Winning the year has to start with winning the day. And to do that, you have to know what’s really happening in your business every shift, every hour, every minute. Having instant access to real-time business performance data on KPI metrics, along with a smart way to visualize that data, lets you know when you’re on track—and when you’re not. It lets you better understand exactly what’s happening in the business, what issues need to be addressed, and what are the required actions, so you can make your daily goals, and ultimately achieve your higher-level objectives. With good daily performance management research shows that you’ll be better at making and sustaining operational gains.
Daily Performance Management Depends On Good Visual Controls
In a report by the National Center for the Middle Market and Dr. Peter Ward, a professor of operational management at The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business, daily management is identified as one of four operational excellence subsystems that companies need to improve if they want to meet their operational objectives.
Specifically, the Center’s report advises companies to use visual controls that report on metrics such as production goals, defect rates, and safety measures, as a means of tracking daily progress, providing a quick indication of the status of operations, and coordinating activities. But, fewer than one in five firms strongly agree that such visual controls are maintained at all levels of the organization.
In other words, half of companies don’t have the data they need to know whether or not operations are on track. And since you can’t improve what you can’t see, these companies risk missing their daily goals, thus putting their annual performance goals and objectives in jeopardy.
Real-Time Data Delivers the Insight You Need
As the Center contends, making performance data visible to everyone—through centrally-located whiteboards, for example—can go a long way toward helping operations people improve performance. They can see the day’s goals at a glance and where they stand in terms of meeting those objectives.
However, to truly be effective, those visual controls must be based on reliable, up-to-date data. By leveraging cloud-based digital manufacturing software, such as the Dploy Solution, companies can consolidate business performance data from multiple systems to deliver one source of truth about what’s currently happening in their operations, where problems exist and what is being done about it. Essentially, their visual controls become exponentially more valuable because businesses can trust them to be accurate and up-to-the-minute. Additionally, because software is in the cloud, everyone in the business, from the lower levels up, can get a comprehensive view of progress across the business.
How Cloud-Based Technology Can Keep You on Track
Dploy Solutions robust KPI Management capabilities not only keeps your operations on track with higher level strategic objectives, it empowers employees to drive the actions needed to achieve their goals every hour of every day by:
Making data visible.
Dploy Solutions KPI Management capabilities uses online visual dashboards to show performance targets and results by hour, shift, and day, for indicators such as safety, quality, delivery, cost, productivity, and other key measures. Because the information is digital, it is always up to date and can’t be erased, the way manual boards can. Leaders and operations staff can keep tabs on the business all day, every day, and they know right away when something is off track, in time to do something about it.Driving accountability
Operations people from the lowest level up have the data they need to make proactive, confident business decisions. They can act on misses and often correct problems themselves without having to involve upper management. Management can see at a glance what’s being done, by who, to get business performance back on track. Leaders can stay informed without having to be hands-on in resolving every problem. Mobile access to this data is critical to keep associates and leaders connected on daily progress, even when other priorities pulls them away.
Aligning the team
Web-based data visualization tools can be used during quick, daily meetings, where everyone gathers to review progress, discuss any misses, and talk about what’s being done to correct problems. When the data is always front and center, everyone stays on the same page and works together toward common goals.
Surfacing the drivers of performance problems
Beyond painting a picture of daily progress, Dploy’s KPI Management gives the larger view, allowing manufacturers to view performance trends over the past week, month, or year, and to drill down into top drivers of performance successes and problems. Leaders can use the data to identify process breaks and how those breaks affect overall strategy. A comprehensive view into the business is the only way leaders can make accurate and confident decisions to drive organizations forward.
Use Your Data to Sustain Your Gains
The Center’s research clearly demonstrates the importance of effective daily management. When your daily management activities are empowered by accurate, real-time business performance data, you’ll be in a much better position to make the right decisions to achieve—and maintain—operational excellence across your enterprise.
New Management System eGuide Available Now
To learn more about the role of daily management in sustaining operational improvements, download our eGuide: Sustaining Your Operations Powerhouse today.
