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Philip MARRIS

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
1h

Tips and Tricks: some proven tactics that have worked wonders for one of our clients to improve the
productivity of an engineering team.

Let's dive into the story of an overwhelmed Methods Office, which transformed from a bottleneck to an
efficient powerhouse without hiring additional staff.

Step 1: Quick Diagnosis. We started by assessing the situation - uninterrupted work on process files
lasted a maximum of 22 minutes, with an average duration of only 6 minutes.

Step 2: Appoint a Guardian to protect technicians from constant interruptions, they designated a
Methods Office leader as the guardian, centralising all incoming requests that previously reached them
directly.

Step 3: Set Visitation Hours. By opening up the department to other teams in the afternoons, they
freed up the mornings exclusively for processing process file definitions without disruptions.

Step 4: Visualize Your Work. They introduced a daily team discussion where the manager displayed a
visual Gantt chart on the wall, outlining the project timelines for the next three weeks and the assigned
technicians' names. A collaborative, post-it-based planning approach would have been even better!

Step 5: Adopt the Full Kitting Rule to streamline the workflow. The Methods Office chief assigned tasks
to technicians only when all input data from the Engineering Department was complete and accurate.

Step 6: Focus on Optimal Results. They encouraged the team to finish one task before starting
another. Remember, quality over quantity!

The Outcome? ✅ No need for additional hiring. ✅

Substantial increase in the rate of process file
definition, leading to more manufacturable machines. ✅
Reduced stress and increased comfort at
work. ✅ Elimination of backlogs and work-in-progress pile-ups.
16

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
1d · Edited

As a foreman in the parts production area, my focus is on the "part number" terminology rather than
products. However, it's essential to understand that switching to the terminology of those executing
the instructions is crucial for effective communication.

Yet, in many small and mid-sized manufacturing+assembly factories, there's a critical aspect that
shouldn't be overlooked – ensuring that foremen are aware of what the parts are used for and which
product they belong to. This knowledge is vital to avoid local optimization and maximize overall
efficiency.

This is absolutely critical in factories that make (some or all of) the parts that must then be
assembled. The system (MRP + excessive batch sizes + local productivity pressure) will tend to
amplify shortages.

While MRP systems are valuable tools for translating product needs into parts, it's important not to
blindly rely on them when you aim for improvement.

On the shop floor you'll see that foremen often tend to group MRP requirements over several weeks to
avoid frequent changeovers, which can negatively impact overall performance.

By aligning foremen priorities with assembly needs and being mindful of the challenges that MRP
systems can present, you can drive efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance the performance of your
factory.

Visual management (of assembly department requirements for example), kanbans, DDMRP, or other
thoughtful systems will help.

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 Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
2d

Whether it's during Gemba Walks with my clients or at meetings, I often find that the data displayed in
production plans is incorrect and/or inconsistent.

Here's an example with the graph below, which looks very similar to what I saw at a client site.
This type of chart was displayed on a production floor and was reviewed daily by local managers, with
none of them expressing surprise at the data displayed.

And yet, the production plan foresaw a 50% increase in the number of parts to be produced, without
any action to increase capacity or throughput being planned: no continuous improvement actions, no
reduction in the cycle time of the machines concerned, no additional hiring, no switch to 3x8, etc.
How can we produce twice as many parts overnight as we did in the previous two weeks, without
having changed anything in the current organization?

This anecdote may make you smile, or think that this client must have been particularly bad.
But it's a situation I come across very regularly with my clients, whatever their sector of activity.

And the consequences of such practices are disastrous: loss of credibility with your teams, loss of
confidence and motivation, erroneous decision-making, poor communication, inefficiency, etc.

Generally speaking, to better manage your teams and production lines, it's very important that visual
management is up to date and consistent, and that objectives are realistic and achievable.

#visualmanagement #productionplan #dataaccuracy

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 Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
3d · Edited

According to Deming, 94% of the problems come from the “system” and 6% come from the people.

So don’t waste too much time complaining about the people. Stop finger-pointing and focus first on
working on the "system" to help people get better at what they do.

One crucial aspect of this "system" is how work is scheduled, released and discussed to foster
collaboration and identify problems. The way information flows regarding tasks and timelines is
absolutely critical.

Among the messages of Deming and his 14 points to improve the system:

- Improve constantly and forever the production system to improve quality and decrease cost,
- Institute training on the job,
- Institute leadership: supervision should help people and machines do a better job. Not command
and control.
- Drive out fear!
- Break down barriers between departments (research, design, sales, production) to improve the
quality and manufacturability of the products.
- Eliminate slogans and exhortations. They create adversarial relationships.
- Eliminate management by numbers. Substitute leadership. (This one is controversial, but
managers tend to focus on numbers and reporting instead of helping the workers with their real
problems.)
- Etc.

Only changing the system can improve performance. It is the role of managers.

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 Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
4d · Edited

What is the link between the Theory of Constraints and the management of uncertainty?

The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a key management concept developed by physicist Eliyahu M.
Goldratt in the 1980s. It proposes a systemic approach to improving an organization's performance by
identifying and managing the constraints that limit its performance.

According to TOC, it is crucial to identify the most important constraints in the organization's system,
whether internal or external. These are the bottlenecks that limit the organization's ability to achieve its
objectives. By identifying these bottlenecks, the organization can focus on actions that can mitigate or
eliminate them.

TOC (and DDMRP) recommends implementing inventory and supply management policies that take
uncertainty into account. Buffers will be placed in certain chosen places, different types of buffers will
be used (time, stock, capacity, ...), and their size will often be managed dynamically (their size will be
adapted automatically). An analysis of the content of the buffers (holes in the buffers) will be used to
monitor the system and identify the most important problems to be solved and guide the process of
on-going improvement.

The Theory Of Constraints is not just about capacity constraints, it is also all about managing
uncertainty.

#TheoryofConstraints #TOC #UncertaintyManagement #VUCA #DDMRP

37

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
6d · Edited

Using Artificial Intelligence in a Logical Thinking Process Analysis: the webinar replay is now available!

The fast proliferation of artificial intelligence models such as ChatGPT means that the ability to
effectively prompt them, or communicate with them, will very soon become a critical skill in many
functions.
Those who have achieved a good understanding of the rules of logic and ability to use structured
analysis frameworks may therefore be expected to have an important advantage in the workplace.

Last month, I hosted a webinar on Artificial Intelligence and Logical Thinking Process with Thorsteinn
Siglaugsson, LTP expert and author of the book "From Symptoms to Causes: Applying the Logical
Thinking Process to an everyday problem".

Despite the value of using the Logical Thinking Process, there are few users.
One reason for this is that building logic trees that are robust and free of bias is very time consuming.

Artificial intelligence can now be used in the construction of trees (logical branch tress not the kind
with roots and made of wood), either to minimize the impact of biases, or to speed up and improve the
clarity and rigor of the analysis. That's what this webinar is all about. It covered the following points:

🔹 Decision-making and qualitative versus quantitative information

🔹 Large Language Models (LLMs)
🔹 The Logical qualitative analysis, the Logical Thinking Process (LTP) and the Theory of Constraints
Thinking Processes (TOC TP)
🔹 Using AI to improve qualitative analysis
Thorsteinn has explained how artificial intelligence can be used in logic analysis, both to assist in
review, to suggest possible causes behind effects, to simplify and improve wording, and to quickly
structure case or situation descriptions.
Theoretical concepts have been illustrated with concrete examples of ChatGPT use.

If you want to learn how to use AI effectively, watch this webinar!

#webinar #AI #ChatGPT #LTP #machinelearning #LLM #TOC

Using Artificial Intelligence in a Logical Thinking Process Analysis - Webinar recording

https://www.youtube.com/

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
1w · Edited

No problem is a problem. This managerial truism makes more sense in some organisations than
others.

Indeed, after obtaining great results in solving their operational problems, some companies rest on
their laurels, while others keep pushing forward.

Suppose you manage to remove the bottlenecks from your factory. In that case, you may discover that
you now have an even bigger problem in your supply chain to expand production, in your sales
department to sell more, or in your R&D department to reduce your time-to-market.
Looking for problems strategically means looking for the best opportunities to “make more money
now and in the future”.

If you don’t know what issues you should solve, you have a problem.

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
1w

Quelle est la polyvalence des opérateurs dans votre usine ?

Est-ce que vous avez souvent des vagues de travail ? Si oui, plus de polyvalence (et/ou un meilleur
ordonnancement mais ce n'est pas le sujet de ce post) pourrait vous aider !

En effet, il n'est pas rare de voir des usines où certains processus ne sont maitrisés que par une
poignée de personnes. Dès que cette ou ces ressources clés ne sont pas disponibles (congés,
maladie, maintenance, etc.) c'est l'ensemble de l'usine qui se retrouve paralysée et qui injecte une
vague de travail au retour de la ressource.

Le risque avec ce type de système est que le goulot peut rapidement devenir désalimenté et cela
impactera fortement le résultat.

Toyota utilise une règle simple tout processus est maitrisé par au moins 3 personnes et chaque
opérateur maitrise au moins 3 processus. Cela permet d'absorber les congés, quelques absences. Il
faut ensuite s'assurer que son organisation permette un minimum d'agilité être capable de remplacer
un absent en quelques minutes sans avoir besoin de déclencher un état major avec les RH et/ou les
syndicats.

Enfin, au sens plus large, je vous recommande fortement de vérifier régulièrement vos grilles de
polyvalence (si elles existent) et de vérifier les évolutions prévisibles (départs à la retraite, démission,
...) afin d'anticiper au mieux les plans de formation et d'évolution.

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
2w · Edited

Chefs de projets, PMO, connaissez-vous le Management de Projet par la Chaîne Critique #CCPM ? Si
vous me suivez sur ce réseau social, la réponse est probablement oui.

Je présente souvent la planification par cette méthode, le multitâche, la Fever Chart, ...

Pour vulgariser le sujet je prends (malheureusement) des exemples très simplifiés et à visée
pédagogique. Que diriez-vous d'un cas un peu plus appliqué ? C'est ce que propose Léo Blondel dans
cette vidéo : une Fever Chart chez un client travaillant dans le secteur #biomedical pour un projet de
développement de produit. https://lnkd.in/eqrsFqhc

PS : Mes collaborateurs vous préparent d'autres explications de Fever Chart tirés des missions qu'ils
ont réalisé.

Cas pratique de Fever Chart - Développement de nouveaux produits biomédicaux

https://www.youtube.com/

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Philip MARRIS
CEO Marris Consulting - Expert in Lean and Theory Of Constraints
1w

Only Fixed Costs Matter

Did you know that excess capacity costs are considered fixed costs? These costs are associated with
increasing resource availability without increasing production quantity. Understanding and managing
these costs can play a crucial role in optimizing resource allocation and driving operational efficiency.
Let me illustrate with an example: imagine you have a resource producing 100 parts per day in a 10-
hour workday. Have you ever wondered about the additional cost of producing those same 100 parts
in an 11-hour workday, accounting for possible production downtime? This evaluation can be crucial in
understanding resource allocation and the expenses associated with increased production capacity.
Additionally, considering the investment required to increase production and gain an extra hour can be
a compelling strategy, mainly if that additional hour is used to compensate for potential delays in the
process.
Throughput accounting, a powerful concept in financial management, offers valuable insights when
considering the costs associated with increasing production capacity and resource allocation. It
focuses on maximizing the throughput or the rate at which the system generates money through
sales.
The concept of throughput accounting can provide valuable insights when considering the costs
associated with increasing production capacity and resource allocation. Throughput accounting
emphasizes the need to carefully evaluate the additional costs of increasing production capacity,
including factors such as production downtime and potential delays in the process.
Remember, fixed costs remain constant regardless of your company's activity level. These costs
include amortization expenses, which reflect the annual distribution of the acquisition cost of the
resource over its useful life. They also encompass fixed operating costs, which cover expenses
independent of the quantity of products manufactured.
By applying throughput accounting principles, businesses can analyze the impact of investing in
additional production capacity. The goal is to assess whether the potential gains in throughput and
sales justify the additional costs incurred. This analysis can help businesses make informed decisions
about resource allocation and evaluate the profitability of expanding production capacity.
Throughput accounting also recognizes the distinction between fixed costs and variable costs. While
fixed costs remain constant regardless of the activity level, variable costs are directly influenced by the
number of products manufactured. By understanding this distinction, businesses can better allocate
resources, optimize their operations, and control costs effectively.
With intelligent management and a deep understanding of excess capacity costs and throughput
accounting, you can achieve remarkable results in your operations!
 38

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