Case Studies

Focus Performance Systems solves each client’s issues by providing a comprehensive approach backed by our team of experienced professionals. Our process fosters collaboration and innovation to ensure we not only understand the core needs of clients, but also help them develop successfully. Read our success stories below.

Saved Millions in Packaging Costs

A global medical products company had enjoyed strong profitability through acquisitions and organic growth. The company sought to create a consistent packaging strategy and align it with its "one company, one look" goal. A team was formed to study the situation, find opportunities to use labeling as a competitive advantage, and reduce global packaging and labeling costs.

A FOCUS consultant was embedded in the project team. He worked with the team and its executive sponsors to:

Conduct a Team Launch work session
Perform the business situation analysis on the situation
Create the intelligence gathering plan
Identify opportunities for better labeling effectiveness and cost savings
Conduct decision analysis on three key decision recommendations to senior management
Package the decision recommendations into written and presentation formats
Gain executive approval
Conduct risk mitigation analysis for the decision's implementation

The new strategy was implemented and the company is now realizing the expected results and efficiencies, which include a $3MM per year savings in their packaging costs.

To Outsource or Not?

A large manufacturing company was facing a key strategic decision: Whether to continue to make a key system component in-house, or outsource it. This component represented the "brain" of their systems, and was highly technology-heavy in its design and use of sub-components. There were two clear camps among the leadership team. One group wished to maintain the in-house manufacturing option and make the necessary investments to keep abreast with technology advancements. The other group wanted to make the move to outsourcing, citing the fact that the technology had moved beyond the company's core competencies.

A decision recommendation team was assembled to study the issues and make a recommendation to the senior leadership team. A FOCUS consultant was assigned to the team and Decision Focus methodology was used to as the analytical framework for the decision analysis. The team conducted a Situation Analysis, gathered information on several alternative strategies, conducted the Decision Analysis, and presented the findings to the senior leadership team.

The recommended strategy included a 4-year plan to phase out internal manufacturing of the component while ramping up outsourcing of the component. This is contingent on finding two suitable global suppliers who could demonstrate capabilities to meet the company's needs and quality standards. The senior team agreed with this strategy, and plans are moving ahead.

There are several downstream issues that have been assigned to the team, and the team is moving forward with the following decision recommendations:

Choose best global suppliers for the component (one primary and one secondary).
Determine the best timing for the changeover.
Identify the best option to optimize future use of the in-house manufacturing capability being freed up because of the change.

Equipped with a Common Language to Achieve Results

The Engineering organization of a North American manufacturer of medical systems was experiencing delays in project completion. This affected both new product commercialization and improvements to existing manufacturing systems. A team was assigned to study the problem, and it was determined that a major contributor was delays in the way decisions were analyzed, recommended, approved, and implemented. The team recommended the organization use a consistent and robust method for decision making and implement it across the organization.

Decision Focus was selected as the decision making methodology for the organization. Over a period of 16 months, all employees (275) received training in Decision Focus and were equipped with Decision Focus software to facilitate its use on a daily basis. Several employees were also certified as Decision Focus Coaches, to serve as Decision Focus process facilitators in meetings and teleconferences and web meetings.

The organization has now developed a "common language" of problem solving and decision making, is using it on a daily basis, and is achieving its desired results. The global director of engineering said this regarding the project:

"Our goal was to enhance the problem solving and decision making skills in the organization by using a systematic and consistent approach. Decision Focus was chosen initially because of the reputation that the company had developed. Ultimately, the combination of easy to use materials, powerful software and effective learning approach were what tipped the balance."