Process Analysis

One methodology that is often applied in today's industry is the use of the Lean Development concept that was popularised in the automotive industry by Toyota during the mid-1900's. The concept involves prioritising the essential core of the process and always looking to reduce unnecessary waste or production capacity.

To implement the lean methodology in a process, stringent and comprehensive analysis must be completed first in order to best judge the worth of each process. One key example of this analysis would be value stream mapping, where each step within a process is mapped in order to help identify valuable steps and wasteful steps.

Using the lean approach can reduce waste, increase efficiency and lower costs. However, this does not come without drawbacks. Due to the approach's commitment to stable demand and Just-In-Time production, variable demand products can often create supply and demand mismatches between producer and consumer.

Additionally, the approach requires time to implement and complete commitment from the company.

On the other hand, there is a simpler approach that is equally used within industries and even forms part of Lean Methodology: bottleneck analysis.

Here, bottlenecks—which are capacity-limited or dependent steps within a process—are identified and then rectified either by improving the step or by completely removing it.

In order to identify bottlenecks within a process, the whole process needs to be mapped whilst measuring cycle time and throughput within each step.

Bottlenecks can typically be identified by having the lowest capacity, the longest cycle time, and often a queue leading to them. Root causes of a bottleneck can be identified using other process concepts such as the 5 Whys.

By removing bottlenecks, processes can produce more readily and will no longer have a point of dependency on a step within the process that is known to be limited.