Process and Result

Dear Friends ,

I had gone to a factory of a multinational company . I was being shown around the factory by the manager there . The factory was huge , and large tracts were left open for vehicular movement inside the production shed . The flooring was shining epoxy finish and one cleaner was cleaning it .

He had a large cloth with him . He would dip that cloth in a bucket of water , squeeze it , mount it on a flat edged mop and then move the mop on the floor . He would go say tem paces in a straight line , then turn around , keeping the mop pressed to the ground and come back to the starting point , then mover again . This was a serpentine movement . Thus continuing , he
would clean up a patch of floor and then move to the next . The cleaner was doing his job in very dedicated manner and with full concentration .

I asked the supervisor , if the cleaner was making any mistake . The supervisor watched and immediately pointed out that dustmarks were getting left on the ground , even at the end of the first turning while the cleaner was dipping the cloth at the end of seven rounds . This meant that the six rounds that were being taken were a waste . The floor was remaining dirty . The supervisor asked the cleaner to change the water , clean the cloth and come back again to clean the same area .


The point to ponder was , why the worker was making the mistake ?

On probing I realised that the worker had been explained the process . This is the way it is to be done. But not the result ! This is what is to be the result was not being told .

Does that need to be told ? Yes , as per the Japanese system of 5 S in force in the said company it needs to be told , The result is to be shown first and then the process that achieves the result .



Regards ,

Anand