Quality Action Teams - Organizational Dynamics Inst

1 Quality Action Teams uilding Quality into Daily WorkSenior management was clearly committed to total Quality . The company s senior vicepresidents and divisional managing directors had already participated in Quality Strate-gy and Planningsessions led by ODI. Enthusiasm was running high. Now it was time tobring the Quality vision to life. Our top priority was to support our line managers, recalls the company s director of Quality . We had to help them build Quality into daily work. To translate its commitment to Quality into measurable results, the company needed a proventeam problem-solving system a consistent, pragmatic approach that would empower 90,000managers and employees worldwide to continuously improve their own work processes.

2 Thecompany implemented ODI s Quality Action Teamsprogram. Managers, employees, and executives learned how to work together side byside to systematically gather and analyze data on critical work processes,explore new and better ways to get work done, and execute solutions. Withina year, a coordinated network of more than 150 Quality Action Teams tookshape throughout the company s twelve divisions. The results were dramatic. Employees perceived stronger and moresystematic support for all kinds of customer-focused innovation. And theexpanding network of Quality Action Teams produced a wealth ofmeasurable, lasting improvements in Quality and customer satisfaction concrete results that helped the company win the Malcolm Baldrige NationalQuality Award.

3 Managers and employees working in Quality Action Teams Reduced the cycle time required to complete key work processes, leading to documentedimprovements in operating efficiency and more consistent on-time delivery of service tocustomers Developed new standard operating procedures that reduced customer complaints by nearly 200,000 per year Eliminated costly and potentially life-threatening safety hazards from transport operationsBEmpowerment is the decisivecomponent of total qualitybecause empoweredemployees,managers, and professionalsgeneratethe tangible resultsthat make total Quality manage-ment (TQM) such a soundinvestment.

4 But empowerment entailsmuch more than granting people permission to improve Quality . To reallymake a difference,your people need Analytical and inter-personal skillsto solvequality problems and continuously improve work processes A clear Quality team structureto pool their ideas and abilitiesCustomer ComplaintsFor team MembersFor team members, Quality Action Teamsprovides video-supported training that introduces and illustrates eachphase of the FADE process, reinforces total Quality principles and skills, and provides models for applyingFADE problem-solving skills and tools.

5 team members receive the Guide for team Members,which includes a team Member Workbook, a PocketGuide reference booklet outlining important total quali-ty principles and tools, and a set of convenientAction Cards that summarize importantQuality Action Teamsskills Managers andTeam Lead-ers In addition tothe training pro-vided to teammembers, yourmanagers and teamleaders participate invideo-supported trainingdeveloped specifically toprepare them for their vitalrole in implementing QualityAction Guide for Managers and TeamLeaders includes all the materialsreceived by team members, plus indi-vidual development plans for buildingteam leadership skills and readings ontotal Quality leadership.

6 team leaders alsoreceive a Quality Action TeamsProject Booklet for track-ing the progress of their Teams and documenting processimprovement outcomes. Quality Action Teams ODI s Quality Action Teams (QAT) helps your company meet both of these vital needs skills and prepare your people to build Quality into daily work within their own functionor department and across functions throughout your organization. At the core of Quality Action Teamsis a four-step problem-solvingand process improvement sequence called FADE. A remarkably diverse spectrum of service and manufactur-ing organizations now use the FADE problem-solvingapproach.

7 Further, people are successfully applyingFADE in virtually all functions and at all organizationallevels. The reason for the consistent applicability ofFADE is clear: All work can be seen as a process, andFADE is a practical approach for improving workprocesses and solving Quality , Quality Action Teamsteaches your people how toapply more than twenty proven analytical and processimprovement tools to reduce cycle time, solve and preventquality problems, and increase customer satisfaction. Last, but certainly not least, Quality Action Teamsteaches your man-agers and team leaders how to drive and support continuous processimprovement.

8 Specifically, your managers and team leaders learn how to Form and focus Teams on priority improvement opportunities Make team meetings and activities highly productive Track the progress of Teams as they proceed through FADE Recognize team achievement and document the impact of continuous improvement activities Use the FADE approach to replicate Quality advances in all parts of your organization Your managers and team leaders form the nucleus of an organization-wide support structure that empowers yourquality Action Teams to innovate, eliminate unnecessary costs of Quality , and continuously improve Quality andcustomer Materials and ServicesThe following Quality Action Teamstraining materials and services are available:Set of six videocassettesGuides for Managers and team Leaders Guides for team MembersFacilitator ManualsFacilitator workshopsODI-led quick-start teamsDecide whatyou need toknowCollect data.

9 Baselines/patternsDetermineinfluentialfa ctorsList ofmostinfluentialfactorsBaselinedataDeve lopimplementationplanSelectsolutionGener atepromisingsolutionsSolution forproblemA plan forimplementationMonitorimpactExecutepla nGaincommitmentOrgani-zational commitmentExecutedplanRecord ofimpactWritten statement of problemGeneratelist ofproblemsSelect oneproblemVerify/defineproblemFocusAnaly zeDevelopExecuteInnovation transfer3 Brainstorming3 Checksheet33 Fishbone diagram3 Presentation3 Flowchart33 Measuring and monitoringImpact analysis3 Checklist3 Cost-benefit analysis3 Sampling33 Building individual support3 Force-field analysis3 Survey3 Action plan333 Multivoting333 Specifications and control limitsData-gathering plan3 Problem statement3 Selection grid3 Standard operating procedure3 Basic descriptive charts33 Pareto analysis3333333333333333333 Facilitator CertificationODI will certify individuals from your organization to serve as facilitators of Quality Action Teams .

10 Facilitatorcertification prepares your people to train their colleagues in Quality Action Teamsconcepts and processimprovement skills. We also prepare your in-house facilitators to become active and effective champions of totalquality, even after their training duties have been are several reasons why your organization may want to consider facilitator certification. Many employeesfind it easier to accept and assimilate new skills and approaches when they are presented by someone from insidetheir organization. Your trained facilitators can help sustain total Quality commitment over the long term byencouraging involvement in the process and by providing timely and expert assistance to your Teams .