32 Spray April 2017 One of the most commonly asked questions often posed by CEOs and Senior Executives around the world is where an organization starts when embarking on the LEAN Journey. LEAN management is an approach to running an organization that supports the concept of continuous improvement, a long-term approach to work that systematically seeks to achieve small, incremental changes in processes in order to improve efficiency and quality. They are often surprised by the response of “first and foremost, 6S.” The acronym 6S stands for Safety, Sort, Scrub, Set, Standardize and Sustain. One of the biggest misperceptions about 6S is that it is simply cleaning up a dirty work environment, but it is much, much more. It is the critical first step in driving organizational discipline and building a foundation that will change an entire organization workplace and culture forever. Event Scope & Size: The Model Line As with many organizations, there will be numerous skeptics in the beginning who simply don’t like change or just like working in an environment they have grown accustomed to over their many years of service. One of the keys to changing that perception is to identify a “Model Line” within a facility where all the initial 6S and future continuous improvements activities will be focused. The next and equally important step is to identify the area of opportunity within that model area for the 6S improvement. The most common mistake made is that too large an area is often identified and the team ends up the week both tired and feeling somewhat defeated. This is all part of the pain and learning process in which every organization initially has to go through as they start to change their work habits and culture. Team Composition: Top On Down! There is no greater impact or message that can be shared with an organization’s employees than when it is both communicated and practiced from the very top level within the Executive or Senior Leadership Team. Depending on the size of your organization, typically 7–10 people are chosen as the 6S Team participants. The team composition itself is comprised of three key parts: one-third of the members are from management, one-third are from the actual work area that was chosen for improvement and one-third are what is referred to as “fresh eyes”—those who have no real ownership in the area and are not stuck in a the paradigm of “this is the way we have always done it.” The Event Kick Off: 6S Week (4½ Days) Monday–Thursday (8:00AM–4:00PM) / Friday Morning (Final Report Out) The 6S event typically kicks off at the start of the work week, where the 6S Team will present who the team members are, where in the facility the scope of the event will be focused and share some pictures of its current state as the baseline for improvement. Typical audience participants include the entire senior leadership staff, who is onsite to not only show support, but also have multiple key resources available to offer during the event week if necessary. Remember, 6SThe Visual Factory This paper was originally presented at the Consumer Specialty Products Association (CSPA) Annual Meeting. Pat Bergin, President, Aerofil Technology Inc. (ATI) Work area before (left) and after. The maintenance room before (left)
SprayApril 2017
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