How can you standardize and sustain an improved process?

To standardize and maintain an improved manufacturing process, it is crucial to implement a robust process management system with detailed documentation. This facilitates understanding of responsibilities at each stage. Establishing a clear role structure for each team member is critical to ensuring compliance with standards and processes. Implementing controls and protocols is essential for managing changes and solving problems. Maintaining long-term improvement requires a continuous monitoring strategy. This allows you to review the process, identify improvements and ensure compliance with standards. Setting KPIs and specific targets ensures the effectiveness of the process.

Standardizing and sustaining an improved process using control charts involves several key steps. Control charts are valuable tools for monitoring and maintaining process stability and performance. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this: 1. Define Your Process 2. Collect Data 3. Select the Right Control Chart 4. Set Control Limits 5. Plot Data on the Control Chart 6. Monitor the Process 7. Root Cause Analysis 8. Document Changes 9. Training and Standardization 10.Continuous Improvement 11. Regular Review and Reporting 12. Feedback Loop 13. Document Best Practices. 14. Audit and Verification. 15. Celebrate Success

Although I'm not a big fan of 'SickSigma' due to its complexity and overemphasis on quantification, which doesn't suit all organizations, it can still enhance processes to some extent. To standardize and sustain improvements, Six Sigma suggests: defining clear goals, measuring current performance, analyzing root causes of issues, implementing solutions, and controlling the changes to ensure they stick. Standardizing involves documenting the new process and training team members. It's also crucial to integrate the improved process with other organizational systems and foster a culture of continuous improvement. Despite its drawbacks, Six Sigma's structured approach can offer valuable tools for process efficiency and quality.

Control charts are very versatile and can be used in Analyse phase as well. In the control or sustain phase these charts offer a very reliable method to monitor the improved process. A common mistake with such charts however is to present it as a report. They are more diagnostic and monitoring tools than for reporting and presentations.

When we want to standardize a process, we usually invest a significant amount of time in diagramming the process, understanding it and then from there establishing where the improvements are to make it more efficient. However, an important part of achieving and maintaining PI involves genuinely involving the human factor at all levels, if this does not happen surely any improvement cannot be maintained in time. Then once we have a improved SOP, we must train it until they are effective in its execution. Such participation will give them a higher sense of belonging. So, it’s not just DMAIC to identify opportunities, or a well-detailed SOP, but the involvement of the human factor from an early stage to seize the success of the improved P.

Consider your car - the manufacturer has designed it, so you cannot remove your keys unless your vehicle is in the "Park" mode. The manufacturer realises the importance of ensuring that the car is in "Park" mode before the keys are removed and has incorporated a system to enforce this rule. Standardising your business processes is crucial, but documentation can become outdated quickly, especially in an industry like tech. Digitising processes provides consistency and codifies steps for better quality. This approach also makes auditing, reviewing, and improving efficiencies easier.

The best SOPs are made by the people doing the work. They are the most knowledgeable, and getting them involved initially builds ownership. After writing SOPs, the next step is communicating and training. If the process owners wrote it, this step is easy, as the SOP is what everyone is already doing. Next comes continual improvement. Rinse and repeat the process. The team finds a better way to do it and we change the process again. Keep the team doing the work in charge of their own instructions.

Uma dica valiosa para ajudar o time operacional a ter mais clareza na leitura e interpreta??o do conteúdo, é destacar pontos-chave dos procedimento, sejam os detaques em formato negrito, caixa alta ou com preenchimento em uma cor que chame aten??o dos leitores.

It is important to have SOP's for every process and work towards improving on them. You have to ensure compliance to limit variations and process improvements to achieve sustainability. SOP's should be a living document and never static with emerging technological innovations that can be adopted. Having top notch people skills normally comes in handy with implementation.

We have to identify some possible risks when deploying SOPs, e.g. When employees rely solely on these procedures, they might become complacent, 100% adherent and stop using critical thinking, assuming that as long as they follow every instruction, everything will be ok. In other cases, poor training can lead to improper execution, increasing the risk of errors, which could be critical. So, it’s important to regularly review and update SOPs, provide comprehensive training, encourage open communication about process improvements, involve people in the SOP development process, etc.

Um sicherzustellen, dass ein Prozess im Laufe der Zeit aufrechterhalten wird, ist es wichtig, Folgendes zu gew?hrleisten: 1) Dass es einen Eigentümer des Prozesses und einen geschulten Backup gibt. 2) Dass der Prozess dokumentiert ist und die zu befolgenden Schritte sowie die damit verbundenen KPIs und KAIs angibt mit dem Prozess 3) dass die Ergebnisse des Prozesses regelm??ig überprüft werden und bei Abweichungen Ma?nahmen ergriffen werden und 4) dass regelm??ige Gesundheitsaudits des Prozesses durchgeführt werden.

Standardization should start from PFD --->FMEA---->CP--->line documents (OPS, Quality standards, JOB setup etc) For inspection of existing systems and improvements we can use LPA audits.

Auditing is an epic improvement tool. Yes, they also do compliance, but if you stop there you're wasting potential. Here are a couple of audit imperatives "Go and See" and "Show me". Go to where the work is done, and when they give you an answer, ask them to show you what they mean. Remember people follow processes; the audit is reviewing the process, not the people.

I will rephrase "Process Audit" into "Leadership Gemba" where leaders spending major time on shop floor to coach and mentor core team to live "Servant Leadership" behavior every day.

The process audits must be done by different teams members as the manager, team leader, direct Support Engineers and Supervisors. We should not delegate this audits execution only to interns and asistants.

Process reviews are an example of working "on" the business, not just "in" the business. We can ensure that metrics are on track and note any changes for the better or worse. Using a high-level process map known as a SIPOC helps make any discussion about process steps more complete. It's a best practice to create a SIPOC of your process process from the time something enters the building until it leaves. Then, hang it on the conference room wall as a visual guide when discussing changes or issues. Keep the SIPOC up to date for effective meetings and use metrics that people can impact. Don't forget to summarize variance reports for information on how the process is performing to plan and react accordingly during the process review.

Process reviews helps to assess the efficiency, effectiveness, quality, and overall performance of specific processes within the organization. Define the Objectives: Understand what specific goals you aim to achieve through the assessment. Select the Process to Review: It could be a core business process, a departmental operation, or any task that plays a significant role in achieving organizational goals. Some of the other points can be, Assemble a Review Team Document the Current Process Set Clear Criteria Gather Data Analyze the Data Engage Stakeholders Identify Improvement Opportunities Develop Improvement Recommendations Implement Changes Monitor Progress Document the Updated Process Communicate Results Repeat as Necessary

Siempre existirán mejoras en cualquier proceso, por más de que se hayan logrado los indicadores deseados siempre habrá espacios para mejorar en calidad, productividad, seguridad, etc. La idea es cada vez poder entrar a mayor profundidad en el proceso, la gente y escuchar lo que no se dice.

While reviewing periodically can keep the process fresh, having a daily audit of the process built into your leaders standard work keeps the need for sustainment and improvement at the forefront of all involved in executing the process.

R&R is one of the critical "Organization Design" element. Organizations need to have a standardize R&R system to have power of small and big, where small wins create momentum for bigger success. A good R&R system must have systems to recognize both "What" and "How". Which is very important to drive safety and quality as a value culture.

Empowerment in process team to leverage the expertise is equally important. Hence keeping team motivated for continuous learning and improvement towards business objectives is one of the important key factors to achieve end goal. It is equally important to keep monitoring the overall impact of driving R&R for sustainable motivation level of team which should be resulting desired improvement in overall engagement.

Every organization's asset is its employees; it is very clear that employees seek 'Recognition and Rewards' for their contributions towards the growth of organization. To have a sustainable approach for any improved process, one shall retain their valuable and trained employees. Organization must not forget, employees add value to their processes and sustainable growth of their product in the market which obviously improves the position of the organization. If not recognized and rewarded timely, they shall look for some other organization adding value to their business growth.

It’s all about the “buy-in” in all aspects of the company when it comes to sustaining process improvement - from management to the technical and support personnel. One problem with creating (implementation), then maintaining (active control), then - the goal - sustaining (passive control) process improvement is how to acknowledge the contributions towards success of establishing passive control of the processes. Have a dashboard accessible to all detailing the improvements over time and the reward given to all personnel. After two years, I believe that no less than a third of all monetized benefits from the improvement should go to all raises to personnel. With the remaining 5-20% of total given as a bonus to the process improvement team.

It‘s all very well saying ?Recognition and rewards should be timely, specific, fair, and meaningful“, the challenge is to achieve that. Like layered process audits, I think recognition and reward systems (recognition first, reward second) should have different levels. Local supervision should be able to recognise teams and individuals with small, immediate rewards (meals, vouchers) and larger, more exceptional contributions should be highlighted by more senior management. The local systems need to avoid bureaucracy so they can be quick and visible, creating motivation for more improvements. The most high level awards need to reach that ?once in a career“ peak, with appropriate certification.

A relevant factor to sustain improvements over time is to integrate process tracking mechanisms which are not limited to the savings collection timespan, which are easy to maintain and sensitive enough to reflect patterns and trends. It's not uncommon to lose track of process performance if the metrics/systems set in place to monitor it become a burden to the process owners.

Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in driving and sustaining a culture of continuous improvement within an organisation. Without this support any attempt to introduce a CI culture is doomed to failure. Here are several ways in which supportive leadership contributes to fostering a culture of ongoing enhancement: Open Communication Empowerment Encouraging Innovation Learning and Development Feedback and Recognition Adaptability Setting Clear Expectations Resource Allocation Leading by Example Celebrating Progress Supportive leadership creates a positive and empowering environment that encourages these tenets. By fostering these qualities, leaders contribute significantly to sustaining a culture of CI within the organisation.

Uma metodologia de trabalho padronizado da década de 1940 extremamente validada para inúmeras áreas e até hoje utilizada em organiza??es de todo o mundo, inclusive na Toyota, é o Training Within Industry (TWI), mais especificamente o módulo Job Instruction (JI). Ela caiu em desuso nos EUA após a Segunda Guerra Mundial, país onde foi criada, mas nas duas últimas décadas vem sendo retomada.

I agree with Jeremy’s viewpoint. My experience has taught me that people sit alongside a well-documented standard as custodians of change. Taking the team on the journey is one thing, but helping them define their own standards and solve their own problems leads to pride in what’s been accomplished, and with that you get an attitude towards ‘making it work’ rather than discarding what usually is an enforced solution delivered by management/external stakeholders at the first sign of failure. This ownership will iteratively deliver improvements to the standard as it’s owned by the collective and everyone wants to see it succeed.

I believe that the most sustainable way to improve processes is to define the change together with the process team. The people actually carrying out the tasks, need to be the ones defining the change. This will result in wide adoption and lower chance of falling back.