David Dodd
Well-known member
Several days ago, a participant in one of the PrePress and Workflow forums here at PrintPlanet asked for advice on this idea: "My company would like to combine the prepress function with client services thus creating pods per client." This idea is very relevant to lean, so I wanted to restart the discussion in this forum.
Work cells are used extensively by lean organizations. In manufacturing, a work cell consists of all of the equipment, people and other resources that are required to produce a particular family of products from start to finish. The equipment and other work centers in a cell are arranged sequentially and in close proximity to each other. A work cell is, in essence, a mini-production line that is dedicated to a single product or a family of similar products.
Lean organizations also use work cells for non-manufacturing functions. Many printing companies have taken a step in this direction by "assigning" CSR's to particular salespeople. Why not expand this idea to include prepress personnel? DGornick mentioned something like this in one of his posts in "The War on Waste" thread. The basic objective would be to create a preproduction team that is dedicated to the jobs received from a defined group of customers. The team (cell) would be responsible for performing all preproduction activites and processes relating to jobs ordered by those customers. Team members would be located in close proximity, and they would be cross-trained to the extent practicable. A cellular organization improves communication among team members and the flow of work through the cell.
Any thoughts or ideas about using preproduction work cells?
Work cells are used extensively by lean organizations. In manufacturing, a work cell consists of all of the equipment, people and other resources that are required to produce a particular family of products from start to finish. The equipment and other work centers in a cell are arranged sequentially and in close proximity to each other. A work cell is, in essence, a mini-production line that is dedicated to a single product or a family of similar products.
Lean organizations also use work cells for non-manufacturing functions. Many printing companies have taken a step in this direction by "assigning" CSR's to particular salespeople. Why not expand this idea to include prepress personnel? DGornick mentioned something like this in one of his posts in "The War on Waste" thread. The basic objective would be to create a preproduction team that is dedicated to the jobs received from a defined group of customers. The team (cell) would be responsible for performing all preproduction activites and processes relating to jobs ordered by those customers. Team members would be located in close proximity, and they would be cross-trained to the extent practicable. A cellular organization improves communication among team members and the flow of work through the cell.
Any thoughts or ideas about using preproduction work cells?