Many organisations attempt to improve by striving to learn the “secrets of world class organisations” and by implementing various projects, initiatives and programmes. Yet, despite this, relatively few organizations have achieved sustainable improvement.
One of the main reasons for this is that it is often not appreciated that successful organisations implement the fundamental principles for operations improvement by following a comprehensive approach – they address the various aspects of operations in an integrated way, implemented in a flexible way, but within a consistent framework.
Such companies also successfully engage people at all organisational levels, thereby establishing a strong internal capability and culture for improvement.
Increased Productivity
Reduced Defects
Reduced Inventory
Reduced Costs
Cleaning and Organising
The main objective of Key 1 is to make work place more safe and efficient by creating organised and clean work place that all the people are proud of.
This leads to energised work teams, improved motivation and production.
Goal Alignment
Key 2 focuses on having an effective organisation structure, with goal alignment at all levels; managerial, supervisory, workers etc. Within the structure the varios work groups are organised as “Mini Busineses” or MB’s.
Each MB is guided by Quality , Cost, Delivery, Safety and Morale performance indicators (QCDSM measures)
Small Group Activities
Key 3 involves forming small groups who get together to solve problems. These problem solving groups are called SGA’s. A SGA consist of 3-5 people who brainstorm specific problems relating to quality, safety, downtime etc.. It also engages everyone with thinking about improvements.
Reducing Work in Process (WIP)
The Key 4 approach, together with other Keys, enables an organisation to reduce work-in-process (WIP), thereby achieving space savings, reducing working capital, having shorter customer supply lead times, as well as other inventory reduction related benefits.
Reducing Changeovers
Key 5 guides a company to reduce non value-adding activities linked to changeovers. Time spent on changeovers is one of those non value adding activities or WASTE. Shorter changeovers enable the company to get its products faster to the customers.
Kaizen Operation – Goal (Cost Reduction (Productivity Improvement)
Key 6 focuses on improving processes through analysing, streamlining and simplifying the processes on the production floor or in the office. Documentation at this stage is essential by means of process flow diagram, activity flow diagrams, physical flow diagram and operation improvement sheets.
Zero Monitor Manufacturing / Production
Equipment monitoring (just watching the machines when they run) is a waste. If monitoring is performed to detect the production of defects equipment must be improved so that no defects are produced in the first place. If monitoring is performed to guard against raw material shortages, then the system must be improved to prevent this from happening.
Coupled Manufacturing/ Production
Coupled manufacturing is about methods to link processes in order to ensure a smooth, fast process flow where inventory levels are kept as low as possible. The aim of key 8 is the better linking of processes so as to improve process flow.
Maintaining Machines & Equipment
Key 9 focuses on improving effectiveness of the machines and equipment by involving the operators and users of the equipment on a daily basis and routinely carry out the necessary maintenance.
Workplace Discipline
Key 10 focuses on the creation of a positive atmosphere, maintaining a high level of commitment in the workplace, and respect amongst people. Attitudes that are promoted include adherence to values, organisation policies and rules, safety, Key 1 discipline, and time discipline.
Quality Assurance
Key 11 focuses on continuous quality improvement by establishing a quality focused workplace. The optimum goal is to achieve zero defects and non-conformances.
Developing your Suppliers
As a comprehensive system, 20keys addresses through key 12 the development of external suppliers and contractors as partners in the value chain. It introduces a formal method for managing and developing suppliers by setting their development strategy, service agreements and measurement of their performance. Same approach apply to internal suppliers too.
Eliminating Waste
Waste is anything that doesn’t add value. Key 13 focuses on time wastages in the workplace and increasing time spent on value adding tasks.
Empowering Employee to Make Improvements
Team empowerment is characterised by well-informed, multi-skilled team members that make initiative, are able to investigate problems and are authorised to make decisions and implement improvement.
Skill Versatility and Cross Training
20 Keys system value the organisation’s people and key 15 is about implementing learning and development as part of the business strategy. Employees become more valuable and enjoy greater job satisfaction. The 20 keys Skills Matrices applied to assess current skill levels and address skills gap within the teams.
Production Scheduling
Scheduling principles implemented include backwards reverse planning and scheduling. Finite scheduling, measurement at control points, load levelling, work tracking and visual management. It also addresses project management in terms of applying best practices and approaches as “Critical Chain Planning”
Efficiency Control
With Efficiency control, realistic and motivating throughput rates (output rates) are established for all processes and work, and performance is measured against targets to see how well a team is performing. The emphasis is on short interval control.
Using Information Systems
Everyone is trained to effectively use systems relevant to their workplaces, both in terms of day-to-day operations and as an enabler for continuous improvement. In order to do this, teams are supported in terms of training, solving soft and hardware technology problems, and receiving continuous education regarding the opportunities provided by information systems.
Conversing Energy and Materials
Energy saving technology are identified and implemented when dealing with this key. Making people at all levels aware of how they can help to save energy and materials, even in small ways contribute greatly towards helping the organisation becoming a lean, competitive market player.
Leading Technology / Site Technology
Leading technology refers to the equipment or hardware available to the company to design, build or produce products or services. Site technology is that set of sills and know how that a particular company has acquired as it develops its processes.
Site technology is an intangible asset that does not increase simply by the introduction of new equipment the critical aspect in Key 20 is to cope with the speed advancements in technology development.
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