CI.pdf

‘Toyota workers

have been living

and breathing CI

through their entire

careers. Kaizen is a

natural part of they

way they work.’

IT IS DIFFICULT to find a

modern day CEO who does not

claim their organisation is fully

committed to the process of

continuous improvement (CI).

In almost every sector cost

pressures are increasing,

customers are making rising

demands on product quality, the

complexity and sophistication

of offerings is going up, and

product ranges are becoming

wider. Just to stand still in this

environment companies need to

get better at what they do. To

compete and win they must do

so at a faster rate than their

competitors.

Making CI work, however,

requires far more than

management recognition of its

importance. Even larger firms

with otherwise sophisticated

management practices often

adopt surprisingly ineffective

methods. One of the most

common mistakes is to introduce

incentives for CI – by building

improvement targets into the

key performance indicators

(KPIs) of managers, or by

offering rewards for successful

improvements – without giving

management teams and shop

floor personnel the critical tools

and infrastructure they need to

achieve results.

A COMMON

MISCONCEPTION

At the root of much of the

difficulty with CI is a

misunderstanding of practice

in Japanese companies such as

Toyota, where CI has already

evolved to an extremely high

level. In the Toyota production

system, improvement is

considered to take place at three

levels. First comes Gemba

kaizen , which is small, frequent

and low cost improvements

introduced and implemented by

front line workers. Gemba kaizen

provides the platform of

relentless change which keeps

the operating system constantly

evolving.

Periodically, the pace of

improvement slows and Gemba

kaizen will be supplemented by

Jishuken – the introduction of ‘a

fresh pair of eyes’. This usually

entails bringing personnel in

from other areas of the

organisation to identify

improvement opportunities that

proximity and over familiarity

may have concealed from the

frontline team. Jishuken not

only gives performance a kick,

increasing the rate of

improvement, it also re-

engergises and re-enthuses the

frontline team, getting them

key points

FOUR KEY STAGES

TO IMPROVEMENT

THE TOOLS, processes and

infrastructure required to support

continuous improvement (CI)

efforts change as a ﬁrm evolves.

There are four key elements,

however, that form the foundations

of a sustainable CI programme.

A change methodology for

getting from the current state

to the desired future state

An idea management system

– a process for collecting,

processing, prioritising and

implementing improvement

ideas

An organisation that supports

the implementation of these

improvement suggestions

back on the kaizen track.

Finally, and usually only

at times when a natural

discontinuity occurs such as the

introduction of a new model line

or the need to dramatically

the Japanese

Continuous improvement (CI) is more than just a

management fad. It is a basic tenet of operations practice in all

modern industries. Yet too many companies fail to understand

and implement the requirements for a successful, sustainable

CI programme, says Mark Hallum .

www.theiet.org/management August/September 2007 Engineering Management

Operating system definition –

a detailed understanding of the

way things are now and the

way they should be in the

future

connection

‘Toyota workers

have been living

and breathing CI

through their entire

careers. Kaizen is a

natural part of they

way they work.’

IT IS DIFFICULT to find a

modern day CEO who does not

claim their organisation is fully

committed to the process of

continuous improvement (CI).

In almost every sector cost

pressures are increasing,

customers are making rising

demands on product quality, the

complexity and sophistication

of offerings is going up, and

product ranges are becoming

wider. Just to stand still in this

environment companies need to

get better at what they do. To

compete and win they must do

so at a faster rate than their

competitors.

Making CI work, however,

requires far more than

management recognition of its

importance. Even larger firms

with otherwise sophisticated

management practices often

adopt surprisingly ineffective

methods. One of the most

common mistakes is to introduce

incentives for CI – by building

improvement targets into the

key performance indicators

(KPIs) of managers, or by

offering rewards for successful

improvements – without giving

management teams and shop

floor personnel the critical tools

and infrastructure they need to

achieve results.

A COMMON

MISCONCEPTION

At the root of much of the

difficulty with CI is a

misunderstanding of practice

in Japanese companies such as

Toyota, where CI has already

evolved to an extremely high

level. In the Toyota production

system, improvement is

considered to take place at three

levels. First comes Gemba

kaizen , which is small, frequent

and low cost improvements

introduced and implemented by

front line workers. Gemba kaizen

provides the platform of

relentless change which keeps

the operating system constantly

evolving.

Periodically, the pace of

improvement slows and Gemba

kaizen will be supplemented by

Jishuken – the introduction of ‘a

fresh pair of eyes’. This usually

entails bringing personnel in

from other areas of the

organisation to identify

improvement opportunities that

proximity and over familiarity

may have concealed from the

frontline team. Jishuken not

only gives performance a kick,

increasing the rate of

improvement, it also re-

engergises and re-enthuses the

frontline team, getting them

key points

FOUR KEY STAGES

TO IMPROVEMENT

THE TOOLS, processes and

infrastructure required to support

continuous improvement (CI)

efforts change as a ﬁrm evolves.

There are four key elements,

however, that form the foundations

of a sustainable CI programme.

A change methodology for

getting from the current state

to the desired future state

An idea management system

– a process for collecting,

processing, prioritising and

implementing improvement

ideas

An organisation that supports

the implementation of these

improvement suggestions

back on the kaizen track.

Finally, and usually only

at times when a natural

discontinuity occurs such as the

introduction of a new model line

or the need to dramatically

the Japanese

Continuous improvement (CI) is more than just a

management fad. It is a basic tenet of operations practice in all

modern industries. Yet too many companies fail to understand

and implement the requirements for a successful, sustainable

CI programme, says Mark Hallum .

www.theiet.org/management August/September 2007 Engineering Management

Operating system definition –

a detailed understanding of the

way things are now and the

way they should be in the

future

connection

‘Continually

improving a

system that is

fundamentally

ineffective will

never deliver

effective results’

the CI process. During the early

architect and implement phases

methodology will be highly

standardized and quite

prescriptive, allowing team

members to apply and become

familiar with new tools as

painlessly as possible and giving

them an insight into their

effectiveness. Ultimately, these

methodologies become much

more adaptive, with a strong

understating of underlying

principles allowing team

members to select and adapt

tools according to their needs.

To fulfil this demand

successfully the CI organisation

must be able train, distribute

and manage resource in order to

keep up with this demand and

maintain enthusiasm and

momentum.

Ultimately, during the kaizen

phase of the process, the CI

infrastructure takes much less

of a day-to-day role in the

management of improvement

activities. Instead, they act as a

resource which frontline teams

can draw upon if they are short

of ideas or staff to fulfil specific

improvement objectives, or if

the pace of improvement slows

and a Jishuken shake-up is

required to re-energise and

restart change. In mature

companies the CI organisation

often begins to extend its

influence to work with

companies out in the supply

chain.

Balancing the pace of change

is another big challenge in CI

introductions. CI

implementations must walk a

fine line between going too fast –

leaving a confused, frustrated

and disenchanted workforce –

and too slowly, getting bogged

down in administration and

losing the commitment and

enthusiasm of management.

While the pace of change that

an organisation can support

varies tremendously according

to its history, capabilities and

culture, the warning signs of

incorrect pacing are clear and

constant. Facing a backlash from

shop-floor staff ? Pace is

probably too quick, it is time

to slow down and expend more

effort talking the process

through. Managers grumbling

about too many CI meetings?

The process is probably slowing

down; it is time to commit more

resource to action at the shop

floor.

Continuous improvement is

an admirable and attainable goal

for any operation, but its

successful implementation is

not simply a case of copying

processes observed elsewhere.

The journey to a robust,

sustainable CI culture is an

evolution that requires

companies to identify their

strengths and weaknesses, and

key notes

CONTINUAL

IMPROVEMENT?

IT’S A PEOPLE

THING

THE IMPORTANCE of placing

high-calibre people in the CI

organisation cannot be

overemphasised. A good

continuous improvement

specialist must be self-motivated,

action-oriented and skilled in both

technical problem solving and

coaching, and mentoring and

motivating the teams they work

with. Unfortunately, people with

these characteristics are usually in

very high demand elsewhere in

the organisation: they are high

performing the team leaders, line

managers and plant mangers.

Full commitment to the

process requires just these people

to staff the CI organisation. In

successful CI implementations a

role in the CI team is considered

to be an important stepping stone

on the path to senior

management. Organisations that

take this approach find that their

high calibre people deliver much

more as part of the CI

organisation than they could if

wholly devoted to a single point in

the value stream.

Quantity matters as well as

quality. As demand for CI rolls out

across a company, continued

enthusiasm depends on the

ability to successfully fulfil this

demand. Experience suggests that

in most situations around 1.5 per

cent of the workforce should be

devoted to the CI organisation in

order to deliver this capability.

the lean philosophy. It embraces

the best of improvement process

and technical lean solutions,

while addressing management

infrastructure and the mindsets

and capabilities that are

necessary within an

organisation in order to be

ultimately successful.

Alongside a change

methodology, frontline team

members need the tools and

capabilities to be able to solve

problems and come up with

creative solutions. There are

many simple-to-use tools that

can be extremely powerful

problem identification and

solving aids on the shop floor.

Single minute exchange of dies

(SMED) techniques to improve

the pace and reliability of

changeovers, for example,

statistical process control charts

to spot trends before problems

occur, or cause and effect

diagrams to aid the diagnosis

of issues.

The methodologies adopted by

the shop-floor teams will tend to

change during the evolution of

CI ORGANISATION

INFRASTRUCTURE

Continuous improvement

activities require support. A CI

infrastructure is designed to

help the organisation to

implement the three elements

discussed above. A dedicated CI

organisation provides a host of

services to the organisational

frontline, from the generation

and direct implementation of

improvement ideas to capability

building and skills development.

The changing role of a

company’s CI infrastructure

over time is a fundamental

driver of successful CI

evolution.

During the architect phase,

the CI team takes a driving role

in the improvement process.

Often working with external

support from consultants or

customer CI experts, the team

will be responsible for designing

and implementing the Kaikaku

process, the dramatic pilot phase

improvements, and for training

the frontline representatives

who will cascade the process

across the organisation. At this

stage, the relationship between

the CI team and the rest of the

organisation is very much a

push process: often reluctant

frontline teams must be

persuaded to adopt new

processes and techniques.

During the implement phase,

the CI team needs strong

training and project

management skills. The

dramatic improvements

achieved in pilot projects very

quickly create a pull demand

from elsewhere in the

organisation for similar work.

to implement processes and

allocate resources appropriately.

They must then be prepared to

continually review and modify

these processes and

infrastructure as that culture

matures.

Mark Hallum is an expert

associate partner in the

manufacturing practice of

McKinsey & Company, and

also a former employee of both

Toyota and Honda

www.theiet.org/management August/September 2007 Engineering Management

‘Continually

improving a

system that is

fundamentally

ineffective will

never deliver

effective results’

the CI process. During the early

architect and implement phases

methodology will be highly

standardized and quite

prescriptive, allowing team

members to apply and become

familiar with new tools as

painlessly as possible and giving

them an insight into their

effectiveness. Ultimately, these

methodologies become much

more adaptive, with a strong

understating of underlying

principles allowing team

members to select and adapt

tools according to their needs.

To fulfil this demand

successfully the CI organisation

must be able train, distribute

and manage resource in order to

keep up with this demand and

maintain enthusiasm and

momentum.

Ultimately, during the kaizen

phase of the process, the CI

infrastructure takes much less

of a day-to-day role in the

management of improvement

activities. Instead, they act as a

resource which frontline teams

can draw upon if they are short

of ideas or staff to fulfil specific

improvement objectives, or if

the pace of improvement slows

and a Jishuken shake-up is

required to re-energise and

restart change. In mature

companies the CI organisation

often begins to extend its

influence to work with

companies out in the supply

chain.

Balancing the pace of change

is another big challenge in CI

introductions. CI

implementations must walk a

fine line between going too fast –

leaving a confused, frustrated

and disenchanted workforce –

and too slowly, getting bogged

down in administration and

losing the commitment and

enthusiasm of management.

While the pace of change that

an organisation can support

varies tremendously according

to its history, capabilities and

culture, the warning signs of

incorrect pacing are clear and

constant. Facing a backlash from

shop-floor staff ? Pace is

probably too quick, it is time

to slow down and expend more

effort talking the process

through. Managers grumbling

about too many CI meetings?

The process is probably slowing

down; it is time to commit more

resource to action at the shop

floor.

Continuous improvement is

an admirable and attainable goal

for any operation, but its

successful implementation is

not simply a case of copying

processes observed elsewhere.

The journey to a robust,

sustainable CI culture is an

evolution that requires

companies to identify their

strengths and weaknesses, and

key notes

CONTINUAL

IMPROVEMENT?

IT’S A PEOPLE

THING

THE IMPORTANCE of placing

high-calibre people in the CI

organisation cannot be

overemphasised. A good

continuous improvement

specialist must be self-motivated,

action-oriented and skilled in both

technical problem solving and

coaching, and mentoring and

motivating the teams they work

with. Unfortunately, people with

these characteristics are usually in

very high demand elsewhere in

the organisation: they are high

performing the team leaders, line

managers and plant mangers.

Full commitment to the

process requires just these people

to staff the CI organisation. In

successful CI implementations a

role in the CI team is considered

to be an important stepping stone

on the path to senior

management. Organisations that

take this approach find that their

high calibre people deliver much

more as part of the CI

organisation than they could if

wholly devoted to a single point in

the value stream.

Quantity matters as well as

quality. As demand for CI rolls out

across a company, continued

enthusiasm depends on the

ability to successfully fulfil this

demand. Experience suggests that

in most situations around 1.5 per

cent of the workforce should be

devoted to the CI organisation in

order to deliver this capability.

the lean philosophy. It embraces

the best of improvement process

and technical lean solutions,

while addressing management

infrastructure and the mindsets

and capabilities that are

necessary within an

organisation in order to be

ultimately successful.

Alongside a change

methodology, frontline team

members need the tools and

capabilities to be able to solve

problems and come up with

creative solutions. There are

many simple-to-use tools that

can be extremely powerful

problem identification and

solving aids on the shop floor.

Single minute exchange of dies

(SMED) techniques to improve

the pace and reliability of

changeovers, for example,

statistical process control charts

to spot trends before problems

occur, or cause and effect

diagrams to aid the diagnosis

of issues.

The methodologies adopted by

the shop-floor teams will tend to

change during the evolution of

CI ORGANISATION

INFRASTRUCTURE

Continuous improvement

activities require support. A CI

infrastructure is designed to

help the organisation to

implement the three elements

discussed above. A dedicated CI

organisation provides a host of

services to the organisational

frontline, from the generation

and direct implementation of

improvement ideas to capability

building and skills development.

The changing role of a

company’s CI infrastructure

over time is a fundamental

driver of successful CI

evolution.

During the architect phase,

the CI team takes a driving role

in the improvement process.

Often working with external

support from consultants or

customer CI experts, the team

will be responsible for designing

and implementing the Kaikaku

process, the dramatic pilot phase

improvements, and for training

the frontline representatives

who will cascade the process

across the organisation. At this

stage, the relationship between

the CI team and the rest of the

organisation is very much a

push process: often reluctant

frontline teams must be

persuaded to adopt new

processes and techniques.

During the implement phase,

the CI team needs strong

training and project

management skills. The

dramatic improvements

achieved in pilot projects very

quickly create a pull demand

from elsewhere in the

organisation for similar work.

to implement processes and

allocate resources appropriately.

They must then be prepared to

continually review and modify

these processes and

infrastructure as that culture

matures.

Mark Hallum is an expert

associate partner in the

manufacturing practice of

McKinsey & Company, and

also a former employee of both

Toyota and Honda

www.theiet.org/management August/September 2007 Engineering Management

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: