Webinar Description:

A defect is “anything that erodes value, reduces production, compromises health, safety or environmental performance, or creates waste”.  Simple, right?  So why do organizations struggle with implementing an effective defect elimination process?  The answer itself is simple – while the concept of defect elimination is simple, meaning easy to understand, successful implementation requires some hard (not easy) work.

Each defect elimination project requires three things: an improvement idea, effort to implement the idea and resources to support the effort.  These correspond well to the three types of leadership described by MIT Professor, Peter Senge as Network Leadership, Operational Leadership and Executive Leadership.  But successfully implementing a defect elimination process requires more than completing a few projects.  It requires creating a culture where everyone in the organization embraces eliminating defects as part of their job.  To accomplish this broader goal, there must be an inspirational reason for change to answer the question “Why bother?”.  There must also be a structure that defines the rules within which individuals are allowed the freedom to pursue their improvement ideas.  And finally, there must be a support system to get the process off the ground and give it momentum until it becomes the new organizational habit.

Learning Takeaways:

1. Differentiate the Regressive, Reactive, Planned and Improved Precision Domains
2. Understand the difference between Planned Maintenance activities and Defect Elimination activities
3. Develop actionable Defect Elimination activities that can be adapted for use at various facilities
4. Techniques to inspire your organization by clearly articulating the need for change
5. Explore a process to direct Defect Elimination activities through boundary setting rather than micromanaging
6. Outline a framework for a support process for Defect Elimination activities