In an earlier post, our client successfully acquired the simpler PC-based CAD (computer aided design) system. They passed on the premature major CAD CAM purchase

Phil is the engineer on the system. At one point, they were correcting 11% of his drawings. The general manager asked him why. Phil simply said "each of my drawings a reviewed at least twice by salesman and supervisors. Given that process, I treat each drawing as a draft."

When asked what would happen if we took away the check steps, the simple answer was. "I guess I would have to do it right the first time. It would seem quicker."


Believe it or not it worked well. Let people know you are taking away the nets.

Eliminate review steps

Sounds crazy! You can make things simpler and better by eliminating review or check steps. Some stay, most go. They occur from a situation, an exception or when employee was new. The idea is, by eliminating you reduce the process steps in time and work and improve quality.


Improved quality?
Keaton was the customer service manager for a printing supply distributor. She proposed to the owner and president she be allowed to approve customer credits up to $500 from $35.

Fortunately, everyone asked her why before they said no. "Customers object to long return processes. If you solve issues immediately you can replace the product and possibly make an even in larger sale." That was easy to buy.

But she was not finished

"Today how many credits do we process over $35? How do you review them? How many do you approve?"

"I did the research. We process an average of 270 credits per month. I use months, because it is your approval process cycle. I put them in your boxes, and once a month you to review them. This interferes with the entire concept of customer service."

Just as the president and owner are prepared to commit to doing it every week, she chimed in "you have never turned one down."

Think of the things that didn't have to be done!

Strategically simpler

Among the most powerful simplification concepts is DFMA -design for manufacturing and assembly. The focus is reducing the number of parts in a product design. The place to look is a company named Boothroyd and Dewhurst. In preparation for one of our quarterly executive development session they used one of our most popular products. In two weeks of preparation they had reduced the part count from 76 to 42 parts.

They modestly suggested
"we don't know the part as well as you, therefore, we may have taken some inappropriate shortcuts". No one wanted to challenge.

Their point less parts to pay for, no purchasing support, no moving or storage costs. Less parts require less assembly, have no inventory requirements and on.

Stroll through what is possible. They of course are their best spokesperson. Go to their website http://www.dfma.com/ to see examples of meaningful successes among products you know. These are great examples of marrying "what is possible" to simpler101

President George Bush awards the founders of Boothroyd Dewhurst, Inc., the National Medal of Technology "for their concept, development and commercialization of Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA), which has dramatically reduced costs, improved product quality, and enhanced the competitiveness of major U.S. manufacturers."