STRATEGIC PLANNING | BUDGET thoughts starters ... (part 1)

As fall approaches many organizations begin the planning process for the coming year. Typically part of the planning process involves implementing some Process Improvements so we decided to share some methodologies and the typical benefits that can be achieved ...

ENTERPRISE VALUE STREAM MAPPING

Hit the pause button on your operation and conduct a Value Stream Mapping exercise. Typical Value Stream Mapping defines "value add" from "non-value add" through the eyes of inventory. While this can be good it tends to not look at the "value add" and "non-value add" through the eyes of communication and information flow.

In addition to identifying and prioritizing opportunities you want to identify the cadence of your business operations ... hourly, daily, weekly and define a new cadence to improve velocity.

A side benefit from doing a mapping exercise is that it allows you to reset your datum within operations since often additional tasks and requirements creep into our everyday operations where we are not obtaining additional compensation ... remember, Value Add is only those tasks that our customer is willing to pay for.

For extra impact, the use of "outside eyes" will highlight additional opportunities with them asking all of the supposedly dumb questions and drilling into the response of "we have always done it that way".

This is not a board room exercise and must be completed by walking the flow of your value stream while collecting data and developing your map.

Opportunities identified can range from 10's of thousand to millions of dollars.

SHIFT EXCHANGE | SHIFT START | DAILY REPORT-OUT METHODOLOGY

We all know the rules of effective meetings but how well are they practiced? Start on time, have an agenda, end on time with a call to action.

Over the years we have refined this methodology with the pillars of

precision speaking and generous listening. These stand-up meeting

can be completed within 3 minutes and cover the topics of Health,

Safety & Environmental, Quality, Production and Continuous

Improvement.