‘This made the delivery of the building faster,’ says Wood.
But it is important that we can demonstrate that the analysis leading to this point is robust and that we have properly considered every angle.This is also a benefit when there are any late entrants to the discussion, to assure them that the analysis and enquiry have been thorough and rigorous.. Case study: an extensive pharmaceutical manufacturing site.
In one recent project, we worked on the quality assurance (QA) elements of our client’s operation.QA covered four distinct areas of manufacturing, both primary and secondary, and small and large module, split across two campuses and 13 separate testing laboratories, each conducting variety of tests and other QA processes It is not hard to imagine the complexity that engendered.And while many people had an understanding of parts of the process, no-one had a complete understanding of the whole picture.. We gathered, consolidated and agreed enormous amounts of site and process data with the client and then assessed, in a variety of ways, each of their laboratories.
We gave each laboratory a consolidated, weighted score based on their effectiveness and considering any known issues (always using visualisations and the agreed common language).. We produced visual analytics of the entire web of processes on site in a way that was clear and, as a result, very powerful: it gave the client the tools to be able not just to see and understand their complex processes in their relative context, but also to discuss them with each other (regardless of specialism and teams) and senior management.. We could then map this analysis against a range of desired objectives and value drivers, to describe dependencies, adjacencies and requirements, and how to be able to measure outputs.We presented a wide range of variables, for example: density of operations in laboratories by m2; activity in terms of people per m2; test time by laboratory and category of test; laboratory capacity by time taken per test, and by number of tests carried out per year; and so on..
This gave the client a clear way to see the most pressing requirements, and an initial indication of how to prioritise and plan the way ahead.. We carried out further analysis of the full scope of what is covered by ‘Quality Assurance’ – from the routine to the exceptional – and what impact this activity has on value in the client’s manufacturing process (cost, speed, quality and flexibility, for example)..
Finally, we offered options for strategic direction for improvement, combined with comprehensive and highly detailed potential improvements (using the 5S method).The important thing is to fully understand the outcomes clients are aiming to achieve, he says, be it speed, greatest flexibility, or lowest costs.
That’s why Bryden Wood likes the term.Design to Value.
The goal here is to design things with lean construction principles: using the least amount of material, handled the fewest number of times, delivered quickly, with the right information, and without waste.. Aiming to realise these lean construction goals, regardless of whether that occurs on-site or off-site, is the real objective.Once this level of understanding is in place, informed decisions can be made about the most effective ways to go about making things happen.. Johnston says this includes decisions about the level of granularity of component standardisation which is required, as well as whether work is best done on-site or off-site.