Variation represents chaos and unpredictability.  So in our business systems, which require consistency and repeatability to enable improvement, the concept of variation and its impact on performance is crucial for our Leaders to grasp. Packed with eye-opening analogies, Director Consultant Warren Knight explains the complexities of variation, the significance of control charts and the long-term view, and why tampering with the system without understanding the root causes of variation is a...

Managing processes is as vital as managing people for keeping the gears of performance well-oiled and aligned with organisational goals.  Join PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson as he peels back the layers of effective process management and explores the iterative cycle of Standardise, Maintain, and Improve, and how mastering this triad can elevate your entire operation. Here are some related resources that you may find interesting: Podcast: Navigating Process Management Roles Video:...

Imagine your organisation as an orchestra, where each section must play in harmony to create a beautiful symphony. This is the crux of Systems Thinking in leadership. Packed with thought-provoking examples and practical tips, this unmissable episode with PMI Director Consultant Warren Knight highlights the transformative potential of a Systems Thinking approach from your leadership team. Here are some related resources that you may be interested in:  Blog: Why Self-Help Books Are Not for...

Successful process management requires a shift in mindset where everyone is empowered to think of their organisation as a collection of interconnected processes rather than isolated departments or functions.  By embracing this process thinking approach and clearly defining process management roles, you can achieve greater efficiency, better customer satisfaction, and ultimately, improved performance. Join PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson as he talks about the concept of process thinking...

We’re seeing a growing recognition of the power of reflection in today’s fast-paced world, where the delivery of improved performance through every project is more crucial than ever.  Join PMI Director Consultant Sean Buckland for a timely reminder of the power of Retrospectives in helping Lean Six Sigma improvement teams overcome project challenges earlier and achieve better results. Here are some related resources that you may be interested in: On-Demand Webinar: Agile Improvement - Myth...

Whatever kind of change project you're working on, a good relationship with your sponsor is essential, but it isn’t necessarily easy. PMI Director Consultant Sean Buckland is an expert on the practical aspects of working with project sponsors, so join us for an episode packed with insider tips on how to enable your sponsor to confidently address challenges and prioritise the needs of your project. Are you looking for more support on working successfully with your sponsor?  Check out these...

Is your demand unpredictable and difficult to forecast?  You can reduce this challenge and improve your business efficiency by implementing a level scheduling system.  Mastered by automotive giant Toyota, Heijunka is a Japanese term for ‘level’ or ‘flat’.  It’s about having complete visibility of the system and synchronizing the supply chain for a smooth flow of customer orders.  Join PMI Director Consultant Barry Byrne as he delves into the art of Heijunka and confesses that monotony is...

Are you a Lean advocate, do you sit in the Six Sigma camp, or are you wondering what Lean Six Sigma is all about? Join us for a whistlestop tour back to the origins of Lean and Six Sigma, as PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson shares how these two complementary techniques have been brought together to create a powerful customer-centric approach which can deliver maximum impact through improving both efficiency and quality.  Has this episode piqued your interest?  Here are some more Lean...

Are you in engineering or manufacturing?  Do you want to minimise downtime between changeovers?  Then this Lean tool is for you! In this episode, Director Consultant Barry Byrne draws on his practical experience to discuss the SMED strategy for reducing changeover delays.  He talks about gathering operator feedback, channelling it to create innovative solutions, opening the door to increased production opportunities and empowering operators. Interested in this topic?  Here are some related...

Do you want to know how effectively your system delivers value to its customers?  What are your measures for availability, productivity, and quality telling you? Join us as PMI Director Consultant Barry Byrne talks about OEE, and highlights the significance of having a robust data collection process, which allows for a better understanding of the “six big losses” when output isn’t as expected or on schedule. Want to know more about this topic?  Check out these related resources: Podcast:...

In this special episode of Uncommon Sense, we’re joined by former PMI Deputy Chairman Jan Gillett as we commemorate 30 years since the passing of the father of quality management, Dr. W. Edwards Deming. Jan vividly recalls the profound impact Dr. Deming had on him from their very first meeting at a conference in 1987.  He shares how this encounter was a turning point, challenging his conventional thinking and inspiring him to make a difference in his own company. Join us as we dive into...

The 5Rs will help you work more efficiently and effectively, offering a structured way to analyse and improve processes.  So, as you carry out your work today, think about this one simple question: is this process step delivering value to our end customer?  If the answer is no - however important or necessary it might be - it is still some form of waste which we should seek to eliminate or minimise, PMI Director Consultant Sean Buckland reminds us.  Join us for top tips and practical...

Kanban is all around us, although sometimes we don’t notice it.  Its purpose is to provide a signal, in a Pull system, underpinning a just-in-time approach to work and avoiding overproduction and waste.  It helps to ensure you have only what you want, only when you need it. Join PMI Director Consultant Barry Byrne as he talks about Kanban as a crucial communication method, helping to synchronise our entire system, from supply chain to the customer. Here are some more resources that you may...

Join us as we dive into the fascinating world of Total Productive Maintenance (not to be confused with Total Preventative Maintenance), and its game-changing impact on business operations. Whether you’re in the manufacturing or service industry, every cog in the machine plays a vital role in optimising value stream flow and achieving TPM excellence.   PMI Director Consultant Barry Byrne explores the need for a mindset shift among employees to create the culture of collaboration that’s...

A gauge of work completed compared to available capacity, the Utilisation Measure is a commonly used Key Performance Indicator.  But in this thought-provoking Uncommon Sense episode, PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson sheds light on how this measure, while popular, can sometimes hinder the achievement of flow in Lean businesses. Sharing a compelling case study to illustrate, Damion explains how the Utilisation Measure's focus on constant busyness can lead to inefficiencies and missed...

It’s one of the top 3 calculations that supervisors and managers should have at their fingertips, according to PMI Director Consultant, Barry Byrne.  Throughput yield - the percentage of work completed successfully at any given process step – is a crucial metric when striving for perfection. Join Barry as he discusses the hidden costs of defects and rework, including implications for improving customer experience, and shares an enlightening example of how yield analysis can uncover upstream...

More than just a tagline or a sales pitch, the Value Proposition Statement is a tool for alignment and clarity, serving as a compass, guiding us towards delivering what our customer truly values.  And if your process isn’t delivering value to the customer?  It should be turned off or redesigned to meet the customer’s needs, PMI Director Consultant Dennis Crommentuijn-Marsh tells us. Tune in for more top tips and practical examples as we discuss Value Proposition Statements and how they impact...

Direct, indirect, internal, external, regulatory, people who think they’re customers because they have authority, and ironically, customers who don’t even know that they’re customers.  Identifying the true customer(s) of a process from amongst an array of possibilities is key to the effective use of this tool for uncovering improvement opportunities. Join PMI Director Consultant Sean Buckland as he explores this challenge and shares fascinating examples of using Voice of the Customer to...

How do you know that performance data is accurate?  Are you sure there aren’t, in fact, a series of processes hiding behind your process, distorting your measurement results? Mood's Median Test and ANOVA are statistical tools that will give you confidence in your measures, helping you to focus your improvement work. “I can’t imagine working on an improvement project without them”, PMI Director Consultant Sean Buckland tells us, as he demonstrates how they help us to understand complex...

5 Whys is a great problem-solving tool for improvement projects, and it can also be invaluable in your day-to-day work to understand root causes when things go wrong, as they do from time to time! At first glance, it may seem a simple tool, but as Senior Consultant Damion Albinson says, it’s a lot more powerful than simply asking "Why?".  Listen in as he shares his top tips to make sure you're getting the most out of 5 Whys, including to never be satisfied with the first suggestion and how...

Ensure a productive and successful partnership with your sponsor and achieve more with your next improvement project. PMI Director Consultant Warren Knight shares his 5 top tips on what you need from your sponsor, plus how to build a strong relationship with them so that together you can achieve your project goals. Want to know more about this topic?  Check out these related resources: On Demand Webinar:  Sponsoring Projects for Success  Download:  Project Charter & Contract Template ...

Avoid wasting time on ineffective improvement strategies by using scatter diagrams to visually prove or disprove your theories. PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson delves into the fascinating world of this underappreciated improvement tool to reveal why it’s invaluable for investigating variations in output.   But beware – he also warns not to extrapolate beyond the data and stresses the importance of having enough samples. Learn more about using graphs to make an impact with these related...

Do you need to identify potential causes of an undesirable effect or problem?  Then you're in luck because in this episode of PMI's Uncommon Sense podcast, PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson talks about the Cause and Effect Diagram. To really get to the bottom of a problem it’s crucial to avoid jumping straight to solution mode, Damion warns us.  Instead, focus on divergent thinking to generate a broad range of potential causes, before using PDSA to validate the most likely.  Listen now...

All business improvement is geared around doing a better job for your end customer.  But in reality, so much of what you work on isn’t directly affecting them, so it’s just as important to know your internal customer. In this episode, PMI Senior Consultant Damion Albinson talks about techniques for recognising who your internal customers are, and offers some great advice on how to understand their requirements. Want to know more about working with your internal customers?  Check out these...

We have an innate ability to manage our personal lives successfully, but as observed by PMI Director Consultant Barry Byrne, we’re sometimes reluctant to apply the same planning approach to our process improvement projects. Join Barry as he talks about the value of good project planning, its impact on the outcomes we’re looking to achieve, and its importance for project success. Listen out for his 3 key steps for effective project planning. Want to know more about project planning?  Check...