Introduction to doHow™

In today’s world of internet, information being readily available, consistently catalysing just the “Doing” without much additional “Knowing” was the main approach in all our Consultancoaching assignments; even the Business Health Checks pointed to the gap between “Knowing” and “Doing” as the main cause, which undoubtedly is the most significant barrier to success.

Examining the possible reasons for this gap, books, journals, magazines, google, notes, etc. serve as the reference in education for imparting knowledge by Professors, emphasising mostly on theory and the practical understanding of diverse topics – CONSCIOUS LEARNING. Whereas policies, guidelines, processes, intranet, abilities, etc. serve as the reference in professional life for developing both motor and cognitive skills, emphasising mostly on practicing few repetitive tasks – SUBCONSCIOUS LEARNING. Therefore, could it be possible that our conscious mind wanting to be in control is preventing us from subconscious learning?

The fact that consciously carrying out a task is prone to mistakes whereas sub-conscious driven tasks are almost defect/mistake free is important in bridging this gap. Skill is this ability to carry out a task sub-consciously with no conscious effort. Nevertheless, it is first necessary to consciously learn to practice a task and then develop the skill by regular practice, overcoming the conscious mind – a Herculean effort though. Thus Reference or a Standard, Trigger to review the Skill level, Recap and Revision, Checklist to ensure the correct practice, Scorecard to check effectiveness, Assessment to identify gaps are all necessary for SKILL DEVELOPMENT. Over and above this regular self-practice, monitoring the development of effectiveness and coaching catalyses SKILL DEVELOPMENT. Once the skill levels are higher, higher standards are naturally (sub-consciously) demanded, which then improves the overall quality of life and society progresses to the next level.

The doHow™ APP bridges the gap between the “Knowing” and “Doing” by systematically addressing all the success factors for effective SKILL DEVELOPMENT.

The Reference, Trigger, Recap, Checklist, Scorecard, Assessment, etc. for SKILL DEVELOPMENT have already been developed for some Professional and Personal practices like Managing Business, Generating Sales Orders, Managing Machining Shop Floor, Controlling Budgets, Developing Basic Success Skills, Listening Actively, etc. The same can be fully customised for any topic.

Typically, the doHow™ APP can be used to drive practicing conversion of any “Knowing” to “Doing” for SKILL DEVELOPMENT.

I would thus like to provide the masses with access to good practices as well as a systematic tool for skill development. Please get back with your comments,

Manufacturing Industry - Improvement Approaches

Strategy Development

The core competency assessment (CCA) can be done taking the products and processes as the basis. Factors that are considered for the assessment are their importance to business, the USP’s as perceived by the market, effort needed by others to copy, degree of sustainability, possibilities for substitution and already known innovation potential both from the value addition as well as from the cost reduction perspective. The core competencies then serve as a very valuable input to the SWOT analysis that follows the CCA.

Purpose: Develop a robust basis for strategy.

Process Duration: SME – 1 to 2 weeks; LE – 4 to 6 weeks

Product Portfolio Management

It is necessary to have a mix of products/services that are very innovative in nature and products that compete due to a cost advantage. For the business to grow profitably, it is essential to maintain a rolling development plan of product portfolio. The future products and the further development needed can be planned systematically using the idea workshops. Idea workshops can be held typically once a year and the product needs and positioning examined from the perspective of market, cost, innovation and core competencies.

Purpose: Create a robust product portfolio to support sustainable growth.

Process Duration: SME – 1 to 2 weeks; LE – 4 to 6 weeks

Time-To-Market Process

The key success factor for timely launch of products is to identify risks that normally are underplayed in organizations due to collective (team) wisdom. Once clear gates are established with the “Must” factors and “Want” factors to be fulfilled to proceed to the next stage, the TTM not only becomes more efficient, but also ensures that the right resources are deployed upfront to ensure a smooth start-up and a good life cycle. Structured risk assessments followed by meaningful MIS will ensure the necessary management focus.

Purpose: Smooth and successful launch of new products and/or product variants.

Process Duration: SME 1 – 3 days; LE 1 – 2 weeks only to assess the improvement potentials. The actual implementation can run into months/years.

Capacity and Investment Planning

The most important aspect in manufacturing is to establish the correct installed capacity based on clear premises (Cycle Time, Line Balancing, Utilization, Working Hours, Defectives, Type-Mix, Set-ups, etc.). Once this is done, only then can the performance be measured to check if the installed capacity is being fully unitized. The investment planning then is done based on the sales forecast and the actual performance of the installed capacities. Therefore the sales forecasting accuracy also is very important to invest on a timely manner. Based on the past experience of the accuracies of the sales forecast, strategies can be developed for the investment planning to compensate the risk of having idling investments.

Purpose: Improve ROI with timely investments after ensure full utilization of already installed capacities.

Process Duration: SME 1 – 3 days; LE 1 – 2 weeks only to assess the improvement potentials. The actual implementation can run into weeks/months.

Supply Chain Development

A mix of outsourcing and in-house manufacturing based on the Core Competency Assessment is necessary to get the best benefit. Apart from this, the overall optimization of the logistics chain and centralization of only such components/products using core competencies will support the overall supply chain performance.

Purpose: Design/Optimize the supply chain based on core competencies and both within the organization and outside in the market.

Process Duration: SME 1 – 3 days; LE 1 – 2 weeks only to assess the improvement potentials. The actual implementation can run into weeks/months.

Target Deployment and Timely Standardized Reporting

As the organizations get bigger, the purpose often gets lost at the working level and compartmentalized attitude builds in resulting in slackness in the overall system. However, a thorough alignment of targets followed by a unique (single) deployment (top-down) and reporting (bottom-up) path across hierarchy will set the base for the entire organization to work towards a common purpose. Timely reporting after a thorough review at each hierarchy level in a cross functional team ensures that the accountability is established across the hierarchy.

Purpose: Better synchronization of all functions in an organization.

Process Duration: LE 6 – 8 months preferably starting 2 months prior to the annual target deployment time line. SME sector may not need this service due to the organization size and structure.

Business Process Management

Especially as the organizations get bigger and various functions are formed, the interdepartmental functioning becomes quite turbulent. Using swim lane diagrams the business processes can be mapped either top down or bottom up in cross functional teams. Followed by the process mapping, the process can be designed to eliminate waste and to add more value to mostly the customers. However the efficiency of these processes can only be improved with a top down cross functional approach with clearly defined KPIs for the monitoring purpose as well as KPIs for the control purpose, preferably at the shop floor level with appropriate visialization.

Purpose: Continuously optimize the business processes and establish role clarity of every function and every employee leading to motivation through a clear identity.

Process Duration: LE 2 – 6 months depending on the organization size.

Continuous Learning through structured SDCA/ PDCA

In the manufacturing industry as in other industries attrition and availability of the qualified and trained manpower is an issue. One way of addressing this concern is to put in systems in place that ensure organizational learning. The classic SDCA/PDCA (Standardize or Plan/Do/Check/Act) is a great tool to accomplish this goal.

In manufacturing discussion/review/check routines with appropriate visualization/documentation of results are extremely important to run the business in a sustainable and effective manner. For example starting from hourly routines of quality checks, shift wise routines of the attendance check, status check, etc, daily routines of shop floor QCD deviation management, weekly routines of meeting room review of Corrective and Preventive Actions (COPA), monthly routines of business performance check and quarterly routines of system audits can be so modified that the “Act” of the SDCA/PDCA becomes more effective, since this is truly the learning phase that is extremely important for sustained continuous improvement. Emphasising on the “Act” phase not only will the know-how and knowledge be available across the organization in a documented form but also the employees become more motivated with a continuous learning.

Purpose: Know-how enhancement, employee motivation and reliability of data/reports.

Process Duration: LE 2 – 6 months depending on the organization size.

Productivity Improvement

Productivity is the most essential KPI especially for the manufacturing wherein a relatively large number of people are employed and wherein the learning effect is almost continuous till the end of the product life cycle. Even after ramp-up the learning effect is significant resulting from quality improvements, machine downtime reduction, Kaizen activities, suggestion schemes, layout changes, make/buy decisions, etc. Therefore a payment/incentive model that supports continuous improvement in productivity is a must for sustained success. The choice of the correct measurement indicators (for example % increase in the ratio of “SVOP: Sales Value of Production” to the total input hours of all the employees could be one such indicator) is the key success factor. Linking this indicator to the payment incentive systems in a way that other inefficiencies (like inflexibility, limiting of output or abstaining to boost productivity, etc.) don’t creep in is the true challenge.

Apart from the manpower productivity, it is also essential to ensure increase in the overall business productivity (for example % increase in the ratio of SVOP to the total of operating expenses, difference between SVOP and material cost). Defining the key cost drivers to improve productivity and including them in the annual target deployment is necessary.

Purpose: Maintain the health and agility of an organization

Process Duration: LE 2 – 6 months depending on the organization size.

Learning Cycle

I have used the following questions regarding the PDCA and SDCA that are the backbone of any organization on the one had to achieve sustainability and planned improvements and on the other to review where we are and what we did as a part of the organizational learning.

Plan/Standardize Phase:

Standards/Targets: Aligned and Deployed?

Clear Practices/Actions?

Planning Basis?

Responsible, due dates (acceptability)?

Plan “B”?

Common understanding of both targets and approaches?

Do Phase:

Standards/Targets and approach understood by all - common understanding?

Anything else has changed?

Progressing towards target?

Adhering to the standards

Conscious of the deviations?

Actual situation? Current forecast - where are we going to land?

Check Phase:

Checked the progress and completion?

Deviations/Gap?

Visualized, easy to perveive?

Plausibility check?

Visited Gemba?

Understood cause and effect?

Act Phase:

Were intent/Expectations understood uniformly?

Learning: Strengths/Weaknesses?

Improvements needed? Who? When?

Further practices/actions needed?

Standards/Targets OK?

Escalation to the next level?

Standard: Desired present state of process (Value Stream Map, Procedure, RASIC*,..) or result (Drawing, Workplace-Photo, Setting Plan,..)

Target: Desired future state of process (Value Stream Design, Procedure, RASIC*,...) or result (Customer Complaints, Delivery Volumes, Modified-Layout,..)

Actions: Comprises immediate containment (ICA), corrective (to address root cause) and preventive (to control) actions

*RASIC : Role Definition Chart for the various tasks needed in an organization

Responsible “Doer”: Individual(s) (Many) who perform an activity or take part in a decision—responsible for action/implementation.  Preferably only one for accountability

Accountable “Buck Stops Here”: Individual (One!!) who has ultimate decision making and approval authority. Typically the owner of the budget.

Support “Passive, if asked for”: Individual(s) (Many) who need to work and have input into a decision or action before it occurs, provided asked for.

Informed “FYI”: Individual(s) (Many) who must be informed that a decision or action has taken place. 

Collaborate “Active, team member”: Individual(s) (Many) who need to work and have input into a decision or action before it occurs, proactively.

Sustainable Performance

In organizations it is quite easy to produce exceptional results once or occasionally against all possible odds. I use the word easy due to the relative effort needed to produce exceptional results consistently on a sustainable basis. I want to share my learning to produce consistently sustainable results organizations.

1. Identify intermediate check points, when and how frequently to check
2. Establish what to check or "KPI: Key Performance Indicator" and how to calculate or arrive at this KPI
3. Define who calculates the KPI, who analyses the actual situation, forecasts the final result, compares with the target and defines the immediate containment, corrective and preventive actions.
4. Ensure that the KPI is released only after step 3 is completed.
5. Define who verifies that step is is being performed and at what frequency is this verified (once every three cycles would be preferred)
6. Assess the adherence (Steps 1 to 5) to the defined steps and modify system to ensure adherence.

Go ahead and get consistency through sustainable results in your business using the above steps. I must caution that it may take a several cycles till consistency is achieved. Apart from this consistency doesn't mean that the targets are met. Here you need to use these steps for the basic stability (SDCA) and deploy task forces to work with gaps and develop measures to reach the target (PDCA).