How is this rapid improvement possible? The circumstances can be challenging to see, but they are there more often than organizations care to admit. This case involved the introduction of a new vehicle. No capital expenditures were allowed and limited monies for the realignment of existing assembly lines. The lines were already operating at capacity. How could we possibly make such an improvement? A few points, okay, but an increase of over one-third? Logic whispered, “No way.” But my gut told me, “There must be a way.”
We engaged the workforce at every level and across every discipline. We reexamined existing process maps. We listened to the real experts, our workforce with hands-on, day-to-day experience. We elevated the involvement of the extended supply chain. Most difficult of all, we challenged our individual and collective mindsets. Eliminating the human tendencies toward groupthink and sycophancy proved essential to making sustainable progress.
Our current kaizen process provided the visibility needed to leverage the ideas pouring in across the cross-functional teams. What we found was a bit embarrassing. Despite productivity numbers among the best in the industry, there was more waste in our value chain than we wanted to admit. The kaizen process cultivated ideas from which more ideas proliferated. Ideas that could not be implemented became steppingstones that elevated our thinking to a level where we could see solutions.
With our energy focused on unlocking the value tied up by the waste. The actions taken included:
- Subassembly work completed at 1st and 2nd tier suppliers by machine operators who had idle time between cycles.
- Modifying part designs based upon improvement to short, medium, and long-term assembly efficiency. DfA principles were essential at this point to maintain or improve performance, quality, and cost standards.
- Using warehousing team members to optimize the staging of parts for the assembly lines.
- Modifying the internal flow of parts and vehicles to achieve one-piece flow.
- Eliminating hidden pools of WIP inventory.
- Removing obstructions in the flow of material throughout the extended value chain.
- Optimal coordination with the marketing and sales teams to match production with demand
The work behind the list was formattable and required diligent coordination among all the parties. It was made possible by tearing down internal silos and replacing them with visibility and cooperation.
