Mine Digitization

Focus on Four Types of Actions 

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SIC is primarily a factory-floor process, with actions completed by operators within the current Short Interval Control. As such, it helps to train operators to focus on specific types of actions that are well-suited to delivering improvement within a short interval.

Action Objective Question
Fix Carry out an immediate fix for an existing problem. What can we do right now to fix this problem?
Stabilize Apply a temporary measure to control an existing problem. If we can't fix it, what can we do right now to stabilize it?
Prepare Plan ahead for an upcoming event such as a changeover. How can we best reduce the impact of...?
Improve Proactively improve throughput, equipment, processes, or documentation. Any ideas for quick improvements to...?
Escalate Problems and Solutions
The Need for Escalation
SIC focuses on immediate action. As a result, there will be some problems and solutions that are best handled outside of SIC. The preferred way to do this is to couple SIC with a process that escalates unhandled problems and solutions to a higher level of Management Review.

Unhandled Problems
Some problems will be too intermittent or too big to effectively handle within SIC. Or a problem may be stabilized in SIC but still need a longer term fix. It is important to capture these problems and escalate them outside of the SIC process.

Unhandled Solutions
Ideas that are beyond the scope of SIC may come up during SIC meetings (e.g., ideas that require capital expenditures or significant equipment redesigns). It is important to capture promising ideas and escalate them outside of the SIC process.

Standardize Your SIC Process
The most effective SIC processes are highly standardized (i.e., they are captured as Standardized Work) and thus very efficient. This is especially important when SIC is expanded to more intervals and more actions. Use a simple form to standardize the process, and display it in the work area to communicate planned actions.