Reference no: EM133593692

Assignment:

Observe a running process, preferably a manufacturing related process. It may be a process you observe in person, such as a fast-food kitchen (Subway is better than Tim Hortons/burger/chicken place, it is easier to follow each Sub/Wrap order as it is being worked on) or oil-change/car service or on-going road construction process that can be observed safely. You may consider a service process as well - a supermarket check-out line, a warehouse operation, etc. If you are currently working, and have permission, try this exercise at your workplace.

Alternatively, you may find a video of a manufacturing process. There are several under the search term "how its made" which provide process details. Try to find one that shows a process running over several cycles so you can observe how the operator loads/unloads, retrieves tooling, performs inspection, makes adjustments, waits for part, etc.

3rd Alternate - not preferred - but "ok" if you take it seriously. If you can't access any workplace or feel genuinely uncomfortable observing a public process but live with room-mates, you can do this same exercise while someone is cooking or cleaning. Make the same observations. Look at how they travel, time spent looking for materials or supplies, value-add vs non-value add activities. Imagine this was an industrial kitchen, serving many meals per day.

Watch the process run, and look for a minimum of 4 specific wastes.

1. Name the process. Be as specific as possible - rather than "road construction" describe the specific process you are observing such as "pot-hole repair"
2. Describe the "value add" goal for the process. In other words, what is the customer or employer "paying for." For example "filling in an existing pot-hole to make the road-way level." Everything else (travel to site, unloading tools, searching for a shovel) should be considered non-value added activity.
3. Describe the basic process steps. Provide a break-down of what is actually happening in the process you are observing.
4. Identify 4 examples of waste you observe in the process. Name the type of waste (any of DOWNTIMEE). Describe each waste in clear detail. What are you seeing, how is it a waste, what is being wasted.
5. Try to quantify the waste - how much time is spent retrieving tooling, what qty is scrapped or what time is spent reworking, etc.
6. Make a reasonable and specific suggestion of how each waste could be reduced or eliminated. Be as specific as possible. Try not to add cost to the process - for example, adding another person is not generally an acceptable solution. Consider relocating items, improving procedures, introducing Poke Yoke, 5S, etc.