New Horizons in Standardized Work - Research Paper Example

New Horizons in Standardized Work Introduction As the process improvement manager of an organization, one has numerous duties that include identifying the current levels of the organization, introducing process improvement strategies whose aim is to improve the productivity of the employees and the organization. The term process management refers to an organization’s of manufacturing and business processes, and the two are inter-related. Business process improvement refers to systematic approach in optimization of underlying procedures to achieve set objectives, while manufacturing process improvement is collection of technology and methods to be in use in the course of manufacturing. Basing on the above information, process management is application of skills, knowledge and systems to define control and improve operations of the business aiming to satisfy the requirements of the customers in the end. Process improvement manager is the person responsible for ensuring implementation of the said procedures (Alonso, Dadam, & Rosemann, 2007). Literature Review In process improvement management, there are various levels of performance. The concept applies to either organizational or individual performance. This paper will, therefore, discuss the roles of the process improvement manager, his contribution to the performance of the organization, and a review of a performance as a function. It will also discuss various process improvement tools and their effectiveness in process management, for instance, the six-sigma business management strategy that mobile phone giants, Motorola, developed in 1986. This paper will equally give the background of the strategy, its effectiveness and why it should be implemented in the organization. An analysis will be given on lean manufacturing, benchmarking, and total quality management including their advantages as well as disadvantages and if an organization should implement such strategies in process improvement. There will be a concluder giving an analysis of the process improvement strategies, recommendations and future prospects of the organization under review. Roles of Process Improvement Manager and Its Importance Process improvement manager is responsible for designing policies necessary for meeting procedure related objectives of a business. The manager is responsible for creating, updating and approving work protocols and procedures with the aim of improving performance for customer satisfaction. For effective process management, a process management team offers assistance and, thus, creating high levels of individual and institutional operation standards. The roles of the process improvement manager are fourfold; namely planning the performance objectives of the organization, communicating the objectives of the developed plan to operational managers, analyzing the process improvement data and acting on the analysis in order to develop better operational strategies and introduce effective process improvement tools (Dumas, Reichert, & Shan, 2008). In planning, the manager is the only person with a mandate to make changes in operational processes of an organization to achieve the effectiveness. He develops a business plan as a source of guidance to help in understanding the short and long term needs of the company and the customers. These are then developed into process performance objectives and establishment of the product in accordance to the requirements and customer needs. Performance metrics are applied to identify the level of the process capability in meeting the objectives of organization and product specification. Thereafter, the manager designs steps that describe work when performed well, will produce products that meet customers and business requirements (Page, 2010). In communication, the process manager is responsible for informing the management of the designed plan for implementation. He has a responsibility to remove all the barriers that will affect implementation of the plan through effective communication with superiors and the process management team he also has a duty of analyzing the performance of the process. The analysis is done through checking the performance of the process data and using it to develop recommendations and designing policies for its improvement (Guffey, & Loewy, 2010). He compares actual performance as opposed to target performance, and thus identifies performance issues that need attention. The manager is also responsible for acting on issues that emerge from performance of either the organization or individuals. Basing on this role, the manager is at liberty to introduce improvement actions by initiating process improvement tools like the total quality management, six sigma and lean manufacturing. Levels of Performance and a Review of the Process Improvement Department Process review follows a three level framework, which are organizational level, process level and job/performance level. The process level is the main link between the organizational level and job or performance level. In organizational level, a review of organizational goals, design and management is sought while in process level, an analysis of process goals, design and management is given while in job performance level, the design, management and goals of the job are reviewed and recommendations given (Martin & Bell, 2011). Processes are steps in which work is done and, therefore, goals have to be set for each step. The goals are developed from customer requirements, organizational goals and benchmarking information, thus need for a review of the said goals. In process design, objectives are set and the process is structured to suit the organizational objectives. This is done through a logical approach. Understanding the design process is an advantage since a barrier that exist between work groups is discovered and a better understanding of human capital achieved, hence the importance regularly reviewing this process. Process management covers goals, performance, resources and interface. These are crucial for the overall performance of an organization and, hence a need to review. The review will expose problems facing the department, justifying the need for improvement in an organization. Basing on the current level of performance in the mentioned department, numerous changes are necessary on process management and goals. For instances tools of management such as six-sigma, total quality control and lean manufacturing have to be introduced. Process Improvement Strategies and Tools Process improvement strategies and tools to be introduced are the six-sigma and total quality management system. The six-sigma is a set of management strategy that seeks to improve the quality of the process by removing and identifying the causes of errors and minimizing variations in the business process. The six sigma uses management methods and each sigma project carried within the organization follows a set sequence and has quantified financial targets. The evaluation tool creates a special infrastructure of people within the organization basing on their level of expertise. The six sigma methodology to be in use for the performance improvement of the above department is DMAIC, which stands for definition, measurement, analysis, improvement and control. A concrete definition of the customers need and the department’s goals is sought. For instance, the goal of process improvement department is to improve the quality of the organization’s products, hence increase sales and revenue of the organization (Mehta, 2010). In DMAIC methodology, the needs of customers are identified and of performance strategies developed to satisfy them. Key aspects of current processes are also measured and relevant data collected as this will help in improving management of the process improvement department, thus ensuring efficiency in policy formulation. After measurement, analysis of the data is the next stage where the effects of the designed policy are analyzed. This is to ensure whether the policy achieves goals of the organization and needs of the customer. In analysis, all factors affecting production of process improvement department are considered. The methodology seeks to improve functioning of the department in view of the available data and its analysis. After this, control measures are designed to prevent deviations from goals of the organization. Another improvement strategy and tool to be in use is the total quality management system. This is a continuous process of improving performance of the department, and it is on the premise that the process and quality of the product and organization performance is as a function of the responsibility of everyone involved in consumption and creation of the product. The first step in this technique is to realize that a problem exists and it can be controlled after which identifying and correcting the process that causes problems and training employees on the new changes take place. In this technique, the main causes of the problem are identified and dealt with and every employee is responsible for quality of the performance, since they have a role to play in providing high quality services to the organization. The strategy advocates for quantification of performance as data is needed for measurement and implementation of the process (Brocke & Rosemann, 2010). The strategy advocates for continuous measurement of departmental performance since this will totally eradicate problems that undermine the achievement of the goals of the organization. Finally, the process is a long term strategy that requires long periods of time for implementation and application. Conclusion Review of the process improvement department is crucial for the organization since the department is the bridge between organizational department and workers department. In using six sigma and total quality management system, the department will achieve its objective of developing and implementing policies that are to the satisfaction of customers and organization. Total quality management system and six-sigma have different approaches in improving management performance, but they can be used hand in hand since the six-sigma is in the short run while the total quality management system is for a long period of time. In total quality management system, all members of the department participate in its implementation unlike in the six-sigma, where only high ranking members of the department participate in its implementation. If implemented, these strategies will enhance a new culture in the department of process improvement, where people will strive for perfectionism because they will be involved in decision making and implementation of the total quality management control. Once this department achieves its objectives, the entire organization will succeed in satisfying the needs of customers, hence increasing its bottom-line (Osterwalder, Pigneur & Clark, 2010). References Alonso, G., Dadam, P., & Rosemann, M. (2007). Business Process Management. New York: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Brocke, J. v., & Rosemann, M. (2010). Handbook on business process management introduction, methods and information systems. Berlin: Springer. Dumas, M., Reichert, M., & Shan, M. (2008). Business process management. Berlin: Springer. Guffey, M. E., & Loewy, D. (2010). Essentials of business communication (8th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Martin, T. D., & Bell, J. T. (2011). New horizons in standardized work: techniques for manufacturing and business process improvement. New York: Productivity Press. Mehta, M. (2010). TMDL development: process improvement. Columbia, S.C.: South Carolina Office of Human Resources, Certified Public Manager Program. Osterwalder, A., Pigneur, Y., & Clark, T. (2010). Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries, game changers, and challengers. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Page, S. (2010). The power of business process improvement: 10 simple steps to increase effectiveness, efficiency, and adaptability. New York: American Management Association. Read More