Opportunities on the horizon

Continual Improvement

So if parts, people, and processes are the areas to focus on, (discussed in our previous article), then how do we start to make it all happen? Well, we need to introduce a program of Continual Improvement to assist us in our drive forward towards World Class status and recognition.

A Continual Improvement Program is a process of ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes, through focussing on the parts, people, and process areas that we have just discussed.

The process can be used to continuously introduce small improvement changes to existing operational processes over a period of time. Alternatively, the process can be used to introduce an immediate large improvement as a one-off initiative.

These efforts are often referred to as either 

 An incremental improvement over time

   or

A breakthrough improvement all at once

Process

In this image, we can see the process structure mapped out for us:

• Plan
  • Plan for change.
• Do
  • Implement the change on a small scale.
• Check
  • Use data to analyze the results of the change and determine whether it made a difference.
• Assess 
  • If the change was successful, implement it on a wider scale and continuously assess your results.
  • If the change did not work, begin the cycle again

Continuous Improvement – Opportunities

It can be very difficult however to introduce change improvement if we don’t know where to start, so the first step in the process is to identify potential opportunities where change could make a significant difference and impact.

So in this image, we can see that opportunity has been included as the central point in the process.

We cannot conduct any of the structure elements if we have not identified an opportunity to move forward.

This opportunity could be something brand new that we want to introduce or it could be an identified significant improvement opportunity relating to one of our processes or procedures.

As mentioned earlier, this opportunity can be based on an “incremental” improvement over time or “breakthrough” improvement all at once.

Opportunities surround us but sadly we often do not recognize them, either because we are not looking for them or we are simply too busy keeping the ‘ship afloat’.

If we are tired of just getting on with what we have to keep getting on with, then we need to break away from this tired route and introduce change by introducing a program of Continual Improvement. Set a target of World Class status and recognition and get some brainstorming activities in place and start to identify opportunities. It’s not a ‘one off’ exercise, it is an ongoing process but the rewards for success are extraordinary.

For more information email us at info@strobe-al.co.za or visit www.strobe-al.co.za