Unlocking Efficiency: Best Practices for Effective Time Studies

Time studies are a cornerstone of process improvement but doing them right requires more than a stopwatch and a clipboard. Over the years, I’ve learned that proper planning and execution can make all the difference in identifying meaningful opportunities for improvement. Here are some best practices I swear by:

🔍 Define your goals clearly. Before starting, understand what you’re measuring and why. Are you looking to reduce cycle times, improve task sequencing, or balance workloads? A clear goal keeps the study focused and actionable.

📋 Standardize before you measure. Time studies work best on standardized processes. If everyone is doing a task differently, your data won’t give you the insights you need. Start by ensuring consistency in work methods.

⏱️ Use the right tools. Whether it’s a stopwatch, a video recorder, or time-study software, use tools that ensure accuracy. Video recordings can be invaluable for analyzing tasks in detail later.

👥 Involve the team. Engage the people performing the tasks. Explain the purpose of the study and get their input on pain points. Their insights are often the key to uncovering hidden inefficiencies.

📊 Capture more than just time. Don’t just measure how long something takes. Note interruptions, delays, and ergonomic challenges. These contextual factors are often the root cause of inefficiencies.

🔄 Repeat for accuracy. A single observation may not reflect the norm. Conduct multiple observations at different times to account for variability and establish reliable benchmarks. Additionally, it’s important to help the team get used to the presence of someone with a clipboard or stopwatch. Explain that the time study is not about finding fault or punishing individuals—it’s about improving processes. Building trust ensures accurate data and encourages collaboration.

💡 Turn data into action. Data alone doesn’t improve processes—actions do. Use your findings to identify bottlenecks, redesign workflows, or balance workloads.

Time studies, when done right, empower teams to work smarter, not harder. They reveal opportunities to boost efficiency and improve quality.

Have you conducted a time study before? What challenges or successes have you experienced? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Debunking Common Process Improvement Myths: Are These Holding Your Business Back?

When I talk to business leaders about improving their processes, I often hear misconceptions that can derail or delay progress. Let’s tackle a few of these myths and uncover the truth that leads to meaningful change.

Myth #1: Process improvement is only for manufacturing

While process improvement has its roots in manufacturing, its principles—like reducing waste, standardizing workflows, and focusing on customer value—apply to any industry. Whether you’re running a school, a restaurant, or a tech startup, improving how work gets done benefits everyone.

Myth #2: It’s too expensive and time-consuming

Not all improvements require major investments. Small changes, like reorganizing workspaces or tweaking the workflow, can yield big results. For example, a client I worked with reduced cycle time by 34 minutes for a 50-unit lot by transitioning to single-piece flow—a low-cost change that made a massive impact.

Myth #3: You’ll achieve perfection

Process improvement is not about achieving perfection; it’s about creating a culture of continuous improvement. There’s always room to adapt, innovate, and get better over time.

Myth #4: Employees will resist change

Resistance often comes from fear of the unknown. Involving employees in the improvement process, showing them how it benefits their daily work, and providing training can turn skeptics into champions.

Have you encountered these myths in your organization? What other process improvement misconceptions have you heard? Let’s discuss in the comments!

✨ Happy New Year 2025! 🎉

As we welcome the new year, I’m reflecting on the opportunities for growth, collaboration, and innovation that lie ahead. At PEaQ, LLC, we’re passionate about helping businesses achieve Process Efficiency and Quality—empowering organizations to streamline operations, improve productivity, and unlock their full potential.

In 2024, we were proud to make an impact, including helping a client increase production by 44% through targeted process improvements. As we move into 2025, I’m excited to continue partnering with organizations to drive meaningful change, enhance efficiencies, and deliver measurable results.

Here’s to a year of growth, success, and progress for all!
If you’re ready to elevate your processes and reach new heights in 2025, let’s connect.

Cheers to the future! 🥂
Kevin Howland
Founder, PEaQ, LLC

Invitation to an Executive Roundtable

Making great decisions can be a difficult process, but it doesn’t have to be! While we often rely on feelings or intuition, decision making is truly a process of gathering information, considering alternatives, and then taking action.

But what factors are influencing your decisions? How do you know if the data you collected is reliable? Whose input do you seek when making decisions?

To explore the answers to these questions, join me on Thursday, November 21, at 12:00 PM MST for an Executive Roundtable. I have partnered with Cheri Smith from Crevay Company to present this event. Cheri helps managers and executives overcome common project hurdles. Through Crevay’s Radical Project People Collective, she provides direct assistance in getting the right candidate for your project.

In this interactive roundtable, we’ll explore best practices for framing decisions, managing biases, weighing evidence objectively, and reviewing decisions to learn and improve.

We are looking forward to hearing your stories and experiences.

Sign Up Here

Policies, Procedures, and Work Instructions

When talking with clients, I often find there is a misunderstanding when I ask about procedures or work instructions. Often, I am shown work instructions when I ask about a procedure, and vice versa. So, what are they, and what function do they serve?

Starting at the top level, policies are usually implemented by senior management. Policies are rules and do not go into details about how a task is performed or machine settings. For example, in my home, I have an unwritten policy that I will make pizza weekly, with exceptions for certain activities, such as visiting family, travel, or invitations to a function or event. Note that the policy does not dictate how to make the pizza. It is simple and to the point. Workplace policies could include that all products will be inspected before leaving the plant or that there is no smoking on the property.

After a policy has been established, the company needs to know how to conform to it. This is done with a procedure. Procedures provide specific “who,” “what,” “when,” and “where” details. Procedures are not work instructions; they do not have all the details, nor do they provide the “how” answers. Once a procedure is written and approved, it must go through a revision and approval process (often dictated by a revision and approval procedure).

If I continue with my Weekly Pizza Policy, the procedure should look something like this: (See if you can determine if the procedure answers the who, what, where, and when details.)

The Pizza Chef is responsible for the following:

  • Before grocery shopping day on Wednesdays (assuming there is a policy stating that grocery shopping happens every Wednesday), determine the desired toppings for Friday’s pizza. Verify the ingredients for pizza are in stock. If not, list the ingredients on the weekly shopping list. Go shopping and purchase the missing ingredients.
  • On Thursdays, make the dough and refrigerate it overnight.
  • Verify the pizza oven temperature calibration.
  • On Friday evening, preheat the pizza oven, toss the pizza dough, add toppings, bake, and serve.
  • Clean the kitchen.

Note that the SOP did not specify the quantities of water, flour, yeast, oil, and salt for the dough. It also didn’t explain how to use the Hobart mixer (I wish I had one). Nor did it specify the temperature to cook the pizza. That information is in the written work instructions. The pizza procedure will need multiple work instructions, one for adding to the shopping list, one for making the dough, one for tossing the dough, etc. Each work instruction will provide the “how” details.

Depending on how your policies and procedures are written, work instructions can be living documents. Often, operators can write notes on the work instructions. If improvements are made through a kaizen (process improvement) event, work instructions can be easily changed and approved by management. Remember to document the changes made in case they need to be reverted. Many organizations will also document training in the new work instructions.

I hope this helps you understand the differences between Policies, Procedures, and Work Instructions. Tell me about some of your experiences. Are your SOPs answering the “how” details?

If you need more guidance on this topic, contact me, and we can have a discussion. I have written hundreds of policies, procedures, and work instructions, and I can help you write yours to meet specifications and standards. Contact me here to set up an appointment.

Five Core Principles of Lean Operations

When researching the topic of process improvement, the results can be overwhelming. I like to use the five core principles of lean operations to create permanent results:

  1. Define Value: Look at your product or service through the lens of your customer(s). What are they willing to pay for? For example, I often find that the one feature I need in an app isn’t included in the basic plan, so I have to get the pro version, even though I’ll never use the long list of other premium features.
  2. Create a Value Stream Map: This helps you analyze the process and determine which activities add value to your product or service and which don’t. Then start removing the wasteful activities (See my previous post about the Seven Types of Waste). Keep in mind that there are activities you must perform that do not add value, such as inspection and invoicing.
  3. Create Flow: Remove unnecessary non-value-added activities and examine the order of operations. Is there a clear path from start to finish? Are the steps to completing a task logical?
  4. Establish a Pull System: After having a good Value Stream Map and a smooth process flow, you can establish a pull system. A pull system ensures that work is only completed when there is demand. Manufacturing extra products in anticipation of upcoming orders is risky and wasteful. Work on the Value Stream Map and the process flow to perfect the lead times and capacities of your process.
  5. Use Continuous Process Improvement to Seek Perfection: Approach perfection by continuously assessing and improving processes and procedures, as well as continually removing waste to perfect the process and improve the value stream.

If you are interested in Lean Operations, please reach out to me. I will evaluate your current process, help you define value, create a value stream map, and create a process map that provides the best process flow. I will also help you move to a pull system and show you how to implement continuous process improvement.

5S: Mastering the Art of Sustaining Order

You decided to implement 5S at your workstation. You sorted all the materials and tools, keeping only what was necessary and removing the unnecessary items. Everything that is necessary has been set in order and given a place. You cleaned and shined, making the workstation sparkle. Your work instructions are used to standardize the process. It looks great, and working is easier until the little things start reverting. Before you know it, the workstation is back to chaos. Extra tools, extra parts, and scraps of materials are strewn all over the place, and to top it off, the work instructions are missing… again.

Usually, the fifth S, Sustain, is the biggest casualty in the work area, especially if the work environment is comprised of experienced workers with a set way to perform their function. It can be difficult to break those old habits. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve searched for a 10mm socket after I put it down on my workbench instead of in the socket tray. So, how do we sustain the changes made through the 5S process?

I like to start with visual management. After I’ve sorted, set in order, and shined, I take a picture of the workstation and create a laminated poster with everything labeled. I use shadow boards to hold the necessary tools for the workstation. For some, getting used to a shadow board can be difficult. I am used to setting my tools down to grab the next one; however, having to take a tool from the board reminds me to hang up the tool that is in my hand. Before long, the worker gets used to putting the tool back where it belongs.

There is a lot of talk about training the workers on 5S and the new procedures. I like to get the person doing the job to provide input on the design of the shadow board and the location of the materials used. The tool they use the most should be front and center, closest to the work. Engagement of the worker ensures that the new workstation will stay that way.

Making regular visits to the work areas (Gemba Walks) to observe practices and talk with the workers helps identify potential issues, many of which can be corrected instantly. Empower the workers to continuously improve by actively looking for ways to further refine 5S practices.

Regularly communicate the importance of 5S. I’ve seen 5S posters hanging on the wall. It works for a day or two, then it becomes wallpaper and is ignored. Highlight weekly or monthly success stories to maintain employee engagement.

Although Sustain is only one of the five principles of the 5S methodology, it encompasses 90% of the work. How are you managing your workstations? Do they need some improvement? I would love to hear your 5S story. What are you doing to Sustain? Let me know in the comments.

ONE PIECE FLOW

A couple weeks ago, I worked with an assembler on one-piece flow of an item she was assembling. She was batching five at a time. When we started, she told me she had the best system and that there was no way my system was better. By the time we finished, she had changed her mind. Her production increased from 120 assemblies per day to 150 assemblies per day, a 20% increase.

The assembler said, “This [one piece flow] way is much easier for me. I can concentrate on one assembly, and I don’t have to worry about missing a step.”

When I was young, I helped my mother stuff envelopes at her office.  I had to fold each paper into thirds and then insert one folded paper into an envelope, seal it and she addressed and stamped them later (I’m sure it was to keep me busy after school, yet I felt important).  Being young, I took a stack and tried to fold them all at once and quickly found out that it didn’t work very well, so I had to refold each paper. Then I stuffed each envelope and then I licked each and every one.

I’m not sure how many people can relate to that story. With digital marketing, who stuffs envelopes anymore?

It wasn’t until I started learning about Lean principles that I heard about one-piece flow. I thought about those days when I was younger and the envelopes I stuffed for my mom. Could it be that I could have been faster? As a young child with a touch of undiagnosed ADHD, probably not. But I had to find out.

One-piece flow is faster than batching.  Think about how many times a person has to handle the same object. In the example of stuffing envelopes, the assembler has to handle each piece of paper at least three times and each envelope twice. Once to fold the papers, once to put the paper into the envelope, and then both are handled when the envelope is sealed. If each one is labeled and stamped separately, that is two more times.

During one-piece flow, each piece of paper and each envelope is handled just once. Pick up the paper, fold it, put it into an envelope and seal it. If you have labels and a stamp at the ready, do it then too. But please, use a sponge to seal the envelopes. After all, George Castanza’s fiancé died from licking envelopes.

If you send out a holiday newsletter, try this experiment. Split the task. Have one person do batch assembly and the other do one-piece flow and time it to see the time difference.

If you have any stories about one-piece flow, I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

What is Quality?

Quality is a multifaceted concept often misunderstood. While we’ve all heard car dealers tout the “high quality” of their pre-owned vehicles, the term remains elusive.

In manufacturing and service industries, quality is more concretely defined as conformance to requirements. Essentially, it’s about how well a product or service meets its specifications or expectations.

I often find myself arguing that McDonald’s boasts a high level of quality. This assertion often raises eyebrows, as many associate quality with high-end products or services. However, they’re confusing quality with grade. McDonald’s may serve a lower-grade product than a high-end steakhouse, but it consistently delivers a product that looks and tastes the same worldwide. This consistency is a result of meticulous standardization and measuring the factors that are Critical to Quality (CTQ) implemented by Ray Kroc when he acquired the McDonald’s franchise.

Identifying and measuring CTQs is crucial for maintaining quality. Are you measuring the right CTQs? How frequently are you monitoring them? Do you have data indicating that your CTQs are within tolerance, yet customer satisfaction remains low?

Let’s work together to: Analyze your current processes, Identify and prioritize CTQs, Implement effective quality control measures.

Share your experiences and insights in the comments below.

Writing Clear Assembly Instructions

Have you ever spent hours wrestling with a flat-pack and instructions that seem written in hieroglyphics? We’ve all been there. But have you ever considered the challenges of crafting clear assembly instructions? It’s more than just listing steps; it’s about anticipating every potential user’s questions and creating a smooth, frustration-free experience.

As a manufacturing engineer, I have experience in the world of instructional design and the complexities of writing clear assembly instructions.
Understanding your audience is the first step to writing clear instructions. Who will be using them? Are they experienced DIYers or novices tackling their first furniture assembly project?

When considering your audience, avoid jargon or industry-specific terms. Explain technical concepts in simple language. Don’t assume users know how to use specific tools. Briefly explain their function and proper use. Additional training may be necessary prior to having the worker jump on the line.

A picture is worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to assembly instructions. Effective visuals can significantly enhance clarity. Ditch grainy, black and white diagrams and use high-quality illustrations with clear labeling and step-by-step visuals. Guide users through the process with arrows pointing to specific components and circles highlighting key areas.

The language you use plays a crucial role in user comprehension. Clear and concise language is essential. Use concise sentences and avoid overly complex language. Use active voice for clear and actionable instructions. For example, say “Insert the screw, P/N XYZ” instead of “The screw should be inserted”. Always include units with measurements (e.g., 5 cm, 2 lbs). Instead of saying “tighten securely,” specify a torque value or hand-tightening instructions.

The best way to ensure clear instructions is to test them on real users. Ask someone unfamiliar with the product to follow your instructions. Observe their process and identify any areas of confusion. Be prepared to revise and refine your instructions based on user feedback.

Clear work instructions are an often-overlooked aspect of product design, but they can significantly impact user experience. By following these tips and embracing a user-centric approach, you can create instructions that empower users to assemble your product with confidence and minimal frustration.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with well written and poorly written work instructions.

PFMEAs are fun!

The Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is one of industry’s Risk Management Tools. I know a few people that dreaded having to perform an FMEA. Eyes would roll, depression set in, and they would start shaking with fear. When I think about FMEA, I get excited, especially when it pertains to processes (PFMEA). Done properly, the PFMEA will identify all potential failure modes and then subsequently assess the risk(s) associated with those process failures.

When I was teaching Quality Assurance, one of my most favorite labs was analyzing processes and preventing issues. I told the class that their company made toast. I didn’t give them any information on supplies, equipment, or the process. I had them map out the process. They, as a group, realized that making morning toast, something everybody has done while standing in their jammies, half asleep, could be very complicated.

Some of the process failures they came up with was, the toaster was unplugged, the darkness setting was set to 10, the bread could slip past the carriage and get jammed against a heating element, or a safety hazard such as water on the floor from a mop bucket spill could cause electrocution.

After we were done, we had high Risk Priority Numbers (RPN) for unplugged toasters and changed settings. Preventions included a locked cage over the darkness knob and relocating the outlet to prevent accidental unplugging. Supply issues were solved by incoming inspection. The solution to electrocution was to have rubber mats and a rule that production would not occur during a mop bucket spill.

Overall, a PFMEA could be a lot of fun. Just remember, it is a living document and the PFMEA should be reviewed periodically, especially if something in the process comes up that nobody thought of.

How do you feel about FMEAs? Please share your experiences.

The 7 types of waste

When I improve a process, the first step is to fully understand that process. I break down each step to fully understand the reason behind it. Once the process has been mapped, I then look at opportunities to reduce waste. There are seven categories, Inventory, Overproduction, Motion, Transportation, Waiting, Overprocessing, and Defect.

Inventory and Overproduction are the most obvious types of waste and that can be controlled by Production Management. Is extra product manufactured just in case someone orders extra? Or is it because the Kanban system hasn’t been updated periodically?

The next waste to look at is Defects. What’s the first pass yield and return rates? What measures are in place to prevent those defects? Analyze the data to decide the biggest defects and get some CAPAs going. Once the FPY is up, the rest of the categories of waste can be examined.
Spaghetti charts show motion. How can motion be reduced? How often are pieces touched, moved, turned around to complete tasks? Can operations be performed with fewer movements? Can tools be moved closer to the workbench?

Waiting seems obvious, but I can’t tell you how many times I heard someone say they had to wait for another process. A Value Stream Map is an effective way to find bottle necks. If a machine for step A can process 20 units a minute and step B can process 40 units a minute, you need to find out if you can purchase another step A machine.

Transportation is another overlooked waste. Look at the flow of product. How often does a pallet of product have to move across the factory floor to get to the next step? Sometimes processes must be separated by distance. A paint booth exhaust system can only be located at the rear of the building while the wash tanks are where the drains are located. Walk the floor and analyze the floor plan.

Your process relies on your product delivering value to the customer, but over engineering and adding unnecessary steps creates the waste known as over-processing. Are you painting the inside of a sealed container? Drilling extra holes that won’t be used even though weight is not an issue? Are your production workers using more expensive hardware because they think it looks better?

How are you combatting waste in your production area? I would really like to know.

Root Cause Analysis: A Lesson in Assumptions ️

Have you ever rushed through a Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and think you found the root cause, only to have it proven false? I have. It’s not a good feeling. But good things can come from it: lessons learned.

In a past RCA, I learned a valuable lesson about assumptions. A customer flagged a product malfunction. I thought it was an easy fix. I examined the part, concluded that it was the result of a dull cutting die, and had manufacturing order new dies. I received new samples, but the problem persisted.

Then, I had an accidental breakthrough: I compared the “faulty” part with the first article. They looked identical but functioned differently. On a whim, I tried fitting them together. It worked perfectly. I’d been focusing on the wrong component entirely. 🤦‍♂️

Further investigation showed that a sneaky supplier changed raw materials without our knowledge.

Here’s what I learned:

Don’t take assumptions at face value: While customers provide valuable insights, they might not have the full picture. Investigate the entire product’s functionality.

Consult the experts: Design engineers are most familiar with the product. Utilize their knowledge to understand root causes.

Document lessons learned: By documenting past cases, we can all learn and avoid similar pitfalls.

What are your experiences with root cause analysis and lessons learned? Please share your stories in the comments.

Ditch the Hunches: Data Analysis Wins the Process Improvement Race

I was once told that determining KPIs and collecting data to establish a base line takes too long and to just make certain changes and then determine if the change worked. We’ve all been there – relying on intuition for process changes. But in today’s data-driven world, gut feelings often fall short. Panic then sets in and management ends up making multiple changes, which affect moral of the production workers and diminishes trust in Management.

Here’s why data analysis must occur in order to improve processes:

Objectivity Over Bias: Our instincts can be influenced by past experiences or personal preferences. Data provides a neutral lens, revealing the true impact of changes.

Quantifiable Results: Data allows you to measure the effectiveness of process tweaks. Track key metrics and see the tangible impact on efficiency, cost, or quality.

Uncover Hidden Inefficiencies: Data analysis can expose bottlenecks and areas for improvement you might miss with a cursory glance. It reveals the “why” behind process issues.

Data-Driven Predictions: By analyzing historical data, you can predict future trends and proactively make adjustments before problems arise.

Sure, intuition can spark initial ideas, but data analysis is the key to:

Validating those hunches: Does your gut feeling hold water? Data analysis provides the evidence to back up your suspicions.

Refining the approach: Data reveals the most impactful areas to focus on, ensuring your process improvements are targeted and effective.

Just make sure you are not affected by analysis paralysis. Use the tools you have, such as PFMEA, process flow maps, and value stream maps.

What are your thoughts? Share your experiences with data analysis and process improvement in the comments.

Building Better: Top Quality Engineering Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

In engineering, even small mistakes can have big consequences. Here are some common quality pitfalls I’ve seen, along with tips to ensure your projects are built to last:

1. Skipping the Standards: Established codes exist for a reason! Following them protects public safety and ensures structural integrity.

2. Unnecessary CTQs: Not all technical requirements are critical to quality. Focus on the ones that truly matter for user needs and safety. Avoid feature creep and over-engineering.

3. Communication Silos: Break down the barriers! Open communication between engineers, production personnel, inspectors, and stakeholders keeps everyone on the same page and avoids missed issues and delays.

4. Don’t Demand Change, Explain Why: Implementing quality goes beyond mandates. Foster a culture where explaining the “why” behind changes leads to better understanding and buy-in from all parties

5. Cutting Corners Can Cost You: While cost and time are important, sacrificing quality for short-term savings can lead to expensive rework or even project failure down the line.

Let’s build a culture of quality first! What mistakes have you seen and what are your tips?