LPA Implementation Guide 1

The LPA (layered process audits) implementation guide gives you an effective system to get your LPA system started off on the right foot.

We have a Layered Process Audit Implementation class that can be presented at your location.

Layered Process Audits can create a tremendous improvement in your product quality. Especially if "operator error" is one of the primary reasons for the nonconformities.

Although the concept of layered process audits began in the automotive industry, they are now being used in all types of businesses. Because the responsibility goes all the way to top management for making sure that critical operations are being performed according to the "best practices" set forth. This reinforces the importance of knowing and following the prescribed work methods.

The LPA Implementation Guide

The guide is laid out with the required activity first, and then the reason for the activity, options for fulfillling the activity. Lastly, the best practices we have used with assisting companies with their implementation plan.

The guide will be presented in four parts over the next four weeks. We recommend you add this page to your favorites by clicking the "Add To Favorites" link:

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1) Why LPA? - Be certain as to why you are investing in an LPA process. What is the goal or gain expected?

Reasons - You must always know what the expected outcome is before starting the actual implementation.

Options - A. Meet a customer requirement; B. Add to meet TS requirements; and/or
C. Improve Quality throughout your organization

Best Practices - Improve Quality throughout your organization for all of your
customers. Understand how to measure an effective LPA system.

2) Learn About LPA Systems

Reasons - By first gaining and then applying this new-found knowledge, your company will be able to implement an LPA system correctly the first time (Note: We often find that there is never time to do a job right the first time, but there is always time to do it over. When you fail to plan, you plan to fail)

Options - A. Seminars; B. Websites; C. Books; D. Coaches (proven experts);
E. Lessons learned from successful companies

Best Practices - Try to use all of these options to gain knowledge about LPA systems.

3) Who Should We Have On The Implementation Team? - Identify and select the
Varsity team for LPA implementation. (The members you select should be chosen as if
the future of the company depended upon LPA success)

Reasons - Identifying a cross-functional group of people who have profound knowledge of the manufacturing processes. They need to be able to relate to all aspects of manufacturing and areas of quality concerns from all shifts.

Options - A. People who are not busy; B. Only Quality professionals; C. Find people who are very busy; D. Operators; E. Technicians; F. Setup people

Best Practices - Find people who are very busy because they are team players and doers. Choose representation from all areas Engineering, Manufacturing, Maintenance, Operators, Technicians, and Quality professionals and all manufacturing shifts. Everyone should understand why they are on the team and what is expected of them.

4) Who will own the LPA system? - Determine who will own and be responsible for
your LPA system. (This does not mean the person or people who maintain the system)

Reasons - The owners should be those people who use and interact with the system the most.

Options - A. Quality owns the system; B. Manufacturing owns the system

Best Practices - Manufacturing owns the system with Quality supporting the system
(note: Quality owning the system has not proven to be successful). Include the group that has the process knowledge necessary to keep audit questions up to date.

5) How will the facility be organized to be audited? - Decide how the facility
will be divided up to be audited.

Reasons - Identifying the primary and secondary organizational units will allow you to
identify the number of audits in each area and later assign audit questions.  Identifying product groupings will become very useful to sort data for reports.

Options  - A. Primary Units: Department, Business, Value Streams, etc.;
B. Secondary Units: Workstations, Cells, Operations, etc.; C. Product Groupings: Platform, Product Type, Product Grouping, etc.

Best Practices - Primary Units: Department, Business, Value Streams, etc.
Secondary Units: Workstations, Cells, Operations, etc.
Product Groupings: Platform, Product Type, Product Grouping, etc.

Go to Steps 6 through 10

Go to Steps 11 through 15

Go to Steps 16 through 19