dispatching problems

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Let us each problem, its root causes and the people responsible for it as well as recommendations to resolve these problems.

? Denver is having problems with delivered product quality

This is a serious quality issue related to the Quality Control Laboratory at the Denver Facility and the production units at the Denver Facility. Some of the important observations from the Denver trip helped in identifying the root causes for this important problem. First of all, it has been observed that there is a serious lack of coordination between the various shifts in the production units. The processes followed by each shift are not consistent with one another. Further, there is often overlapping of efforts due to miscommunication leading to poor coordination and thus, poor quality in production of goods. Another important cause of this problem is the overburden on the quality control laboratory with respect to their routine tasks and activities. It has been observed the laboratory employees are overburdened with requests from various departments, thereby often leading to instances where they have to forgo one task for another. For example, the quality check on Work in progress is often given last priority, thus clearly explaining the poor quality of the products being manufactured.

This problem often results in other regular problems such as production facilities going out of control due to delays in quality check, which will be later discussed in detail. Further, the problem of noncompliant products going out of the facility is also a result of this problem. Further, slow production of lab reports is also a consequence of such serious set of problems within the quality laboratory.

In order to resolve the issues with product quality, one of the most important changes required by the facility is to hire more employees in the laboratory department and then clearly allocate authorities and responsibilities in the laboratory with respect to various routine and emergency tasks so that every task can be met with utmost efficiency and priority. Further, quality requests should be streamlined and formalized in order to better meet the needs of various production units. In the production unit, there is a serious need to coordinate the various shifts in a better way with respect to communication, production processes and other important issues. Proper protocol and communication methods between various shifts should be established and strict rules should be put in place with respect to maintaining consistency in production processes. Effort should be made to avoid duplication of efforts.

? Their production systems appear to be out of control at times.

The root cause of this problem is the various bottlenecks existing in the Denver Facility, for which almost all the departments are responsible in one way or the other. Confusion and clutter existing in the facility due to improper arrival and departure pattern of trucks, issues within the quality laboratory with respect to proper checking of incoming, outgoing and work in progress materials, poor layout of the production facility, lack of coordination and inconsistency in production processes between various shifts, etc. are all important causes fort this problem. Further, most of the other problems in the facility stem out of this problem. The production units and operational departments, transportation and scheduling department as well as the quality laboratory department are all responsible for this problem.

One of the major recommendations which will not only help in mitigating and solving this issue but will also help in eradicating the root cause of other severe issues is ...