Free White Papers & Articles

How To Improve Almost Any Process 

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis - This paper first defines key terms, then discusses how to improve inputs to the process, the improvement process itself, and wraps up with some “lessons learned” advice.  Although production and manufacturing terms are employed, nearly everything herein works for service businesses and office operations.

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

Reengineering: 40 Useful Hints

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis - Business Process Reengineering is the complete or partial "reinventing" of how business processes are done, to attain major performance improvement.  It questions the underlying assumptions and principles, including what, why, by whom, and even, if--things should be done.  This presentation will contribute by stating and helping to clarify a number of important principles, plus useful insights, techniques and hints - 40 in all!

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

Outsourcing: Best Practice Impact

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – based on years of outsourcing related work on “both ends” of the process, this article identifies critical success factors – i.e., Best Practices for success in the outsourcing .

Improving the Improvement Process- Education

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – All continuous improvement teams run out of "gas" at some point.  Ongoing education (acquiring different viewpoints, greater understanding and knowledge) enables team members to "see" new opportunities indefinitely.  The greatest leverage is to "improve the improve-ERs" – those doing the improvements – for truly long-term, sustained high performance.

The New Conference Room Pilot

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis - The definition and role of the conference room pilot in success of major business system projects. How to set up and operate a CRP.

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

ERP Implementation Lessons Learned

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis - This case study describes lessons learned from the ERP implementation at a leading metal container products company.  It is a $200MM, 53-year-old company; a leading producer for the wholesale, retail, OEM and industrial markets.  It was in the midst of a successful turnaround during the project as a new management team provided new direction.

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

How to Manage a Business Systems Implementation Plan

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis - It is rare that the Best Practices outlined in this article are rigorously applied to implementation projects.  As a result, they typically run into a series of problems, sometimes major, or at a minimum, just drag along.  This article will enhance your insight into what constitutes the best ways to plan, manage, and complete implementation of small or major enterprise software system.  This article covers the steps your team needs to perform to assure the greatest chances of success.

Effective Enterprise Systems

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – effective systems and processes are those that are in clear, solid alignment with and support of the organization’s strategy and core business model(s).  Learn in this article what the basic criteria are for effective systems, and how an appropriately selected enterprise system can (or perhaps not) bring about true Best Practices into use within an organization.

Implementation Preparation Best Practices

By Paul Deis, CEO, PROACTION – first in a series of articles on how Best Practice methods eliminate the alleged risk of implementation projects.  First are completing the preparation steps fully and correctly, so that subsequent activities build on a solid foundation.

Implementation - Best Practice Teams

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – second in a series of articles on how Best Practice methods eliminate the alleged risk of implementation projects.  Select the team members according to proven Best Practices criteria and virtually ensure success of the project.

Implementation - Conference Room Pilot Preparation

By Paul Deis, CEO, PROACTION – third in a series of articles on how Best Practice methods eliminate the allege risk of implementation projects.  The critical process is the Conference Room Pilot; prepare for it thoroughly, and understand what is required, to enable a rigorous, complete CRP.

Implementation - Conference Room Pilot Completions

By Paul Deis, CEO, PROACTION – final in a series of articles on how Best Practice methods eliminate the alleged risk of implementation projects.  Make sure your team rigorously performs these steps in the Conference Room Pilot process. A successful CRP typically turns the Go-Live event into a smooth transition – the best kind, uneventful.

Integrated Sales Process Management: The Sine Qua Non of CRM Sales Automation

By Michael W. Lodato - In this white paper, the author surveys some of the developments in CRM, concludes that the sales process will increasingly be a key differentiator, and proceeds to consider how an Integrated Sales Process Management system would function and what values it could deliver.

Marketing & Sales Best Practices

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – rare is the company that has a structured, defined marketing and sales process capable of systematic, consistent improvement.  This article identifies the symptoms, and identifies where to start, what to do insight that you can use immediately to create an improvable marketing and sales process.

Inventory Accuracy in 60 Days!

By George Miller

--Despite great advances in manufacturing technology and management science, thousands of organizations still don't have a handle on basic inventory record accuracy.  This paper offers an approach that has proven successful a number of times, when companies were quite serious about making improvements.  Not only can it be accomplished, but it can likely be done within 60 days per area, if properly managed.  The hardest part is selling people on the need to improve and then keeping them motivated.

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

Inventory Reduction

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis

--Inventory is the largest single asset on the balance sheet of many manufacturers and distributors.  It is usually the most expensive asset to own and maintain.  This paper addresses how to manage Inventory investment to optimum levels, which means a reduction or major redistribution of it in most companies.  Optimal Inventory levels come down as management makes the operation more efficient by improving processes and reducing lead-time.

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

Aggregate Inventory Management

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis

--The relatively mundane area of over all, or aggregate inventory management is an often neglected Best Practice area.  This article explains, and serves as a mini-Best Practice checklist for proven methods and techniques that, when done correctly, bring substantial improvement into the inventory performance for almost any company.

(Also Available for Sale as a Presentation)

Improving Inventory Performance and Bottom-Line Profits

By Gary Gossard, PE

--This excellent article shows how systematic stratification and classification of inventory, with accompanying management actions, can dramatically improve performance of a company’s inventory investment.  Originally published in Evolving Enterprise magazine.

A Best Practice for Inventory Reduction

By Gary Gossard, PE

--This article clarifies exactly what an inventory reduction best practice is, summarizes the 10 most widely used reduction practices, and summaries the Inventory Quality Ratio Logic. The article includes 3 Case summaries where major inventory reductions were achieved using these methods.  Essential reading for those interesting in achieving improved inventory performance, no matter how many turns you are getting now!

Inventory Accuracy Hints

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis

--Does your company need to improve inventory accuracy?  Often, writings on inventory accuracy improvement focus on techniques, such as cycle counting.  While this is a very important subject, cycle counting is only mainly a measurement and diagnostic tool. Think of it as SPC (Statistical Process Control) for inventory accuracy.

Synchronized Work Flow

by Paul Deis

This paper is a case study of an early, very successful Lean implementation at a medium-sized, vertical integrated manufacturer where Paul Deis was VP Manufacturing.  Lots of hands-on, walk-the-floor insights.  Achieved dramatic results, including production cycle time reduction from 3-6 weeks to a fixed 48 hours.

MRP Limitations – A Guide to Workarounds

by Paul Deis

The MRPII concepts embedded in most ERP systems as the standard planning tool has serious limitations.  However, these are almost never discussed frankly.  They are just accepted as standard practice side-effects.  Managers and planners do the best they can, often developing elaborate, but cumbersome workarounds.

Lean and ERP: Can They Co-Exist?

By George Miller, revised & updated by Paul Deis

--Some pundits have opined that ERP is dead and Lean replaces it. That's like saying that the car chassis is replaced by the new engine. ERP is the backbone system of a modern enterprise, for integration of supply chain and administrative activities. Lean is a management philosophy, with supporting tools and techniques to run a business much faster, cheaper ­ better. They are NOT mutually exclusive, but Lean ERP must differ from the traditional approach.

Effective Lean Management - Part 1

By Bill Hanover, PROACTION Lean Sr. Consultant - First of 3-part article on Lean Management; first, identify and recover from past efforts and failings.  Leadership traits of those who have succeeded with Lean.

Effective Lean Management - Part 2

By Bill Hanover, PROACTION Lean Sr. Consultant - Second of 3-part article on Lean Management.  Key preparation steps to insure success of your Lean initiatives and transformation to success.

Effective Lean Management - Part 3

By Bill Hanover, PROACTION Lean Sr. Consultant - Third of 3-part article on Lean Management.  Practical recommendations and time-saving tips to ensure a smooth and efficient transition to Lean and World Class Excellence.

Continuous Improvement Process

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – At the heart of sustained high performance – a Best Practice company – is a continuous improvement process so effective that its results are predictable enough to include in business planning and forecasting.  Learn in this article what the key features of successful program are, and the action steps to get quick forward progress now.

The Art of Positive Leadership Emotions

By Heidi Katz

This white paper provides an in depth understanding of how positive emotional states in leaders powerfully influence and support substantially higher, objectively measurable, improved performance levels, and an excellent ROI for activities that improve these states. The paper includes major research findings, resources and documents validating these facts.

Managing Energy for Sustained High Performance

By Heidi Katz

This white paper “connects the dots” between personal energy management and sustained high performance in leadership situations. The author is Heidi Katz, a PROACTION Associate and senior consultant.

Engagement & Leadership

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – in-depth research by Gallup and others shows that true engagement, even among managers, is abysmally low, and how true, effective leadership (distinct from “management”) as a variable produces high engagement levels, which in turn produce objectively measurable high performance.

The Essentiality of Leadership

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – True leadership is the “foundation” of a Best Practice culture and company.  It enables the other 3 Essential Factors.  This article illuminates how the leverage of leadership is truly essential for sustained high performance.

Best Practice Cultures

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – this articles discusses how to create sustained high levels of engagement in your organization through effective leadership and understanding what a Best Practice culture is.  Key points are where and how to start moving forward now.

Who Owns the Work?

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – one of the foundation-level Best Practices is a work environment that fosters true, meaningful ownership of the work performed.  Ownership enables sustained, long-term, continuous improvements – one of the 4 Essential Factors of Best Practice companies.

Best Practices - China & Elsewhere

By Paul Deis, CEO PROACTION – China has become the “world’s workshop.”  Written while on a major project in mainland China, this article illuminates many of the key factors that can impact your outsourcing-to-China decisions, and provide greater insight into the universal applicability of Best Practices.

The Path to Best Practices

By Paul Deis, CEO, PROACTION – The Best Practice path encompasses Four Essential Factors, characteristics of proven, sustained, long-term, global success.  Learn in this article what these 4 Essential Factors are, a summary of how the synergistically leverage and strengthen each other and some ideas as to how to get started along this path in your company