7 Wastes - Defects

How often to we put up with errors in our work, or on the process, and have to stop to fix them? How often do we have to re-do jobs because someone got it wrong. The niggly little things, the spelling mistake or the wrong order. The incorrect post code, or using the wrong paper. 1 letter in an email address that means it bounces back and needs to be re-done.

What are your targets for getting it right every time? What are your key performance measures for accuracy?

I worked with one large organisation in the UK who measured how they were doing and found that they got it right first time 76% of the time. The presentation about that went something like:

Imagine how a performance of 76% ‘Right First Time’would affect us!

• 48,000,000 Incorrect prescriptions per year.
• 691 Plane crashes at Heafthrow per day.
• No Electrisity, Water or Gas for 6 hours each day.
• Newzpapers not dellivered fro 3 months each year.
• 216 Misspelled words on every page of a magasine.

Do you aim to get rid of mistakes in your business? Look at what you do and measure your performance and then realise the effect of process improvement on your bottom line.