Happy’s Essential Skills: Benchmarking

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Figure 3: Conceptual projection of the benchmark gap^[2].

As always, a graphic portrayal is helpful in showing relative positions or analyzing what is required. The type of ‘Z chart’ used for this purpose is shown in Figure 4, which graphs a ten-year logistics productivity trend. Both immediate strategic actions and continued operational improvements are necessary. 

Figure 4: 10-year logistics productivity trend—the ‘Z’ chart^[2].

Microsoft Excel Template

An Excel template^[3] is especially useful during the management review meetings, and on a monthly or annual basis. It comes in two different variations, one that performs the comparisons on a monthly basis and another that performs it on a yearly basis. Both will require that you identify the benchmark metrics or KPIs you need to study, and then fill your data and the data gathered from the other organizations, business units or departments.

This template is a Microsoft Excel document (Figure 5) that you can use and modify to suit your specific needs. For example, you may want to change the type of charts used to display the results.

Figure 5: Excel benchmarking template that you can download.

References

1. Portelligence; www.techinsights.com.
2. Univ. of Bolton, MS M.Engr, course 0262, authored by Martin Tarr www.mtarr.co.uk/courses/topics; www.mtarr.co.uk.
3. citoolkit.com/all/benchmark-analysis-template

Happy Holden has worked in printed circuit technology since 1970, with Hewlett-Packard, NanYa/Westwood, Merix, Foxconn and Gentex. He is the co-editor, with Clyde Coombs, of the Printed Circuit Handbook, 7th Ed. To contact Holden, click here.

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