(Ref:
I made a breakthrough recently, while investigating low production areas and realized that a good deal more needs to be said on the subject of order and disorder.
Order is defined as a condition in which everything is in its proper place and performs its proper function. A person with a personal sense of order knows what the things in his area are, he knows where they are, he knows what they are for. He understands their value and relationship to the whole.
A personal sense of order is essential in getting out products in an area.
An orderly typist, for instance, would have all the materials requiring typing, she would have ample paper and carbons within arm’s reach, she would have her correction fluid to hand, etc. With all preparatory actions done, she would sit down to type with an operational typewriter and would know what that typewriter was and what it was for.She would be able to sit down and get her product, with no wasted motion or stops.
But let’s say you had a carpenter who couldn’t find his hammer and he didn’t even know what a hammer was for and he couldn’t find his chisel because when he picked it up he put it down and couldn’t find it again and then he didn’t know where his nails were. You give him a supply of lumber and he doesn’t know what it’s for, so he doesn’t categorize it where he can put his hands on it.
How many houses do you think he would build?
The actual fact of the case is that a disordered person, operating in a disorganized area, makes a 10-minute cycle into a 3-week cycle (believe it, this is true) simply because he couldn’t find his ruler, lost his eraser, broke his typewriter, dropped a nut and couldn’t find it again and had to send off to Seattle for another one, etc., etc., etc.
In working with a group of nonproductive technicians recently, I discovered something interesting: out-basics. I actually found a lower undercut to what we generally think of when we say “basics.”
These technicians had reportedly researched a key piece of equipment and had it all sorted out. But I found that they didn’t even know the basic fundamental of what that machine was supposed to do and what they were supposed to be doing in their area.That told me at once that they had no orderly files, no research data. They were losing things.
Now, if they were losing things, that opened the door to another basic: they couldn’t have known where things were. They put down a tool over there and then when they needed it again they would have to look all over the place because they hadn’t put it down where it belonged.
Their work was not organized so that it could be done and the tools were not known.
So I checked this out. Were they logging the things they were using in and out so they could find them again? Were they putting things away when they were done with them? No, they weren’t.
This is simply the basic admin coupled with the knowledge of what the things one is working with are. It’s orderliness and knowing what things are, knowing what they are for and where they are, etc. That’s the undercut.
If people don’t have a true knowledge of what the things they’re working with are, if there are omitted tools, inoperational tools, if they don’t know what their tools are supposed to do, if there are no files or if once used, files are not reassembled and put back in the file drawer, if things get lost and people don’t know where things are and so on, they will be running around spending 3 or 4 hours trying to locate a piece of paper. That isn’t production.
If a person can’t tell you what the things he works with are, what they’re for and where they are, he isn’t going to get out any product. He doesn’t know what he’s doing.
It’s like the carpenter trying to build a house without knowing what he’s got to build it with, without understanding his tools and raw materials and the basic actions he must take to get his product. That’s what was holding up production in the area: disorderliness. And the basics were out.
This is actually far below knowing the tech of the area — the actual techniques used to get the product. The person does not even know what his tools and equipment are or what they’re supposed to do. He doesn’t know whether they are operational or inoperational. He doesn’t know that when you use a tool you return it to its proper place. When you have a despatch you put it in a file where it can be retrieved. It undercuts even knowing the orders and PLs relevant to his hat.
What are the basics that are missing? The basics of sitting down to the table that one is supposed to sit down to, to do the work! The basics of knowing what the tools, materials and equipment he works with are and what he’s supposed to do with them to get his product. Those are the basics that are missing.
We are down to a real reason why a person cannot turn out products.
That is what is holding up such a person’s production. It is well below knowing the technique of his job.
Out-basics. Does the guy know where the file is? When he finishes with that file does he leave it scattered all over the place or does he put it back together and into the file where it can be found?
Now, a person who’s working will have papers all over the place, but does he know where they are and is he then going to reassemble them and put them back in order or is he going to just leave them there and pile some more papers on top of them?
If you find Project No. 2 scattered on top of Project No. 1, you know something about that area. Basics are out.
This is a little piece of tech and with that piece of tech you’ve got insight. You would have to have an overall picture of what the area would look like when properly ordered and organized — how it would be organized to get optimum production.
Then you could inspect the area and spot what’s going on. You would inspect on the basis of: how does the area compare with how it should be organized? You would find out if the personnel didn’t know what the things in their area were or what they were for, you would see if they knew the value of things in the area or if there were altered importances, omitted files or filing, actions being done out of sequence, inoperational tools or equipment, anything added to the scene that was inapplicable to production, etc.
In other words, you can inspect an area by outpoints against this one factor of orderliness.
This sort of out-basics and disorderliness cuts production down to nothing. There just won’t be any production at all. There will be no houses built.
What we are talking about here is an orderly frame of mind. A person with a sense of order and an understanding of what he is doing, sits down to write a story or a report and he’ll have his paper to hand, he’ll have it fixed up with carbons and he’ll have his reference notes to hand. And before he touches the typewriter, he’ll familiarize himself with what the scene is. He’ll do the necessary preparatory work in order to get his product.
Now someone else might sit down, write something, then dimly remember there was a note someplace and then look for an hour to find where that note was and then not be able to find it and then decide that it’s not important anyway and then come back and forth a few times and finally find out he’s typed it all up without a carbon.There is a handling for this. Anyone trying to handle an area who doesn’t understand the basics of what they’re dealing with and is in an utter state of disorder must get a firm reality on the fact that until the basics are learned and the disorder handled, the area will not produce satisfactorily.
The following inspection is used in determining and handling the state of such an area.
This inspection is done in order to determine an area’s knowledge of basics and its orderliness. It can be done by an area’s senior for the purpose of locating and correcting disordered areas. It is also used as part of debug tech as covered in HCO PL 23 Aug 79 DEBUG TECH. It is for use by anyone who is in the business of production and getting products.
The full inspection below would be done, clipboard in hand, with full notes made and then handlings would be worked out based on what was found in the inspection (according to the Handling Section of this PL and the suggested handlings given in parentheses below).
1. DOES HE KNO W WHA T ORGA NIZA TION, FIRM OR COM PA N Y HE’S IN? DOES HE KNOW WHAT HIS POST OR JOB IS?
This is a matter of does he even know where he is. Does he know what the organization or company he works for is, does he know what the post he is holding is?
(If he is so confused and disoriented that he doesn’t even know the company or org he’s in or doesn’t know what his post is, he needs to apply the Expanded Confusion Formula, HCO PL 9 Feb 74R and then work up through the conditions.
Of course the person would also need to be instant hatted on his post — the organization, his post title, his relative position on the org board, what he’s supposed to produce on his post, etc.
If he is doing this handling as part of his Expanded Confusion Formula, simply have him get the instant hatting and carry on with his Confusion Formula.)
2. ASK THE PERSON WHAT HIS PRODUCT IS.
Does he know? Can he tell you without comm lag or confusion?
You may find out that he has no idea of what his product is or that he has a wrong product or that he has confusions about his product. Maybe he doesn’t even know he’s supposed to get out products.
(If this is the case, he must find out what his product is. If the person’s product is given in policy references, he should look these up. If his product is not covered in tech or policy references, he’ll have to work out what it is.)
3. CAN HE RATTLE OFF A LIST OF THE BASIC ACTIONS, IN PROPER SEQUENCE, NECESSARY TO GET OUT HIS PRODUCT OR DOES HE HEM AND HAW ON IT?
Does he know what to do with his product once it is completed?
He may try to tell you what he does each day or how he handles this or that and what troubles he’s having with his post. You note this, but what you’re interested in is does he know the basic actions he has to take to get out his product. And does he know what to do with the product once it is complete?
(If he can’t rattle off the sequence of actions 1, 2, 3 then he’d better clay demo the basic actions, in proper sequence, necessary to get out his product and then drill these actions until he can rattle them off in his sleep. If he does not know what to do with his product once completed, then he’d need to find out and then drill handling the completed product.)
4. ASK HIM WHAT HIS TOOLS ARE THAT ENABLE HIM TO GET THIS PRODUCT.
Note his reaction. Can he name his tools at all? Does he include the significant tools of his area? Does he include his hat pack as a tool?
(If he doesn’t know what his tools are, he’d better find out what he’s operating with and what it does. A good workman knows his tools so well he can use them blindfolded, standing on his head and with one arm tied behind his back.)
5. ASK HIM TO SHO W YOU HIS TOOLS.
Are his tools present in the work area or does he have them out of reach, down the hall or in some other room?
(He may have to reorganize his work space to get his tools within easy reach and to get in some basics of organization. The purpose of such organization would be to make production easier and faster.)
6. ASK HIM TO TELL YOU WHAT EACH OF HIS TOOLS ARE.
Can he define them? Does he know what each of them are and what they are for? (If he doesn’t know, he’d better find out.)
7. ASK HIM TO TELL YOU WHAT THE RELATIONSHIP IS BETWEEN EACH ONE OF HIS TOOLS AND HIS PRODUCT.
(If he can’t do this, have him clay demo the steps he takes to get out his products with each tool he uses, so he sees the relationship between each tool and his product.)
8. ASK HIM TO NAME OFF THE RAW MATERIALS HE WORKS WITH. ASK HIM TO SHOW YOU HIS MATERIALS.
Does he know what his raw materials are? Are they in his work area? Are they in order? Does he know where to get them?
(He may have to find out what the raw materials of his post are (by defining them) and where they come from. He should drill procuring and handling them and then run Reach and Withdraw on them.)
9. DOES HE HAVE A FILE CABINET? FILES? ASK HIM WHAT THEY ARE.
Does he know what they are for? Does he know what a despatch is, etc.?
(He may have to be brought to an understanding of what files, file cabinets, despatches, etc., are and what they have to do with him and his product. He may have to clay demo the relationship between these things. He will have to set up a filing system. Ref: HCO PL 18 Mar 72, Esto Series 10, FILES.)
10. DOES HE HAVE AS YSTEM FOR LOCA TING THINGS?
Ask to see it. Check his files. Does he have logs? Does he log things out and correct the logs when he puts them back? Are the comm baskets labeled? Does he have a specific place for supplies? Ask him to find something in his files. How long does it take?
Does he have an orderly collection of references or a library containing the materials of his field? Is it organized so as to be usable?
(If he has no system for locating things, have him set one up. Have him establish a filing system, a logging system, label the comm baskets, arrange supplies, etc. Get a reference library set up and organized. Drill using the system he has.)
11. WHEN HE USES AN ITEM DOES HE PUT IT BACK IN THE SAME PLACE? DOES HE PUT IT BACK WHERE OTHERS CAN FIND IT?
He’ll probably tell you, yes, of course he does. Look around. Are objects and files lying about? Is the place neat or is it a mess? Ask him to find you something. Does he know right where it is, or does he have to search around? Is there an accumulation of unhandled particles around?
(Have him clay demo why it might be advantageous to put things back in the same place he found them. Drill him on putting things back when he’s finished with them. Have him clean up the place, handling any accumulation of unhandled particles.)
12. IF FEASIBLE, ACTUALLY GO WITH THE PERSON TO HIS PERSONAL LIVING AREA.
Is the bed made? Is the area clean? Are things put away? How much dirty laundry does he have? Is it stowed in a bag or hamper or is it strewn about the place? People who had disorderly personal mest, 1 for 1 were not getting out any products on post — they had no sense of order.
(If his personal quarters are a mess have him — on his own time of course — straighten up his personal area and keep it that way on a daily basis. This will teach him what order is.)
Some areas, of course, will be found to be in excellent order and will pass the inspection. These will most likely be high production areas.
Other areas will be found to have only a few points out which would correct easily with the above handlings. These will probably be areas where some production is occurring.
Where personnel have a concept of what order is and why it is important they will usually be eager to correct the points of disorder that have turned up on the investigation and may need no further urging, drilling or correction, but will quickly set about remedying outpoints. For many bright and willing staff members just reading this policy will be enough to get them to straighten out their areas right away.
There is, however, a sector which has no concept of order, and may not have the slightest notion of why anyone would bother with it. You will most likly find them in apathy, overwhelm or despair with regard to their post areas. No matter what they do they simply cannot get their products out in adequate quantity and quality. They try and try and try but everything seems to be working against them.
When you find such a situation, know that the area is in Confusion. You are trying to handle an area which is in a confirmed, dedicated condition of Confusion.
Such an area or individual would require the application of the Expanded Confusion Formula (HCO PL 9 Feb 74R) including the handlings above. So if these things confirm in an area you must use the Expanded Confusion Formula and the handlings given above to full completion. Because, frankly, such an area or individual is in a condition of Confusion and will remain in Confusion until the Expanded Confusion Formula including the full handlings from the inspection are applied.
Once out of Confusion the person would have to be brought up through the rest of the conditions.
The condition of Confusion is a very low condition and should never be assigned where it is not warranted. Where one or two points on the above inspection were found to be out in an area, and where these corrected easily, there would be no purpose in assigning Confusion to that area. In fact it may worsen an area to assign an incorrect condition.
But where you have a long-term situation of no or few products combined with a state of disorder, know that the area or individual is in a condition of Confusion and that the application of the Confusion Formula plus the handlings given in this PL will bring the area out of the muck and up to square one where it can begin producing.
NOTE: If the inspection is done on a person or area and some of the points are found to be out and handlings are done but no condition of Confusion is assigned the area must be reinspected about a week later. This way you will detect if an actual condition of Confusion was missed, as the area will have lapsed back into disorderliness or will have worsened.
A knowledge of the basics of an area and having orderliness in an area are essential to production.
When you find a fellow who is a light year away from the basics and doesn’t have a clue on the subject of order and he’s flying way up in the sky someplace instead of just trying to put together what he’s supposed to put together or do what he’s supposed to do, you’ve got your finger on his Why for no production.
With the inspection and handlings given in this policy we can now handle any degree of disorderliness and disorganization.
And order will reign.
Nonproductive areas become capable of producing.
Already-producing areas increase their production.
And production will roll.