Operations management is an essential aspect of any business because it helps to improve various processes to achieve better performance. There are two types of techniques in operations management: analysis and improvement. Tools and techniques used for analysis aim to identify problems and assess their causes, and thus, they assist in planning improvement efforts. For example, process mapping is the primary analysis tool because it helps to understand the sequence of activities in a given project. Process mapping consists of producing a systematic representation of a process and the key steps involved in it using flow charts or other types of diagrams. This tool is useful because it can pinpoint the stage of a process that causes errors or issues and address it specifically. It also helps to apply improvements without disrupting the flow of operations.
Another analysis tool used in many organisations is a quality circle, which involves a group of workers who analyse problems and find solutions. According to Barnes, this technique is useful for analysis because managers might have a limited view of the problem and often require further insight into it. Therefore, creating a group of workers who are familiar with operations and the particular process in question can help to analyse issues more effectively. Once the data has been gathered and the source of an issue has been identified, operations managers need to redesign the process to eliminate the problem. There are several tools that can be used to do that, and they can be applied to different businesses and processes.
Firstly, the EFQM excellence model offers a comprehensive approach to operations management that focuses on building organisational capacity, sustainability, and value for customers. From the viewpoint of process improvement, the model can be applied to outline the desired results and create changes in leadership required to facilitate the change. However, the EFQM model is best used as a comprehensive approach to achieving excellence in all areas of activity. This is because the principles involved in the model cover all organisational areas, including talent management, creativity and innovation, leadership, management, organisational learning, sustainability, and value creation. The implementation of the EFQM model could thus target the entire scope of activities in the organisation, with operations improvement as one of the desired results.
Secondly, impact analysis is another tool that can be used for process reengineering. Impact analysis aims to outline the influence of various solutions on a process, company, or performance. To apply the technique, operations managers need to link potential solutions to their outcomes using their knowledge about operations and processes. Quality circles can be used to gain more information for impact analysis, thus increasing the possibility of making the correct choice of a solution.
Thirdly, benchmarking is a potent tool for improving business processes because it can help to ensure adherence to standards and regulations. In applying this tool, managers create a solution by comparing the current process to standards or alternatives with regards to structure, performance, and other features. For instance, managers can draw comparisons between two internal processes, one of which has excellent performance, or between a problematic process in their company and its alternative process used by a competitor. Comparisons with guidelines, regulations, and standards can also be made in specific industries where processes are highly regulated. In all cases, benchmarking can help to find solutions that fit the company and would help to achieve positive business process outcomes.
Total quality management is a potent approach to enhance operations in various business settings. According to Barnes, “TQM is best thought of as a philosophy rather than the application of any particular set of techniques.” This means that there is a great variety of tools available in TQM, including quality circles, fishbone charts, Pareto principle, and many others. However, managers who work with the TQM approach are free to choose the tools that would be helpful for enhancing processes in their organisation. Most often, managers using this approach apply quality monitoring, five whys and fishbone analyses, check sheets, and flow charts to gain insight into processes and improve them.
In order for any of the tools above to be successful, it is critical for operations managers to apply resource planning, change management, and evaluation metrics. Resource planning is an essential step in the improvement process because it ensures that a company has enough funds, time, employees, and materials to implement change. Resource planning is connected to leadership and management because it usually involves assessing the risks and benefits of the improvement and taking responsibility for adverse consequences.
Change management is the process of communicating and explaining the change to employees while also tracking progress and managing any challenges that arise in the process. Change management is crucial because planned change can result in both positive and negative effects. In the absence of adequate change management, a change often results in employee resistance, disengagement, and dissatisfaction, thus inhibiting the implementation process. Change management helps to engage employees in the planned change, thus ensuring its success. Finally, regular review and evaluation based on established metrics are needed to maintain positive results in the long term. For example, managers might monitor the performance of a redesigned process by determining product variability, quality, cost-effectiveness, return on investment, and many other metrics. This process will help to maintain the progress achieved by improvement, thus resulting in better performance.