Case Studies
Reducing product lead-time by 40%The Situation
In an organisation comprising Manufacturing and Design Engineering elements it was vital that lead-times of some of the items were reduced to meet challenge deadlines for delivery. This, in an environment where there was a large variety of similar products for different models. These were the critical items in being able to meet the customer requirements.
The Approach
- Set the challenge - reduce lead-time not by the 30% the customer required but by 40%
- Engage the knowledge - Second onto the team key people with the knowledge to cover the entire process, not just the manufacturing element
- Give them the tools - being knowledgeable in their field does not mean they know how to approach the problem - Coach and support them on the tools required through the project.
The team overcame its preconceived ideas of other areas, took on board the tools
- Identified a variety of causes and solutions
- Based on real data, recommended a single streamlined process
- Maximised the use of I.T. (use of 2 applications, not ‘any 2 from 6’ by personal choice)
- Reduced overall lead-time from 13 months to 9 months for the design to stores process
The situation
For the last 3 years the budget had been overspent by 10% annually
The approach
- Investigation showed the budgeting process and monitoring was only understood and discussed by senior management. Everyone in the organisation could ‘spend’ that budget
- Training and Communications materials were constructed (appropriate to the different audiences)
- Starting with managers and supervisors the data and reasoning were shared
- The budget was then disseminated to the supervisors along with their targets and the responsibility
- Introduced monitors and review meetings
Each supervisor trained their team, and each supervisor delivered a year end spend less than budget which equated to a saving of £700k