Definition of a protocol for implementing lean production methodology in textile and clothing case studies

Abstract

This paper presents a protocol used in case studies with the objective to validate a Lean Production methodology in Textile and Clothing Industry (TCI) in North of Portugal. The methodology was developed under a Doctoral Program on Industrial Engineering and Systems. During the development of the methodology, the TCI contextualization was studied in parallel with the development of a survey applied to the TCI companies. The development of the methodology (structured in three phases) was followed by its validation in case studies. Thus, this paper objective is to describe and explain the case study designed and conducted to attain feedback from companies. These case studies demanded a protocol constituted by an overview of the project, the field procedures (meetings and visits, interviews, questionnaires and checklist form), the preliminary questions of the project and the guide for the reports from the case studies. From the field procedures, the interviews was the first instrument used and it allowed the identification of the needs of change, the workers and management role in this change, the expected and achieved results. These preliminary results are presented in this paper. The questionnaire, adapted from others studies, would be used for a better context in the national framework and it would be applied in a following phase as the checklist. It will enable the data and metrics collection related with several aspects, namely work ergonomic conditions. This protocol will allow the knowledge of the work environment for a good implementation of the Lean Production.