Right First time has been going viral in quality circles for some time now.
It is a general belief that “Right First Time” (R1T) approach is only a manufacturing and operational principle focused on performing tasks or producing goods correctly on the initial attempt to eliminate rework, reduce waste, and improve quality and that It merely serves as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to measure process efficiency.
R1T approach was initially conceptualized as a critical component of Lean Six Sigma methodologies, helping organizations minimize waste while maximizing efficiency and customer satisfaction.
I was always thinking this is about doing everything right from the beginning. Then, I wondered if that is so and if we perform every quality move perfectly, then, why continuous improvement which is the foundation stone of ISO 9001 (Plan-do-check-act cycle) and virtually every other quality philosophy?
The confusion comes from treating “Right First Time” as either a slogan or a rigid end-state. It’s neither. It’s a mind-set and a structured, risk-aware way of working that actually depends on continuous improvement, not contradicts it.
I also thought this is a purely quality tool since when R1T was introduced to the industry initially. Another mistake coming from the myth that quality is only responsibility of quality department.
For example, it is a general understanding that chasing up and closing NCRs (Non Conformity Report) is the duty of quality department. You can see that many NCRs forms do not assign it to a person but to a department depending on its relevance (for example, planning, procurement, engineering , etc.). Quality department is expected to chase up and close those NCRs that they don’t know how and do not have the expertise to do so, simply because number of open NCR is an important Quality KPI (Key Performance Indicator). Result: Excessive number of NCRs that are open for 2-3 years in a project without holding the true NCRs owners accountable and responsible.
This is a sad situation today for quality (QC, QC, Inspection, Surveillance) considering that it is universally accepted that safety is everybody’s responsibility but not so for quality.
Back to R1T, it is normally translated into 13 elements during project execution such as welding, coating, flange management, etc. This made me think that it is at least mostly viable during construction and phase and not before that.
WRONG: R1T is exclusively a quality departmental tool.
WRONG: R1T is a pulse check during project execution.
WRONG: R1T is in contradiction to continuous improvement because if you can get it right first time then, why, improve it when it is right in first place.
WRONG: R1T is a new tool recently introduced to the industry.
R1T was on the block since time immortal. It is now named (albeit confusing name) and there is a method to do it.
What is R1T really (concept)? R1T is a risk based quality tool to check every activity across the project and see if we are doing it right?
For every R1T exercise we should ask the following questions:
R1T is a concept that needs to be particularly established for the large EPC (Engineering, Procurement Construction) projects because there is a lot at stake and silly mistakes can ruin company reputation and cost dearly.
We already have R1T in place although in bits and pieces. An Audit can be part of R1T from that perspective.
We are auditing the disciplines and project to ensure, processes and procedures established and working, non-conformities are identified and resolved supposedly in a timely manner, observations made for improvement, etc.
We have Execution Plan and Quality plan (QP) across the project to ensure we have addressed all the elements and have a clear way to execute them.
We have Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) to ensure check points designed to ensure that product or equipment would perform as prescribed.
There are some of the most prominent example of pulse check that initiates from risk assessments and ways to remove or mitigate risks.
Now with this introduction, we can go back to ask ourselves again what is R1T and how to do things right first time?
Project tasks are divided between various disciplines (Quality, Safety, Project Management, Planning, Document control, various engineering disciplines such as mechanical, electrical, instrumentation, flow assurance, process, material, civil, architecture, construction, completion, commissioning, etc.). Each discipline should an R1T program in place to ensure tasks are risk assessed and provisions in place to eliminate them, if not, to mitigate and monitor them.
So, as you can see, it involves every discipline and not the quality department alone.
Every department should exercise R1T, risk based concept or approach to see whether we have addressed all the elements for successful execution of a task, discipline by extension across the project?
Want to know more? Contact us for establishing R1T approach within your company.
Right First time has been going viral in quality circles for some time now. It is a general belief that “Right First Time” (R1T) approach is only a manufacturing and operational principle focused on performing tasks or producing goods
Inspector Certification Exams necessitate a comprehensive understanding of the underlying theory and principles. Organizations such as API, ASNT, AWS, and NACE design their course syllabi and examinations based on a defined set of expected competencies. This structured approach
