Issue link: https://industrialmanagement.epubxp.com/i/249982
to gemba, also meaning "go and see where the work is done") and other simple analysis tools are tackling the issue of quality. With quality problems, the intention from the gemba visit should be revising the work against the standard, monitoring the operator's work, understanding the reasons by asking the "five whys," benchmarking the process with others, reviewing the standard process chart and updating it accordingly to prevent the error in the future. Improving the output of the gemba visit Without clear standards, it is difficult for a manager to get much out of a gemba visit. The more established the standards, the more productive the visit. Companies that want to develop their leaders and managers should use a board for standardized work by assigning cards for each job on the production line, each organized by job number in the area, including a map. The cards should have the following yes-no questions: • Is the standardized work chart accurate in its times? • Is the takt correct? • Is the operator following the steps in sequence? • Is the operator following the steps in timing? • Are all the key points being followed? Each day, the group leader should take one card, pull the job breakdown sheet and observe, looking for deviations from standardized work. Any deviations lead to an answer of "No" and should include a written explanation. The managers also should randomly pick a card each day and do the same thing. In the case of any differences, the managers would go through the job with the group leader. This is highly effective. It assumes you are building to takt and following standardized work, at least to a degree, and that everything is kept up to date. It's unusual for everyone to follow standard work perfectly, so there should be observed deviations that will lead to problem-solving. • Draw the future state map, showing the eliminated non-value-added work. • Implement the plan: Define the requirements, the training, the timeframe and the working team. • Do the plan. • Evaluate the results, set metrics, and keep tracking the progress visually. The right way and the wrong way Real improvement only takes place by focusing on the front line, directly observing the conditions under which work is done. For example, standardized work for a factory floor cannot be created at a desk in the engineering offices; it must be defined and revised at the gemba. And engineering managers know that standardization of work is the foundation for quality and continuous improvement. Unfortunately, some engineers and consultants try to implement standard operating procedures created in offices or brought from other companies. Such external SOPs must be adapted, modified and improved to match the company's current situation and process conditions. Besides, pushing SOPs without getting the front-line people involved in sharing ideas for improvement will end with a process failure. Workers must contribute to creating those SOPs. They should believe that the standardization of work is not an order to follow but something to facilitate their work, making it easier and safer. Another improvement tool is value stream mapping, which is used to get one-piece flow of product, increase delivery rates to meet customer demands, improve value-added work, remove wastes, improve quality, shorten lead-times and reduce work-in-process inventory. Improving the value stream of the process and creating value stream maps requires some basics: • Recognize customer needs, what adds value and what does not. • Measurable objectives, such as reducing lead-times, reduce costs and improve quality. • Draw the current state map, present the process steps and process flow, point out the value-added and the non-value-added work on the chart. Standardized work for a factory floor cannot be created at a desk in the engineering offices. Drawing the current state map requires deep observation of the situation and some on-site measurements. The working team physically walks through the process, discusses the process with the employees to obtain insight and bring issues to the surface, and collects ideas for improvement. When drawing the future state map, it is best to draw all ideas for improvement from the working team, allowing the people who manage the work and have intensive experience with the process to share their ideas. Front-line employees who do the work every day often have intimate knowledge about what hampers their productivity, so let them share their ideas on ways to improve. Lean leaders, executives and managers must do their part by avoiding common inappropriate actions during the value stream mapping process: • Don't treat the VSM as a tool for process improvement. Remember, it's a method to ensure that process improvement efforts do three things: Fit together from process to process so that a flowing value stream is developed; match up with the organization's targets; and serve the requirements of the external customers. • Don't focus on maximizing the efficiency of an individual process without understanding the real situation. For example, maximizing the material flow through production processes using small batches will put more effort and load on the transportation department, and the crew will have to make more batches. january/february 2014 25