Finding Flow
Our engagement commenced with the crucial "Finding Flow" phase, the foundational element of our Release Valve® methodology. The primary goal was to achieve a profound understanding of the existing Technical Variance (TV) flowline process and precisely identify the specific obstacles hindering its efficiency and effectiveness. Technical Variances, while vital for navigating the complexities of engine MRO and ensuring regulatory compliance, were highlighted as a point of friction within the broader MRO ecosystem. The process, managed externally, involved the creation and routing of TV documents through a chain of stakeholders and approvers, including highly qualified specialists, before final determination. The client's performance targets for this flowline were clear, aiming for high throughput, minimal delays, and a consistent, predictable flow that would not impede engine progress through MRO facilities.
A detailed analysis of the flowline's performance data from the second half of 2024 quickly brought several critical issues to light. The most prominent concern was the consistent inability to meet the target throughput of several hundred TVs per week – the target was only met or exceeded in a small fraction of the weeks observed.
Parallel to the low throughput, the analysis revealed a substantial and concerning level of Work in Progress (WIP). With over a thousand TVs active at one point, representing approximately a month's worth of expected output, the system was overloaded. This high WIP is a classic indicator of systemic issues preventing work from flowing smoothly through the process, often masking bottlenecks and exacerbating delays.
The data also demonstrated significant variability in cycle times. While some TVs moved through the process relatively quickly, the median cycle time was considerably longer, and the overall distribution was skewed. This indicated a significant body of slow-moving work existed alongside faster-moving items, suggesting inconsistent processing or prioritisation that prevented a steady, predictable flow.
Pinpointing the specific constraints within the flowline was a key focus of this phase. The "TV Triage" stage emerged clearly as a major bottleneck. It accumulated the highest levels of WIP and exhibited the longest median cycle time, holding up a substantial number of TVs. This choke point was identified as a primary contributor to the overall slow throughput and high WIP.
Furthermore, the analysis uncovered high levels of rework embedded within the process. Significant percentages of TVs required repeated attention after various approval stages, whether for author coaching or to provide additional information. This indicated quality issues upstream and considerable wasted effort in cycling work back through previous steps, adding to delays and consuming valuable capacity.
The presence of substantial waiting times in designated queue columns further highlighted inefficiencies. Work items were frequently stationary, waiting for processing, directly contributing to extended cycle times without adding any value. The data showed that a considerable proportion of TVs spent a significant amount of time simply residing in queues.
Collectively, these issues pointed to a large amount of non-value-adding activity within the flowline. The analysis quantified this waste, revealing that a substantial percentage of active TVs were in states corresponding to either queues or rework at any given time. Additionally, a notable rate of TV cancellations after initiation further suggested issues with the initial demand or scoping of work.
The primary reason for blocked TVs was identified as waiting for information from the applicant, indicating a critical dependency and a lack of effective mechanisms for information exchange.
The challenges identified during this detailed analysis align closely with common impediments to flow observed in knowledge work processes. The combination of low throughput, high WIP, and variable cycle times is characteristic of Flow Fog, where there is insufficient transparency and understanding of how work is progressing, leading to poor decision-making and misplaced focus. The substantial queues and bottlenecks, particularly at the Triage stage, are symptomatic of Waiting for efficiency, a situation where attempting to maximise the utilisation of individual resources or stages creates system-wide delays and increases the cost of delay. High rework levels and cancellations point towards Familiar faults, where problems are recurring, often due to inadequate upfront definition, inconsistent application of standards, or a lack of effective learning from previous issues. The delays caused by waiting for external information can be attributed to Missing materials, signifying difficulties in accessing necessary data or inputs required to progress work. The significant WIP also contributes to Job Juggling, as individuals and teams may be managing too many active tasks simultaneously, leading to reduced focus and productivity.
The findings from this "Finding Flow" phase were documented, outlining the scale and impact of these challenges on the TV flowline's ability to meet its critical objectives. This detailed understanding of the current state and the identification of specific problems and their underlying causes provided the essential foundation for developing targeted interventions in the subsequent phases of the Release Valve engagement.
