Process Improvement Reviews

My Trick to Improve Processes at Amazon (That I Still Use Today) Early in my career at Amazon, I thought process improvement meant: ↳ Bigger projects ↳ New tools ↳ More automation I was wrong. The biggest improvements usually started with one simple question. “Why does this step exist?” Not: “How do we make this step faster?” That one question changed how I looked at every workflow. Here’s how I still use it today: 1/ I questioned every handoff ↳ Every time work moved from one person or team to another, I asked: ↳ Why? Example: Team A approves → Team B reviews → Team C approves Do we actually need all three? Or are we protecting a process that no longer serves us? 2/ I looked for repeated frustration Whenever I heard: ↳ “We always have to…” ↳ “Every project…” ↳ “This takes forever…” I paid attention. Repeated frustration is usually a process problem…not a people problem. 3/ I asked what would happen if we removed the step completely This was my favorite exercise. Not: ↳ “Can we optimize it?” Instead: ↳ “Can we delete it?” You’d be surprised how many approvals, meetings, and reports exist simply because they’ve always existed. 4/ I optimized for fewer decisions Every unnecessary decision slows execution. So I asked: ↳ Can we standardize this? ↳ Can we template it? ↳ Can we automate it? The best processes remove thinking where thinking adds no value. 5/ I measured success by friction removed Not: ↳ How many processes we changed. But: ↳ How much easier the work became. Examples: ↳ 3 approvals → 1 approval ↳ 5 meetings → 2 meetings ↳ 12 emails → 1 automated workflow That’s real improvement. Here’s what Amazon taught me: Most organizations don’t have a technology problem. They have a friction problem. The highest ROI process improvements rarely come from adding something. They come from having the courage to remove something. And I still start every process review with the same question: “Why does this step exist?” 📬 I write weekly about leadership, execution, and operating at a high level in The Weekly Sync: 👉 https://lnkd.in/e6qAwEFc What’s one process at your company that probably exists only because “it’s always been done that way?”

How to Find the Real Bottleneck in Your Review Process Do not start by changing review rules. Start by looking at where review time actually goes. For one week, read the comments. Look at the back and forth. Notice what reviewers spend time on. That tells you what to fix first. If reviews focus on style, formatting, or missing basics, automate it. Add linting, formatting, tests, and simple policy checks to CI. Humans should not be catching things a machine can catch faster. If reviewers keep saying the change is too big or hard to follow, the problem is batch size. Require smaller pull requests. Use feature flags so unfinished work can still merge safely. Small changes move faster and break less. If reviews turn into design debates, alignment is happening too late. Pull requests are not the place to decide approach. Add a short prework step for risky changes that explains the problem, the plan, the risks, and how to undo it. If reviewers hesitate because they are worried about production, you have a release problem. Add gradual rollouts, fast rollback, and clear ownership during deploys. When shipping feels safe, reviews speed up. Do not try to fix code review directly. Fix what code review is compensating for.

Gemba Walk: Understanding the Process Where It Actually Happens In continuous improvement, reports, dashboards, reviews, and escalation notes are important. But they rarely show the complete reality of how work actually happens. That reality is visible at the Gemba the real place where work is performed, value is created, and process behaviour becomes visible. A Gemba Walk is not a fault-finding visit. It is a structured leadership practice to observe the process with clarity, respect, and curiosity. It helps leaders understand: How work flows Where delays occur Where handoffs become weak Where rework is generated Where standards are followed or unclear Where quality, safety, or compliance risks emerge Where the team needs better support Where improvement opportunities exist A meaningful Gemba Walk begins with a clear purpose. Are we trying to understand a recurring deviation? Review process performance? Verify standard work? Identify bottlenecks? Assess quality, safety, compliance, or delivery gaps? Once the purpose is clear, observation becomes sharper. The best insights come when the process is observed live during actual execution. This is when variations, constraints, workarounds, communication gaps, waiting time, and hidden inefficiencies become visible. The focus should remain on the process, not on personalities. The most useful questions are often simple: What is expected to happen? What is actually happening? Where is value being created? Where is time being lost? What makes the work difficult? What can be simplified, standardized, or improved? The real value of a Gemba Walk begins after the observation. Capture facts. Prioritize gaps. Assign owners. Define timelines. Follow up visibly. Convert learning into CAPA, training, standardization, risk reduction, or improvement actions. Without follow-up, a Gemba Walk remains only a visit. With disciplined follow-up, it becomes a strong improvement tool. In manufacturing, laboratories, quality systems, R&D, supply chain, and service operations, Gemba helps connect leadership decisions with ground reality. Reports show outcomes. Gemba shows the conditions behind those outcomes. A good Gemba Walk brings clarity. A better one builds ownership. A mature one strengthens the system. Gemba is not about supervision. It is about understanding the process before improving it. #GembaWalk #LeanSixSigma #Kaizen #ContinuousImprovement #QualityManagement #OperationalExcellence #DMAIC #ProcessExcellence #QualityAssurance #QualityControl #RCA #CAPA #ManufacturingExcellence

Over the years working in chemical processing, one of the recurring challenges I’ve faced is with heat exchangers. They are essential for energy efficiency, but even minor issues can create significant downtime and cost. Not long ago, we encountered a serious fouling issue in one of our exchangers. The deposits were reducing heat transfer efficiency, causing higher energy consumption and forcing frequent shutdowns for cleaning. 🔍Instead of treating it as just another maintenance task, we carried out a detailed root cause analysis: • Reviewed process conditions and flow patterns. • Checked velocity and temperature profiles. • Involved both the operations and maintenance teams in the discussion. The findings showed that low fluid velocity was the main driver for fouling. By redesigning the piping layout and adjusting the operating parameters, we were able to: ✅ Increase turbulence and reduce fouling. ✅ Extend cleaning cycles from every 3 months to once a year. ✅ Achieve over 15% improvement in efficiency. For me, the key takeaway is that every technical problem is also an opportunity to innovate and improve reliability. Collaboration and data-driven decisions can transform a recurring issue into a long-term success.

Continuous Improvement in Quality Continuous Improvement (CI) is a core principle of Quality Management, focused on making products, processes, and systems better over time through small, incremental changes or breakthrough improvements. It ensures that quality standards are not only maintained but also continuously enhanced to meet customer expectations and achieve operational excellence. 🔹 Definition Continuous Improvement means ongoing efforts to enhance products, services, or processes by identifying inefficiencies, reducing waste, and increasing customer satisfaction. It is a never-ending process—there’s always room for improvement. --- 🔹 Key Objectives 1. Improve product quality and process reliability 2. Reduce defects, waste, and costs 3. Increase customer satisfaction 4. Boost employee involvement and ownership 5. Promote a culture of problem-solving and learning --- 🔹 Popular Continuous Improvement Methodologies 1. PDCA Cycle (Plan-Do-Check-Act) Plan: Identify problem and plan solution Do: Implement the plan on a small scale Check: Review results Act: Standardize successful changes 2. Kaizen (Japanese concept) Means “Change for Better” Involves all employees, from operators to management Focuses on small, daily improvements 3. Six Sigma (DMAIC Approach) Data-driven method for defect reduction Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control 4. Lean Manufacturing Focuses on eliminating waste (Muda) Improves efficiency and flow 5. Total Quality Management (TQM) Organization-wide philosophy of continuous quality improvement --- 🔹 Tools Used for Continuous Improvement Pareto Chart (identify major problems) Fishbone Diagram (root cause analysis) 5 Why Analysis (find root cause) Control Charts (monitor process stability) Check Sheets & Histograms (data collection and analysis) --- 🔹 Steps for Implementing Continuous Improvement 1. Identify area of improvement 2. Collect and analyze data 3. Find root causes of problems 4. Develop and implement corrective actions 5. Monitor results and standardize improvements 6. Train employees and sustain improvements --- 🔹 Benefits ✅ Higher customer satisfaction ✅ Reduced defects and rework ✅ Improved process efficiency ✅ Lower production cost ✅ Increased employee engagement ✅ Enhanced company reputation --- 🔹 Example (In Manufacturing): If casting parts frequently show porosity defects, the Quality team can: Analyze past data (SPC, Pareto) Identify root cause (e.g., improper Mg% or mold temperature) Implement corrective actions Monitor results Standardize improved parameters This becomes part of continuous improvement.

FDA Warning Letter snippet: Facility has areas not maintained and in a state of decay. QMR identified significant gaps in training which were not addressed effectively. Sterile operations were not maintained with basic requirements being ignored and willfully violated. What can you do about these issues: The GxP compliance process of Align, Apply, and Adapt is a structured approach to ensuring that GxP standards are effectively integrated into an organization’s operations. Here’s how this framework works: 1. ALIGN – Establishing Compliance Foundations This phase ensures that the company’s policies, procedures, and systems are aligned with regulatory expectations and industry best practices. Key Activities: ✔ Regulatory Landscape Assessment – Identify applicable FDA guidelines. ✔ Gap Analysis – Assess current systems against regulatory requirements and industry benchmarks. ✔ Quality & Compliance Framework Development – Establish or refine SOPs, policies, and quality systems. ✔ Stakeholder Buy-In – Ensure leadership and teams understand compliance priorities and objectives. 📌 Outcome: A clear compliance roadmap that aligns business operations with regulatory expectations. 2. APPLY – Implementation & Execution Focuses on applying compliance principles into daily operations to ensure processes are followed consistently and effectively. Key Activities: ✔ Training & Competency Development – Conduct role-specific GMP training for employees. ✔ Process Integration – Embed compliance into manufacturing, quality control, and clinical operations. ✔ Data Integrity & Documentation – Ensure ALCOA+ principles are met. ✔ Routine Monitoring & Self-Inspections – Conduct internal audits and quality reviews to identify gaps before regulatory inspections. 📌 Outcome: Compliance becomes part of the company’s operational culture, not just a checkbox activity. 3. ADAPT – Continuous Improvement & Risk Management Since regulations and business environments evolve, organizations must continuously adapt their compliance approach to remain inspection-ready and competitive. Key Activities: ✔ Regulatory Change Management – Monitor FDA updates and enhance policies accordingly. ✔ Process Optimization – Leverage insights from deviations, CAPAs, and audit findings to improve compliance efficiency. ✔ Technology & Automation – Implement digital compliance tools to enhance data integrity and reduce human error. ✔ Culture of Compliance – Foster a mindset where compliance is proactive rather than reactive. 📌 Outcome: A resilient, future-proof compliance program that evolves with regulatory changes and business needs. Why This Approach Matters 🔹 Prevents last-minute compliance scrambles before inspections. 🔹 Reduces regulatory risk and ensures inspection readiness at all times. 🔹 Increases operational efficiency by integrating compliance into day-to-day processes. 🔹 Supports scalability, ensuring compliance remains strong as the company grows.

If all you do is sort 'Good' from 'Bad' you will continue making "Good & Bad." Something more is needed. Your Red-Green Dashboard May Be Limiting You. When a retail buyer, a hospital unit manager, or an IT operations lead reacts to every “red” number, they are practicing what Donald Wheeler calls “judging outcomes.” The attached table, "Two Interpretations of Variation" provides effective alternative perspectives, avoiding the judgment instincts that so often backfire. “Judging Outcomes” is a low-yield strategy. Retail – Daily “shrink” numbers jump from 0.8 % to 1.3 %. The loss-prevention team fires off emails, yet the spike is just common-cause noise in store traffic. Over-reaction wastes labor and morale. Healthcare – A surgical ward toggles between “green” and “yellow” on its “Falls Dashboard.” Each color change triggers new in-service training, annoying nurses while masking a single special-cause event (a new floor wax). Software Ops – Error counts breach a budgeted limit of 100 per week. Executives demand weekend code freezes, delaying vital updates. A control chart would have shown the system is stable—and that real improvement requires design changes, not heroics. What “Improving the Process” Looks Like. ☑️ Plot a process behavior chart (e.g., X-bar & mR chart) for the last 20–30 data points. ☑️ Ask Wheeler’s three questions: ❓ Is the process predictable [i.e. shows only common cause variation]? ❓ If not, which signals point to special causes? ❓ If stable, is the level of performance good enough for the customer? ☑️ Act on causes, not outcomes. In an automotive paint shop, a single point beyond the upper control limit led to a search for the special cause: a clogged nozzle. One fix prevented thousands of defects. ☑️ Embed learning. Deming’s PDSA cycles turn each signal into a learn-then-improve experiment, building knowledge that survives staff turnover. For Leaders ➡️ Red-green scorecards answer yesterday’s question; control charts answer tomorrow’s. ➡️ Treat every data point as a story about the system, not a grade for the people. ➡️ Move away from judging outcomes to seeking process insights thus converting wasted fire-fighting energy into lasting system improvements 

From Chaos to Clarity, Beyond the Toolbox: Mastering Methods for Solutions to Business Challenges In daily operations, new challenges can surface unexpectedly; sometimes as stubborn bottlenecks and sometimes as subtle gaps in performance. The true test for any organization is not just in spotting these issues, but in matching each problem with a methodology that drives meaningful and lasting improvement. The attached guideline “Problem Solving / Process Improvement Tools Selection Matrix” illustrates how each business function; corporate strategy, R&D, manufacturing, logistics, quality, customer service, and more; faces distinct challenges, from KPI tracking to spare parts shortages. Each row highlights typical pain points, while columns unveil targeted methodologies: Lean, Six Sigma, FMEA, 8D, Kaizen, 5 Whys, DMS, and many more. What stands out is that there’s no universal solution. For example: ✅ R&D may apply FMEA, Agile and Design Thinking to break down siloed collaboration, drive innovation, and shorten time-to-market for new products. ✅ Procurement and Supply Chain teams often turn to VSM and Risk Management to address cost fluctuations, supplier reliability, and parts shortages. ✅ Manufacturing relies on A3, 8D, Root Cause Analysis, and Kaizen to reduce defects, address chronic downtime, and drive standardization. ✅ Quality and Assurance deploy FMEA and SPC to prevent high defect rates, improve process controls, and integrate continuous feedback. ✅ Customer Service elevates user satisfaction and response time with structured Voice of Customer tools and real-time corrective action workflows. ✅ HR and HSE benefit most from skills matrices, error-proofing, and focused risk assessments to reduce incidents, address skill gaps, and promote a safety culture. The key takeaway? Effective leaders don’t just train teams in popular frameworks; they map specific problems to methodologies. Start with a thorough diagnosis, understand the nature of your challenge, and leverage the matrix for actionable alignment. Continuous improvement is a journey, and having the right compass : Method selection, makes all the difference.

Most manufacturing leaders know they need continuous improvement. Few know why it's not working. I see the same pattern repeatedly: companies launch improvement initiatives with energy, but momentum fades within months. The problem? They're missing the systematic approach that makes change stick. Here's the framework that separates sustained improvement from flavor-of-the-month programs: Measure What Matters Most organizations track too much or too little. Focus on the dimensions that drive business performance: Safety, Quality, Delivery, and Cost. The gap between current state and target state tells you exactly where to focus. Go to the Gemba You need to see where work actually flows—where delays cascade, where workarounds become standard practice, where small inefficiencies compound into major losses. Engage the Right Voices Form cross-functional problem-solving teams that include frontline employees and upstream/downstream stakeholders. Facilitate a structured problem solving process. The best solutions come from those closest to the work. Pilot, Measure, Scale Test changes on a limited scale. Measure impact rigorously. Adjust based on data, not opinions. Then, hardwire the improvement into standard work and move to the next opportunity. The difference between companies that cope and companies that transform isn't tools—it's discipline. Continuous improvement becomes a culture when there's both an expectation of excellence and a proven process for achieving it. When done right, it creates ownership, accountability, and measurable results quarter after quarter. If your improvement initiatives aren't delivering sustained results, change the framework. Implement the iterative process that measures, observes, engages, and takes action. #OperationalExcellence #LeanSixSigma #ProcessImprovement #ContinuousImprovement #GrossMargin #BusinessConsulting

This is a tale of too many touches... How many touch points does it take for your customers to move from inquiry to invoice? We worked with a custom manufacturing business that clocked in at an average of 4 touches before the customer even got an order confirmation. Now at first this may seem like they're just really on top of things. Lots of communication. But ultimately no forward progress. Did the customer get any value out of these touches? No. Did each one slow down the progress of the order internally? Yes. I could continue on for the rest of the stages of an order but you probably know exactly how that story plays out... Instead I'll share with you exactly how we not only increased value for their customer but a whole host of other results internally! Here it is: 1. Process Map - We literally map every single touch. Turns out, 3 of those 4 initial touches were internal handoffs that added zero value for the customer. 2. Improvement Activity (Kaizen) - We brought everyone (direct and indirect stakeholders) together to talk about the problem and capture ideas for solving it. 3. Prioritization - The first quick win? Eliminate 2 of those internal handoffs and automate the third. Least expensive, most impactful. 4. Implementation - We developed a pilot to test the system, then rolled out the changes to the entire team. 5. Cycle of Improvement - As additional feedback was gathered, we reviewed, revised, and then repeated the loop (from steps 2 - 4). That's it. Nothing crazy. No new technology. No hiring a bunch of new team members. In 8 weeks, they went from drowning in touches to actually moving product. But the results? Those were a little crazy! Decreased cycle time by 60%. Improved product quality by 75%. Improved inventory accuracy by 37%. Increased profitability by 11%. Happier people (internally and externally). How many unnecessary touches are slowing down your orders?