If you want to be successful in process improvement in your company, you must have an implementation plan that works! Far too often, companies spend lots of time and money in training people, but have no real plan for the people to use the training when they return to the job. BPI Consulting's implementation plan prevents this from occurring and helps guarantee successful results on a day-to-day basis. The plan has five phases:

• Phase 1: BPI Consulting visits the company to learn the overall processes and obtain data to develop a company specific case study and the examples to be used in the training classes.
• Phase 2: BPI Consulting presents, to leadership, a half-day overview that covers the "how" of the process improvement implementation and the role to be played by plant management.
• Phase 3: BPI Consulting conducts a one to two week IPPS facilitator training seminar to select associates who have been given the responsibility of implementing SPC by tracking key process variables in their area/department.
• Phase 4: BPI Consulting, with assistance from select facilitators, conducts a 2.5 day IPPS awareness seminar for all associates.
• Phase 5: BPI Consulting conducts follow-up meetings with the IPPS facilitators as required to ensure effective and efficient implementation of process improvement.

The end result of the plan is that there are key process variables that have been identified for each area (department or process) in the company. Where applicable, associates track these KPV using SPC techniques. When the KPV goes out of control, the associate closest to the process knows how to respond to bring the process back into control. The associate's job is to keep the process in control.

Once the process is in control, the process capability can be calculated. If the process capability is not satisfactory, the process must be improved. One way to improve the process is through a project team facilitated by an SPC facilitator.

Do you really need help with implementation of SPC?

SPC should play a major role in process improvement. Examine the questions below. If you can't answer yes to all of them, please contact us. We can help you create a world-class SPC process with a strong focus on the bottom line.

• Do you use SPC as a basis for action -- when to look for problems and when to leave the process alone?
• Do you have a control strategy to actively find the root cause of out-of-control conditions?
• Do you routinely review control charts for deletion of charts that are not helpful and addition of new charts?
• Do you use SPC for determining process capability?
• Do leaders use SPC to examine their data (e.g., financial and monthly reports)?
• Do associates understand the reason for control charts?
• Do you have an on-going written strategy for continually improving the use of SPC?
• Do leaders use control charts to determine if goals are being met?
• Do leaders truly understand the concept of variation and that most problems lie within the system?
• Do you use control charts to monitor and improve your measurement systems?
• Do you include SPC in training new associates on the job?
• Do you put the control charts in the hands of the people doing the work (from the CEO down throughout the organization) ?
• Do you measure the effectiveness of control charts in the workplace?
• Do you use SPC to help create world class processes?

For more detailed information on our implementation plan, please contact us (sales@spcforexcel.com)