Process Improvement Plan
Background
To gain the business of new customers and to retain the customer loyalty of our current customers, the Marketing Department has promised customers shortened delivery times. “Process improvement can result in improved quality, cost reduction, and time reconstruction. Time relates to costs and to competitive advantage, and businesses seek ways to reduce the time to bring new products and services to the marketplace to gain a competitive edge (Steveson, 2021, p. 26).” Each department here at Kibby and Strand will examine their processes in order to identify improvement opportunities that will help us to secure the edge needed to thrive in this industry. These examinations will be conducted using a systematic approach that involves a measurable criterion, analyzation, and means to document findings.
Analysis
The receiving, production, and shipping departments will conduct an analysis of their critical path operations using the lean six sigma process of improvement methodology. “This methodology is a business strategy that aims to determine and remove errors, defects, failure causes in business processes through concentrating on outputs, which are imperative to customers (Rashis & Ahman, 2013).” To identify, and remove errors, defects, and failures six sigma uses five steps.
- Define: Identify what the problem is you want to improve.
- Measure: Identify how success or improvements will be measured. This means establishing a measurable baseline for current conditions and a target goal.
- Analyze: Conduct a data driven analysis to determine a relationship between actions and results; cause and effect.
- Improve: Develop and implement a plan or process to get the results you seek.
- Control: Implement procedures that will ensure improvements are sustainable.
