of Quality Time With MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout welcomes Peter Ward, Chair of the Lean Enterprise Institute, Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University, and Shingo Prize winner, to discuss his remarkable contributions to Lean and Six Sigma.

Peter reflects on his journey bringing Lean and Six Sigma principles into academia, including the creation of the Master of Business Operational Excellence (MBOE) program at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business. He shares how these initiatives have influenced other institutions and industries, highlighting the transformative power of embedding Lean and Six Sigma principles in business education.

This episode explores key topics such as incremental versus disruptive innovation, the significance of being “embedded” in an organization, and the evolution of Lean principles over time. Peter also shares his insights as Chair of the Lean Enterprise Institute and reflects on his proudest accomplishments, including winning the prestigious Shingo Prize for his research.

Whether you’re a Lean Six Sigma professional, a continuous improvement enthusiast, or curious about how operational excellence can drive innovation, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration from one of the field’s leading experts.

In this episode, you will hear about:

2:48 - Teaching Lean at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business

9:03 - How teaching Lean at Ohio State influenced other colleges and universities

12:02 - The significance of being “embedded”

15:46 - Teaching Six Sigma at Ohio State’s Fisher College of Business

20:56 - The first Master’s program in Operational Excellence

25:28 - The Center for Operational Excellence at The Ohio State University

28:20 - Peter’s role as chair of the Lean Enterprise Institute

34:04 - Incremental improvements and disruptive change

40:04 - Winning the Shingo Prize

49:46 - Peter’s proudest accomplishment

Additional Resources:

Peter Ward on LinkedIn

Peter Ward's Ohio State University Profile

Peter Ward at the Lean Enterprise Institute

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Dan Swartwout Headshot
Dan Swartwout

Host • MoreSteam

Dan Swartwout is the host of Quality Time with MoreSteam. A lifelong Central Ohio resident, Dan is a double Buckeye. He earned both a BA and a law degree from The Ohio State University. Before joining MoreSteam, Dan had a long career as a host, comedian, and master of ceremonies. For 17 years, Dan was the studio audience host for the Ohio Lottery game show Cash Explosion. Dan was also the host of CBuzz, which was a collaboration between the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, WWCD 92.9, and the Columbus Dispatch. On CBuzz, Dan interviewed some of the most prominent entrepreneurs in Central Ohio. From 2002-2020, Dan toured the country as a standup comedian. Tracks from his comedy CD have been played over 5,000 times on Sirius/XM satellite radio. Now, Dan brings his experience and enthusiasm to Quality Time with MoreSteam -- it's business and fun, together.

Peter Ward on LinkedIn
Peter Ward

Professor Emeritus of Operations Management • The Ohio State University

Peter Ward is Professor Emeritus of Operations Management at The Ohio State University and Chairman of the Lean Enterprise Institute. A leader in Lean management, he founded the Lean Education Academic Network and launched the Master of Business Operational Excellence (MBOE) program. A Shingo Prize winner, his research focuses on using operations for competitive advantage.

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