The initial review process
provides a benchmark assessment of the current status of your internal
improvement process. This includes an evaluation of current practices
against a treasure map of 18 key areas of hidden waste and loss (the
hidden operation), identification of cultural drivers and alignment
of the organisation with strategic goals. The steps of the review are
set out in the graphic below.
Initial review
The output from the review includes a improvement process
development plan to support progress towards operational excellence.
This includes the training, coaching and hands support for the development
of key implementation roles as set out in the paragraphs below.
Key Implementation Roles
Setting the Leadership Agenda
Business Directors and Senior Managers own the development
of the leadership agenda and change master plan which coordinates priorities
of the following:
- Improvement Priorities including the integration
of accountabilities to secure a single cross functional improvement
agenda
- Operations including the planning organisation and
control of routine transformation process and improvement of Quality,
Cost and Delivery (QCD) performance.
- Maintenance including the planning organisation
and control of asset care and optimisation of current technology;
This includes Quality Maintenance as part of the future maintainer
role.
- Skill development/Training covering the provision
and operation of systems and processes to raise capability across
all levels in the business.
- Technical management/R&D covering the provision
of technical excellence and flawless delivery of products, equipment
and processes.
Changing Working Practices
Middle Managers own the leadership of local policy development
in line with the leadership agenda and the implementation of changes
in working practices. This can include the following roles
- Department/Shift Managers are responsible for developing
the capability of first line managers and their teams
- Specialists/ key contacts and support functions
that support the value adding process. Their role is to support the
capture and transfer of technical knowledge, target/remove bureaucracy
and raise capabilities and create cross-functional collaboration without
boundaries.
Delivering Improvement
All improvement projects impact the front line teams
otherwise they are not influencing the value adding process. Improvement
teams own the delivery of front line best practice to secure the attention
to detail and discipline needed to achieve best in class performance.
This can include the following roles:
- First Line Managers (FLM) who lead the shop floor
teams, establishing local policy, developing the potential of the
team and it’s team members and support the continuous improvement
process.
- Multi skilled shop floor teams whose role is to
engage in problem-solving where issues are detected with the task
or production process and continually improve practices to remove
waste and hidden losses.
Programme Support
Within the continuous improvement process, there is
a need for resources who help to identify the need for and support the
delivery of improvement and then move on. Part of this role includes
the transfer of lessons learned to other areas (one idea ten improvements).
This includes the following role:
- Continuous improvement manager/facilitators to support
the planning for, implementation and conditioning of change. Although
this role is critical to a successful improvement process, the role
has no routine activities. This is a role concerning with building
new ways of working, improving collaboration, stabilizing the new
approach and passing it on. In today’s business world of constant
change and increasing challenge, the best companies make this a full
time.
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