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Diagnostic Performance Analysis
Success Story for a Manufacturing Company
The following is a case study shared by Radcom, Inc., a company whose desire is to help people love their work with a focus on improving business by improving its people. Radcom helps organizations improve performance by conveying information effectively and impactfully, whether they're adopting new technology, introducing products, welcoming a workforce, implementing processes, or taking a new approach to an old problem.
What happens when operators don't follow SOPs?
A manufacturing company’s quality audits revealed that shell mold prep operators (MPOs) were not always following the processes documented in the SOPs and WIs, skipping steps in the process as a result. The omissions were causing quality and efficiency issues:
Negative impacts to quality, productivity, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction
Increased audit findings and rework cycles
Decreased on-time order delivery
Increased production costs and reduced profits
This company originally approached Radcom to update their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Work Instructions (WIs), which were in a format that wasn’t very user-friendly. Radcom was concerned that updating documentation would not solve their underlying performance problem. After all, the quality audit revealed that operators were not even looking at the WIs. During a discovery session, Radcom’s sales team used a variety of strategic questions to uncover the necessary information, including:
How many within the role are considered exemplary performers?
Are there any particular parts of the procedure that aren’t being followed?
What measures are important to the procedure?
How will you know this project is successful?
It starts with asking good questions.
A diagnostic front-end analysis (FEA) is performed when there is a known human performance problem. Through the analysis, we can uncover the factors that both support and hinder performance and establish best practices to improve future performance.
In an initial on-site visit, Radcom identified the business results, work products, and the standards of excellence for those work products. We did this through a review of existing documentation and interviews with and observations of stakeholders and performers.
From the conversations we had with the managers and supervisor, we knew that there were multiple factors that were affecting performance, ranging from the physical environment, work processes, and the quality of the product received from upstream in the process. We needed to see and experience what it was like to do that job in that space, so it was important to physically be there. That helped us connect with people, asking them questions about what they are doing and listening carefully to what they had to say.
With the initial information gathered, we then defined and captured the key tasks, or behaviors, required to produce each work product to standards. From there, we mapped the high-level process and identified the problem work products so that the analysis was focused on those areas with a performance issue. We used this data to determine and capture the root performance deficiencies (RPDs). An RPD is a statement of the task that is deficient and contributes to the existence of the general problem. An RPD provides:
Who is deficient.
What is deficient.
When and where the deficiency occurs.
How the deficiency contributes to the general problem.
In addition, Radcom asked, “Can operators produce a good product if they don’t follow the provided documentation?” The answer to that question was yes, so an operator not following the WIs doesn't necessarily mean the product doesn't meet standards. It was clear to us that they needed a diagnostic analysis.
Still, that documentation would not necessarily solve the other identified problems uncovered during discovery:
WIs change frequently due to customer needs and improvements.
No training is done on WI changes.
MPOs are not reading the documentation.
There is increased waste.
Diagnostic Performance Analysis
In the end, the company asked for Radcom to perform a diagnostic performance analysis to identify the root causes behind the performance issues. These revolved around the shell mold prep area of their operation, consisting of two dedicated performers, along with three additional people cross-trained in mold prep, none of whom were currently exemplary performers.
We then investigated the factors that negatively influence the performers’ ability to produce the work product to standard through additional observation and performer interviews. We focused on two long-term employees, one supervisor/trainer, one engineering manager, and a new hire who had been on the job for one week. This included observing their operator training, due to an identified RPD around the training process. The investigation allowed us to validate and invalidate the RPDs that were identified. It also provided us with the information needed to identify necessary interventions to correct validated RPDs.
With the data in hand, we developed a Findings and Recommendations report, which is the primary deliverable for a diagnostic front-end analysis. It reports the data we uncovered during the analysis and provides clear recommended solutions. In this case, there were several recommendations:
Environmental changes, such as updating workstations
Hiring additional staff so there is enough staff to complete the work on time and to standard
Development of standardized training practices to ensure consistent learning outcomes
Updating and relocating SOPs and WIs to make them easier for operators to use
Incentives to encourage the desired performance
During our work with the client, a bottleneck in the process was identified that requires additional analysis outside the scope of the original diagnostic performance analysis. Radcom suggested starting a new project to evaluate the source of the bottleneck and correct it for increased efficiency and throughput.
The results this client can benefit from include improved product quality, reduced audit findings, and increased efficiency, as well as shorter lead times and on-time delivery due to higher quality and reduced rework cycles.
We met with the client to discuss the findings and recommendations. As with all analysis projects, this one left the client with many potential paths forward. Once they identify priorities, they plan to return to Radcom for next steps. These may include additional analysis, SOP and WI development, and instructor guides for training and development. They also realized there were a number of solutions that they can correct on their own, including hiring additional staff, improvements to operator work areas, and compensation changes.
They were excited to take what they learned to improve performance.
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