1.  Which of the Product Flow Characteristics (line, batch or project) do they operate by? Or do they use a mixture? If a mixture, what is used for what?

• If it's a line process, describe briefly the major processes the product goes through to get built. If it's a batch process, briefly describe the major work centers. It may be quite tempting to give a complete blow-by-blow description of all the steps you saw at the plant, but please avoid that temptation, as I consider it non-value-added and unnecessary work.

• Which "Classification-by-Type-of-Customer-Order" do they use? Make-to-order, make-to-stock, make-to-assembly, or combinations thereof? What leads you to this conclusion?

• Customization:
  • Did you see any evidence of this company attempting to customize its products? If yes, explain what is customized and how the process lent itself to customization or flexible manufacturing.
  • What about the company's ability to add variety to their products? Even if they don't specifically customize for specific customer orders, do they have variety in their product offerings? If yes, how are their processes set up to do that?
  • If you did not witness any customization or variety, why is that? What ideas do you have about how it could incorporate these concepts? How easy or difficult would that be?
• Give some examples of value-added and non-value added steps in the manufacturing process flow. Remember we are using a very specific meaning for these two terms, and if you are unsure, please check them out in Module 5. DO NOT RELY on your own definition or an Internet definition of value added. This is not about what's value added for the customer. Points can't be earned if you use the wrong definition of value and non-value added.
• Was there much waiting time involved between steps? Give some examples of wait times.

1. Quality Principles

Not all of the following questions will be spoken about during the tour.If you take a public tour, please try to arrange a personal interview or phone call with a production manager to help you get additional questions answered. Otherwise conduct a bit of Internet research with such terms as [the type of business you are touring] + quality control, quality standards, quality management practices, etc.:

• Identify a few standards of quality that must be maintained with regard to the production process
• Did you hear or see any evidence of continuous process improvement? Relative to what?
• Did you see or hear any evidence of the company either using statistical process control methods, or utilizing process measurements to ensure quality standards? If so, provide one or two examples and discuss the following: what were they measuring or what were they controlling? How were they measuring it? Who was doing the measuring, a person, or a computerized process? Where in the process were they measuring it? How often? How do they use this information? This section must be addressed even if you are touring a service facility.
• Even if they don't use statistical measurements, how do they ensure standards of quality are maintained? Provide a couple examples of what is measured and how.
• What are the consequences when a process or output is found to be defective?