Problem solving - Case Study
FAMMSA founded in Los Yebenes (Toledo, Spain) in 1977 is a manufacturer and it currently produces metal supports for high voltage lines, towers for telecommunications and lighting, steel structures for electrical substations, tanks for distribution transformers and power transformers. The reliability of its equipment and staff, as well as the quality of the customer service, has turned FAMMSA into a well-known player in the sector, allowing it to grow internationally.
Although FAMMSA had an Innovation system in place for many years they had struggled to achieve the quality and quantity of output from the system, which was based around scheduled face-to-face brainstorming. They often found the brainstorming sessions overtaken by internal problem solving discussions - focusing on maintaining the present capability of the company and not generating the innovative ideas vital to the company's future. They also noticed they had no system to record and follow up these meetings, so many Innovative ideas weren't recorded, or implemented. This disorganised approach to innovation meant that while their competitors were innovating and diversifying, FAMMSA was standing still.
FAMMSA used ExtremeFactories to more effectively manage innovation, it allowed managers to set specific Innovation Challenges thus ensuring that all idea's proposed, reviewed and accepted for discussion at their brainstorming sessions were relevant. Thus the employees time was focused in the right areas. The ExtremeFactories system also allowed FAMMSA to keep a record of all Idea's proposed, meaning that no great idea is lost and any idea can be reviewed and implemented in the future. Furthermore FAMMSA used the ExtremeFactories system to support problem solving, employees posted problem and collaborated to find solutions - without having to take time away from the brainstorming sessions.
The benefits to FAMMSA were two fold. Firstly, a more focused innovation system meant that the quantity and quality of Innovation idea's generated has grown, with many being placed into prototype development. Secondly, using the tool as a problem solver, and separating this from the Innovation challenges, has provided greater efficiency as it's allowed problems to be solved at any time and by any employee, rather waiting for the scheduled brainstorming sessions. Now that the problem solving, and Innovation processes are independent of each other the company as a whole has become more efficient and communication between staff and management is more focused and effective.
Since using ExtremeFactories, FAMMSA is a company that's both solving its problems and generating targeted Innovation ideas. We're a more efficient, creative company having regained our competitive edge, and most importantly, we're ready to grow.