Michael Kl Reflection: Visualization

Challenge

Competitive organizations continuously face evolving market conditions, customer preferences,  and changing laws and regulations within their respective industry. Therefore, it is essential to  lean on, as well as advocate for, continuous improvement and innovative practices. The  challenge that I have recently faced is at an assembly manufacturing organization that is  comprised of a large warehousing space and two large production rooms. Within these  production rooms, various components enter and are either prepped for production (e.g., cutting  tubing, counting gauze, stacking towels, etc.) or go straight into the assembly process, but both  occur at the production line in its current state. Where the challenge begins within this process is  figuring how to effectively separate prepped components from production to maintain teammate  headcount, but increase productivity. Being tasked with this project along with a team of various  professional backgrounds, miscommunication, misalignment, and misinterpretation occurred.

Selection

When implementing improvement initiatives, various change models are utilized to ensure that  the improvement project is on time, covering all aspects of the respective process, and  sustainable for the long-term. Additionally, consistent, professional, and creative forms of  communication are taken advantage of to ensure that all active teammates fully understand the  progress, barriers, and actions of the project. In this particular instance, the team and I resorted to  utilizing the visualization design tool to ensure that each teammate, as well as stakeholders, had a  solid understanding on the new process flow, material flow, and work cell layout of the  preparation area. When using the visualization tool, teams communicate with imagery to make  ideas more visible. In other words, visualization is about visual thinking and assists a team with  communicating more effectively. Further, the visualization tool was ultimately vital in  successfully communicating the future state of the preparation process to stakeholders, both  vertically and horizontally.

Application

At first, the team communicated ideas, suggestions, and concerns verbally to one another in an  attempt to make progress on the improvement initiative. After some time, and getting more in- depth into the project, teammates experienced confusion about the future state process flow,  material flow, and physical layout of the preparation area. At this point as the project lead, I  decided to create visual representations of the process flow, material flow, and layout of the  work cells to assist the team in identifying areas of interest, misunderstanding, and barriers to a  successful implementation. Having each functional area now represented by a layout map, the  team was able to effectively identify what their concerns were, as well as ideas to make the  project more of a success. Applying the visualization tool assisted the team in gaining a clear  understanding of one another’s concerns, ideas, and suggestions.

Insight

When applying the visualization tool, I found that teammates were more engaged when  comparing it to situations when I was essentially attempting to verbally communicate the future

state of the improvement initiative. Additionally, having the visual component of the initiative  allowed the team to generate questions and develop answers in real time, all while referencing  the visualization tool, or the various process flows and physical layout of the preparation process.  However, when looking back at the initiative, a design tool that I would have used in parallel  with the visualization tool is that of mind mapping, which is utilized to identify how ideas from  the team correlate with the main purpose of the project, as well as the ideas of their respective  teammates. In all, the visualization tool enhanced the thought process and effectiveness of the  team in ensuring that all barriers, ideas, and possibilities were appropriately addressed to ensure  a successful improvement initiative.

Approach

As previously mentioned, applying the visualization tool during this improvement initiative was  an effective decision that paid of tremendously in the form of increased participation and clearer  communication. However, incorporating the mind mapping tool would have offered me the  ability to capture the thought process of the team during these sessions and identify how each  teammates ideas and concerns correlated with the purpose of the improvement initiative.  Although, I have found that the visualization tool made a positive impact of the outcome of the  project, has been added to the organization’s arsenal of project tools, and has paved a lasting path  for other design tools to make their respective mark on future improvement projects to come.


Michael Kl Reflection : Visualization Challenge Competitive organizations continuously face evolving market conditions , customer preferences , and changing laws and regulations within their respective industry . Therefore , it is essential to lean on , as well as advocate for , continuous improvement and innovative practices . The challenge that I have recently faced is at an assembly manufacturing organization that is comprised of a large warehousing space and two large production rooms . Within these production rooms , various components enter and are either prepped for production ( e.g. , cutting tubing , counting gauze , stacking towels , etc . ) or go straight into the assembly process , but both occur at the production line in its current state . Where the challenge begins within this process is figuring how to effectively separate prepped components from production to maintain teammate headcount , but increase productivity . Being tasked with this project along with a team of various professional backgrounds , miscommunication , misalignment , and misinterpretation occurred . Selection When implementing improvement initiatives , various change models are utilized to ensure that the improvement project is on time , covering all aspects of the respective process , and sustainable for the long - term . Additionally , consistent , professional , and creative forms of communication are taken advantage of to ensure that all active teammates fully understand the progress , barriers , and actions of the project . In this particular instance , the team and I resorted to utilizing the visualization design tool to ensure that each teammate , as well as stakeholders , had a solid understanding on the new process flow , material flow , and work cell layout of the preparation area . When using the visualization tool , teams communicate with imagery to make ideas more visible . In other words , visualization is about visual thinking and assists a team with communicating more effectively . Further , the visualization tool was ultimately vital in successfully communicating the future state of the preparation process to stakeholders , both vertically and horizontally . Application At first , the team communicated ideas , suggestions , and concerns verbally to one another in an attempt to make progress on the improvement initiative . After some time , and getting more in- depth into the project , teammates experienced confusion about the future state process flow , material flow , and physical layout of the preparation area . At this point as the project lead , I decided to create visual representations of the process flow , material flow , and layout of the work cells to assist the team in identifying areas of interest , misunderstanding , and barriers to a successful implementation . Having each functional area now represented by a layout map , the team was able to effectively identify what their concerns were , as well as ideas to make the project more of a success . Applying the visualization tool assisted the team in gaining a clear understanding of one another ’s concerns , ideas , and suggestions . Insight When applying the visualization tool , I found that teammates were more engaged when comparing it to situations when I was essentially attempting to verbally communicate the future state of the improvement initiative . Additionally , having the visual component of the initiative allowed the team to generate questions and develop answers in real time , all while referencing the visualization tool , or the various process flows and physical layout of the preparation process . However , when looking back at the initiative , a design tool that I would have used in parallel with the visualization tool is that of mind mapping , which is utilized to identify how ideas from the team correlate with the main purpose of the project , as well as the ideas of their respective teammates . In all , the visualization tool enhanced the thought process and effectiveness of the team in ensuring that all barriers , ideas , and possibilities were appropriately addressed to ensure a successful improvement initiative . Approach As previously mentioned , applying the visualization tool during this improvement initiative was an effective decision that paid of tremendously in the form of increased participation and clearer communication . However , incorporating the mind mapping tool would have offered me the ability to capture the thought process of the team during these sessions and identify how each teammates ideas and concerns correlated with the purpose of the improvement initiative . Although , I have found that the visualization tool made a positive impact of the outcome of the project , has been added to the organization ’s arsenal of project tools , and has paved a lasting path for other design tools to make their respective mark on future improvement projects to come .