Over 50 Years of Leadership in Critical Thinking and Problem Solving in the Automotive Industry Kepner-Tregoe (KT) has been working with major OEMs and tiered suppliers in the Automotive industry for more than 50 years. Our problem-solving processes and methodologies have saved our automotive clients billions of dollars through waste reductions, productivity improvements, implementation of containment actions, and avoiding supply chain penalties. This brochure outlines the alignment of KT processes and tools across the spectrum of disciplines within the automotive manufacturing environment. Our methodology ensures improved processes and effective resource allocation, giving automotive companies the ability to streamline production, reduce costs, eliminate waste, improve safety, increase efficiency, and enhance overall quality.

KT focuses client organization’s improvement efforts on achieving specific targeted results through diagnostic study, development and implementation of improvement projects. KT supports clients sustaining these results, pursuing additional improvements, and realizing lasting value by transferring and supporting the skills needed to sustain change.

www.kepner-tregoe.com

Dr. Benjamin Tregoe and Dr. Charles Kepner founded Kepner-Tregoe in 1958 on the premise that people can be taught to think critically. For the past six decades, we’ve helped thousands of companies around the world solve problems and improve performance by asking the right questions, identifying solutions, and empowering organizations and their employees to become better. We’ve had a front-row seat to help our clients navigate major business milestones.

Getting to 60 years is a great achievement for any organization and we are understandably proud that KT is still going strong. To be teaching the same fundamental business operating and leadership devel-opment principles after 60 years is realistically an amazing feat. We have trained over 3 million people worldwide in the core KT methodologies and the tools and processes are used daily in almost every industry.

Kepner-Tregoe’s history includes a succession of milestones and achievements. Kepner-Tregoe was the first to focus on the critical need for training in problem solving and decision making. The company pioneered the “train-the-trainer” concept—developed as a methodology for transferring its approaches to clients, which revolutionized organizational improvement. During the Apollo XIII crisis, NASA used the Kepner-Tregoe methodologies to identify critical issues, thus contributing to the astronauts’ safe return.

Today our team of employees and consultants across several offices globally serve our clients with a complete offering of operational excellence, ITSM service excellence and training solutions designed to propel their businesses forward.

Contact us at these locations or at www.kepner-tregoe.com

North AmericaKepner-Tregoe, Inc.Princeton, NJ 08540+1.609.921.2806

EMEAKepner-Tregoe, Ltd.Maindenhead, Berkshire SL6 8LTEngland+44.1628.778.776

Southeast AsiaKepner-Tregoe (M) Sdn.Bhd.SelangorMalaysia+60.3.7660.9128

AustraliaKepner-Tregoe Australasia North Sydney, NSW 2059Australia+61.2.9955.5944

JapanKepner-Tregoe Japan, LLCTokyo 107-0051Japan+81.3.3401.9521

How Kepner-Tregoe Tools and Methodologies Are Utilized To Provide Problem ResolutionKT helps organizations eliminate problems and directly address their priority issues. We help individuals and teams learn and apply the systematic KT process approaches that are used successfully throughout the world. Through training and coaching, we equip organizations with the tools and methods for rapidly achieving business objectives. Through skill development training KT helps organizations create team unity and discipline and build an effective and efficient Lean team environment. Our issue resolution model aligns directly with the Disciplines in working within the 8D process.

Discipline Team Discipline Problem Definition Discipline

Containment DisciplineCustomer Assurance

Root Cause Discipline Corrective Action Discipline

Implementation Discipline Prevention Discipline Closure Discipline

Purpose Focus on priority issues and ensure appropriate resource involvement and commitment

Understand the boundaries and measurement of the problem

Protect customers and employ interim actions based on acquired data and agreed demarcations

Isolate the true root cause of the problem and verify

Brainstorm actions and select solution

Resolve the problem

Solution installation with training alignment

Ensure effective implementation

Control CompletePrevent recurrence of this and similar problems and extend the benefits of the investigation

Communicate with other areas with similar potential problems

Acknowledge and congratulate collective efforts and share learnings

Recognize team

KT Process Alignment KT Situation Appraisal Identify ConcernsSet PriorityPlan Next StepsPlan Involvement

KT Problem AnalysisSpecify the Problem using Is/Is Not dataGather data records Customer communicationTrend chartsQuality control

KT Decision AnalysisClarify PurposeEvaluate AlternativesAssess ThreatMake Decision

KT Problem AnalysisUse Knowledge & Experience

• Fishbone Diagrams• Fault Tree Analysis

Use Distinctions and ChangesEvaluate Possible CausesConfirm True Cause

KT Decision AnalysisClarify PurposeEvaluate AlternativesAssess ThreatMake Decision

KT Potential Problem AnalysisEquipment/procedure/tool changesIdentify Potential ProblemsIdentify Likely CausesTake Preventive Actions Prepare Contingent Actions and Triggers

KT – Think Beyond the FixExtend the CauseExtend the FixControls, process monitoringUpdates to FMEACustomer documentation

KT Potential Opportunity AnalysisIdentify Potential OpportunitiesIdentify Likely CausesTake Promoting Actions Prepare Capitalizing Actions and Triggers

KT Performance SystemCongratulate the teamDocument new roles and responsibilitiesHandoff to upstream new processesLessons learnedQuality Assurance

KT Process Methodology

Project Management Discipline

Situation Appraisal Problem Analysis Decision Analysis Potential Problem Analysis Potential Opportunity Analysis Performance SystemProcess Key

D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8

Assemble a Team

Describe the Problem

Implement Containment

Actions

Identify and Verify Root

Causes

Select and Verify

Corrective Action(s)

Implement Permanent Corrective

Actions

Prevent Recurrance & Identify

Opportunities

Recognize the Team

Over 50 Years of Leadership in Critical Thinking and Problem Solving in the Automotive Industry