A knowledge information and data system for continuous improvement

Ram K. Iyengar, Ph. D

Technovations International Inc (TII), Groton MA 01450

Background

In to day’s competitive business environment, organizations have to continuously

adapt and improve for survival. It is an accepted fact that an organization that can
learn and act quickly based on the knowledge gains a competitive edge. Therefore
every person in the workforce needs to perceive learning as a key to continuously
improve his or her work efficiency and effectiveness.

A knowledgeable and well-informed workforce is an asset that enables businesses to

increase efficiency and ensures better use of resources to continuously meet the
specific requirements of customers.

Communicating and sharing information throughout all departments and levels can make
operations more efficient by ensuring that the employees know what the key goals and
targets are and are able to track their exact status in real time.

As part of the daily management system, the entire workforce including management and
supervisors should have immediate access to the information they need to sustain
continuous improvement.

By giving the workforce the specific information where and when needed, delivered in
the most appropriate manner, the companies can improve their overall ability to monitor,
know and act.

The workforce productivity is increased with real-time access to information when and
where needed, enabling the workforce to spend more time on the work that needs to be
performed rather than on attempts to locate information.

Technovations International Inc. (TII) and its associates, have developed an interactive
system that provides specific knowledge, information, instructions, data and
documentations in sound manufacturing practices, quality control, scheduling and
planning, maintenance management, procurement & inventory management and waste &
energy management the manufacture of products at the company’s operations. The
system is being used in several hot dip galvanizing plants in China and in a major steel
plate producer in the USA for workforce development and continuous improvement.

Objectives

The main objective of this interactive system is to ensure continuous improvement and
development of good process and operations control with a documentation system that
includes specific instructions in the areas of process & quality control, safety & health,
environment management, and cost control.
The system uses innovative multimedia techniques to achieve the following goals:

1. Provide plant specific interactive instructions, standard & best operating practices, and
knowledge & experience based instructions to operators, supervisors, managers and
other workforce for efficient management of resources and cost control;
2. Develop web based online transfer of information, data and records on targets
achieved, quality control data, safety & health incidences, environmental aspects, etc.
This enables the management to take quick decisions to remedy any deviations.
3. Provide a forum to the workforce for discussion of opportunities for continuous
improvement.
4. Develop a project management basis for increasing work efficiency.

The system involves plant personnel via computers connected to the plant network and
the company VPN. By making connectivity to the automation systems through a mobile
data device, operators need not leave the production line to perform business tasks. This
increases work efficiency.

The Knowledge, information and data transfer

The conventional method of obtaining relevant knowledge, information and data is to ask a
supervisor, a knowledge worker, or refer documents, files, tables, graphs, photographs, etc.
This can be time consuming.

Progress in multimedia technology has enabled development of interactive and instantaneous

transfer of relevant knowledge, information and documentation to the workforce at their
workstations. This capability of instantly accessing the relevant information on the computer
or a data device at the workstation enhances the comprehension and increases the efficiency
of the workforce. Some critical operations can be presented with real or virtual simulation
with the help of video & audio and animation. The system also provides company specific
policies.

The main features of the system are:

• Provide interactive knowledge, information & data on standard and best operating
practices, company policies on safety & health, environmental management and
proper operation of equipment. Shop floor personnel, quality control auditors and
maintenance personnel can access specific data and information required to do
their tasks efficiently, on a need to know basis, to implement best practices for the
manufacture of products.
• Provide a readily accessible archive of the standard & best operating practices,
customers’ specifications, customers’ feedback, and technical information for the
manufacture of the products.
• Provide access to maintenance, safety and environmental rules & regulations and
policies issued by the company.
 • The visualization of company’s standard & best operating practices using videos, and
animation help the workforce to find innovative solutions to commonly encountered
problems and ensure continuous improvement in their work environment.
• The simulation, exercises, animations, graphics video & audio stimulate and maintain
workforce’s attention and participation in company’s operations.
• The dissemination of information, data and knowledge ensure that the workforce is
able to understand and execute the standard and best operating practices efficiently.
• The disclosure of shop practices and processes with the use of multimedia technology
ensures that the workforce to be fully well aware of the tasks and sequence of steps
that comprise good to best shop practices and processes.
• Through many years of operation, manufacturing companies have gathered
considerable proprietary experience and information. This experience and
information may reside in the archives of the company and in the minds of
workforce with many years of experience. The system collects and consolidates
this knowledgebase and presents them in a manner that encourages further
innovation.
• In addition, the published technical literature and other knowledge and experience
based sources are “mined”, upgraded, refined and documented in the system to
maintain the technical awareness of the workforce.
• The documentation system ensures an interactive “on time” data entry and
reporting on a web based and/or mobile system. The information is hosted on the
company’s intranet or server.
• The system includes customer related, commercial and technical information on
the major and associated operations to provide a better understanding of
operational procedures.

The first step in creating a learning culture is to hire smart people. These people have to
be encouraged to keep learning. For more information contact:
technovationsintl@gmail.com.

Dr. Ram Iyengar has over 30 years experience in R&D, quality control, process development
and manufacture and application of steel and specialty metal products. The CTO also has
experience in planning, budgeting, team management, process management, and client
communication. He has a doctorate degree in Materials Engineering.