You’re a plant engineer and you need to solve a problem. What are some common mistakes you should avoid?
As a plant engineer, you are responsible for designing, maintaining, and improving the systems and processes that keep a plant running efficiently and safely. However, solving problems in a complex and dynamic environment can be challenging and sometimes stressful. To avoid making costly or dangerous mistakes, here are some common pitfalls you should steer clear of.
Before you jump into finding solutions, you need to understand the nature and scope of the problem you are facing. What is the root cause, not just the symptoms? How does it affect the plant's performance, quality, safety, and environment? What are the goals and constraints of the problem-solving process? By asking these questions, you can define the problem in a clear and measurable way, and avoid wasting time and resources on irrelevant or unrealistic solutions.
Solving problems in a plant requires collaboration and communication with different stakeholders, such as operators, technicians, managers, suppliers, customers, and regulators. You should not try to solve problems alone or without consulting the people who have the relevant knowledge, experience, or authority. By involving the right people, you can gain insights, feedback, support, and buy-in for your solutions, and avoid conflicts, misunderstandings, or resistance later on.
Solving problems in a plant is not a matter of trial and error or intuition. You need to follow a structured and systematic method that guides you through the steps of problem identification, analysis, solution generation, evaluation, implementation, and verification. By following a method, you can ensure that your solutions are based on facts, logic, and evidence, and that you can track and measure their effectiveness and impact. Some examples of problem-solving methods are PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control), and 8D (Eight Disciplines).
Once you have analyzed the problem and identified its root cause, you should not settle for the first solution that comes to your mind or that seems obvious. You should explore and compare different possible solutions, taking into account their feasibility, cost, benefits, risks, and implications. By considering alternative solutions, you can avoid overlooking better or more innovative options, and increase your chances of finding the optimal solution for your problem.
Before you implement your solutions in the plant, you should test and validate them in a controlled and safe environment. You should not assume that your solutions will work as expected or that they will not have any negative side effects. You should verify that your solutions actually solve the problem, that they meet the criteria and standards you set, and that they do not create new problems or worsen existing ones. By testing and validating your solutions, you can avoid errors, failures, or accidents that could compromise the plant's operations or safety.
Solving problems in a plant is not a one-time event, but a continuous process of improvement and learning. You should not ignore or repeat the mistakes you made or the lessons you learned while solving problems. You should document and share your problem-solving process, results, and feedback, and use them to improve your skills, methods, and systems. By learning from your mistakes, you can prevent future problems, enhance your performance, and grow as a plant engineer.
Rate this article
More relevant reading
-
Plant EngineeringYou're a plant engineer and you're having trouble solving a problem. What's the first thing you should do?
-
Plant EngineeringHow can you effectively identify the root cause of a recurring issue in your plant?
-
Plant EngineeringYou're a plant engineer who needs to improve problem identification. What's the best way to start?
-
Plant OperationsWhat do you do if you want to become a go-to person in the plant operations industry?