LPPDE: Dates, Location and Thought Leaders

I am so happy to announce the final dates and location for the 2008 Lean Product and Process Development Exchange!

Location: Denver, CO at the Grand Hyatt.

Dates: April 21 (workshops), April 22 - 23 (main conference)

Thought Leader Panel (besides me):

• Durward K. Sobek, professor at Montana State University and editor of Allen Ward's Lean Product and Process Development.


• Michael Kennedy, author of Product Development for the Lean Enterprise and co-founder of Targeted Convergence, Inc. We will (if all goes well) have a launch party for Michael's 2nd book during the conference!


• Mary Poppendieck, author of Lean Software Development.


• Jamie Flinchbaugh, co-author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to Lean and co-founder of the Lean Learning Center.


• Tricia Sutton, founder of LeanEx, a lean product development peer learning group in Chicago, IL and president of Sutton Enterprises, Inc.


• Ellen Domb, co-author of Simplified TRIZ and Beyond Strategic Vision, and founder of the PQR Group.


• Bo Oppenheim, professor at Loyola Marymount University and member of the Lean Aerospace Initiative.


• Jim Luckman, Lean Enterprise Institute instructor and consultant.

I have also begun to recruit an exciting set of success stories from lean product development pioneers. As I get confirmations, I will post updates on the site.

Our target date for opening registration is October 29, 2007 to coincide with the AME Annual Conference in Chicago that week. Our target base price is $1490 per attendee. With early registration, partner and team discounts, the lowest available target price is $940 per attendee. We will also offer an academic rate for full time students and professors in product development-related fields.

We will launch the official website the same day we launch registration.

I hope to see you in Denver!