Successful QRM Planning Teams

Our newsletter continues with the 15 specific steps that will not only assist you in planning a QRM initiative at your organization, but will also provide a roadmap to successful implementation.

Conduct Detailed Data Gathering and Analysis

Now that the planning team has agreed on its scope and goals, it is ready to gather the necessary data and use the methodologies detailed in Rajan Suri's book, Quick Response Manufacturing.

Brainstorm Solutions

In this step the planning team starts to rethink the way jobs are done with a goal of minimizing lead time. It is critical in the brainstorming process for the team to agree on a focused target market subsegment (FTMS). All the details of the subsequent solution, as well as its impact, depend on which FTMS is chosen. Team members should brainstorm additional ideas to reduce lead time and generate multiple potential solutions while also quantifying their impact.

Present Recommendations

It is now time for the planning team to formally present and share its insights, analysis, and recommendations for implementation and anticipated results to the steering committee and upper management. The presentation should include data gathered on non-value-added time in the system and other forms of waste, along with radical solutions and estimates of the dramatic lead time reduction potential proposed by the team. All of these items will open management's eyes to the need for change.

Create the Implementation Team

Once management approves one of the solutions recommended by the planning team, it is time to create the implementation team. The implementation team should consist mainly of the people who will be in the cell with some overlap between the two teams. Choose planning team members that will have a good chance of being on the implementation team. The implementation team will usually differ significantly in size and skill base relative to the planning team. The planning team should have sufficient knowledge to understand the processes involved, study QRM principles in detail, conduct appropriate analysis, brainstorm solutions, and make recommendations to management. The implementation team should have the skills necessary for the tasks in the actual cell. When creating the implementation team, use the QRM principle of asking for volunteers along with other related principles. The implementation team should be collocated into a space created for its full-time members. There should be no compromises on these last two issues.