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Home / ERP Blog 07.18.19 / Continuous Improvement / “5 on 5” – The Five Step Continuous Improvement Cycle
07.18.19

“5 on 5” – The Five Step Continuous Improvement Cycle

 

Summer is a great time for a pick-up game of “5 on 5” basketball.

When playing a game of “5 on 5” in basketball, the key to success is for the team to work well together, utilize the strengths of each of the players and repeatedly work their process as defined by the coach.

As the process is repeated over and over again through the course of the season, the really great teams “develop a chemistry” which is something that is unseen and unquantifiable, but which gives the team an edge over its competition that leads to success.

The same is true in the business world for companies that want to improve and succeed.

A business team needs to work well together, utilize the strengths of each of the team members and use a process that is repeated over and over. The following continuous improvement cycle used repeatedly will lead to a new “chemistry” within the organization so that the culture begins to change to one of continuous improvement.

“5 on 5”  The 5 Step Continuous Improvement Cycle

Define 

  1. Identify the target process
  2. Organize and empower an improvement team
  3. Describe the issues, concerns or opportunity
  4. Collect current performance data
  5. Create a process map

Identify     

  1. Identify the process customers and suppliers
  2. Define the process inputs and outputs
  3. Define the process requirements
  4. Identify wastes and value-added activities
  5. Generate a list of potential improvements

Select       

  1. Establish desired performance goals
  2. Prioritize the potential solutions
  3. Establish the selection criteria
  4. Select the best solution(s)
  5. Define the desired process

Implement    

  1. Develop an action plan to achieve the goals
  2. Develop process performance metrics
  3. Document the solutions(s)
  4. Test the changes
  5. Implement per the action plan

Evaluate 

  1.  Establish ongoing feedback
  2. Measure progress per the action plan
  3. Compare results with desired performance goals
  4. Determine corrective actions that need to be taken
  5. Repeat the cycle to define new opportunities

The key to really being successful using this process is the very last step – going back to the beginning and looking for new opportunities. Without this, it is a one-time change, not continuous improvement.

 All too often companies declare victory when a change is complete and sit back for the new status quo to set in rather than taking another look at things to find more opportunities.

By using this cycle on a formal basis over and over as problems or opportunities are addressed in the organization, inherent use of the cycle will begin to occur since people will become accustomed to it and the culture of the organization will begin to embrace the idea of continuous improvement.

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This resulting chemistry that begins to develop will be unseen and unquantifiable but will provide an edge for the organization so that it can succeed within itself and against the competition.

Whether a company is going down the path of Lean Enterprise Performance, implementing a whole new ERP business system or simply making improvements in some part of the organization, this five-step cycle is one that we use on a formal basis.

It can be a quick blitz to accomplish a focused task or a longer term assignment that is making a more significant change in the organization. Regardless, this 5 step process provides the structure needed for making the improvement.

Basketball anyone?

Learn More

Next Steps to Build the ERP Evaluation Team

Have questions about building the best ERP evaluation team for your organization?   See these educational resources including webinars, case studies and white papers for examples of how Ultra’s ERP system selection services add value.

As an ERP consulting firm serving manufacturing and distribution companies, we’re committed to the success and health of this important industry sector – with services focused on business process improvement, as well as technology evaluation and selection.

Contact Ultra Consultants to start your technology-enabled transformation.

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About Brad Staats

Brad Staats

Brad Staats, Ultra Senior Consultant, has broad-based manufacturing and operations experience with more than 30 years of helping companies increase productivity, efficiency, quality, throughput, revenues and profitability. His experience includes retail management, operations management, executive management and consulting for large and small firms in steel, musical instruments, heavy equipment, apparel, furniture, construction materials and other industries. He has experience with turnarounds and startups as well as improvements at well-established companies with revenues ranging from millions to billions of dollars. Brad has experience in ERP, Supply Chain/Materials Management, Lean Manufacturing, Project Management and integrating business and process systems in highly automated manufacturing environments. Brad holds a BS in Administrative Management from the University of Arkansas and an MBA in Operations Management from DePaul University. Early in his career, he earned the CPIM certification from APICS. He currently serves on the advisory board for the NE Indiana Lean Network

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