Practice

Situation

Organization. Plant redesign comprises three stages. First, one of the designers is tasked with producing a conceptual design. Then, a small team prepares a basic design. Subsequently, a larger team produces a detailed design.

Environmental factors. Competition with other companies.

Issues. At present, the principal designer is the only one who masters the conceptual design stage. Training all designers in this stage has not been successful. Since the expertise required is largely unique, hiring is not an option.

Ambition

Objective. Reduce the key-man risk in the stage of conceptual design.

Benefits. More designers master the stage of conceptual design and onboarding them in this stage takes less time.

Analysis. Worth pursuing.

Identify

Critical capabilities to reduce the key-man risk in the stage of conceptual design:

• (Coordinate designing)
  • Estimate the required effort [implicit].
  • Determine the process flow [implicit].
• (Specify design requirements)
  • Appraise customer traits [explicit].
• (Fulfil design requirements)
  • Analyse the impact of a concept [explicit].
  • Display commercial acumen [tacit and innate].

Compare

Expected contributions of critical capabilities:

• Reputation:
  • Estimate the required effort.
  • Determine the process flow.
• Stakeholder needs:
  • Appraise customer traits.
  • Analyse the impact of a concept.
  • Display commercial acumen.

Appraise

Presence of critical capabilities in the design team:

• Individual presence:
  • Estimate the required effort.
  • Determine the process flow.
  • Appraise customer traits.
  • Analyse the impact of a concept.
  • Display commercial acumen.

Route

Directions for the development of critical capabilities:

• Increase:
  • Estimate the required effort.
  • Determine the process flow.
  • Appraise customer traits.
  • Analyse the impact of a concept.
  • Display commercial acumen.

Unite

High-ranked capabilities to form unique capabilities:

• Combine:
  • Estimate the required effort.
  • Determine the process flow.
  • Appraise customer traits.
  • Analyse the impact of a concept.
  • Display commercial acumen.

Secure

Unique capabilities in the organization of the design team:

• System. Include as instructions in the standard operating procedure:
  • (Deliver a design service)
    • Appraise customer traits.
    • Analyse the impact of a concept.
• System. Elicit and include as instructions in the standard operating procedure:
  • (Deliver a design service)
    • Estimate the required effort.
    • Determine the process flow.
• System. Circumscribe and/or illustrate and include as preconditions in the standard operating procedure:
  • (Deliver a design service)
    • Display commercial acumen.
• Skills. Train the responsible manager in assessing designers on having the capabilities mentioned in the preconditions of the standard operating procedure.
• Skills. Train the designers who meet all preconditions in executing the standard operating procedure.