Process Improvement Plan (PIP) Project

Purpose:

Through completion of this project you will demonstrate your ability to:

Apply problem-solving and decision support tools to solve operations and supply chain related problems.

Overview

This is a multiweek project that you will work on throughout the semester. Submit section 1 and 2 in week 13 and your Final PIP in week 16.

The project contributes significantly (225 points) towards your final grade.

Choose an existing process that is related to a operations and supply chain problem. You should be familiar with or have access to learn about the process in detail. The materials and topics covered throughout the duration of the course shall provide the basis of knowledge needed to complete the assignment in accordance with the Rubric provided.

Review the information below for additional details and project template.

Step 1 Identify the process

At the root of every issue is a process that has an issue.

Think of issues in your life outside of school. Maybe someone has an issue with ants in the kitchen?

Do most kitchens have ants in them inherently? Is the problem that needs to be resolved the ants? Or the issues that have caused the ants to live in your kitchen?

In supply chain and operations when we have issues with a supplier we often initially want to treat the symptom (or short-term issue) to keep production and customer service from being interrupted. When we have secured the materials required for production, prudent Supply Chain and Operations professionals will conduct an analysis to find the root cause of the problem. Their goal is to help correct a process that has caused problems in their organization.

There are many approaches to analysis which we will begin to explore in the coming weeks. One of the more common (and common sense rooted) methods for identifying the root cause process that needs to be corrected is referred to as the 5 Whys.

The 5 Whys (5Y)technique(.docx) - utilized to explore the cause-and-effect relationships underlying an issue within a process or organization. The desired outcome of the technique is to identify and understand the root cause of issues by asking "Why?" until we understand the root cause of the problem. Each answer forms the basis of the next question.

An example of this can be found in a process improvement plan for Chipotles E-coli issues. The issue may have been the E-coli outbreak, but that was not the process that needed to be improved. The 5Y analysis determined that the root cause of the E-coli issue at Chipotle was an issue with the supplier quality process. You would typically dive down through four or five Ys and you will eventually find the process that failed.

This is an example of the 5Y analysis:

Why are Chipotle customers are getting sick from eating meat products at their stores?

The customers are getting sick from meat tainted with E-coli.

Why did Chipotle have an e-coli outbreak?

Because they had tainted meat

Why did they have tainted meat?

The suppliers provided meat that did not meet Chipotle's standards

Why did the meat not meet Chipotle's standards?

They did not adhere to the supplier quality standards of Chipotle.

Read through the 5 Whys attachment below for additional detail and examples .

Step 2 Review steps

Review the Process Improvement Plan template and Process Improvement sample provided below.

A rubric provides information about how your PIP will be assessed