Visualization Tool – Avoiding contamination in a GMP environment

Challenge & Selection

I used to work for a cosmetics manufacturing company. During my years there I had some  challenges dealing with culture change, mainly about Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The  processes involving contamination are very challenging once we cannot see the problem. We  normally say, “the occult enemy”, the fungus and bacterias. They are present in everywhere, in  every object, in every environment, in every human being. But they can not be in our products, of  course! Therefore, the GMP plants must create your own methods to deal with the problem when  it comes mainly from us, the famous, the human factor.

In order to promote the continuous improvement and to manufacture high quality cosmetics we  started having some different ideas about how to promote awareness about the issue among  employees.

Visualization tool is a good way to achieve the goals, to explore new ideas, to find patterns and  to create a new way to deal with issues that involve people. When we can involve them in the  problem and make them reflect about the solutions, we create a perfect environment for creativity  and group work, which is fundamental for the success of the plan.

Application

Firstly, I created a group of work with the key employees of each one of the areas susceptible  to contamination. I prepared the material for the first meeting using power point, graphics with the  numbers of contamination, using many colors in order to get the attention and cause a first impact  among them. I explained with details all the points involved in the process, our necessity to  improve the results and, I made clear that, in order to keep our products competitive in the market,  we needed that improvement. At the end of the meeting, I asked each one of the members to do  the same thing I did, using an easier speaking, with their team. The assignment for the next  meeting was to collect ideas to solve the problem and bring them.

The second meeting was very exciting once every one of the members brought so many  interesting ideas. We organized them on a board and separated in order to visualize them easily.  Then, we put together in groups which the idea was, at same point, similar. Therefore, we could  elect the best ideas considering the budget we had for the project and the internal procedures,  compliance etc.

In order to create an environment for the changes, we turned public the best ideas in a big and  colorful board in the dining hall, the common place for all. Then, we stablished the date to start  the tests and promoted the internal trainings for everyone.

At the first week of new practices we put monitors helping with the questions and then, from the  second week the employees were able to keep doing the new procedures by themselves.

Insight & Approach

I learned so many new things with this project. I could perceive how visualization tool was  powerful because made clear the problem to solve and brought everyone for the same “boat”.

Another good thing was the involvement of everyone, every single person was involved in the  project and they could participate. The participation and work group made everything easier for  everyone! So, when we can use the right tools and create a good environment to disseminate  them, the chances for the creativity to emerge are tremendous and people really feel involved,  what improves the engagement and consequently the effectiveness of the project.

The results were successful. We reduced a lot the number of contaminations, reprocesses, and  improved the consumers satisfaction. We created a method to reproduce again and again, always  improving something related to visualization tool. I think we always have some space to do  something more creative on that! When we talk about drawings, graphics, boxes, diagrams,  colors, we constantly should reinvent it! Continuous improvement together with creativity are  amazing!

