How would you approach failing quality objective measurables?

[NikkiQSM]

Hello All -

I am looking for advice / opinions on this specific issue.

We have our final Management Council Meeting for 2012 scheduled for this Wednesday.

We are going to go over our quality objectives / goals and I do not have good news to report.

Our goals are / were:

1. Reduce contamination & mixing errors caused by Production to less than 1.50%
2. Reduce contamination & pellet quality (external rejections) to less than 0.50%.
3. Reduce formulation and process sheets errors to less than 0.75%.
4. On-Time Delivery - 85% or higher.

Percentages for goals 1 thru 3 are calculated by dividing the number of issues by the number of lots produced.

We are failing the first goal - horribly... For Jan to Nov - we have a percentage of 2.75%. (Year 2011 - 2.69%) Why, you ask? There was a lot of contamination issues due to dryers and other equipment not being cleaned properly. A lot of the contamination issues are discovered at final inspection. Our QC Manager - who has been conducting this job for a year now - is VERY picky. I think he has found a lot of contamination issues that would not have been found before.

Secondly, a lot of mixing errors have happened. This is because the mixers are rushing around and not paying close enough attention to what they are grabbing to put in the mix.

What would you suggest as a good start to get this turned around? Regardless, I know we have failed that goal. And I know my GM will be egarly waiting to hear how I am going to fix the problem.

The high percentage stems from so many different sinerios unfortunately.. Some causes are isolated, others are produced out of simply not paying attention.

What would you do / Where would you go with this during the MCM?

 

[Michael_M]

Re: How would you approach failing quality objective?

Our QC Manager - who has been conducting this job for a year now - is VERY picky. I think he has found a lot of contamination issues that would not have been found before.

Are the found issues valid? If yes, then he is doing his job and what has happened in the past needs to be put into the corrective action for the future. If the issues are not valid, then the QC manager needs to be trained (yes, QC managers need training too). If it some are and some are not valid, then both apply.

What would you suggest as a good start to get this turned around? Regardless, I know we have failed that goal. And I know my GM will be egarly waiting to hear how I am going to fix the problem.

As for fixing the underlining problem, your GM, the QC manager, and anyone else that can help needs to be part of the fix and should have input into how THE COMPANY will address the issues. I have seen many managers say "fix the problem" and then turn around and continue to create the problem you are attempting to fix because they don't agree with the fix or 'have no skin in the game'.

 

[NikkiQSM]

Re: How would you approach failing quality objective?

Yes. The found issues are valid. The problem before is that the previous QC Manager was also in charge of ISO / QMS and they could not focus enough on the Quality of the product.

That was when the role was split.

 

[JRKH]

Re: How would you approach failing quality objective?

Yes. The found issues are valid. The problem before is that the previous QC Manager was also in charge of ISO / QMS and they could not focus enough on the Quality of the product.

That was when the role was split.

Based on what you say here it sounds like you did not have good numbers upon which to base your goal.

You say that the previous QC manager could not focus on product quality but then you say that the previous years defect number (for goal #1) was 2.69%.
You apparently based the goal number on the 2.69 when the actual defect rate was probably higher.
So - in fact - you might actually have improved this year...but you can't know due to not having a valid measure from 2011 (and before??)

Peace
James

 

[Jeff Putman]

Re: How would you approach failing quality objective?

When we fail to meet the target of a given objective we issue a corrective action. The team (not just you) follows the typical steps of a CA. Containment to reduce or prevent the defect from escaping to the customers, root cause analysis, corrective actions associated with the root cause, etc.

I would also suggest looking into 5S to help quickly reduce problems on the production floor and if possible Lean Six Sigma.

 

[RoxaneB]

Re: How would you approach failing quality objective?

Secondly, a lot of mixing errors have happened. This is because the mixers are rushing around and not paying close enough attention to what they are grabbing to put in the mix.

What would you suggest as a good start to get this turned around? Regardless, I know we have failed that goal. And I know my GM will be egarly waiting to hear how I am going to fix the problem.

The high percentage stems from so many different sinerios unfortunately.. Some causes are isolated, others are produced out of simply not paying attention.

What would you do / Where would you go with this during the MCM?

People rushing around doesn't dig deep enough to identify root cause. WHY are they rushing around? Has there been an increase in volume of product? Where are the materials they are grabbing located?

How were these nonconformances addressed throughout the year?

A pareto analysis of the main nonconformances and the main (and real) root causes will allow the organization to focus attention and resources on the big hitters.

 

[chandaraasekar]

Establish a methodolgy to track the results of these objectives.Make sure a periodic review ( Quarterly ) review with the process owners in presence of the directors conduct cause analysis and establsih the next steps to attain them ...

 

[Mikishots]

Hello All -

I am looking for advice / opinions on this specific issue.

We have our final Management Council Meeting for 2012 scheduled for this Wednesday.

We are going to go over our quality objectives / goals and I do not have good news to report.

Our goals are / were:

1. Reduce contamination & mixing errors caused by Production to less than 1.50%
2. Reduce contamination & pellet quality (external rejections) to less than 0.50%.
3. Reduce formulation and process sheets errors to less than 0.75%.
4. On-Time Delivery - 85% or higher.

Percentages for goals 1 thru 3 are calculated by dividing the number of issues by the number of lots produced.

We are failing the first goal - horribly... For Jan to Nov - we have a percentage of 2.75%. (Year 2011 - 2.69%) Why, you ask? There was a lot of contamination issues due to dryers and other equipment not being cleaned properly. A lot of the contamination issues are discovered at final inspection. Our QC Manager - who has been conducting this job for a year now - is VERY picky. I think he has found a lot of contamination issues that would not have been found before.

Secondly, a lot of mixing errors have happened. This is because the mixers are rushing around and not paying close enough attention to what they are grabbing to put in the mix.

What would you suggest as a good start to get this turned around? Regardless, I know we have failed that goal. And I know my GM will be egarly waiting to hear how I am going to fix the problem.

The high percentage stems from so many different sinerios unfortunately.. Some causes are isolated, others are produced out of simply not paying attention.

What would you do / Where would you go with this during the MCM?

First thing I would do is reorganize your metrics - you've bundled contamination in two metrics. Contamination is contamination, the only difference is where it occurs.

Secondly, identify where these targets came from. What are these numbers based on? Are they realistic? You haven't mentioned anything in the OP about the 4th (and all-important) metric, OTD. How close were you?

If this is the first time that upper management will be hearing of these issues, communication at your workplace is in serious need of attention. Identification of the non-conformances and implementation of corrective actions should have been taking place all through the year, and your GM shouldn't have to be waiting for any results - it could be argued that he/she should be more aware of them than anyone else in the company.

So...to turn it around, reporting to upper management needs to be done at a much more frequent interval, and the identification and prevention of problems (like the workers having to scramble to do their job) needs to be improved. Lastly, your management team needs to give their heads a shake and tune in to what's going on in their workplace; once a year won't cut it.

 

[kgott]

I cant see a problem here; who said objectives must be set in stone. An objective is something to strive for, if they are not achieved then they need to be re-claibrated. If an objective is not acheived perhaps management failed to understand the capability of the process to acheive their objectives.

How did they arrive at the existing objectives? How did they cacluate the capacity of the process to deliver the objectives, or did they just pluck it out of thin air?

Why should it be the quality persons fault if they are not achieved?

Deming once explained what happens when people and management in particular, do not understand the nature of variaiton. He said something along the lines of:

'when people do not understand the nature of variation a person is blamed for results they have no control over and conversley, a person will be given credit for results over which they had no control."

Only a few days ago we were 'audited' to call it that, by a customer and they found only a few minor NC's. I was given credit for this result and I was told I did a good job but if the MD had persisted in not wanting the existing documentation changed then a different result way well have been the outcome and I would have been held responsible for that result to no doubt.

 

[somashekar]

Reduce contamination & mixing errors caused by Production to less than 1.50%

Who came up with this 1.50% ?
I would re-write the quality objective measurable like :
Reduce contamination & mixing errors caused by Production (specific) from 2.69% to 2.40% (measurable, achievable, realistic) by year end 2012, and monitor monthly (time-scaled).
Here I have specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-scaled objective or a SMART objective.
I would follow the same for all others.
If I am failing I will know it sooner to take recourse.

This will be my approach