Sprint To Excellence

In an effort to boost productivity and quality of deliverables, Aker Solutions India has adopted a focused team approach, wherein a set objective is achieved within a short, stipulated span of time called a ‘sprint’.

Here is a detailed insight into the company’s operational efficiency methodologies, the rudiments of problem identification, and the process of bringing about the desired improvements.

- Swaphil Redkar

The concept of ‘lean,’ which focusses on the identification and elimination of waste, was originally developed and implemented by the manufacturing industry. However, now a number of other industries have started to apply this business improvement methodology to improve their process and product deliveries.

Lean emphasizes the importance of analyzing delivery methods from a customer’s perspective—every step of every process should add value; if it does not improve the value stream, then it is a waste and needs to be eliminated. Following this approach, instead of focusing on waste at isolated points, creates processes that need fewer resources to provide services at lower costs and with higher quality. This continuous incremental improvement leads to transformation into a lean organization. Such an organization focuses not just on tools, methods, and behavior, but also on attitudes and values.

Any organization can be made lean as long as the target remains in focus.

Operational excellence is at the core of our strategy as we seek to shape a sustainable future for our industry, and we execute our business within the realms of a deep-rooted value system that guides not just operations, but our behavior too. In our endeavor to create and deliver value for our customers and our business, we focus on improving not only resources but also flow efficiencies. Last year, we combined all improvement initiatives in a global program, #thejourney, targeting at least 30% increased cost efficiency in all parts of our business by the end of 2017.

Lean principles are a cornerstone of this program–the way we operate and continuously improve our business. As part of this, employees across the globe are being given basic training in ‘lean’, and are encouraged to apply this methodology to our daily operations. Most employees will undergo basic ‘lean’ training by the end of 2017.