Publications Details

Achieving High-Quality Results Through Operational Excellence Performing Work at Sandia Addendum One

Laros, James H.; Hobbs, John W.; Weinbrecht, Edward A.

Sandia’s approach to achieve and sustain operational excellence includes the routine application of Plan-Do-Check-Act (P-D-C-A) quality principles and defect prevention methodologies to our work. To sustain operational excellence, we need to be mindful of factors that could prevent success, address them before they do, and continue to improve all facets of our work. The mindful approach used by organizations that have achieved operational excellence includes use of a questioning attitude coupled with critical thinking throughout their workflows, and the application of five key principles: (1) a preoccupation with failure, (2) reluctance to oversimplify, (3) sensitivity to operations, (4) commitment to resilience, and (5) appropriate deference to expertise.