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Themes Identified for Successful Work Cells

Part of many "lean manufacturing" operations are cross-functional combinations of people and equipment called "work cells" that create a deliverable from start to finish. For example, according to this study a Fortune 500 manufacturer of industrial equipment created cells to handle change orders; this reduced order processing time from two months to one day and reduced errors to near zero. The concept has been applied in service firms as well.

The authors say "real cells" have:

Space Linkages: Human and technical resources are close together and "includes all the necessary skill sets and processing capabilities a product or service family will require."
Time Linkages: Physical layout and work routines allow work to flow quickly between stations.
Information Linkages: Layout and routines allow information about the work to flow easily; for example, the layout does not "prevent people from seeing or speaking to one another…"

The researchers followed 16 firms "reported to be using cell concepts effectively" for 10 years. By visiting sites, observing work, and interviewing workers, they discovered "five universal themes characterizing cells with long lives and absent where cells floundered or were disbanded" (directly quoted below):

To Create and Sustain Cells over Time:

Involve Operators: They will have insights to offer and a vested interest in designing a well-functioning cell. Moreover, participation in design and implementation will prepare operators to improve and adapt the cell over time…
Leverage the Cell's Power for Continued Process Improvement: Create a culture that makes the most of the cell's rich potential for ongoing improvement.
Ensure that Design and Climate are Primed for Adaptation: …Cells that are positioned to adapt over time will have a greater life expectancy. Adaptability tactics include: movable equipment, cross-trained workers, a mind-set of quick response, and so forth.
Design and Maintain a Supportive Infrastructure: Maintenance, engineering support, material planning and control, compensation, and information systems must fit and support the new cell architecture.
Maintain an Appropriate Measurement System: Select a balanced set of customer-focused metrics and make them available to operators. You get what you measure.

Regarding the first theme, the authors present two examples of companies that reorganized to cells without involving the line workers in the decision-making. In both cases, the cells failed. Later each company tried again, this time with heavy line participation, and were successful.

An example of the CQI theme is a company that had a mandatory suggestion program; 40 hours of training (split between required and elective topics); rewards for improvements; and time and resources allowed for improvement efforts, such as weekly meeting times and occasional five-day "improvement events."

Source: Hyer, N., and K. Brown (03), "Work Cells with Staying Power: Lessons for Process-Complete Operations," California Management Review 46(1):27.

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