Standardizing and Improving Product Workflows
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27 September 2022
Activity
The focus of the COE initiative was on how World Courier customer packaging jobs were processed. The team analyzed the end-to-end value stream from initial customer order to package creation to product pickup and finally to delivery of the product. The team worked with various stakeholder groups across the company that were directly involved in the processes or supported the processes, such as Customer Service and Brokerage.
The working group started by developing value stream maps for each of the product workflows to identify waste and flow issues. In every process, the team began to more consistently and accurately capture defect data to drive root causes by creating pareto charts and using Five Whys and Ishikawa diagrams to perform analysis. Next the team brainstormed potential countermeasures to improve, refine, and standardize the operational processes in New Hyde Park. The team created flow in the process by moving workstations, implementing 5S+ at each station, and instituting visual management.
The team updated standard operating procedures and work instructions to standardize the process. The team also implemented pull by instituting Kanban. All team members received Lean training with many attending the AmerisourceBergen Continuous Improvement Basic Course earning the LCS Level 1a certification.
