Excellence 360˚ is an innovative approach, capable of generating radical and long lasting leaps in the business system performance. We are the first consulting company in the world to design and implement a coherent integration of TOC (Theory of Constraints), Business Management by Processes, Lean and Six Sigma - doing so since 2001. This innovative approach starts with the acknowledgement of two facts:
- The management of any business system is too complex to be handled with just the intuition or previous experience. To respond in a logical and successful way, it is necessary to use methodologies that help us give good answers to the challenges of competitiveness.
- None of the known improvement tools is able, by itself, to solve all the problems imposed by the market dynamics. If we restrict all the improvement efforts to this or that tool, the benefits will only be partial and temporary.
If we want to achieve radical and long lasting leaps, globally improving the business system, it is necessary to apply a coordinated effort along the productive process chain, taking into account all the angles of the problem. Consequently, it is necessary to integrate the benefits of the best methodologies. Each of the following four methodologies provide a unique contribution:
- TOC (Theory of Constraints): it's a systems approach that focuses on the identification and treatment of the core problems (restrictions) that prevent the development of a business system.
- BMTP – Business Management Through Processes): starting from a systemic model, it focuses mainly on the integrated standardization of the entire business chain, thus avoiding the problems of the administration by departments or falling into the trap of “process islands”.
- Lean System: it focuses the process chain of a specific product family which the company sells, looking for the elimination of wastes that do not create value to the customer.
- Six Sigma: it aims the variability reduction of performance parameters that impact the customer satisfaction with a specific product.
Instead of being opposed to each other, those methodologies are complementary. When they are combined in a harmonious way, we get expressive competitiveness improvements.
Focus
How those four methodological approaches complement each other?
Starting from the real situation of the company, TOC identifies and gives priority to the vital and most troublesome aspects of the company by giving them an immediate treatment.
Many of these identified problems can be resolved, with good results, by using not only some of the specific techniques of TOC, but also with Six Sigma, Lean or BMP.
BMP develops a dynamic structure of processes that enables the effective implementation of the strategies and tactics identified by TOC. BMP also helps to incorporate the best contributions of the other methodologies into the business system, by standardizing their use in the work processes. For example, we can institute a Strategic Planning and Deployment process using "Thinking Process" (a method of the TOC); we can standardize a process for managing key improvement projects using the "DMAIC" (a method of Six Sigma); we can use Lean concepts and tools such as "work cells" and "visual control" to simplify and to improve a process that we're standardizing with the BMP.
The Lean System involves the whole workforce with simple and powerful tools for continuous improvement, creating an efficiency-focused culture. Besides reaping the specific Lean benefits, this new organizational environment sets the foundation for successful implementation of Six Sigma improvement projects, for example.
And finally, Six Sigma, besides the specific benefits of its improvement projects, provides powerful analytical tools that can give stability to certain value-creation processes which we may be treating, for example, with TOC or Lean projects.Foundations
Foundations of Excellence 360˚
Having that set of methodologies in place is absolutely necessary, but not sufficient, since they just contribute with the know-how for improvement. The systemic knowledge that promotes truly revolutionary changes requires two other important elements: know-why and know-what.
Know-why is the set of basic values, long-term vision, the mission of the company, the critical factors for fulfillment of the mission and the global business performance indicators. We call it “organizational ideology”, and that is what motivates, justifies and sustains the efforts to apply the know-how.
Know-what is to know exactly in what aspects we have to be excellent. These aspects are summarized in the Excellence Criteria of the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Award or the European Quality Award, for example. The know-what orients the effective application of the know-how.The conceptual model of Excellence 360˚
Excellence 360 ° is the harmonious integration of four powerful methodologies (TOC, MBP, Lean and Six Sigma) to radically improve business system results, based upon the enterprise ideology and having as basic reference the Worldwide Excellence Criteria.
Results
Typical short and medium term results
- Better quality and productivity.
- Drastic lead-time reduction.
- Significant cost reduction.
- Satisfied and loyal customers.
- Increased sales.
- Increased profits.