Synopses & Reviews
Use proven project management techniques to drive powerful
Efficiency improvements throughout operations
• Liberate resources and eliminate useless meetings
• Predict and mitigate operational risks
Improve the way you manage teams, schedules, and budgets
Discover best practices for every manager with operational responsibilities
For operations managers, running a smooth and efficient organization is more crucial than ever—and it’s more difficult, too. Fortunately, there’s a secret to success: proven project management techniques. The Operations Manager’s Toolbox shows you how to adapt project management disciplines to any operational challenge—liberating resources, reducing waste and cost, delivering more, and delivering it faster.
Long-time operations executive Randal Wilson shows you how to apply the Project Management (PM) discipline to completing the crucial “smaller” tasks that can help you quickly achieve substantial improvements in efficiency and performance. You’ll learn how to apply PM-style processes, structure, communication techniques, and tools throughout operations…plan, implement, and measure the success of high-impact changes…eliminate waste in engineering, manufacturing, distribution, inventory control, and supply chains…and organize key tasks so they actually get done.
Synopsis
Operations managers: use project management (PM) tools and techniques to supercharge efficiency, free up resources, eliminate unnecessary meetings, and get more done faster! Long-time operations manager and PMP-certified project manager Randal Wilson shows how to apply PM to complete the crucial "smaller" tasks that can help your organization quickly achieve sizable performance improvements. Wilson guides you in utilizing PM-style processes, structure, communication techniques, and tools throughout operations, wherever they make sense and drive value. You'll learn how to plan, implement, and measure the success of high-impact changes, and organize key tasks so they actually get done. Wilson introduces specific PM-based techniques for eliminating waste in engineering, manufacturing, distribution, and inventory control, plus a full chapter of insights for improving virtually any supply chain. He shows how to use PM to improve the way you manage teams, schedules, budgets, and other resources, and helps you systematically predict, plan for, and mitigate operational risks. Using PM, you'll learn how to improve cooperation with other managers within operations, in other lines of business, and with senior executives. You'll discover better ways to "design in" efficiency right from the start, and learn how to choose and use tools that make you even more effective over time. The Operations Manager's Toolbox will be an invaluable resource for every current operations manager, everyone moving into operations, and every project manager seeking to apply their skills in new venues.
About the Author
Randal Wilson, MBA, PMP serves as Visiting Professor of Project Management, Keller Graduate School of Management, at the Elk Grove, CA DeVry University campus. His teaching style is one of addressing Project Management concepts using not only academic course guidelines and text, but includes in-depth discussions in lectures using practical application from industry experience.
Mr. Wilson is currently Operations and Project Manager at Parker Hose and Fittings. He is responsible for five locations across Northern California and Nevada, as well as project management of redesigns and renovation of existing facilities and construction of new facilities.
Mr. Wilson was formally in the telecommunications industry as Senior New Product Introduction Engineer at REMEC, Inc., Senior New Product Introduction Engineer with Spectrian Corp. and Associate Design Engineer with American Microwave Technology. He also served as Senior Manufacturing Engineer at Hewlett Packard.
He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) of the Project Management Institute. He acquired an MBA with concentration in General Operations Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Fremont, CA and a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management with concentration in Project Management from DeVry University in Fremont, CA.
Table of Contents
Contents
Dedication v
Preface xii
Introduction xiv
Chapter 1 The Power of Completion 1
How Do You Gain Power from Completion? 1
Believing in the Task or Project 2
Proper Assessment of a Task or Project 3
Managing a Task or Project 5
Accountability in Completing a Task or Project 7
Take the Blinders Off 8
Time Is of the Essence 10
Organizing a Task or Project 12
Should a Task Become an Official Project? 17
Operations Manager or Project Manager—Who Are You? 18
Managing Processes Versus Reporting on Progress 19
Power Tools for the Manager 21
Power Tool Summary 23
Chapter 2 Communication Is King 27
Why Communication? 28
The Communication Path 28
Communication Applications 32
Communicating in Meetings 34
Communication Management Plan 37
Power Tool Summary 43
Chapter 3 Fix the Processes 45
What Is a Process? 45
Why Look at the Processes? 46
Process Development 48
Documentation 54
Staffing a Process 56
Training Staff for Processes 57
Monitoring and Measuring a Process 59
Changing the Process 64
Is There a Better Way? 65
Power Tool Summary 67
Chapter 4 Waste Management 69
What Is Waste in an Organization? 69
Process Organization 70
Waste or Manufacturing Cost Reductions? 74
Waste in Procurement 76
Waste in Shipping and Receiving 78
Waste in Facilities 79
Waste in Managerial Decision Making 80
Waste in Meetings and Decision Processing 81
Sustainable Change 84
Power Tool Summary 85
Chapter 5 Managing Your Resources 87
Knowing your Resources 87
Human Resources 89
Managing Versus Leading 93
Allocation of Resources 95
New Managers 96
Capital Equipment 97
Facilities 98
Equipment 100
Power Tools Summary 102
Chapter 6 Budget Control 105
Establishing a Budget 106
Scope of the Budget 108
Controlling a Budget 110
Contracts 123
Conclusion 125
Power Tool Summary 127
Chapter 7 Don’t Be Afraid of Risks 129
Risk in Today’s Operations 129
Risk Versus Uncertainty 134
Risk Management Planning 136
Learn from Your Experiences 152
Power Tool Summary 155
Chapter 8 Synergy in Management 157
Managerial Behavior 157
Managerial Diversity 159
Managerial Relationships 160
Communication System 163
Needs of the Manager 167
Power Tool Summary 169
Chapter 9 Tamper-Proof Training 171
Training Is a Process 171
Training Plan 172
Power Tool Summary 183
Chapter 10 The Weakest Link 187
Procurements 188
Supplier Relationships 191
Suppliers 194
Inventory Control 198
Power Tool Summary 202
Chapter 11 Organizing for Efficiency 205
At What Level Should Organizing Be Done? 207
Design It In 213
Cost Benefit 214
Power Tool Summary 215
Chapter 12 Managing Change 217
Why Change Anything? 218
Problems with Change 220
Types of Change 224
Documentation Changes 228
Change as a Process 229
Power Tool Summary 236
Bibliography 239
Index 241