Most businesses that want to improve find overhauling their processes challenging. They often fear operational disruption and loss of time and sales. Continuous improvement is a quality management process that allows businesses to make improvements in small, incremental changes. One of the main USPs of this method is that it does not require a complete system change or major shutdown.
This article will explore the top tools for implementing continuous improvement in various sectors. We’ll also recommend an industry-ready Six Sigma course for those who want to gain an in-depth understanding of these tools and more.
What is a Continuous Improvement Tool?
A continuous improvement tool assesses the process and implements continuous improvement using various approaches, such as lean methodology. The tool may consist of a method or software that helps implement the technique. It benefits a large organization with multiple verticals and stakeholders for several reasons.
Also Read: What is Process Capability? Index, Formula, Example & Everything to Know
Reasons to Use Continuous Improvement Tools
Organizations can reap significant benefits by choosing the correct tool for continuous improvement programs. Here are some of them.
- The tools enable you to discern processes and eliminate entanglements. You can detect the bottlenecks responsible for low efficiency.
- Enhanced process efficiency leads to higher-quality deliverables. Tools use total quality management, Lean, and Six Sigma methods to remove waste and reduce defects.
- Consistent, high-quality products improve customer confidence and satisfaction and reduce customer churn.
- The credibility and reliability of the business are enhanced, leading to an improved customer base.
- The tools encourage the teams to consider continuous improvement for their tasks, identify areas with potential improvement, and innovate to achieve a better output.
Top Continuous Improvement Tools
5 Whys
The 5Whys tool repeatedly asks ‘Why’ a particular problem occurred until the root cause is identified.
For instance, if an automotive brake system has failed, the process would be:
- Why did it fail?
Answer: It failed because of a faulty dimension.
- Why was the dimension faulty?
The dimension was faulty because the manufacturing equipment was not calibrated.
- Why was it not calibrated?
The operational team should have included the timelines for calibration.
- Why did it miss the timeline?
They missed the timeline because there is no process for setting alerts.
- Why is there no alerting system?
There is no alerting system because the existing system needs an upgrade.
While a minimum of 5 ‘Why’ questions are recommended, some problems may need fewer or more questions. The final objective is forcing the team to understand why a particular issue occurred.
Root Cause Analysis
Root cause analysis refers to the systematic approach for detecting the leading cause of the problem and defining methods to address and eliminate the causes.
This tool encourages you to proactively identify the root cause rather than provide a superficial resolution. You look at the issue from all aspects, such as production, quality, customer feedback, employee skills, etc. Any aspect potentially leading to the problem is identified for further analysis. Pareto chart, fishbone diagram, Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), scatter plot, and fault tree analysis are some examples of root cause analysis tools. This tool further aims to provide solutions and monitor their implementation and effectiveness.
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PDCA
PDCA stands for Plan, Do, Check, Act. This tool embodies continuous improvement at its core. PDCA is a cyclic method that can be applied to improve the process. In planning, you first identify the problem and the project’s scope. You analyze the issue and plan the steps to solve the problem.
Then, in the ‘Do’ step, you implement the plan. You modify the process, train the personnel, and implement the new method. Further, you ‘Check’ the effectiveness of the new process by measuring various metrics and comparing them to previous ones.
Finally, the ‘Act’ step is determined by the ‘Check’ stage results. If the process has improved, you can integrate it into the full-scale process. If you see zero improvement or worse performance, go back to the drawing board in the plan stage and redo the steps.
Thus, the PDCA tool allows you to tackle the problem as often as necessary to achieve the required results.
Kaizen
Kaizen is a Japanese tool that promotes stepwise incremental changes based on continuous assessment of the processes. It requires team collaboration to make improvements without disrupting the existing processes. Its primary objective is to minimize waste, reduce defects, and improve productivity. It is an integral part of lean manufacturing. Kaizen encourages employees to initiate improvement projects within their scope of work and involves other employees to implement further changes as required. Kaizen is most suitable for small to medium-sized issues. Its results can be implemented across the organization wherever similar processes are in operation.
3M’s
The 3M’s method refers to the Japanese terms Muda, Mura, and Muri. Muda means waste, mura means variation, and muri means overburden. The chief goal of this method is to remove wastage and ensure consistent quality.
Muda refers to finding areas in a process that may be underused or unused. Some resources may be overordered and degraded even before they are used. Mura entails detecting points of variation in the process. The dimensions of the components may be different due to defective calibration, resulting in uneven quality and customer dissatisfaction.
Finally, muri involves focusing on overburdened resources due to insufficient resources. This may include high production requirements but fewer pieces of equipment. Identifying these three areas ensures continuous improvement in the organization as a whole.
A3
The A3 report is a single-page document of the A3 paper size in which the team leader notes the issue, analysis, corrective actions, and action plan using text and graphics. Collecting the information and making it comprehensible is a collaborative effort.
The A3 tool may be used in the form of a template, process, methodology, report, or alignment tool. It consists of seven steps. First, the problem is identified along with the historical background of the process. Then, the existing situation is assessed. Further, the goals of the improvement process are established. The root cause analysis of the issues is conducted, followed by the formulation of corrective and preventive actions. Next, the actions are implemented, and the effect of the actions is measured against the baseline metrics.
Value Stream Mapping
Value stream mapping is a visualization tool that facilitates analyzing and comprehending the process and its flaws. It provides a map of the flow of information and goods from supplier to customer. The workflow details every process step, its stakeholders, teams, tasks, and known issues. You can see the complete workstream in a single picture and identify interdependencies, inefficiencies, and areas of wastage.
Poka Yoke
Poka Yoke is a tool that aims to make a process mistake-proof. It identifies areas where errors can occur and sets up actions to prevent or minimize the mistake. The goal is to eliminate waste and reduce disruptions. It is a form of automation that only allows a process to move forward if all the requirements are satisfied. For instance, in an automotive coating assembly, the body-in-white can only go from the precleaning stage to the coating stage if the rinsing stage is completed.
Also Read: Quality Management Breakdown: What is Measurement System Analysis?
Gemba Walk
Gemba walks involve observing the process in operating conditions. The quality professional walks through the workplace and talks to the workers about the process, their work profile, specific tasks, issues, and ease of communication. This helps middle management understand the underlying problems that need resolution. Further, the workers can directly voice their concerns without any red tape.
Bottleneck Analysis
As the name suggests, bottleneck analysis evaluates the process for bottlenecks that impede the smooth flow of information and goods. You detect the inefficient sections and slow down the further process steps. Bottleneck analysis usually entails mapping out the process and then narrowing down the areas needing improvement.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Continuous Improvement Tool
A continuous improvement exercise is only effective when you choose the right tool. Hence, certain factors must be considered while selecting the most appropriate tool for your process.
- You must assess the type of process and its scope. Is it a single assembly line or an entire organization? What is sector manufacturing, IT, or anything else? The tool will change with the kind of business.
- The size of the unit to be improved is crucial. If you work with a small plastic manufacturing factory employing only 40 people, you cannot form a team of 20 to implement the continuous improvement exercise. So, you must choose a tool that can work with smaller teams.
- The time factor is critical. Some businesses may wish to implement continuous improvement before a crucial deadline. Hence, you must choose a tool that allows clear task allocation and set timelines.
- Another factor is the project’s purpose. Are you improving the overall processes or solving a particular quality issue? If it is a focused quality problem, using tools like 5Whys or root cause analysis would work best. PDCA, 3Ms, or Kaizen would serve better if the business wants to improve its quality culture.
Also Read: Six Sigma Calculator: How to Use It?
Learn Continuous Improvement and Other Six Sigma Concepts
While there are multiple continuous improvement tools, you must select the most appropriate tool to get the maximum benefit and achieve the goals of your continuous improvement exercise. Hence, aspiring quality professionals must know key concepts that aid a superlative continuous improvement project.
This online Six Sigma program is specially curated according to the IASSC-accredited Lean Six Sigma requirements. You will be trained in topics included in the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and Lean management. Mentors with several years of experience will help you gain practical experience with tools such as Jira and Minitab. You will also get to apply your knowledge by working on Capstone projects.
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