Module 2 - Chapter 2 - Maturity Assessment

Maturity Assessment for Organising for Efficiency

• This chapter details the assessment for Organising for Efficiency, illustrating the journey to continuous improvement.
• 'Maturity level' describes a company's performance relative to best practice.
• There are five levels of company maturity.

Level 1: Novice

• A novice company is just starting out, with the lowest performance.
• Characterized by a traditional, disorganized approach.
• Unnecessary items (files, documents, equipment) are prominent.
• Notice boards contain outdated information.
• Wastebins aren't emptied, and waiting times for help are significant.
• Cables are not organized, posing safety hazards.
• Employees use phrases like "we have no time for this" or "that's how it's always been."

Level 2: Learning

• Improvement efforts start with a single focus.
• Teams begin disposing of unwanted items and organizing needed items.
• The workplace appears partially organized at first glance but may still contain unneeded items (boxes, files, books) piled against walls or under desks.
• Unneeded items may also be stored in computer folders or shared network drives.
• Items are not spotless but might have numerous stickers or sticky notes.
• Walls might be dirty or in need of paint.
• Unnecessary items on horizontal surfaces should be stored, and items not used regularly should be removed.
• Time spent searching for items is reduced; one model workplace per department is the goal.

Level 3: Competent

• Employees adopt world-class continuous improvement principles.
• The principles are broadly applied across the company, leading to improved productivity, quality, and delivery.
• The workplace becomes organized; habits change.
• All items are cleared from beneath desks, horizontal surfaces, and vertical surfaces (no leaning); items aren't stacked against walls or pillars.
• Outdated notices on display boards are removed.
• Responsibilities are clearly allocated across teams and competition between teams promoted.
• Hidden areas (archives and storage) are organized.

Level 4: Sophisticated

• Work reflects classical performance-driven teams.
• Visual management is complete, and all work areas are model workplaces.
• Proper filing and efficient work management are used on computers.
• Storage areas are clearly marked and labeled based on usage.
• Color coding facilitates easy identification of frequently used files or manuals.
• Files, books, and equipment are easily located.
• Checklists exist to evaluate workplaces and recognize extra effort.
• Items are organized and stored based on frequency of use (frequently used items are within reach).
• Teams can access information within one minute in paper format or within ten seconds in computer format.
• Items are returned to designated locations.

Level 5: World-Class

• The company embraces change readily.
• Prepared to adapt to external conditions.
• Highly flexible, reliable, innovative, and productive.
• Able to meet ever-changing client requirements.
• Routine inspections, the effort to eliminate excess paper or unnecessary filing, and visual management of work-in-progress characterize this level.
• Maintaining minimum and maximum stock levels, a perfect score on maturity assessments.
• Identifies the causes of workplace disorder, and eliminates them.
• Employees clear out unneeded items and keep the workspace neat via routine clearing operations.
• Other modules of continuous improvement are significantly improved (e.g., increased productivity, reduced mistakes, decreased customer complaints, shorter delivery times).