VELOCITY - DEE JACOB [141]
“So if we identify something that is really going to boost throughput,” said Wayne, “and/or reduce the others, then that’s the project we pursue.”
“And if we have five candidates,” Sarah added, “then we go with the ones we expect to have the most positive effect on T, I, and OE.”
“I think that works,” said Wayne. “I think that’s on the money.”
“Done!” said Amy.
And this, too, was added to the tree:
Injection: Prior to approval, we evaluate all improvement
projects based on their ability to increase T, and to reduce
I and OE – and advance overall system performance.
With this in place …
Improvement projects have significant impact, with increases in T, and reductions in I and OE.
Therefore …
Revenue and net income increase.
This statement then links to the higher condition …
Winner management is pleased.
There was one more item that was necessary. The WING software that Hi-T was still obligated to use was generation 4-L. It still contained the assumptions of a balanced line, takt time, and other vestiges of Wayne’s original LSS efforts. Needless to say, this was causing confusion and problems, both operationally and in the reporting. So they added one more change to the tree:
Injection: We adapt WING4-L software to use Godzilla as the system constraint, and to abide by Velocity principles of speed with direction.
The result is …
Data and reports generated by WING better reflect operational realities.
And …
We avoid misconceptions caused by previous assumptions and make better decisions.
17
Joe Tassoni, who was skeptical of all organizations and suspicious of all managers no matter who they were, was unconvinced of the efficacy of the Relay Runner work ethic – even though Sarah, Wayne, and Amy had met separately with all the F&D analysts to explain the special status the analyst function held as being a system constraint. Joe, who had almost nodded off sitting in his seat, didn’t get that “constraint” part either. So he had requested a private meeting with Sarah Schwick in order to gain clarification – although, really, he just wanted to complain.
“I do not understand why you now want people to do … what is it called? Single task?”
“Yes. Single tasking,” said Sarah. “Do the most important thing, one thing at a time. Focus. Get it done. Then move on to the next most important thing.”
“How can this be better than multitask?” asked Joe. “It does not make any sense! With single task, one thing gets done. With multitask, many things are being done.”
“Yes, exactly, many things are being done. With multitasking, many things are being worked on, but it takes longer for any one of them – usually all of them – to be finished.”
“I am not sure that I agree,” said Joe. “Whenever I am driving, I am always multitasking – eating my breakfast, dictating my letters, talking on my cell phone, whatever.”
“And, Joe, don’t you slow down? Don’t you arrive later than you otherwise would because you are multitasking?”
“Slow down? Why would I do that?” asked Joe.
“Joe, as someone who commutes on a bicycle in suburban Washington traffic …” She stopped herself. “Never mind. What you do while you’re driving is between you and law enforcement. But here at work, we need you to play by the rules … the new rules. Look, Joe, you’re overworked. We’re all worried about losing you – either to another job or, frankly, to the grave.”
Joe lowered his head. He was all too aware of these fears. Another job would probably pay much less; the grave would pay nothing.
“All right, all right,” he said, “I can try. Tell me again; what do you want?”
“Single task,” said Sarah. “Do you know what a relay race is?”
“Yes. I have even been to the Olympics one time.”
“Good. Imagine a relay runner on the track.”
Sarah struck a pose like a runner, trying to humor him.
“You and everyone here at F&D are going to be like that runner – ready and waiting. When you’re handed the project – the baton – you take off running down the track …”
She demonstrated, running in place.
“And you run, run, run …”
“Okay, yes, I am running already,