Continuous Process Continuous Process Improvement Improvement

By A.sainath

Definition of ProcessDefinition of Process

Process refers to business and production Process refers to business and production activities of an organisation.activities of an organisation.

The process is the interaction of some The process is the interaction of some combination of people, material, combination of people, material, equipment, method, measurement, and equipment, method, measurement, and the environment to produce an out come the environment to produce an out come such as product or service.such as product or service.

Process improvementProcess improvement

Understanding existing processes and Understanding existing processes and introducing process changes to improve product introducing process changes to improve product quality, reduce costs or accelerate schedules.quality, reduce costs or accelerate schedules.

Most process improvement work so far has Most process improvement work so far has focused on defect reduction. This reflects the focused on defect reduction. This reflects the increasing attention paid by industry to quality.increasing attention paid by industry to quality.

However, other process attributes can also be However, other process attributes can also be the focus of improvementthe focus of improvement

Process attributesProcess attributes

5 Golden ways to improve5 Golden ways to improve

1. Reduce resources1. Reduce resources2. Reduce errors2. Reduce errors3. Meet or exceed expectations of 3. Meet or exceed expectations of downstream customersdownstream customers4.Make the process safer4.Make the process safer5.Make the process more satisfying to the 5.Make the process more satisfying to the person doing it.person doing it.

The process improvement The process improvement cyclecycle

Analyse

Measure

Change

Process measurementProcess measurement Attributes of the current process are Attributes of the current process are

measured. These are a baseline for measured. These are a baseline for assessing improvements.assessing improvements.

Process analysisProcess analysis The current process is assessed and The current process is assessed and

bottlenecks and weaknesses are identified.bottlenecks and weaknesses are identified.Process changeProcess change Changes to the process that have been Changes to the process that have been

identified during the analysis are identified during the analysis are introduced.introduced.

Process improvement stagesProcess improvement stages

Improvement StrategiesImprovement Strategies

RepairRepair

RefinementRefinement

RenovationRenovation

ReinventionReinvention

RepairRepair

This strategy is simple – anything broken This strategy is simple – anything broken must be fixed so that it function as must be fixed so that it function as designed.designed.

It is important to note that the repair It is important to note that the repair strategy does not make the process better strategy does not make the process better than the original designthan the original design

RefinementRefinement

This strategy involves activities that This strategy involves activities that continually improve a process that is not continually improve a process that is not broken broken Improvements to processes, products, and Improvements to processes, products, and services are accomplished on an services are accomplished on an incremental basisincremental basisRefinement improves efficiency and Refinement improves efficiency and effectivenesseffectiveness

RenovationRenovation

This strategy results in major breakthrough This strategy results in major breakthrough improvements.improvements.Innovation and technological Innovation and technological advancements are the key factors in this advancements are the key factors in this approach.approach.Renovation is more costly than the Renovation is more costly than the previous strategies and is usually previous strategies and is usually undertaken by teams rather than undertaken by teams rather than individualsindividuals

ReinventionReinvention

Reinvention is like a clean sheet of paperReinvention is like a clean sheet of paper

Reinvention is preceded by the feeling that Reinvention is preceded by the feeling that the current approach will never satisfy the current approach will never satisfy customer requirementscustomer requirements

Reinvention might also be desirable to Reinvention might also be desirable to maintain organisation vitality or advantage.maintain organisation vitality or advantage.

Plan Plan what is neededwhat is neededDo Do itit

Check Check that it worksthat it worksAct Act to correct any problems to correct any problems

ororimprove performanceimprove performance

PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act, and is the PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act, and is the basic principle for continuous improvement.basic principle for continuous improvement.PlanningPlanning means understanding what you are means understanding what you are

trying to achieve, understanding how things work, trying to achieve, understanding how things work, focusing in on the problem, finding root causes focusing in on the problem, finding root causes and creative solutions and planning their careful and creative solutions and planning their careful

implementation.implementation.DoingDoing is not always as easy as it might seem. It is not always as easy as it might seem. It may include training of people and other project may include training of people and other project

management activities, but the biggest and management activities, but the biggest and simplest traps are often last minute changes. The simplest traps are often last minute changes. The problem with these is that if things go wrong, you problem with these is that if things go wrong, you cannot backtrack to the decision that led to the cannot backtrack to the decision that led to the action and consequently have to start all over action and consequently have to start all over

again.again.

CheckingChecking means checking the results and also means checking the results and also comparing them with what you were expecting. When comparing them with what you were expecting. When things go wrong and good results are not found, this is things go wrong and good results are not found, this is

the part where courage, honesty and integrity is the part where courage, honesty and integrity is required to stick to the process. The key question when required to stick to the process. The key question when

things go wrong is ‘Why’. With a well documented things go wrong is ‘Why’. With a well documented process you will be able to go back to the exact point process you will be able to go back to the exact point

where an incorrect decision was made.where an incorrect decision was made.ActingActing means acting on what you found during the means acting on what you found during the ‘check’ phase, which either means holding the gains ‘check’ phase, which either means holding the gains

and standardizing the process (e.g. within an ISO9000 and standardizing the process (e.g. within an ISO9000 system) or acting to learn from the experience and start system) or acting to learn from the experience and start

again at the appropriate place.again at the appropriate place.PDCA is often called the Deming Cycle or Deming PDCA is often called the Deming Cycle or Deming Wheel, although Deming attributed it to his teacher, Wheel, although Deming attributed it to his teacher,

Walter Shewart and called it the Shewart Cycle, which Walter Shewart and called it the Shewart Cycle, which properly is Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA), which properly is Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA), which

emphasizes the detailed approach during the Check emphasizes the detailed approach during the Check phase phase

Benefits of the PDCA cycle:Benefits of the PDCA cycle:

- Daily routine management-for the individual - Daily routine management-for the individual and/or the teamand/or the team- Problem-solving process- Problem-solving process- Project management- Project management- Continuous development- Continuous development- Vendor development- Vendor development- Human resources development- Human resources development- New product development- New product development- Process trials- Process trials

  

The Seven Point Action PlanThe Seven Point Action Plan

11. . Management must agree on the meaning of the Management must agree on the meaning of the

quality programme, its implications and the direction quality programme, its implications and the direction

to taketo take2. Top management must accept and adopt the new 2. Top management must accept and adopt the new philosophyphilosophy3. Top management must communicate the plan and 3. Top management must communicate the plan and the necessity for it to the people in the organisationthe necessity for it to the people in the organisation4.Every activity must be recognised as a step in a 4.Every activity must be recognised as a step in a process and the customers of that process identified. process and the customers of that process identified. The customers are responsible for the next stage of The customers are responsible for the next stage of the processthe process

5. Each stage must adopt the Deming or 5. Each stage must adopt the Deming or Shewhart Cycle - Plan, Do, Check, Action - as the Shewhart Cycle - Plan, Do, Check, Action - as the basis of quality improvementbasis of quality improvement

6. 6. Team working must be engendered and Team working must be engendered and encouraged to improve inputs and outputs. encouraged to improve inputs and outputs. Everyone must be enabled to contribute to this Everyone must be enabled to contribute to this processprocess

7. Construct an organisation for quality with the 7. Construct an organisation for quality with the support of knowledgeable statisticianssupport of knowledgeable statisticians