Error proofing in the practice of project management
fosco frongiaSenior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUGFino Mornasco, Como, Italy
Error proofing (or poka yoke) is a technique to prevent errors and, where possible, make impossible to make mistakes. I tried to use it in process application and results were comfortable. Do you know this technique? Have you applied this technique in your projects? In what manner? What results? Do you consider it useful? thanks to share your opinion and experiences Saving Changes...
saurabh mahajanPMP, ITIL, PRINCE2| vodafonePune, Maharashtra, India
In some sense I would say I have tried error proofing. Like automating some actions in my project which were done manually. This way I tried to mitigate the manual error making chance.
I thought it was good up to certain extent, like reducing manual intervention to minimize errors. But the efforts to maintain such automation is also high in dynamic project environment where changes are inevitable and are more random.
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1 reply by fosco frongia
Mar 07, 2016 5:19 PM
fosco frongia
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Thanks Saurabh,
I agree with your concerns, for this reason I think we can apply this technique not directly in the "management of the project" but, in a profitably manner in the processes related with it. In fact these processes are structured and no directly connected with the dynamism of the project. for example we can apply them in the payment process, archive management etc.
Saving Changes...
Eduard JenaService Delivery Manager| SCCBucharest, Romania
Hi Fosco,
I will go Google this right away. I was not aware of such a technique.
Without reading about it, I tend to say that any error proofing in PM can only go so far.
The reason is: people. We work with delivery teams that can malfunction due to a variety of reasons.
A perfect project result is many times a mixture of skill, good luck, a mature delivery team, a fair client, and so on. Saving Changes...
Eduard JenaService Delivery Manager| SCCBucharest, Romania
I've done my research.
The technique is common sense but I love the power of a method. It puts knowledge into a process, makes it an easy to follow "law".
I would, too, be very interested in learning from others' experience applying the method (IT PM ones mostly). I am curious if and by how much the self auditing steps is increasing the overall delivery time.
Also who would use this method best: the PM or the team leaders?
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1 reply by fosco frongia
Mar 07, 2016 5:40 PM
fosco frongia
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Thanks Eduard,
As commented answering to Saurabh, error proofing can be applied in the most part of the process which are connected with the project. Error proofing reduce considerably the error in routine operation (and we have them in the projects) because create systems, tools that automatically conduct actions in the correct way. Theoretically error proofing doesn't increase the self auditing time because is focused to reduce to the necessary it .
For example I had some challenges in the payments process because a considerable part of suppliers sent payment documents incomplete or wrong. the time to verify the documents was much more than the time I had for it. Applying error proofing method, basically I prepared a simple check list where all requirements, and points to comply, were not only expressed but the people action were guided automatically in the correct way, I reached two results:
1) reduce drastically the errors (reducing the time dedicated to check documents)
2) move the control action from team member to supplier team.
Concerning your second point I think that, first of all, is necessary to create an "error proofing mentality" in the group and after the application should be done at each team level with, for example, a PM supervision
Saving Changes...
Brian MukoyiProjects Manager| J R Goddard ContractingBulawayo, Zimbabwe
I do understand this method but however find challenges in implementing in construction industry mainly because of variability of activities and conditions. In labour based practices it will be difficult to implement but in automated activities it can work. I would visiting this post often to check on construction PMs who have used it and their experiences.
Thank you for the post.
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1 reply by fosco frongia
Mar 07, 2016 5:43 PM
fosco frongia
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thanks Brian,
your consideration are corrects,as explained in other answers I am more focused in the routine process connected with the management of the project the the same project management. Error proofing can increment the efficiency of them reducing the time necessary to their implementation,
There are so many error (mistake) proofing tools & techniques. These tools are used in project management environment as well as in other management area. Anything interlocks with some conditional attributes to GO / NO-GO is considered as error proofing techniques. It is automated once it is implemented and awareness program done. I mention here few of them: 1. Checklist 2. Standard Template 3. Highlighting with Color Code 4. Authorization system 5. Documents control (version) 6. 5S housekeeping (documenting) in office 7. Parcel IN & Parcel Out trays 8. Scaffolding fitness tag (Green, Red, Yellow) 9. Space separation (danger zone, parking lot) with signboard 10. Password protected system 11. Fingerprint activated employee attendance system and many more...
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1 reply by fosco frongia
Mar 07, 2016 5:46 PM
fosco frongia
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thanks Karuma,
your comment is very effective and i think can help a lot of people to understand the effectiveness to apply error proofing in the project envirnment
Saving Changes...
fosco frongiaSenior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUGFino Mornasco, Como, Italy
Mar 07, 2016 4:30 AM
Replying to saurabh mahajan
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In some sense I would say I have tried error proofing. Like automating some actions in my project which were done manually. This way I tried to mitigate the manual error making chance.
I thought it was good up to certain extent, like reducing manual intervention to minimize errors. But the efforts to maintain such automation is also high in dynamic project environment where changes are inevitable and are more random.
Thanks Saurabh,
I agree with your concerns, for this reason I think we can apply this technique not directly in the "management of the project" but, in a profitably manner in the processes related with it. In fact these processes are structured and no directly connected with the dynamism of the project. for example we can apply them in the payment process, archive management etc. Saving Changes...
fosco frongiaSenior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUGFino Mornasco, Como, Italy
Mar 07, 2016 7:14 AM
Replying to Eduard Jena
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I've done my research.
The technique is common sense but I love the power of a method. It puts knowledge into a process, makes it an easy to follow "law".
I would, too, be very interested in learning from others' experience applying the method (IT PM ones mostly). I am curious if and by how much the self auditing steps is increasing the overall delivery time.
Also who would use this method best: the PM or the team leaders?
Thanks Eduard,
As commented answering to Saurabh, error proofing can be applied in the most part of the process which are connected with the project. Error proofing reduce considerably the error in routine operation (and we have them in the projects) because create systems, tools that automatically conduct actions in the correct way. Theoretically error proofing doesn't increase the self auditing time because is focused to reduce to the necessary it .
For example I had some challenges in the payments process because a considerable part of suppliers sent payment documents incomplete or wrong. the time to verify the documents was much more than the time I had for it. Applying error proofing method, basically I prepared a simple check list where all requirements, and points to comply, were not only expressed but the people action were guided automatically in the correct way, I reached two results:
1) reduce drastically the errors (reducing the time dedicated to check documents)
2) move the control action from team member to supplier team.
Concerning your second point I think that, first of all, is necessary to create an "error proofing mentality" in the group and after the application should be done at each team level with, for example, a PM supervision Saving Changes...
fosco frongiaSenior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUGFino Mornasco, Como, Italy
Mar 07, 2016 9:35 AM
Replying to Brian Mukoyi
...
I do understand this method but however find challenges in implementing in construction industry mainly because of variability of activities and conditions. In labour based practices it will be difficult to implement but in automated activities it can work. I would visiting this post often to check on construction PMs who have used it and their experiences.
Thank you for the post.
thanks Brian,
your consideration are corrects,as explained in other answers I am more focused in the routine process connected with the management of the project the the same project management. Error proofing can increment the efficiency of them reducing the time necessary to their implementation, Saving Changes...
fosco frongiaSenior project manager| ENTE PATRIMONIALE CHIESA GESU' CRISTO SUGFino Mornasco, Como, Italy
Mar 07, 2016 1:44 PM
Replying to Karuna Basu
...
There are so many error (mistake) proofing tools & techniques. These tools are used in project management environment as well as in other management area. Anything interlocks with some conditional attributes to GO / NO-GO is considered as error proofing techniques. It is automated once it is implemented and awareness program done. I mention here few of them: 1. Checklist 2. Standard Template 3. Highlighting with Color Code 4. Authorization system 5. Documents control (version) 6. 5S housekeeping (documenting) in office 7. Parcel IN & Parcel Out trays 8. Scaffolding fitness tag (Green, Red, Yellow) 9. Space separation (danger zone, parking lot) with signboard 10. Password protected system 11. Fingerprint activated employee attendance system and many more...
thanks Karuma,
your comment is very effective and i think can help a lot of people to understand the effectiveness to apply error proofing in the project envirnment Saving Changes...
Eduard JenaService Delivery Manager| SCCBucharest, Romania
Come to think of it, i do this constantly as SDM. But having a structured method raises the level of efficiency by introducing consistency. Again, thank you for this post.
