Reduce Unique ICDs by Redesigning the Product or the Process

The objective of this activity is to reduce the number of ICDs by reducing the occurrence of an ICD in producing a unit of Output, or by reducing the number of separate ICDs used in the Output. A unique ICD is one of the key activities in the work center's contribution to the final product (O). It is separate and distinct from any other activity in the work center. For example, the fastening of a part onto a subassembly and a quality control check of the subassembly would be unique ICDs.

B. Redesign the process of producing the ICD or Output

Change the process used to produce the ICD or Output to eliminate activities.

4. Reduce movement of an Input (People, Purchases or Capital)

Reduce movement of people:
Make changes in the field from a central location

No.	Industry SIC	Year	Notes
1	3571	2004	The idea of thin-clients is growing popular again as technology becomes more advanced. Increasingly ubiquitous broadband Internet connections are making it more practical to serve up sophisticated applications remotely. Hardware companies have made inroads developing hardy and cheap thin-client-like computing devices as part of their efforts to computerize the developing world. And open-source software developers have created free operating systems and suites of applications that will run from a single CD-ROM. Then there's the security issue, Microsoft's great bugbear. Thin-client computers are simpler, presenting fewer technical openings for viruses, spyware, and other hacker tools to attack. Because thin clients' real brains are managed centrally, IT managers and service providers can make security related fixes for everyone at one time.
2	3571	2005	Many organizations are taking PCs off people's desktops and replacing them with “thin client” systems. Each worker gets a computer screen, keyboard, and mouse. But a central computer room stores all the data and does most of the processing – slashing support costs and making it much easier to track and restrict how workers use their machines. But in general, thin clients' appeal isn't lower purchase costs. Some cost almost as much as desktop PCs. The savings come in managing the desktops. When employees can't slip in virus-laden floppy disks, and the computer professionals can upgrade security protection and add new programs at the touch of a button in the computer room, maintenance costs decline sharply. And the total cost of ownership drops in turn.
3	3571	2006	IBM is reorganizing its global workforce to lower costs without skimping on service. IBM plans to bunch employees in competency centers that are distributed around the work. For example, it cost IBM $70 per PC to have someone individually install software onto clients' PCs. Now IBM has 200 people in Toronto running a software installation factory for clients worldwide. They assemble packages that are delivered to machines over the Net. The cost: 20 cents per PC.
4	4841	2008	Companies with large field service teams find it hard to raise productivity mainly because they underestimate what can be done in a day and fail to recognize the huge number of cancellations per day. One way to solve this problem is by giving teams more work than they can actually complete knowing that some customers will cancel. Companies can also dispatch teams in the field more flexibly by reassigning them on the spot as jobs are canceled and new ones pop up. Manager should also assign "ride-alongs" to observe teams at work and use the information to raise efficiency.
5	7375	1999	Internet based sites like Moneyline.com do not have to invest to maintain proprietary systems, rather they use the Internet. This reduces their costs significantly.
6	7379	2004	To stay competitive, companies are finding new ways to automate operations, reuse technology, and streamline processes. Getronics Inc. does more with fewer people in the desktop support business. Using software tools that diagnose PC problems and automatically dispatch fixes and updates, it resolves most issues remotely over the network. That can reduce up to 50% the number of "house calls" techies need to make.
7	8021	2007	PracticeWorks has improved service to dentists and oral surgeons by providing call-center agents the ability to dial into the site, and fix the problem. This saves both the company and the client time and money.

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