Clarifying Roles and Metrics Through Visual Management Systems and Continuous Improvement Allows Local Manufacturer to Launch their Most Successful Product to Date

Although Mesa Labs had been firmly committed to developing and maintaining a culture of continuous improvement for many years, they were concerned about a potential misalignment of departments that was resulting in missed deadlines and a higher rate of re-works and re-dos. As they approached the upcoming release of the pHoenix XL, Mesa decided to contact Manufacturer’s Edge, part of the MEP National Network™, to discuss possible strategies for unifying the team around clear, common goals that would strengthen the organization while also giving them the tools necessary to successfully launch the new meter and reestablish their reputation for high-quality products and on-time delivery.

Despite the positive atmosphere and commitment to continuous improvement, it became clear to the team at Manufacturer’s Edge that the 29 middle managers overseeing sales, delivery, research, and development were not necessarily clear on their own roles and expectations. This lack of clarity was, unfortunately, leading to a variety of missteps and missed deadlines. Manufacturer’s Edge worked with the administration to custom design a series of activities designed to give context and instruction to clarify those roles and develop the proper strategy for success.

Using various simulation and process observation exercises through Kata, Kaizen, Lean Management Systems, and Value Stream Mapping (VSM), Manufacturer’s Edge was able to partner with the team at Mesa Labs to determine what was working and what was not while also helping them adopt attitudes and behaviors that support lean. From there, Mesa decided to integrate those lessons into daily huddle sessions. This gave leadership the tools to identify and clearly communicate the metrics used to define “good performance” and effectively drive lean. As a result, Mesa Labs has dramatically accelerated their process improvement, their overall performance, and they are now enjoying unprecedented growth, which they attribute primarily to the successful launch the pHoenix XL meter.