OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE
improvement teams pursue the highly mathematical ‘ six sigma ’ route to try and understand a problem from behind a laptop . Spending time on the shop floor observing exactly what happens when the problem occurs would be much more effective .”
Manufacturers should be also mindful not to implement a ‘ copy and paste ’ approach to problem-solving . Even if situations appear quite similar on the surface , the monetary value and its impact on operations can be quite different . But the lean toolkit doesn ’ t naturally allow for this , and this is why it ’ s crucial to examine each process on an individual , case-by-case basis .
However , it is equally important to remember that while the very visible examples such as unnecessary packaging get challenged , the biggest opportunities to eliminate overprocessing are often hidden .
Murray offers up a client example involving over-cooked chickens . “ It is essential the product is properly cooked , but the safety margin built in to the cook duration and temperature can result in a dry product and lower yield . In one recent example , our team were able to take 10 minutes out of the cooking time
“PERFORMANCE SHOULD BE MEASURED AGAINST THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME , RATHER THAN AGAINST A STANDARD , SO THAT THE TOTAL LOSS IS KNOWN ”
— Tim Murray , Associate Director , Newton
44 June 2018