Original Date: 10/10/2005
Revision Date: / /

Raytheon Integrated Defense System uses a very formal but easily followed policy deployment plan to maintain the alignment of corporate goals and objectives with the action plans of the individual work centers and value streams.

Raytheon’s Andover Integrated Air Defense Center (IADC) began its Lean/Six Sigma journey in 2004. Prior to the start up of this endeavor, the company spent many hours investigating and coordinating efforts to ensure success of their lean initiatives. Consultants were used to guide the company principals in establishing an implementation plan that would convey clear meaning to all employees of the goals of lean manufacturing within their own work centers and how these goals were tied into the overall company goals.

One of the tools used for lean implementation is a Policy Development Matrix modeled after one developed by Womack and Jones in 1996 that aligns, both vertically and horizontally, the firm’s functions and activities with its strategic objectives. In this matrix, precise goals, actions, timelines, responsibilities, and measures are delineated. The Policy Development plan deployed by IDS started as a top-down process when lean conversion was initially launched. Once the major goals were set, the process became a top-down and bottom-up process as work centers or value centers developed their own policy deployment matrices that show precise activities, responsible individuals, and goals and measurements that are aligned with corporate goals and measurements. This formalized work center/value stream deployment plan ensures that all lean initiatives are aligned with corporate goals, with the objective to match available resources with desirable projects so that only projects that are in alignment and are important and achievable are authorized.

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