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Welcome to Epicenter Development Group's newsletter EPICentral. The purpose of this newsletter is to highlight fundamental ideas that have helped organizations develop and maintain great manufacturing and service operations. We hope that you find our EPICentral newsletter helpful and would welcome your comments on its content.
Epicenter would like to take this opportunity and is proud to announce that we have hired Mark Symington to lead the Engineering Services Division of Epicenter. Mark was most recently the Industrial Engineering Manager at DaimlerChrysler’s Jeep Assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio. With over twenty-three years of experience in a variety of industries, Mark will be a valuable client resource for designing, implementing and improving world-class manufacturing and office systems.
Cross-Functional Flow Chart
When working with organizations, one of my mottos has always been “seeing is believing.” Once people can clearly see what’s going on in their organization, then they can truly start the process of eliminating waste and streamlining their workflow. In our January newsletter, I introduced the Spaghetti Flow Diagram, a visual tool for showing material or people flow throughout a facility. Another visual tool that I use is called a Cross-Functional Flow Chart (sometimes referred to as a “Swim Lane Process Map”). A Cross-Functional Flow Chart is a great way to show “hand-offs” between departments within an organization which are common places for miscommunication and where process delays occur.
Making the Chart
There are only a few steps for making a Cross-Functional Flow Chart:
- Create a chart template as shown above, listing along the y-axis each of the departments that are involved in the target process. If you have the Visio software, there is a template for this chart. Otherwise, you will need to manually make the chart in Excel, AutoCAD or another charting package.
- Starting at the left side of the chart, create a basic flow diagram of the process from start to finish. Each task/operation should be placed in the responsible department’s “swim lane.” In the sample shown, for example, the process starts with the CRS/Inside Sales Department entering quote information into the system and then passing the information on to the Custom Order Group for the next step of the process.
- As always, the tool is yours to customize. In this example, I have listed the customer with a “C” and the supplier for tooling as an “S.” If desirable, you could also estimate and list the delay time between each of the “hand-offs” to identify waste.
Using the Chart
Once the chart has been created, I typically plan a meeting with the people involved in the process to review the information. At that time, we step through the entire process and discuss each of the “hand-offs” that occur. In some cases, people are shocked by the information. At a minimum, people have a new appreciation for the number of departments and people that are required to complete the overall process.
Using the chart, we can then ask a number of questions:
· Are there activities that could be combined and completed by a single department?
· What departments really need to be involved in the process? When is their involvement most critical?
· Where are the weakest “hand-offs” that may contribute to unnecessary delays or miscommunication? How can we alleviate the situation?
· Who is ultimately responsible (owns) for the entire process?
NEXT STEPS
If you would like more information about Cross-Functional Flow Charts or other visual tools to help your team solve problems and design systems, please contact Bill Proctor at (216) 702-0952 or at wproctor@epicentergroup.com. We will also be reviewing this and other tools in some of Epicenter’s upcoming workshops (Running Effective Meetings, Conflict Resolution, Problem Solving).
Epicenter is in the process of developing a monthly 30-minute webinar that covers the highlighted newsletter tool. If you feel that you would be interested in participating in such a webinar, please send us an email of your interest at rmilicia@epicentergroup.com.
Mr. Proctor also speaks on a variety of problem-solving and system design topics that can help companies significantly increase the success and profitability of their businesses. If you are interested in having Bill speak at one of your upcoming meetings/events or would like more information on any of the speaking topics, please visit Speaker Services.
ABOUT EPICENTER DEVELOPMENT GROUP
Epicenter Development Group is an independently-owned engineering consulting firm located in the Cleveland, Ohio area.
 Epicenter Development Group is a unique consulting firm that seamlessly integrates the disciplines of Systems Engineering and Organizational Analysis & Development to create practical design solutions to your toughest challenges.
It is on the cutting edge of problem-solving solutions and the creator of a unique process called GreenRoom Engineering. This process adds greater value and cost savings for clients as compared to traditional engineering methods.
William Proctor, Epicenter's founder and president, has provided services around the country to more than 100 companies consisting of a variety of organizations; and Epicenter continues to grow as a resource for firms of all sizes.
To learn more about Epicenter Development Group, visit our homepage at www.epicentergroup.com.
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTION
EPICentral is a no-cost newsletter that is delivered to our clients and friends on a monthly basis.
   
Privacy Policy: All distribution information (names, email addresses, company names) is kept in strict confidence and only used for the distribution of this newsletter.
This newsletter is developed and published by:
Epicenter Development Group, LLC
12111 Chippewa Road
Brecksville, OH 44141
216.702.0952
www.epicentergroup.com
wproctor@epicentergroup.com
Copyright 2006, Epicenter Development Group
All rights reserved.
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