Many organisations attempt to improve by striving to learn the “secrets of world class organisations” and by implementing various projects, initiatives and programmes. Yet, despite this, few organisations have achieved sustainable success.
One of the main reasons for this is that it is often not appreciated that successful companies follow a comprehensive approach towards continuous operations improvement – they address various aspects of improvement in an integrated way, communicated with one consistent framework. Such companies also involve people at all levels and they successfully establish an internal capability and culture for improvement.
20 Keys is the vehicle towards continuous improvement
- Create a culture of continuous improvement in the business.
- Implement world class practices in the organisation in a sustainable, holistic and participative way.
- Benchmark yourself against world class practices.
The 20 Keys system was developed in Japan by Iwao Kobayashi when he, after completing industrial studies at university, joined Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Soon after joining them, he developed the first mixed-lot automated assembly line in Japan (and arguably in the world). He was also known as the expert in Japan on quick changeover technology, and shared learning experiences with other great Japanese engineers like Taiicho Ohno, and Shigeo Shingeo. Practical, in the workplace learning together with inputs from employees, the shopfloor and production technologies, led to the development of the 20 Keys. He later authorised a timeless book on productivity improvement, “20 Keys to Workplace Improvement’.
Aims
- Implement best practices to achieve world class, operational excellence.
- Achieve the strategic goals of the business.
- Improve the speed of learning and innovation of the business.
- Identify and eliminate all forms of waste (non-value adding activities) to improve customer satisfaction and market share by making products and services better, faster and cheaper.
- Energise and motivate all employees to work towards the achievement of goals.
- Improve productivity, profitability and the long-term sustainable competitiveness of the business
Features
- Comprises of 20 very practical and synergistically integrated key methods required to strengthen the organisation’s delivery system, focusing on making products and services better, faster and cheaper.
- 20 Keys is the roadmap towards a World Class company.
- Creates a common vision of where we are (AS-IS), and where we want to be (TO-BE), as well as establishing a common language for improvement.
- A well-proven methodology for sustainable business improvement.
- A comprehensive benchmarking system, used in-house to monitor improvement progress that utilises visual descriptions (maps) and detailed checksheets to depict the levels of improvement towards world class performance.
- Involves everyone in the organisation on all levels and functions.
- Builds upon and strengthens current initiatives (ISO, HACCP, 6 Sigma, Lean, CRM, etc.)
Benefits
20 Keys involves all employees in the accomplishment of the overall company goals – improved quality, reduced costs, improved delivery (throughput time) and service, high morale and a safe work environment. Many companies report significant improvements in terms of,
- productivity increases (up to 200%),
- reduction of defects / errors (up to 80%),
- reduction of inventory / WIP (up to 50%),
- significant cost reductions (up to 20% overall),
- strengthening the skills of all employees,
- improved morale,
- better communication and an understanding of the business goals and issues influencing those goals, with an overall benchmark score improvement of 20 – 40 points over a three year period.
The 20 Keys
Other Services
Additional 20 Keys Services
20 Keys E-Consulting Support
We are offering an online service for 20 Keys training and implementation support. The service, based on the 20 Keys system, is tailored to your specific needs, and according to the stage of your operations excellence journey.
Support varies from individual and group-training sessions, to Key Leader action plan progress reviews, and next steps discussions, using specific tools and techniques, implementation of small group projects, and any other relevant support. The service is available on an hourly basis; scheduled according to your availability, time constraints, and convenience.
This service is in addition to the 20 Keys E-Learning courses (for each of the 20 Keys) that are also offered online.
20 Keys E-Learning Courses
A substantial number of learners have registered for these courses, and have completed them.
The courses consist of studying a particular Key (the manual is available online), then doing a Quiz on it, which must be passed (a few tries are allowed), after which the learner needs to complete a practical, in the workplace, project.
All instructions are available online. Evidence on the project is then submitted online, with relevant documentation, statistics, photos, etc. It is marked, with comments and advice on strengthening it (a few tries/refinements are allowed). When the project is accepted, a Completion of Course Certificate is issued. For organisations, the benefit is not just more understanding of the Keys, but tangible Quality, Cost Effectiveness, Delivery, Safety, and Morale improvements from the projects.
ODI provides support, and where more than one person enrolls per Key, we also have WhatsApp groups (per Key), where questions and advice are discussed.
To access these courses, please go to the E-Learning ODI Academy.
In support of Continuous Operations Improvement
Supervision Benchmarking and Coaching System
The system aims at equipping first-line managers with the essential knowledge and skills to:
- Develop, lead, and inspire productive workplace teams.
- Ensure that all team members are involved.
- Obtain operational targets.
- Implement improvements.
- Implement corrective actions.
Module 1: Mini-business Manager
Establishing the team as a mini-business and managing the team as a business with its own goals, customers and suppliers, etc.
Module 2: Team Leader
Providing the supervisor with the knowledge and skills necessary to lead and motivate an outstanding team.
Module 3: Team Coach
Strengthing coaching skills to develop both the team and the individual team members for continuois improvement.
Module 4: People Manager
Focusing on people management skills for achieving results and the best performance from the team.
Module 5: Workplace Relations Builder
Developing productive relations with team members, the unions, colleagues and other management levels.
Module 6: Effective Communicator
Communicating clearly and effectively with the team, collegues and other management levels.
Profile scoring is done as follows for each of the areas benchmarked:
- Needs to be improved
- Fully Competent
- Exceptional
The rating is plotted, and regularly reviewed on a chart, to continue with development and coaching. This is not a performance evaluation, but an opportunity for both the line manager and the first-line manager to learn, and to develop.
Based on the benchmarking scores, an overall development plan is developed for each first-line manager.
To track development, the benchmarking score is done on a regular basis, and plotted on a graph.
Focused Improvement Projects
As part of our integrated approach of strengthening operations capability in people, processes, and technology, we also focus on high impact initiatives, done with a small group of in-company people, with the aim to bring about focused, bottom line improvements, over a short period of time.
- Implementing lean workflow principles.
- Improving various aspects of cost effectiveness, like productivity of people and machines, skills versatility, improving yield, saving energy and material, and addressing the root causes of quality problems.
- Implementing best practice project management production planning and scheduling approaches, and systems.
- Implementing machine/equipment performance management systems (OEE).
- Value Stream Mapping, and process improvement.
- Improving material handling, and flow.
- Production capacity, and line balancing.
- Analysing and improving work methods.
- Setting and reviewing time standards.
- Activity sampling for improving value adding work rates.
- Production line/equipment changeover time reduction.
- Designing and implementing KANBAN systems.
Customised Continuous Improvement Programmes
Over the period of its existence, ODI has successfully implemented continuous business improvement principles in a wide variety of industries. We have developed a systematic improvement framework for a number of clients, to guide their improvement drive globally, using examples relevant to their industry and company, and also using the clients’ look and feel.
- De Beers Consolidated Mining.
- Cadbury Schweppes plc.
- Foskor Mining.
- SARS (South African Revenue Service).
- Sasol.
- Morupule Coal Mine, Botswana.
PPORF 20 Keys Programme
Accreditation
Exclusive rights to market and implement the PPORF 20 Keys Programme in Southern Africa.