I know it’s been a while since I wrote a blog, and I bet you’re wondering where this title will lead. Let’s see how this goes…
As you know, I am not an engineer, but I do have a tendency to think like one. I believe it’s related to me being a mechanic and because I think of things in light of how they function. I find working with my hands and my mind very satisfying, and I enjoy getting to work on my projects at home. When I’m home, I spend most of my time in the garage or in the shop.
Another thing that I enjoy is solving problems. I have a strong desire to figure things out and make them work. I think it goes back to childhood. Often, I would find myself taking things apart just to see what was inside and how it was built. My poor Hot Wheels cars paid the price of my curiosity!
Unfortunately, in my early days, I broke a string of items during the disassembly process that I could not reassemble. In the early days of being a mechanic, the objects of my attention underwent a bit more destruction than repair as I tried to learn how they worked. Fortunately for me, my skills improved over time, and I eventually learned a lot about how things work.
Today, the “things” (ships, assemblies, equipment, etc.) we are talking about are far more complex and complicated than in those early days of Hot Wheels and bicycles. But the basics we have learned along the way add up, and that experience helps us break down the complex and complicated into understandable and digestible pieces we deal with here. My experience has helped me learn so much about shipbuilding in just three years.
So how does any of this relate to “Plus 1” – the title of this blog? Early in my career, I worked on a new aircraft program and spent a lot of time with the engineering team trying to improve the design of the interior components. We already had a lot of experience building and installing interior components, but we had a unique opportunity to start with a new design – one that would be more focused on manufacturability.
Our team would brainstorm different methods to build and install the interior components faster and for reduced hours. As we worked together to solidify the designs for production (the Design to Build process), it became fun – like a game for us – to go back and forth with improvement ideas. One day, I proposed an improvement idea and one of the engineering managers called it a “Plus 1.” Plus 1 meant that the idea was a better idea, a way to improve the design as it stood at that time. As things do, calling something “plus 1” migrated from the “design” improvements into production improvements when the crews found better ways to build or test components. From that day back in the early 2000s, whenever one of us had a better improvement idea, it became a “Plus 1.”
The whole point of Plus 1 was to find a better way to do something – design it better, build it better, test it better and ultimately perform better as a company. By doing “it” better, we saved real dollars at many levels in the company. But because we gave it a name and made the challenge fun, it helped bring the teams together to gain the Plus-1 advantage.
I think this is an important blog topic. I tend to ask a lot of questions about improvement ideas or offer different ideas or ways to improve. When I do this, or anyone on our team does this, don’t take it negatively. Wanting to do things better is not a criticism, it’s a discovery process where we are looking to exchange ideas and challenge each other. In fact, I want you to come up with your own process improvements. Suggestions for improvement, no matter where they come from, should be seen in the spirit of Plus 1. We are a team, and we are all helping one another get better.
I never want to discourage idea generation or process improvement! And I like to be part of the collaborative team. I enjoy engaging in the challenge of finding ways to get better because I find it satisfying and exciting. So, if I ask questions, let’s make if fun – let’s see who can get the Plus 1!
I have learned in my career that, when several heads come together, good ideas usually start flowing, especially if the backgrounds are diverse. Even an airplane guy can – sometimes – help shipbuilding.
See you on the deckplates!
Safely Execute High-Quality Work