OPEX program becomes Excellence System
The start of 2017 saw the launch of the OPEX program with the overarching themes maintenance, jointly coordinated construction and skills development. OPEX supports the goal of sustainably changing the performance culture at DB Group. Through OPEX, we are advancing the transformation that has already begun – for quality that persuades and performance that delights our customers.
In the OPEX maintenance sub-program, the transformation at about 72 locations has begun in four phases. It involves initiating and implementing sustainable process improvements using a standardized procedure. In order to achieve this employees will be trained in OPEX/lean skills and in how to apply and further develop this new working method. Additional areas of focus include implementing a consistent performance dialogue and continual improvement aiming to reduce wastefulness. As part of OPEX, a portfolio of key figures was developed to cover all business units and is communicated on a daily basis in the Digital Situation Room.
Aligned with DB Group’s focus on operational excellence, in the sub-program skills development the OPEX portfolio was developed. The OPEX portfolio offers the framework for developing the relevant OPEX capability and skills across business units. The qualifications offered enable employees and executives to successfully carry out the transformation, acquire the skills they need and potentially expand existing knowledge. In this way, the portfolio provides the basis for working differently. Since April 2018, the OPEX Portfolio 2.0 has been available to all executives and employees in DB Lernwelt (DB online platform for learning). It means that employees can benefit from the appropriate learning offers at any time, wherever they are. The OPEX Fitness Check was also developed as part of the skills development sub-program. It is part of DB Lernwelt and supports users by way of an anonymous survey that helps them choose the appropriate content from the qualifications offered.
In 2019, an additional 25 maintenance locations will begin the OPEX transformation as part of phases five and six. The locations involved in phases one to four will continue to be appraised by way of regular maturity assessments to determine the progress of the program and will also receive ongoing implementation support.
We wanted to harness the experiences and successes of OPEX for other topics, so we further developed the OPEX approach: from early May until December 2018, an OPEX team with members from throughout the Group worked on the DB Excellence System, a production system for DB Group. The DB Excellence System is based on experience and best practices from all business units, the market and the OPEX phases to date. The DB Excellence System continued the proven approaches and supplemented them by further standardized principles. Among other things, the digitalization module was added. Our mission is to provide flawless, cost-effective vehicles, infrastructures and services through outstanding processes.
The DB Excellence System consists of a holistic, standardized approach to optimizing and transforming processes and/or organizations. It also incorporates principles and standards on pursuing excellence as a goal, on using excellence as a basis for assessment and on employing the methods for excellence to pave our way.