Colostomy Pouch
A global medical device company was in the process of developing a colostomy collection pouch to expand its current product line. The design required the assembly of multiple layers of plastic films in a specific orientation to achieve the desired flow path into the collection area. The relative position of one layer of film to adjacent layers of film was critical to the performance of the collection pouch.
The process development team came up with a simple, inexpensive change to the usual process that would make it impossible to misassemble the critical layers of film. The plant manager vetoed the idea, guaranteeing that 100% inspection by machine operators and quality-control technicians during production would produce the required assembly of the pouch. The product deliverd to the sales division the day before the national product launch had a leakage rate of 20%.
ANALYZE THE EXAMPLE
* Which supports and barriers were in play?
* What were the dynamics?
* Who, or what, won the Tug-Of-War?
* Discuss the outcome with your friends and family.
* Use Post #4 as a reference for the dynamics and the relationships between supports and barriers.
