process mastering : a sure way to invigorate your improvement efforts
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Process Mastering : A Sure Way to Invigorate Your Improvement Efforts. Presented by Ray W. Wilson. Definitions. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Process Mastering:A Sure Way to Invigorate Your Improvement Efforts
Presented by Ray W. Wilson
Definitions Process Mastering: A discipline which focuses on
reducing process variation and increasing process knowledge through experts, linking customers and suppliers. In this case the experts are the people who do the work in the process everyday.
Process Master: The documented, current best known way to do a job or run a process. A cookbook for doing the process - putting the best known way down on paper or on line.
Best Known Way: The safest, easiest, simplest current way to get results that satisfy customer needs – the road map for everyone to follow until a better method is chosen.
Step One – Select Team Leader
The Team Leader: Assembles the team Sets agendas Leads team meetings
Coordinates paperwork
Trains new workers using process master
Monitors the process to be sure master is followed
Is the process owner
Done by the Process Mastering team sponsor
Step Two – Define the Process
• What is the name of the process?
• Where does the process start and stop?
• What inputs and suppliers are part of the process?
• What is the process output?
• Are there naturally occurring boundaries?
• Smaller is normally better because processes are always more complicated than they look. An ideally sized process could have up to 9 major steps with fewer than 5 sub-steps each
Set process boundaries
Step Three – Select a Team
• Team members should have: Process know-
how, tricks of the trade
Process theory, safety information
• Approximately five process workers
• Team members should: Keep rest of workers
informed Get input from other
workers • All shifts need to be
included• May include suppliers
and customers
Sponsor and team leader select team
Step Four – Establish Team Norms
• Decided by the team and sponsor• Every team member gets a copy• Everyone is expected to follow, challenge and add
to the list as necessary• Examples:
Everyone participates Honesty No put-downs No beepers or cell phones
Team chooses standard, rules, or pattern for their individual and group behavior
Step Five – Flowchart the Process
• Use a top-down flow chart with major steps at the top and sub-steps underneath
• Capture the best known methods
• Start step name with an action verb
• Number flow chart steps for later identification
• Identify key steps with asterisks
• Capture new, untried ideas on a Parking Lot List for later trial
Decide on the best sequence of job steps
Step Six – List Customers Needs and How the Process Fills Those Needs
(Do this for External and Internal Customers)
• List the vital few customers or customer classes
• List and choose two to five most important customer needs
• List process actions (steps) which affect how the customer needs are met
• Evaluate how strongly the process actions affect the customers’ needs
Step Seven - List What is ControlledList two to five critical conditions or control
points watched in the process • Write how the critical conditions or control
points can be monitored for effectiveness• Evaluate how important the measurement is to
the critical condition or control point
Step Eight - List Needs From Suppliers• List the vital few suppliers or classes of
suppliers• List what is wanted or needed most from
suppliers• List how the process uses the suppliers’
deliveries• Evaluate how important the supplier inputs are
to the process
Step Nine – List Tools, Equipment and Supplies. . . that are necessary to do the job. (Those that are necessary but may be removed
from the work area)• Ex. A volt meter, grease gun, or gas mask, NOT
a desk or light fixtures • List supplies that may be used up during the
process• Note if inspection, calibration or maintenance is
required before use
Step Ten - Capture Key Steps -Identification
1. Has the step caused errors in the past?
2. Is the step complicated?
3. Does the step have a safety issue?
4. Has the step been found important to internal or external customers? (Check the A Charts)
5. Is a control point associated with the step?
Mark key steps on flow chart with asterisks
Identify key process steps on the flow chart
Step Ten - Capture Key Steps (cont.) - Worksheet• Transfer flowchart step number and name to
worksheet• Reach consensus and document the best
known way to do the step• Capture “tricks of the trade”• Identify consequences of doing the step wrong
including safety issues• List or identify at least one measurement for
the process• Discuss possible exceptions to the best known
way
Step Eleven - Try Out Process Master• Train those not on the team• Follow process master to check for errors and
omissions• Have a novice work through the process to see
if it makes sense• Collect exceptions that may be added to the
process master
Step Twelve - Review and Modify Process Master
• Are any steps, tricks, or safety concerns missing, wrong or unclear?
• Should any exceptions be included in the master?
• Did the novice follow through the process master to find anything that doesn’t make sense?
Discuss how it went
Step Thirteen - Sign Off and Take Responsibility• Update the Process Master and get documents
put into final form• Have everyone including the sponsor sign the
finished document• Monitor the use and the process
measurement(s)• Begin improving to make the process better
Some Benefits From Process Mastering
Stable predictable processes
Trained workforce Communication cleaner
and friendlier Management support
(Workers are empowered) Less reliance on
inspection Data used to manage and
make decisions Fewer workers injured on
the job
Happier, more fulfilled workers. More pride and joy in work.
Lower employee turnover
Fewer breakdowns Organization learns
more rapidly Support for revised ISO
9000 More profit, less waste
Additional information:Ray Wilson, P.E. served on the executive
management team of Countrymark Cooperative, Inc. for 10 years and led the company's Customer Focused Quality improvement effort. He is co-author of Process Mastering - How to Establish and Document the Best Known Way to Do a Job. His firm, Ray Wilson & Associates, specializes in organizational and operational improvement.
Email: [email protected] Page: www.rwwilson.com