Smart operations 21 improving production

Airman, Spring, 2006 by C. Todd Lopez

WASHINGTON -- The Air Force used the best parts of several civilian efficiency programs to develop a unique process-improvement program called "Smart Operations 21 ."

The program will take the Air Force forward in a journey of self-improvement. said Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne.

"'The name came from a convocation of the senior operators in the field who thought we could continue our journey into higher quality and better performance by using a term that would relate to airfield operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations, unmanned aerial vehicle operations or cyberspace operations," he said.

The program is based on both Lean and Six Sigma business process improvement tools. These tools were developed chiefly in the private sector to focus on increasing value to customers, save time and money, reduce waste and improve quality.

A process is made lean by re-engineering it to eliminate steps that add no value to the end product or by combining process steps to save time. For instance, moving tools and supplies closer to a work area to reduce the number of footsteps workers must take to complete their jobs.

Six Sigma deals primarily with quality control and tolerances. If one step in a manufacturing process requires a board be "cut to eight feet," an employee might spend too much time lining up raw material at a cutting station to ensure the goal is met. Six Sigma asks customers to be clearer about what is truly needed. If a deviation of a half-inch is acceptable, then the worker will be able to cut more boards in less time. The process saves money for both the manufacturer and the customer.

Secretary Wynne said the Air Force needs a strategy to understand and optimize the basic processes around which it organizes. Smart Operations 21 will be the centerpiece of the strategy, he said.

Staff Sgt. C. Todd Lopez Air Force Print News