The Xplor View - October 2008 - (Page 10)

DSTi Output has maintained its commitment throughout the last three years. This has been a critical element in gaining staff trust and support and is regularly reinforced. For a Lean programme to work a business needs sales to fill the capacity created by the resulting improvements; expect 30 percent additional capacity at least. It is not always the case, but an enlightened CEO will also invest in sales and marketing at the same time they invest in Lean because they know extra capacity will be created sooner rather than later. Several Lean tools can be used to help a business create award winning processes. The tool DSTi Output have found most useful is Value Stream Mapping (VSM). VSM is a powerful tool that allows a business to analyse a process in detail and develop lots of ideas for improvement. The skill in running a successful VSM event is in the preparation and facilitation of the meeting. An experienced facilitator is required who is capable of working with teams of 15 to 20 people and getting the most out of them. The steps to follow in preparing for the event should include: Selection of participants It is important that the people who actually do the job are part of the team. If the process includes clients or suppliers, they must also be included. Technical experts are also useful, particularly if an IT system is at the core of the process. Avoid involving too many managers as they often do not understand the process in detail and can stifle the debate. It is also advantageous to include staff that may not be directly involved in the process but are suppliers or customers to the process. Most critically, you want people to contribute to the review of the process; this is the job of a good facilitator. Data collection Data is key to any successful event. The facilitator will often spend several weeks before the event collecting and analysing the data and understanding the process to be improved. Walk the process It is important that the participants walk the process at the beginning of the event and talk to as many people as possible who either do the process or are suppliers or customers of it. Events can last from one to five days. The challenge for the facilitator is how to secure participants for this length of time. Managers are often reluctant to release staff who are typically so busy fire fighting that they have no time to dedicate to fixing the process. Unless this circle is broken and staff are given the time to spend on improvement activities, then no meaningful progress will ever be made. This is why it is critical that the CEO and the rest of the Board support the Lean initiative and sign up to it at the outset. At the end of the VSM event an exit meeting with senior management should always be organised. Wherever possible this should include the CEO and other Board Directors. The exit meeting is the opportunity for the team to present to senior management of the company their recommendations on how the process can be improved. This may include changes to working practices, investment in new equipment and systems, or improvements in workflow—both physical and information. Estimated savings are presented by the team; these are usually in terms of time and money. It is also important to understand what, if any, the impact of the changes will be on the client. The exit meeting gives senior management the opportunity to ask questions and approve the plan. job. During the VSM event clear, reviewable targets are set and these are monitored on a monthly basis to ensure the improvements are delivered. DSTi Output has run over 20 VSM events covering everything from paper waste reduction to the change management process. Some of these events have included client participation where the end-to-end process has been reviewed. The results have been staggering: paper waste down 38 percent, productivity up 48 percent, storage costs down 40 percent, waste to landfill down 75 percent, electricity usage down 17 percent. In addition capacity has increased by 150 million mail packs per annum, customer satisfaction scores are at an all time high, quality is Six Sigma, and on-time delivery is 100 percent. This outstanding performance resulted in DSTi Output winning the Printing World excellence award for Lean company of the year in 2007. Clients are getting the best possible service, shareholders are seeing their returns improve year on year, and staff come to work knowing that they can really make a difference —a great place to be. Once the event is over and the plan has been approved the hard work begins; the implementation phase. The participants accept responsibility for delivery of the plan. Meetings are organised monthly to progress actions and prepare status reports for senior management. Since the participants are the people who will benefit from the improvements they are often the most keen to push through the changes. Hence, changes often happen fast and buy-in is quick. This is not a top-down change but a change designed and implemented by the staff doing the Several Lean tools can be used to help a business create award winning processes To learn more about DSTi’s lean programme, visit www.dstintl.com Tony Hall Director of Lean & Chief Compliance Officer DST International Output Ltd tony.hall@dstintl.com “Businesses that have had success with Lean nearly always have the programme sponsored by the CEO with a senior Director responsible for driving it forward.” 10 The VIEW Journal Xplor European Edition Issue 6 October 2008 http://www.dstintl.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Xplor View - October 2008

The Xplor View -� October 2008 Contents TPE Master Class: Three Ways to Tame your Print-to-Mail Workflow Right Now Mission Impossible: Embracing Environmental Concerns TPE Master Class: Implementing a Lean Working Environment Improving Business Processes Yields Award-Winning Business Performance How Do� You Effectively Win New Business Writing a Marketing Plan to Win New Printing Clients How Buying Strategies Have Affected How the Industry Sells Let's Talk About Integrated Customer Communications Management:�Transpromo...It Takes a Village! Knowledge Management Part 3 XDU: Leading the Education Revolution Kodak plus Xplor equals XDU Around the World Xplor Europe News:�Short News Items for the Xplor UK�Programme and Europe News

The Xplor View - October 2008

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