(Image Source: Reliability Management Group)
Time wasted, efficiency failures and low team morale are all all problems which those of us in the power generation industry must face on a day-to-day basis. A recent article by Power Magazine discusses the implementation of a WPO (work process optimization strategy) that can help combat lulls in efficiency that some in our field may face due to the current recession, as well as the increasing market demand regarding power generation companies. Items on the to do list include time management, streamlining daily and weekly scheduling processes, proper planning and management of tasks, training, computerized maintenance and a measurement system for success regarding the implementation. A brief summary of one of the most important parts of the new strategy is discussed in the article as follows:
"Managers want to know how the WPO is working and what they can do to remove obstacles to improvement. For years, supervisors cited work interruptions, manpower shortages, and coordination missteps as being the problems that prevented work from getting done as quickly or as well as they had hoped. Those obstacles remain, but the behavior modification is that now supervisors are supposed to document them, not just talk about them. This is a huge change that causes concern among supervisors, who wonder, 'Will we be held responsible for events out of our control? What happens to me if I'm at fault?'"
The importance of having an accurate and reliable measurement system is evident. Without a way to gauge the amount of progress you've made, it is unlikely that you will be able to develop a concise strategy for improvement during the next work cycle (quarter, season, etc.). By reporting work process mesures and key performance indicators, as well as a record of variables that occur which may decrease efficiency, the manager(s) of a power generation company can be sure, not only if they are taking the correct steps in their endeavors, but also what is causing the hiccups in their operations. In an era where power generation is one of the inciting factors of our species' development, power generating corporations should take heed to make sure that they're supplying their consumers energy in the most efficient way.
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