How do you collaborate with other departments to increase manufacturing efficiency?

Here are some strategies to enhance collaboration: 1. Establish Clear Communication Channels: 2. Define Common Goals: 3. CFTs: Form focused CFTs 4. Shared Metrics and KPIs: - Regularly monitor and review these metrics to identify areas for improvement. 5. Technology Integration: 6. Training and Skill Development: 7. Regular Performance Reviews: PDCA 8. Problem-Solving Workshops: 9. Supply Chain Integration: 10. Employee Engagement: 11. Continuous Improvement Culture: 12. Feedback Mechanism: Top-down and Bottom-up approach By implementing these strategies, you can create a collaborative environment that promotes manufacturing efficiency across different departments within the organization.

From my experience, following are key- - Engage the right teams early on cross functionally - Understand the purpose behind increasing efficiency and drive it constantly amongst the team. This helps to avoid silo working. Always keep the larger purpose at sight - Ensure regular cadence. Have times set aside for execution and for getting together for updates/discussion - Hold team mates accountable to their work tracks - Ensure adequate information flow amongst the team to ensure none gets left out of the whole picture - Promote healthy debates during team discussions - Ensure respect amongst team mates. Criticise in private and appreciate in public. - Celebrate the key success moments to keep the team engaged

Increasing Manufacturing effeciency is not one persons job. It can be achieved by coordination between all teams , where internal customer satisfaction must be achieved. let us understand what is effeciency , it is manufacturing a product at least cost optimally using all resources like Raw materials, people and time . Now next is how to achieve this. As all resources have to be optimally used , the entire team right from procurement to quality inclusive of logistics , stores , warehouse , the security at the gate , all need to be part of this . For this : Systems must be in place SOPs must be robust Decision making must be timely Planning must be absolutely perfect Team must be motivated Leadership to achieve this must have the skills.

The best way to collaborate with teams from all functions is to have face to face discussions and if possible that too on the shop floor. Have a standing meeting on the shop floor, sets a perfect ground for taking the team together. This needs to be followed by "Customer First " discussions and all the discussions needs to be handled in a way that everyone is enrolled and empowered to contribute to the customer success. The leaders needs to show faith and trust with the teams from all other functions and that drives a well performing collaboration. It has worked for me 100 times and I am sure it will work for all of you too.

Involve manufacturing personnel early in the product development cycle. Use the ideology of “Begin with the end in mind” to catalyze collaboration between the end manufacturers and the designers. In the past, this has been called Simultaneous Engineering or Concurrent Engineering. This collaborative process affords the designers with an appreciation of the needs for efficient manufacturing.

When there's a pain point visible at the senior level, the functional leaders should be charged to resolve it. Priority is given with formal goals including targets, time frames. Analysis with value stream mapping, root cause and pareto analysis is used to identify where and by how much improvements can be made. Collaboration on the methods, resources and tools is needed to achieve and sustain the improvement. From there a clear roadmap with timeframes and deliverables can be developed. Management needs to fund the investments in people/tools needed. Large investments often justify piloting of the fix before full scale rollout. It's a journey vs. quick fix approach but all of these steps are need for sustained change.

The manufacturing operation work as a system, and as in such, there are many interdependencies that influence the efficiency and overall results. Creating and empowering (key word!) cross-functional team will speed up root cause analysis, boost creativity for solutions and leverage skills across the organization to improve the performance. I use constantly what I call the 3-C : Communicate, Collaborate and Coordinate. Communicate the goals and the problem. Collaborate to understand the problem and brainstorm for solutions. Coordinate actions, share ownership and follow up accordingly. Then, repeat the 3-Cs: Communicate status, progress, roadblocks. Collaborate to overcome obstacles and Coordinate again to take the necessary actions.

Cross functional teams are vital to increasing manufacturing performance, but they don't happen by accident or forcing it overnight. Cross functional activities are likely to be more natural if we ensure our daily, weekly, monthly etc. activities include cross functional non-department people. Ensuring accounting, purchasing and customer service, etc., people make purposeful "Gemba" visits to the manufacturing area also builds subtle, but valuable trust bonds which helps us value our internal customers.

There are many processes and methods to fine tune and facilitate effective collaboration, but I find that a less formal initial interaction breaks barriers, accelerating what's required as well as being more effective throughout. Having everyone involved sat down to talk to one another, with brief personal and professional "presentations" and an opportunity to discuss more diverse topics, builds trust and familiarity that creates a foundation for that next phase. These could be fairly short sessions, to more involved ones where dinner is provided to continue to reinforce the relationship creation.

I am currently at the end of the manufacturing chain. As shift managers (All departments) we have 15 minutes meeting daily, 2hours after the start of shift. Purpose is to align with one another, raise any concerns, risks, and possible mitigations. However, as the day goes, I am often in contact with my immediate “internal supplier” to check supply of certain articles required for the external customers or to get full quantities to warehouse on time. Then I can decide whether to warehouse what is at hand or wait for more, also communicate further with the supply chain department and agree on what is best. All in all, it goes back to communication and flexibility as priorities change. Communication and Teamwork is Key.

Having implemented ERP, MRP and MES systems have seen a lot of fancy ideas and visions explaining why. Actually, why is plain simple, information is systemised so that you can delegate it between departments. It sets clear standards for what you need to do so you can proceed. For example, procurement can't start before the engineering has completed the Bill of Material. In an Excel-based manufacturing environment, there is a big temptation to cut corners by giving over partial information, which seems faster now, but creates enormous problems later. Systematization and restrictions on how data is moving are often overlooked side effects of implementing MRP systems. When you have solved that challenge, you can step into KPIs at MRP world.

I agree with other comments listed. Seeing, believing, and understanding the same key factual data measurements is most important. Communications start there. My experience indicate a need for proper expectations and timelines for good results. Subject Matter Experts understand open and honest communication makes or stops positive goal progress. We must include others department specialists however; the choosing the correct stakeholders must to lift and carry data facts on standards learned. This appropriate project unit acceptance provides basis in helpful multi communication in company.

A better way to communicate and share data and information currently is to use business intelligence and analytics based models and software (like PowerBI, Tabelau, Hadoop etc). As data and IoT systems are becoming more prevalent in manufacturing due to digital transformation, it would be more apt to align these tools to the ERP system and then focus on KPI related tracking as well as strategy deployment.

With more and more systems being put in place to monitor and control plants, make sure that as you implement new sources of data that people clearly understand not only what it means, but what actions should be considered. A few months ago, at a client's plant, they were experiencing information overload, distrusted its accuracy and had very little understanding of what actions to take. We helped them to focus on a much narrower list of indicators, investigate and improve the accuracy of the data that was informing the metrics and brainstormed actions to take for a variety of circumstances.

To collaborate with other departments to boost manufacturing efficiency, focus on clear communication and technology use: 1. Communication: Hold regular meetings and use digital platforms for departments to exchange information and align on goals. 2. Technology and Data: Implement integrated systems like ERP and MES for seamless data flow. Encourage analytics-based decision-making to identify and solve inefficiencies. This streamlined approach ensures all departments work towards common objectives, leading to enhanced efficiency and productivity.

Treating people like people is the single most effective way of getting alignment and results. Nothing is more demoralising than feeling like a cog in the machine. The more personal the working environment can be, the more engaged and invested team members are, and the more satisfying the work. This needs to be genuine though, as false relationships can be easily sniffed out and prove counterproductive. The challenge however is how to also have those crucial conversations when things do not go right. Having an honest investment in your teams' wellbeing can actually improve the process.

Pay attention to what customers are saying, whether it's through direct interactions, surveys, reviews, or social media. Actively listen to their concerns, preferences, and feedback. and pay attention to feedback received through customer support channels. Identify recurring issues or concerns and use this information to make necessary improvements.

é de suma importancia manter uma interface eficaz com outros departamentos. Mas para isso acontecer, além do feedback e suporte, é preciso observar e ouvir as pessoas, pois na maioria das vezes para identificar erros ou simplesmente manter a qualidade, basta prestarmos aten??o aos detalhes e ouvir o que os colaboradores tem a dizer. Aí o retorno e suporte fazem total sentido.

As a process design engineer, I always took feedback from manufacturing team. Based on their past experiences, manufacturing team would suggest in terms of operation, automation, handling: what works for them, what's convenient for them. Based on their feedback, I would integrate the solution into the process design.

At our operation we have a cross functional process called V.I.T. Vehicle Improvement Team. This is a collective group of representatives from our Production, Engineering, Purchasing, Product Support, Sales/Marketing and Quality departments. The overall goal of this group is to identify product improvement needs based off warranty issues, production concerns, customer satisfaction concerns, etc. We rank concern topics and assign these to a team lead from one of the departments and then working groups are put together which include representatives from all of the departments to analyze and identify root cause of the problem and determine what corrective action should be taken to address the problem. This works well with team work.

Learning is key to improving, keeping relevant, and warding off stagnancy. It is too often one of the first victims of cost cuts, a very short term fix with longer term detriments. Maximising the benefits howler can be through sharing with others, but how can one do that effectively. Try to use different media to pass on these (and other messages). Instead of tried and tested (and all to often, boring) email messages and powerpoint, use something a bit more engaging and dynamic like Sway and similar tools, or invest some time in being to quickly edit short videos and jump on the TikTok revolution.

There should be solid foundation of the objectives and targets, clear mindset, and most of all, there should be peace and harmony in the organization in able to achieve it. Gabatte Kudasai!

Collaborating with other departments to boost manufacturing efficiency creates a foundation for continuous learning and improvement. Clear objectives and open communication foster shared understanding, while cross-functional teams provide learning opportunities. Shared metrics become benchmarks for collective improvement, and embracing lean principles and technology ensures adaptability. Regular reviews and feedback mechanisms enable ongoing learning, celebrating achievements as milestones in the journey of perpetual improvement. Through collaboration, departments not only optimize efficiency but also cultivate a culture of continuous learning and refinement.

When you have implemented value stream concept, everybody comes under the purview of take time. We have to then produce to a certain pitch. All departments must be synchronised to the pitch for the value stream to be efficient and effective. Otherwise there would be frequent line stoppages and waste would be visible.

Many times organisations set the targets department wise or processes wise. These targets keep it related to their own activities. They fail to capture the targets which would have the impact on the next process or subsequent processes. Organisation shall identify KPIs in line with the process/ department level activities and also the activities which could impact on the next or subsequent customers. We should do a Processes mapping with all the direct and indirect interactions to capture all the applicable KPIs for each processes. When we all work together as a team and set the targets collectively to achieve common goals then the organisation can achieve its objectives.

Improving performance in manufacturing just like all other corporate functions, begins with leaders that care more about the people in their organization and about the company then they do about themselves. These leaders tend to use the word “we” much more than they use the word “I”. Also, the best manufacturing leaders have spent time learning and leading other corporate functions. This experience really gives them credibility with others outside of manufacturing. Then set high but achievable goals for the organization and reward and recognize the team members that achieve those goals.

Making sure that targets, goals and rewards are consistent. One team focussed on revenue (by whatever means necessary) while another focussed on Margin or EBITDA can find themselves pulling away from one another. And if there is personal financial impact this can quickly undermine cross functional harmony and thereby, results.