UNIT 2 – Technical Domain of Operations Management

Module 4
Process Design

Learning Outcomes:
1. Differentiate between the different types of processes.
2. Understand the use of flowchart.
3. Make or design a flowchart for a chosen business.

Introduction:

New products are not realities until they are manufactured. Process design
means complete delineation and description of specific steps in the production process
and linkage among the steps that will enable the production system to produce products
or services of the desired quality and required quantity. Process planning is intense, but
replanting can occur as capacity needs change.

Every firm that produces a good or a service will do so by the use of a process. 
This process will use the firm’s resources in order to transform the primary inputs into
some type of output. 

The objective of organization is to provide service and product, which satisfy

customer and create value for them. A product and service designed is based on the
customer feedback and requirement of the market. Process design is where the product
is broken down into parts, which further can be helpful in the actual manufacturing
process.

A product, for example, has attractive packaging to provide the right aesthetics
plus has function and features, which provide value to customers. Process design
ensures that there is smooth and continuous relationship between required output and
all the intermediate process.

For example, manufacturing of Air-Conditioners, process design has to be such

that maximum supply is achieved during the hot months of summer when demand of
the product is at the highest. So people, process and machines need to align to give
continuous production throughout the year as to satisfy seasonal demand.

Content:

Process development for process design can be summarized through following

steps:

1. Process Requirement: The very 1st step is to collect and gather information to

give structure with the end objective. That is to make process requirement
 document highlighting various stages, risk and stakeholders for production. This
will include assessment of available technology, raw material requirement,
factory/plant layout and demand forecast.
2. Team Building: Once the process requirements are finalized, for each objective,
a team is finalized based on skill level and experience. Function of the team is to
get familiarize with the whole process.
3. Planning and Implementation: Process planning team will develop module;
policies and procedure require for production, which are after required approval
internal as well as external is implemented.
4. Audit: A regular audit is carried out to ensure that process thus implemented is
in line and delivering value to customers.
5. End of Life: Over a course of time there may be enhancement of the product or
product may get discontinued in these circumstances, process thus develop is
discontinued.

In designing the actual process, particularly the number and sequence of steps,
several important factors need to be considered.

1. Product variety – Is the product highly standardized, or is the product highly

customized?
2. Volume of output – Is the business created to produce large volumes or a small
amount of output?
3. Is the technology to be used general purpose or specialized? Is it capital
intensive?
4. The skill level of employees, it is very high or low?
5. What is the expected duration?

Make-to-order and Make-to-stock

It is useful to categorize processes as either make-to-order or make-to-stock.
 In a make-to-order business, the customer’s order is not manufactured until the
order is received. This allows customization to the exact specifications that the
customer requires. It may also be referred to as build-to-order. This type of production is
considered a pull type system. The work is “pulled” through the process when customer
demand is present.

The disadvantage of this type of system is that it takes time for the firm to acquire
any materials and needed components, and then to schedule and produce the
customer’s order. Goods are made in small amounts, and may be more expensive.

The advantage of this type of process is that inventory is lower than in a typical
make-to-stock system. There is not any uncertainty about what the customer desires
and there is no obsolete stock to be disposed of. Dell Computer has utilized this type of
system to produce personal computers very successfully.

In a make-to-stock process, goods are produced in anticipation of customer

demand, usually from a sales forecast. These products are generally made in larger
amounts and put into storage to wait for customer orders. Although the unit cost may be
lower due to large production volumes, there may be losses due to forecast error,
excess inventory, obsolescence and theft. Lead times however are short because
goods are available when the customer places the order. These goods are not
customized, but standardized.

Production Process
Based on the nature of product and service production or conversion process
can be divided into two broad categories, continuous production (assembly line, oil
refinery) and intermittent production (job work, service).

Production process for both manufacturing industry and service industry can be
classified into broad categories based on standardization of product or service. It can
range from single project assignment like a building or bridge (manufacturing) to interior
design (service) and mass production project like a car (manufacturing) to a fast-food
joint (Services).

Process Design
A successful process design has to take into account the appropriateness of the
process to overall organization objective. Process design requires a broad view of the
whole organization and should not have a myopic outlook. And the process should
deliver customer value with constant involvement of the management at various stages.

In order to achieve a good process design, effective process strategy is required,

which deals with a singular line items required to manufacture the end product. Effective
process strategy deals with raw material procurement, customer participation,
technology investment, etc.
 Over a period of time process design has undergone change and new concepts
like Flexible Manufacturing Systems have been developed, which delivers efficient and
effective production design and analysis.

Process Types

Project
A one-time event, such as construction of an apartment building, implementation
of a new ERP system, or writing a book, would all be considered a project type of
process.
Each of these projects have a high degree of customization, substantial use of
resources, and a complex set of related activities. There is only a single output at the
end of the project.

Job Shop
Many businesses have a job shop type of process. This is most commonly used
when the product being produced is unique for each customer. It is a make-to-order
type of business where production is intermittent (i.e. rather than one entire product
being completed at a time, work will continue on multiple products as time permits).
Often the product has unique characteristics for each customer. The workers in this type
of business are very highly skilled in their craft or trade. Often they are referred to as
craftsmen or makers. The volume of output is low in a job shop. The equipment used is
quite general purpose. Examples include a small bakery that produces beautiful custom
wedding cakes, or a business that makes custom guitars or bicycles based on the
customers measurements and preferences of materials and components.

Batch
Some businesses are in the situation where they make groups of identical
products on a regular basis.  These groups are referred to as a batch. The batch will
progress through a set of steps to be completed from the start to the end. An
organization may have multiple batches at different stages coming through the process. 
This type of processing is also intermittent. (start, stop, start)  There is less variety in
this type of business (compared to a job shop) and the equipment used will be relatively
general purpose and suited to the industry that they are in. Employees need to be
skilled and experienced at operating that equipment and producing these products.
Examples of products made using batch production are baked goods, aircraft parts,
clothing, and vaccines. An important decision by these firms is how big the batch should
be.
Repetitive

This type of business produces products that are more standardized in nature.
Usually the output is high. Since the goods are quite standardized, the equipment used
tends to be quite specialized and often highly customized for that process. The skill
level of the employees is usually low because the steps are highly standardized.
Although these types of jobs may not require a trade or extensive experience, they often
do require skills such as multi-tasking, concentration, problem solving, and teamwork.
Often, these processes use flexible automation that allows for customization such as
the addition of upgraded features. Examples of a repetitive process include assembly
lines such as assembling automobiles or electronics, a carwash, or a cafeteria line.
 Attri
bution: Tansiis / Wikimedia Commons

Continuous
A continuous process is when a very high volume of standardized product is
produced.  The type of product being made is described as non-discrete. This means
that these businesses do not produce individual products, rather a product that is often
a liquid or a product such as sugar, gasoline, or steel. An example of this type of
process is an oil refinery. There are not separate individual workstations, rather the
product flows from one step to the next within the system. The equipment in this type of
process is highly complex and designed solely for that product at that facility.  There are
very few workers except for those that are responsible for process monitoring,
maintenance, and cleaning.
Hybrids
There are many firms using mixtures of process types.  One such common
exception is the Mass Customization model of production. In mass customization, a
company combines low-cost high volume of output, but each and every customer order
is customized to the customer’s specifications. Usually the use of computer-aided
manufacturing systems is what permits this customization.  Examples include furniture
makers who wait to produce the exact model of sofa based on the customer’s
dimensions and fabric choice, or the vehicle manufacturer that has dozens of
customization packages and paint options such that each vehicle is custom for the
purchaser. A key requirement for successful mass customization is a modular design to
allow fast seamless change from each product to the next.
Process Flowcharting
Any process improvement initiative will always begin with mapping out a visual
representation of the current process.  This is necessary so that all members of the
team have a clear understanding of how current process is working. All of the steps and
flows need to be identified and laid out in the proper sequence. It is important that the
correct stakeholders are involved in this activity!

There are many different types of flowcharts, and many different softwares that
can assist with this activity. Most practitioners tend to prefer using a large roll of paper
on the wall where the group can collaborate rather than using a computer projected
onto a screen.  It is important to go out into the workplace and walk the process before
beginning this task.  This is a very standard activity that takes place in organizations
around the globe.  As an Operations Manager, there is a high likelihood that you will
become involved in this at some point in your career.  To map a process, a standard set
of symbols are used. There are many different symbols, it is best not to get too caught
up in all of them.
The standard symbols include:
For example:
Activity No. 1

Observe the business environment. Identify one business and conduct an

interview (if possible) as to how the processes is being conducted. Identify what type of
process is used and make or develop a process flowchart for them.

Rubric for Activity No. 1

96-100 91-95 86-90 81-85
All group members All group members Some group Only a few
are prepared and are prepared members are members are
have mastery of the prepared prepared and have
topic mastery of the topic
All group members All group members Some group Only 1 or 2 group
participate equally participate members participate members participate
All group members Most group Some group Only 1 or 2 group
speak clearly and members speak members speak members speak and
easy to understand clearly and easy to clearly but are can be understood
understand difficult to
understand
Presentation is Presentation is Presentation is Presentation is
visually organized organized and complete disorganized and
and complete complete incomplete
Output Output includes Output includes few Output includes few
includes many some necessary details or no details
necessary details details

Reference:

Operations Management: An Asian Perspective, International Edition 2010, W.

J. Stevenson, et. al., McGraw-Hill Education (Asia) 2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121.

https://pressbooks.senecacollege.ca/operationsmanagement/chapter/process-
design/

https://www.managementstudyguide.com/process-design-and-analysis.htm