Building an Operational Excellence System in Battery Materials

Finding Flow

The journey began with a comprehensive diagnostic phase that had identified the "Initial Level" of maturity across the sector. This foundational understanding was crucial. For the selected pilot sites—UK1 (encompassing Analytical and e-Chem laboratories) and the Pilot Plant (PP1)—our "Finding Flow" stage involved a deep dive to understand their unique challenges and to meticulously map out pathways to improvement.

Through collaborative workshops and data analysis, several critical challenges were identified:

• At the UK1 Analytical facility, operations were hampered by significant Flow Fog, largely due to inadequate workflow tracking systems and a lack of clear visibility into sample progression, making it difficult to provide estimated completion dates to internal customers. Issues such as incorrect sample labelling and insufficient sample submissions, compounded by supply chain shortages for essential consumables, pointed directly to Missing Materials. Furthermore, frequent equipment availability issues and instrument downtime were clear instances of Inoperable Assets. The combination of skilled staff shortages, high volumes of test requests, and unstable R&D demand created an environment susceptible to Job Juggling and Priority Pinball, as teams struggled to manage fluctuating workloads and competing demands.
• The UK1 e-Chem laboratory experienced difficulties with the Misaligned Priorities of test requests. Critical bottlenecks, such as those observed at the dust booth, led to significant Waiting for efficiency, impacting overall throughput.
• The Pilot Plant (PP1) contended with considerable Process Variability within its Quality Control procedures, leading to delays and inconsistencies. Unstable demand planning created a risk of Priority Pinball, and challenges in managing Work-In-Progress (WIP) stock indicated issues with High Incessant Inventory.

To address these multifaceted challenges, initial interventions were identified. Hoshin Kanri and the associated Catch Ball process were selected for strategic alignment from leadership to the operational level. Tiered Visual Performance Management (TVPM) was designed to bring clarity to daily operations, and Value Stream Mapping (VSM) was employed to visualise end-to-end processes. The strategic objectives, key projects, and critical Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the UK1 site were documented in a Hoshin A3 X-map, serving as a dynamic 'Releasing Flow Map' to guide the improvement efforts.

Taming Turbulence

With a clear understanding of the challenges and a strategic roadmap in place, the "Taming Turbulence" phase focused on implementing initial, high-impact changes to stabilise operations and improve workflow.

The Hoshin Kanri framework was formally deployed, with Catch Ball sessions ensuring that strategic objectives were understood, cascaded, and owned at both senior leadership and value-adding operational levels. This created a unified direction and purpose. Simultaneously, training on Tiered Visual Performance Management (TVPM) was delivered, and initial TVPM system designs were implemented. This involved establishing SQCDP (Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery, People) boards and introducing Kanban visualisations to track job statuses, flow blockers, and identify sources of delay in real-time.

A cornerstone of this phase was the initiation of targeted Learning Sprints. These sprints were designed as focused, experimental cycles to tackle specific problems identified during the "Finding Flow" stage.

• For instance, at the UK1 Analytical facility, Learning Sprints concentrating on Queueing Theory and Kanban principles were launched. These directly addressed the chronic issues of workflow tracking and sample visibility. Practical outcomes included the development and implementation of a Kanban Dashboard and the use of Cumulative Flow Diagrams (CFDs) to analyse and understand work progression and bottlenecks.
• In the Pilot Plant, Learning Sprints focused on Standardised Work and Work Balancing, utilising Yamazumi charts. These interventions were aimed at mitigating Quality Control delays, improving consistency, and addressing imbalances in demand planning.

Throughout these sprints, the 4CP framework (Trigger/Symptom, The Situation, Root Cause Analysis, Countermeasures) was embedded for structured, at-line problem-solving, empowering teams to diagnose and address issues effectively as they arose. These initial implementations began to smooth out the "turbulence" by bringing structure, transparency, and data-driven decision-making to the pilot areas.

Accelerating Flow

Once initial stability was achieved, the "Accelerating Flow" phase aimed to embed the new ways of working and build momentum for continuous improvement, ensuring that the interventions delivered sustained benefits and prepared the ground for wider adoption.

The Learning Sprints were instrumental in this, designed with a "Learning Cycle Approach" that inherently fosters a culture of continuous improvement (Plan-Do-Check-Act). The Catch Ball process, used in deploying Hoshin Kanri, naturally facilitated the transfer of ownership for strategic objectives and improvement initiatives to the teams closest to the work. This empowerment was a critical step in accelerating change.

Post-implementation process confirmations were established to ensure that the new standards and processes were being adhered to and were delivering the expected outcomes. This regular verification helped to identify any deviations or areas needing further support, thus maintaining the integrity of the implemented solutions. The overarching BMOne framework emphasized key behavioural shifts, such as "Align, engage and enable," and "Be as One," which were actively promoted to reinforce collaborative problem-solving and shared accountability.

While this engagement focused on pilot sites, the entire methodology—from Diagnostics & Planning through Strategic Planning & Framework Design to Pilot Site Deployment and Behaviour Absorption—was structured for scalability. The learnings and successes from the UK pilot were explicitly intended to inform and accelerate the planned subsequent roll-out to other facilities, including a key site in Poland. The focus within the pilot was to demonstrate accelerated flow within its defined scope, thereby building confidence and a practical model for replication.

Keeping Pace

To ensure the longevity of the improvements and to foster a self-sustaining culture of operational excellence, the "Keeping Pace" phase focused on continuous coaching, support, and refinement of the BMOne system.

The Learning Sprint methodology, with its iterative nature and emphasis on reflection (Check-Act), provided an ongoing mechanism for coaching and continuous improvement. Teams were encouraged to regularly review their performance, identify new opportunities, and experiment with further enhancements. Senior leadership engagement was actively cultivated, with an emphasis on "Leading By Example." Management from all work environments—Knowledge, Transactional, and Production—were involved to ensure broad buy-in and consistent application of the BMOne principles.

A key recommendation that emerged was the need to simplify and standardise the BMOne System further, aiming for it to be "explainable and measurable on a single page A3." This drive for simplicity was crucial for ensuring ease of understanding, engagement, and long-term sustainability across diverse teams and functions.

The formal outputs of the pilot, including detailed reports, finalised Maturity Assessments, Risk Assessments, and briefing packs for the Steering Group, constituted a comprehensive handover of knowledge. This documentation, along with the practical experience gained by the client’s teams, equipped them to continue driving the Operational Excellence journey independently.