Principles of work simplification?
These are as follows:
Put National Priorities at the centre of the UN Development
Assistance Framework (UNDAF) - It was agreed that the national
priorities should be at the centre of the UN development framework
planning.
Enhance Programme Effectiveness - The goal of all of
Simplification and Harmonization is to increase both long and short
term programme efficiency, effectiveness (including capacity
building and sustainable development) and accountability (e.g., to
beneficiaries) and reduce transaction costs for governments and UN
staff. Transformation of processes should focus on national
leadership, vision and commitment including accountability and
transparency keeping in mind the ultimate goal of improving
programme effectiveness.
Allow for Flexibility -Simplification and Harmonization by its
very definition allows for flexibility for the UN Country Team and
national partners to apply those Simplification and Harmonization
measures that are appropriate to their country situation and that
take into account the financial management capacities available for
implementation and that empower recipient countries.
Contribute to Capacity Building - The Simplification and
Harmonization must be an instrument towards increased national
capacities. It needs to be built around national systems and
processes and must complement the directions on aid coordination
that governments in programme countries are pursuing.
Link with other Simplification and Harmonization Initiatives -
Simplification and Harmonization process envisages close
collaboration with country offices and national partners, and must
factor in and mutually build on the various efforts at
Simplification and Harmonization, notably of the OECD-DAC, World
Bank and Regional Banks, the EU and others. This will ensure
synergy and complementarity.
Include other agencies - while the various Simplification and
Harmonization measures pertain largely to the four ExCom agencies
that have adopted a common Country Programme approach, a number of
the recommendations could apply to all the UN funds and programmes
and specialized agencies at the country level. The gradual adoption
of some of the elements of the programme approach by the various
other agencies might enable them to align with the other
measures.
Work Simplification has generated billions of dollars through
effectiveness and efficiency for organizations that focused on
their people and gave them tools for continuous improvement. Over
the past two decades, the glamour of electronics has seduced many
organizations into treating their people as expenses rather than
resources. For those organizations whose leaders truly believe that
their people are their most valuable resource, the tools of Work
Simplification are still available - and better than ever.
In 1946, ASME did something that was even then a long time in
the making. They established a set of symbols as the ASME Standard
for Operation and Flow Process Charts. Twenty-five years earlier
Frank and Lillian Gilbreth had presented "Process Charts - First
Steps in Finding the One Best Way" at the Annual Meeting of ASME in
1921. By the time the symbols were standardized they had evolved
into a solid set of five symbols that covered every aspect of work,
in any work environment, that can be used with very little
confusion. The first process charts appeared as a series of symbols
strung down a page in sequential order. This was (and still is) a
simple and effective way to track the flow of a person or a piece
of material through a work process.
- Operation. An operation occurs when an object is arranged or
prepared for another step, assembled or disassembled or
intentionally changed.
- Transportation. A transportation occurs when an object is
moved from one location to another.
- Inspection. An inspection occurs when an object is verified
for quality or quantity in any of its characteristics.
- Delay. A delay occurs when an object waits for the next
planned action.
- Storage. A storage occurs when an object is kept and protected
against unauthorized removal.
In 1932 Allan Mogensen founded Work Simplification, which is
defined as the organized application of common sense. Mogensen used
the process chart (among other tools) to organize and study work
and he drew upon the common sense of the people who did the work
for improvement ideas. Mogensen defended participative improvement
with these words, "The person doing the job knows far more than
anyone else as to the best way of doing that job, and therefore is
the one person best fitted to improve it." It is this human element
of work simplification that distinguishes it from most other
improvement techniques. It is predicated on people who do the work
being involved in the work improvement. It does not treat people,
products and information as inputs and outputs, using accounting
terminology. It regards people as a treasured resource, the
safekeepers of the Corporate (or organizational) memory, which is
the most vital factor in successful continuous improvement!
Mogensen described the process chart as follows. "In order to
achieve measurement, tools are needed and the most important of
these is the process chart." "The process chart is the lifeblood of
work simplification. It is an irreplaceable tool. It is a guide and
stimulant. It takes time to properly utilize but there is
absolutely no doubt that it works."
Mogensen began conducting Work Simplification Conferences at
Lake Placid in 1937 and continued them for nearly 50 years!
(Lillian Gilbreth was part of the original staff returning each
year until the mid sixties.) Ben S. Graham was a student at
Mogensen's 1944 Conference. He was unique in his class in that he
did not come from a manufacturing environment. He learned the
methods of work simplification and adapted them from the machine
shop into the office while directing the paperwork simplification
effort at The Standard Register Company. There he developed the
horizontal process flow chart to accommodate multiple information
flows. He also embraced an employee team approach to process
improvement which is summarized in this statement he made in 1958.
"Participation by the worker in developing the method eliminates
many causes of resistance and assures enthusiastic acceptance. This
is more important than all the techniques put together." He
subsequently joined Mogensen's staff as the resident expert in
paperwork simplification. Graham also introduced two variations of
the operation symbol that were incorporated into a revised ASME
Standard in the early 70s. They are used to show "value-added"
steps in information processing.
A few of the organizations that have embraced work
simplification in the past include Texas Instruments (Former CEO
Pat Haggerty described work simplification as "TI's most effective
program for fostering personal involvement at all levels of the
organization while yielding tangible benefits to the company."),
Maytag (Former CEO Daniel J. Krumm stated "Work Simplification
plays an integral part in Maytag's total cost-reduction efforts and
makes a significant contribution year after year."), Procter &
Gamble (In 1983, realized nearly 1 billion dollars in first year
savings as a result of work simplification), Ford
(Ford-Connersville annual first year savings increased from
$400,000 to $10 million during 11 years of applying work
simplification. Savings in administrative processes grew from
$820,00 to 1.5 million in 3 years.), Standard Register (Introduced
work simplification to the office environment, the first to offer
business process improvement to clients to support the sales of new
information systems), and the US Navy (Over a period of 14 years,
about 250 projects produced a typical annual return over $150,000
per project.)
These days, processes change so fast that many organizations
have failed to keep up. Their work is undocumented and as changes
are made the complexity mounts. The simple and effective approach
of Work Simplification has more to offer than it ever had. However,
its use is not widespread. It appears that many organizations are
focusing their attention on purchasing solutions for their business
rather than mastering their work themselves. Where the purchased
solutions lead to downsizing, the corporate memory is discarded
leaving the organization dependent on those from whom they
purchased their processes.
The Work Simplification approach utilizes the corporate memory
rather than discarding it. It counters increasing complexity with
continuous improvement and enables the work force to be the masters
of their processes. It is on the program at many universities and
it is being applied in increasing numbers of organizations across
the US and Canada; in South America, Europe and Australia as these
companies seek to regain control of their operations.
New methods for studying work are introduced on a regular basis.
Usually they focus effectively on one or another aspect of
improvement but they often fail because they do not deal rigorously
with the work itself. This is a good time to look back and discover
again a simple tool that visually displays processes in a universal
language that can be readily understood by anyone who wants to
understand.
Today, if you are pursuing six sigma or lean manufacturing; if
you are using kaisan or value stream mapping, if you are managing
your supply chain, developing a b2b strategy, establishing an
electronic commerce presence, managing day to day internal
operations or documenting your processes for certification or
audit, understanding the fundamental steps in your work processes
will help you get those things done. Work Simplification helps you
get there…faster, cheaper and better!