Continuous Flow. Two Companies Showing the Way. Plus: Quotes to work and live by.

“The best time to start was last year. Failing that, today will do.” – Chris Guillebeau. 

Following on from a previous blog about the general success of the Toyota Production System, this blog sheds more light on their method of manufacturing which is based on the premise of making work easier for workers. A system based on the philosophy of achieving the complete elimination of waste, in pursuit of the most efficient methods. This blog will also highlight Flōware, a South African company who shares a similar philosophy, i.e. satisfy customer requirements quickly, at a low cost, and with high quality (as per Toyota’s website) and also building qualities into processes by linking all departments of production and their processes in a continuous flow— as per Flōware’s website.

  “…without this control, we could have a mountain of parts and still not be able to build a car. No amount of money will suffice if we don't think of a unique way to organize these tens of thousands of parts." – Kiichiro Toyoda.

So… start right at the beginning and “Begin with the end in mind.”

– Habit 2 of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

To be effective today, start with the following 10 key “S”steps. 

1. Sorting:

Go through your workstation / workplace and remove everything that is unnecessary for their current tasks. Sort and separate needed items from unneeded items (data, files, tools, instructions and parts, for example.) If a tool or item doesn't directly add value, it should be discarded or relocated.

2. Setting in Order:

“A place for everything, and everything in its place.” Design logical layouts where frequently used tools are kept closest to the point of use.

3. Shining:

Cleaning is a form of inspection. A clean machine/desk at work, makes it much easier for a worker to spot abnormalities like missing items, leaks, loose bolts, or wear and tear.

4. Standardising:

Visual management of your work space. This includes color-coding, shadow boards, and labeled floor tape, so that any deviation or missing item is immediately obvious.

5. Sustaining:

Build the discipline to maintain a neat workspace through daily routines and prevent bad habits from returning. 

“Simplicity boils down to two steps: Identify the essential. Eliminate the rest.” – Leo Babauta

6. Streamlining:

Process automation: from mundane to magic.

“Customer feedback for Flōware (floware.co.za), a South African provider of custom-built ERP and process-automation software, is highly positive, with business clients praising its ability to eliminate manual data entry and connect disconnected systems.” – Google

Clients report that Flōware seamlessly brings multiple departments together, effectively acting as a "guiding hand" for businesses to enforce proven, compliant procedures.

“Every order touched by hand is an opportunity for errors, delays, and lost revenue.” – Flōware.

8. Scaling: 

Businesses appreciate that Flōware's custom workflows allow them to scale their operations without necessarily having to increase headcount. [1, 2, 3]

“Wherever there is a process to follow, we can help your team see the tasks at hand and complete them faster and more accurately than ever before.” – Flōware

9. Saving: 

Users highlight that the custom integrations drastically reduce dispatch and administrative times. For instance, one distributor reduced dispatch time per order from minutes to seconds by eliminating manual data copying.

 “Free up time to spend on higher-value tasks.” – Flōware

10. Stopping inefficiencies at the source; wasting time on fixing mistakes. With improved accuracy, processes run smoothly and there is less need for rework, corrections, and other resources that are required to jump in to fix mistakes. By replacing manual transcription, clients note a significant decrease in human errors, such as wrong quantities or incorrect addresses on work orders.

“Focus on being productive, instead of busy.” - Tim Ferris.

 Conclusion:

Doing it right the first time … For more detailed use cases across distribution, manufacturing, and regulated industries, or to get in touch with their team in South Africa, you can visit the official Flōware Home Page. 

“Life is too complicated not to be orderly.” – Martha Stewart