Improving fast in projects with long lead times

In June we introduced Critical Minds on our website, a project consultancy company specialized in reducing lead time of projects within the shipbuilding industry. Their integral approach focusses on a well-developed planning stage while remaining focussed on people

Within their experience in the shipbuilding industry they find that one of the biggest challenges within the industry is the improvement cycle of a company. The duration of building a ship from selling to delivery can take up to five years and you don’t finish a complete project before starting a new one. At many yards there are multiple projects running simultaneously. So, how can you improve during your projects? While, not all people are working on all running projects. Resulting in that you cannot just depend on the experience in your company. Not even talking about the liability you have as a company, what if your employee who only knows how to install a certain system wins the lottery..

We think it is clear, there is a need for an improvement cycle which enables you to learn from and during each project in a way that you can use the learnings in your current and in your next projects.

How? Critical Minds helps shipbuilders to develop and implement an improvement cycle which fits your company. Critical Minds explains that on the one hand it is important to make the cycle fit structurally to your company; Which employees are responsible for which improvement, on what level do we need to discuss possible improvements, but also what should be the frequency? On the other hand you need to create a culture in which improvements are supported; Are we allowed to mention our mistakes to be able to learn from them, are we capable of implementing an improvement in a way it sticks?

So to be clear this improvement cycle is not just your average project evaluation cycle.

A proper fit between your improvement cycle and your company leads to a continuously improving organization on all levels and thereby reducing your total lead time of projects.

Be aware: your employees might become faster improvers than you could ever imagine!

Do you have the feeling that the interdependencies between you and the rest of the chain are limiting your improvement cycle? In the next post we will ask Critical Minds on advice, we keep u posted!