Page 24 - Q1_2023_Corp Newsletter

WHAT'S SIMPLE
WHA T'S SIMPLE

WORKS BEST
WORKS BES T

OMMUNICA
TING WORK
TING
AND C
INITIA
INITIATING AND COMMUNICATING WORK
By Bill Mazzetti, Senior Vice President, Research & Development

t has been a busy time for Rosendin’s Research and
Development (R&D) team, with several new projects
I and some old ones restarting.

R&D has always believed in “what’s simple works best.” That does not
mean the result isn’t sophisticated, but the process to get there should
be simple. When the R&D team was developed, we analyzed our branch
installation work, which accounts for approximately 18-22% of our direct
labor on any day company-wide. Using that study as a model, the team took
in a lot of data from various sources, removed the data that reflected local
circumstances, reduced it to a format everyone could understand, and then
offered a few concise and clear conclusions.
This study set the basis for how R&D initiates and executes work today and
communicates the results. This process helps when you or someone else
might be stuck with a multi-layered problem.

ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: THE ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS BECOME THE BASIS OF PROGRAM
• What is the problem you are trying to solve? DEVELOPMENT, AND THEY SET UP A FEW REQUIREMENTS:
• Is this an actual problem or a perceived problem? • What does the existing, transitional, and final problem
state look like/what are your expectations?
• What is the benefit or result for the cost and effort
you will expend? • Who is in charge, or what does the
steering committee look like?
• What is the priority level?
• Who else needs to be involved?
• How does this map for high versus low-impact and high
versus low-effort? • Where do you meet resistance from people, and
how do you overcome that resistance?
• Is this a fix, upgrade, or more substantial change, and
how will it be implemented? Once the program development and requirements are
decided, this leads to Rosendin’s A3 process, which Mike
• Who owns it when we’re done? Greenawalt often discusses. The A3 is an excellent, not
• If this is a high-effort and high-impact solution, can you overly controlled platform for problem-solving, and exists
lead it or get it done? in the 2nd step, as illustrated on the following page.

24 | THE FEEDER