Standard Business Roadmap

Implementation Manual

Develop implementation plans (See Tactical Implementation Plans Training Pack)

The team can then begin to detail the tactical implementation plan to achieve the future state.  Using the sizeable portions from the material and information flow diagram, the project team should focus on each portion progressively, starting at the point closest to the customer and working upstream.  Specific objectives and goals for each portion of the plan along with an associated timing and resource requirements must be given.  Key milestones that fall on the critical path of the implementation plan should be highlighted.

When creating the improvement plan, the project team should not be distracted by the opportunities of quick or hoc savings.  The implementation plan should follow the stated structured approach of working backwards from The customer.  The team must only apply lean tools or techniques in the pursuit of improved flow.  This will be explained in greater depth in section

Budget requirements should be considered on a project-by-project basis.  Most improvements in lean manufacturing should be taken with a low cost/no cost approach, allowing maximum financial impact.  See figure 14.  Only justifiable cost should be incurred in the budget plans.

                                            Figure 14 – Likely costs

Create a contingency plan

Whilst planning the project area change, it is necessary to build some from of contingency into the programme.  The performance of some processes could suffer during the change process.  The most critical aspect is to ensure that the customer does not suffer as a result of the change programme because this could erode management support for the lean transformation.

The three main components for a contingency plan are quality, volume and delivery performance.  Examples of contingency plans for these components can be:

·        Quality

-           Perform quality checks at greater frequencies.

-           Reconfirm capability of process at the earliest opportunity.

·        Volume

-           Ensure sufficient flexibility to meet customer requirements through overtime, additional resource or weekend working.

·        Delivery

-                     Carry additional safety stocks.

Present to the steering committee

The current state assessment, future state design, improvement targets, and implementation plans should be presented to the steering committee.  The purpose of the presentation is to create a vision of the lean transformation and to obtain top management support for all the implementation initiatives.  A possible structure for the presentation is as follows:

·        Illustrate the location of the areas involved within the plant, describe the product and its purpose.

·        Discuss the current state material – e.g., productivity, quality lead-time changeover times, distances, etc.

·        Present the future state material and information flow diagram.

·        Represent pictorially the people and process flow within the project areas.

·        Illustrate examples of improvements and their likely impact.

·        Present the implementation plan.

·        Propose future reporting structure (weekly report and steering committee).

After the presentation, the steering committee should give their approval to the lean transformation plan if the diagnostic satisfies their expectations.

Complete final preparations

Prior to commencing implementation, several major items need to be addressed:

·        Cross training.  It is necessary to develop a skills matrix for all employees to ensure they are adequately skilled to carry out any new assignments.

·        Update documentation.  Appropriate documentation must be in place so everyone affected by the change can perform at a high level of quality and efficiency.

·        Simulate the change.  Wherever possible, simulate the revised process before making any physical change to minimise the risk both internally and to the customer.  This is best accomplished outside normal production time, but with the regular process operators, on their usual production equipment.