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PDCA: Moving from the Plan (P) to the Do (D)
Hello, all you Lean Six Sigma people! I hope this blog finds you all doing fantastic! I have been working on a series talking about the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle as it relates to continuous improvement (CI). We have covered the planning cycle, and now it is time to do some real work after a short
Your CI list is long. Which projects should you pursue?
In my last blog entry, I talked very generally about the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act). In the first blog in this series, I wrote about how too many organizations get into the Do, Check, Act cycle without taking time to plan it out. We have covered the need to plan and the big picture process
Expert tips on successfully planning a CMMS project
A well-planned and executed computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) project can yield a maximum return on your investment (ROI). This return is realized through increased efficiency, productivity and profits. However, a poorly planned and executed CMMS project can result in a loss of revenues.
Breaking down the components of the PDCA cycle
Since we are all going through the planning process to various degrees, and since I received some feedback about my previous blog, I wanted to follow up with more thoughts about planning. Most of what I am writing is not new material, and I certainly don’t take credit for it. Most of this information
Lean evolves: How to make the most of process improvement
Lean efforts used to be 100 percent directed at the shop floor. What we have seen recently is that lean is moving into non-traditional areas of business. A lot of our recent work has been in: maintenance, procurement, distribution, engineering, the office and even the company kitchen! A friend of mine
Information management is the key to maintenance performance
One area that we often overlook is that of information management. That’s actually one of the more important areas, but it lacks glamour and excitement - plus it requires steady, regular and planned effort - so we naturally gravitate toward the areas that give us the periodic rush of adrenaline
10 – 1 = 16.5; with maintenance planning, it’s possible
I’m a big fan of podcasts, and one I listen to regularly is a financial/economic podcast put out every month by Bill Gross of PIMCO, the giant bond fund house. He was one of the few over the last years voicing serious concern about the huge financial house of cards being built. Although always
Why PM attainment needs to be a shared metric at your plant
Preventive maintenance (PM) is a cornerstone of reliability-based maintenance. It’s no surprise then that PM attainment has become a key performance indicator (KPI). But it may surprise you that in many organizations, maintenance is NOT primarily responsible for this KPI! Maintenance always has
You need to take care of your customers, your operators and your techs!
The customer is the end reason that the plant exists. However, the people who interact with the customer are employees. Management’s focus must be on those interfaces. They cannot get to the customer otherwise. Therefore, I would direct management to focus on employee development, training, behavior,
Questions, comments and random thought triggers on maintenance
I evaluate maintenance operations on the existence of effective PM programs, a working and meaningful work order and information system, effectiveness of the stockroom, and the processes in place to support the technician. Are there contingent processes in place for handling emergencies? Are there seasonal
