Reinventing Manufacturing 

Don't generate any more rules and paperwork than are needed. Well educated people with clear missions need less of this. Where it's not enough, well written and simple policies will often provide adequate guidance. Where that's not sufficient, one may need to add specific procedures. Install checkpoints, logs, controls only when they are really needed to gain control of a tricky situation.

Have clear lines of accountability. Accountability can only result when there is authority, responsibility, and ad­equate tools to get the job done.

Utilize a small number of simple metrics, linked to mission, goals, and objectives. Communicate the results, and take corrective actions, if warranted.

Some people would have you believe that inductive, ratio­nal thinking is the best way to reengineer a process. It ain't necessarily so. Alfred Nobel invented dynamite, which funded the Nobel Prize, mostly by accident. Federal Express was based on an idea to transfer Federal bank funds overnight. Brainstorming sessions may take half-baked or unrelated ideas and transform them into power­ful, creative change concepts.

Use customers, consultants, outsiders, games, your spouse, whatever will help generate ideas that break the confines of the existing approach.

Use outsiders, such as consultants and educators to teach your people, provide temporary reinforcement, and skills needed only sporadically. Build the core of leadership and ownership internally when permanent resources are re­quired. Think of outsiders as "jumper cables."

The ideal team size seems to be 3-8. More is unwieldy- a "committee," less is harder to attain critical mass. If you need others to help gain consensus, provide technical advice, etc., bring them in on an as needed basis, as consultants. For example, if you're reengineering the purchase requisitioning process, don't have all 117 people who write, process, and approve these on the design team. Assemble a small team of the best and brightest. Have them consult some of the others, and ultimately either review or provide write-ups of the proposed changes to the others for advice and consent.

Don't assume that the teams will be self-managing, espe­cially if they don't have a track record of doing so. At a minimum, even very good teams benefit from help with key

parameters, such as mission, objectives, metrics. Less competent teams may need help with their own process of accomplishing things, as well as technical subject matter assistance. Seeding teams with well-trained team players is helpful.