The infamous “Mystery Box” lands in Brazil! Solving the challenges of the Mystery Box is an interactive way of learning the importance of standardization when operating a process.

Our very own Gareth Barnes leads a “Service Strategy” workshop in Botswana. Participants learned that understanding the characteristics of threats to operations allow for the development of effective mitigation strategies.

Our friends at Anglo American are very successfully implementing their brand of the Business Process Framework. Anglo’s Operating Model is proving extremely effective in reducing costs, reducing variation, and ultimately reducing the bottom line. Great little video that outlines their approach. Watch the video here!

One of the biggest opportunities and greatest risks to implementing improvements into the business are people. Have you considered how to effectively engage your people so that; – There is an accountability for the success of the improvement plan at all levels of the organization. – The improvement process is not viewed as an order,[…]

It seems the norm that meetings occupy a tremendous amount of valuable work time. Understanding the difference between a meeting and discussion requirement are paramount to removing the “clutter” that occupies your team’s time. – A discussion can be had quickly, and at someone’s desk or over the phone where clarity between a few is[…]

A user interface is like a joke. If you have to explain it, it’s not good. The information that you rely on for creating metrics from your applied business process will only be as good as your interface allows it to be. If people are discouraged from using your elected systems because the interface is[…]

“All change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end.” – Robin Sharma While it is sometimes difficult to keep our eyes on the prize, we must constantly work through the “mess” towards the end result of aligned behaviors, systems and an embedded, sustainable process. We are never guaranteed success.[…]

An example of variation are those times when we have output well above or well below our means. A well-defined process (and it’s coordinated metrics) will accomplish two things for us in times of variation; Illustrate the variations as they occur above and below the means in our process. Illustrate for us when variances accumulate[…]

“Why would we hire a consultant?” 1. To supplement staff time – Short-term projects shouldn’t be burdened with long term employment agreements 2. To supplement staff expertise – You hired your staff for specific work, leave their focus where it counts and NOT exploring unchartered territory 3. To ensure objectivity – A consultant might just[…]

We regularly see attempts at what we refer to as “System enforced behavior” via modifications to an ERP package. While this might seem the best approach technically, more often than not, we see tons of communication and coaching opportunity lost as a result of a “computer says no” mentality. Rather leave your systems “vanilla”, and[…]

An effective schedule is one that enables your resourcing and planning to align resources and efforts to that schedule prior to the required date of a specific task, while at the same time allowing for maximum flexibility in execution of said task.

Ralph Waldo Emerson has been attributed the quote, “Your actions are speaking so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying”. People tend to follow those who know where they are going better than they do a set of directions handed down by leadership that might not appear to be on the same path. When your[…]

We’ve all done it… failed to learn from our experience (good or bad) and use that education to our benefit in the future. One example of this would be the application of Work Packages or Task Lists to recurring, planned work. All too often, we “reinvent the wheel” each and every time a known (think[…]

It’s a simple concept to grasp. If your schedule is in a constant state of flux, then so is your ability to execute according to that schedule. Time and again, we see the problem of a fluctuating schedule, and while the solution is painfully simple, rarely do we see it effectively applied. Without an accountable[…]

If yours is similar to most large organizations, the biggest hurdles preventing the execution of your schedule are actually nothing more than work that should have been on the schedule in the first place. It’s a paradigm that seems to elude the majority, but if we take the time to request, review, and approve work[…]

Searching for a tool this afternoon that I had loaned to one of my sons reminded me of the important role that resourcing plays in the execution of our schedule. At work, my Resource Coordinator, following simple BPF principles, would have ensured that my tools were right where I needed them, when I needed them.[…]

A leading indicator is a measure preceding a future event used to drive activities carried out to prevent and control process deviation. An example might be Scheduled Maintenance improvement opportunities identified and applied. Leading indicators are focused on future performance and continuous improvement. Companies dedicated to operational excellence are shifting their focus to using leading[…]

In 1994, a U.S. study was done on the shifts and scheduling in mining operations; http://buff.ly/1lbRHQD. Reading through it, I was impressed to see that even as far back as 1994, we recognized the positive impact of “involving” our workers in the scheduling and shift / rotation creation process. Evidence once again, that simply treating[…]

No single action as a leader has a greater impact in influencing the behavior of others than your own behaviors. While the old saying, “What interests my boss, fascinates me” may be true, the process only “runs” as long as it has fuel. In other words, your passing interest in a process as a leader[…]

When the dust settles, and the business improvement project is over, there is no longer a readily available team of consultants ready to train and coach each new team member. A process or way of work’s survival is based in it’s effectiveness as well as its sustainability. A well aligned and embedded process will make[…]

It seems the norm that meetings occupy a tremendous amount of valuable work time. Understanding the difference between a meeting and discussion requirement are paramount to removing the “clutter” that occupies your team’s time. A discussion can be had quickly, and at someone’s desk or over the phone where clarity between a few is necessary.[…]

Weekly? Monthly? Twice a year? Annual Review? How often should leadership offer guidance to employees? – How about every single opportunity that presents itself? “You’re doing well.” “Let’s work on these areas.” “Our department is headed in this direction.” Constantly shaping team members through effective communication is the only true method for ensuring that they[…]

It happens at more organizations than we can count, lack of effective communication. To be more precise – “Communication” whittled down to a system alert or an automated email. Effective communication makes up about 80% of the “secret ingredient” to any successful organization. Systems break down, Emails go unread, and buzzing or beeping is quickly[…]

The Silo approach to work management has long been held (even subconsciously in some cases) as a valid method. Valid with one caveat… it doesn’t work. A process or work “Silo” or “Empire” is a sure-fire way to set your company up for failure. When the Silo owner leaves for a day, a week, or[…]