Successful Workplace

Employees doing the hardest work almost always have the best view of how to improve the work they do. But all too often this insight into work process is squandered simply because no one asks for their feedback. They are paid to work, not to think, no? No. Not at Toyota. An elegant solution to […]

Can creativity beat quantity? For most of the last thirty years, the manufacturing process was the long pole in the tent, so the work went to the cheapest places where mass production = competitive pricing. 3D printing promises to turn this on its head and make creativity matter again. 3D Printing If you watch the […]

Although Cloud computing is just starting to make its way into the manufacturing industry, Cloud development platforms — or platforms as a service (PaaS) — hold great potential for the future of manufacturing software. PaaS has the potential to open up new opportunities for manufacturers by allowing them to access more powerful and customized systems […]

When you say the word process to people what reaction do you get? Do you see fear in their eyes? Do they start looking for the nearest exit? When you talk about process do you ever suspect people immediately get the wrong idea, jump to conclusions, put you in a ‘box’, and prejudge your intentions […]

The following first appeared on the Harvard Business Review. Toyota is famous for its Toyota Production System, an approach that effectively engages front-line workers in improving their work. As I argued in a recent post, “pulling” improvement from the front line is critical to continually improve operations, and Toyota does it very well. Companies that “push” […]

The APQC Frameworks Study that concluded last Spring looked at a remarkable story of a new, $6B steel mill located near Mobile, AL. ThyssenKrupp invested so much because they believed in US manufacturing, even during tough times, and were determined to make their operation the most efficient and resilient of its kind. Successfully delivering a […]

Northrop Grumman has a remarkable history that includes developing the B2 Bomber, the EA6-B Prowler, satellites, the new Gerald R. Ford super carrier, and the history-making Apollo lunar module. It is an enormous enterprise with over 130,000 employees and a tough challenge…their principal customer, the US Government, plans to cut $500 billion in spending over […]

Just this week, BP Trends published a case study that is well-worth taking in. ThyssenKrupp Steel USA spent US$6B to create a seamless system for producing rolled steel primarily for the automotive industry.  They made very early decisions to make sure their enormous capital investment broke from traditional industry by focusing on business process rather […]

In the next issue of BP Trends coming out on July 5th, 2011, you’ll see a story about the success of ThyssenKrupp Steel and their ability to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain through a focus on business process and ISO compliance.  One of their very first decisions was to make end-to-end process management the cornerstone […]