Session 6. Implementing the Solution

Objectives

By the end of this session participants will be able to:

1. Understand the role and importance of the Champion
2. Create Milestones and a Task List
3. Create a Gantt Chart schedule
4. Undertake validation of the solution

Introduction

In this session we implement the solution to the problem. Implementation can require approval for expenditure and use of company resources as well as support for changes to processes. the project Champion should provide these. Implementation of the solution should be carefully planned. Methods for doing this are provided here.

The Champion and Participation of Others

For problem-solving teams to be successful, the changes that they determine are necessary need to have the support of the organisation. The solution that is proposed must be approved and resourced so that it can be implemented and sustained. The Champion is the person who has the authority to get the support that the solution needs, including the resources and the participation of others in the organisation.

Solutions will often require specialist support, such as from engineering, maintenance or information technology services. It may also require that equipment be taken offline or that other departments change their working practices to accommodate the change.

The Just In Time solution will require resources to pay for it, financial agreements with the delivery company and new processes for suppliers. The store manager, The Champion for this project, will need to get the approval and cooperation of the Regional Manager to enable the solution to be implemented.

It is important that no action is taken on the solution without the support of the Champion, who should want to ensure that any other organisational requirements are met, such as need for the solution to meet regulatory or customer specifications. The Just In Time lettuce solution will need to meet the restaurant hygiene regulations.

Developing an Action Plan

Implementing the solution will often require a number of tasks and the completion of those tasks in a logical order. To create the list of tasks we first break our solution into its main parts and then break each of these parts into individual tasks. On a more complex solution we may need multiple levels before we get to the individual tasks that we will use to create our solution schedule.

The decomposed version of the task structure for the solution is known as a Work Breakdown Structure. For the Just In Time lettuce it may look like this:

Milestones	Tasks
1.       Increase Delivery Frequency	1.1. Consult with delivery company
	1.2. Agree new contract
	1.3. Consult supplier
	1.4. Agree new process with supplier
2.       Train Staff	2.1. Get overtime approval
	2.2. Create materials
	2.3. Deliver training sessions
3.       Create New Restaurant Process	3.1. Consult restaurant manager
	3.2. Create flow chart of new process
	3.3. Reorganise refrigerator
	3.4. Create visible system
4.       Monitor Solution	4.1. Review customer complaints
	4.2. Audit process
	4.3. Get staff feedback

The tasks that you have identified can next be arranged into a schedule. First durations should be assessed for each task and a logical order for the tasks considered. Some tasks will need to be completed before others can begin. Some tasks will be able to be completed at the same time as other tasks. The order that tasks are completed in will also depend on the resources that are needed to complete them. Your schedule should include allocation of resources for the task completion.

The Action Plan will often also require decisions to be made on financing and the use of other organisation resources. The support of the Champion will usually be needed to get these.

The Gantt Chart Schedule

Most problem-solving action plans should use a Gantt Chart to create their schedule. Larger, more complex action plans may use more advanced, computer-based scheduling tools but these will usually over complicate a typical problem-solving project. The Gantt Chart is a simple bar chart (named after its creator, Henry Gantt). The chart creates a visual representation of a project schedule. The following Gantt chart is based on the tasks for the Just In Time Lettuce solution:

Documentation

Organisation improvements will often change processes and / or products and require changes to organisation documents. This is often neglected in problem solving. Ensure that all relevant documentation is updated, including standard working methods, process sheets, bills of materials etc. If these are not updated the problem will reappear when people use the old documents as a guide to their work.

Validation

The solution should be validated by using the metric that identified the problem in the first place. For the wilted lettuce, if the solution is working, the customer complaints should be reduced to pre-wilted lettuce levels. If they are not, then further problem-solving activity will be needed.

Remove the Interim Containment Action

If temporary measures have been introduced to deal with the problem, these should be removed when the Permanent Corrective Action is implemented. There should now no longer be a need for the ICA.

Implement Service Actions

Many solutions will require action to ensure that they are maintained after they are applied. This should include performance measurement that will indicate if the problem is recurring and the solution is no longer working effectively. It should also include work that will need to be done to support the solution, including training of employees, and maintenance of equipment and systems.

In the Just In Time Lettuce solution, employee training will need to ensure that all affected employees are aware of the new system and that managers are reinforcing its use. Maintenance might include ensuring that the visible systems are applied in the refrigerator and that the delivery service adheres to its more frequent deliveries, at the times required.

A3

Insert the schedule for implementing the solution along with the names of those responsible for each action in the A3.  Your A3 should now look like this:

Case Study: The Canadian Canoe Company , Canoe Complaints

The problem-solving team have decided that the Training / Metrics solution will best meet the criteria that have been agreed with the Champion. They are now looking to develop an Action Plan to implement it. You should:

1. Develop Milestones and a Tasklist for the solution. Consider the tasks that would be necessary to implement the solution in your workplace.
2. Construct a Gantt Chart for the Action Plan, including times for each task. Don’t forget to include a column in your Gantt Chart for recording the person responsible for completing each task.
3. Insert the Gantt Chart in your A3 chart.