Your Manufacturing Execution Team – The Key to Lasting Success and Continuous Improvement Blog
Creating the right Manufacturing Execution System (MES) team can help avoid common pitfalls and ensure smoother implementation. Considering who will interact directly with the MES and who will use its outputs to drive production and maintenance decisions is important. By involving diverse perspectives early on, you can foster a culture of continuous improvement, gain better buy-in, and achieve more effective results when it matters most. A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) thrives on teamwork and fuels collaboration across the entire operation.
Success in manufacturing isn’t just about the technology—it’s about the people who make it work. A well-structured Manufacturing Execution System (MES) team is vital for achieving long-term success and fostering continuous improvement. By assembling a team that understands the MES and represents your organization’s diverse needs, you set the stage for smoother implementation, higher adoption rates, and a culture of ongoing innovation.
So, what’s the secret to building the right team?
Building your MES team correctly can help you avoid common pitfalls later on. A key consideration is understanding who will interact directly with the MES and who will rely on its outputs. For example, a plant manager might use reporting and data analysis tools to plan production or maintenance schedules. Still, they probably won’t dive into the MES interface to adjust downtime incident codes.
When operating an OSB press, the press operator should interact directly with the MES and update a specific downtime event when necessary. In this scenario, the plant manager doesn’t have to be a part of the MES execution team. Still, it’s important to consider including a representative from the plant floor or different departments.
When building your RASCI, consider including resources outside your normal execution roles. This can help keep your solution robust and directed toward addressing your user base’s needs.
Some companies are reluctant to expand the MES team, and with good reason: the more voices, the more time is required to work through the different viewpoints and perspectives on what is required for an MES. But that is also the point. By bringing in different perspectives, you can help move beyond focusing on “fixing that issue” and into a different mindset of continuous improvement. By incorporating feedback from disparate groups, we can help minimize (not eliminate) issues with buy-in at implementation. Remember, people always love BBQ better when they can stand around the grill and “help” the grill master.
For instance, during a multi-plant MES rollout I managed, we involved production floor users in the final design and testing phases. When we implemented the system at the plants where these users were based, we saw significantly higher buy-in and enthusiasm than in other locations. The leads and operators returned to their teams, spreading the word about the new MES and its potential benefits. They even organized “bug hunts” with their coworkers, offering small prizes for the shifts that identified and reported the most bugs. As a result, system usage during the go-live and commissioning phases exceeded our expectations.
While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to building a successful team, these insights are meant to guide you in the right direction. Considering these factors, you can tailor your MES team to fit your unique needs and set the stage for success.
Fostering a culture of MES buy-in is essential for the success of any manufacturing operation. With our expertise and support, we can help you build a team that not only masters the technical aspects of MES but also embraces the collaborative spirit needed to drive meaningful, lasting change. Together, we’ll create a factory culture where MES evolves from a system into a powerful catalyst for innovation and growth.
Contact Us today to discover how we can help you build your ideal Manufacturing Execution System team!