Charitable organizations often have improvement opportunities, but typically don't have the resources of businesses. The BW Food Pantry was fortunate to have Darlene Grandison, who helped them improve their Food Box Process. Charities often rely heavily on volunteers, and it is crucial to use this help wisely -- not wasting their time. The Food Box Process took 20 minutes to pack a box, limiting the capacity of the organization, and risking the loss of volunteers. Darlene analyzed the process, and successfully applied many of the principles of Lean that she learned from GoLeanSixSigma. Food storage was reorganized to provide easy access and foster flow. The workspace layout was made more compact, reducing the walking distance and space requirements. In less than a month she was able to cut cycle time to 9 minutes, reducing the walking time by 45%. While this greatly benefited the BW Food Pantry, the learning from this project can be directly applied to many other food pantries throughout the world!

1. Reducing Food Box Cycle Time Project
Storyboard
BW Food Pantry
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2. Business Case
Root Cause Analysis
What are the critical findings/root causes that were discovered?
Solutions Implemented
Data showed pack food box time took longer because:
-Food was too far from packing tables.
-Boxers, packers, and stackers crossed paths.
-Food box content changed while packing because items were not count prior
to packing.
-There were no visuals of box content.
-Packing occurred on both sides of tables contributing to the congestion.
Graphical Display of Improvement
Insert a chart, graph or visual demonstrating process improvement
List key solutions that were implemented to address root causes
1. Created designated zones for dry goods, canned goods, and juices/water.
2. Restructured floor layout to allow for continuous flow and to avoid
overcrowding.
3. Sorted and counted food items to determine the quantities of the box
content.
4. Posted visuals of box content.
5. Repositioned volunteers (packers) to work from one side of table.
Executive Summary
Project Results
What is the importance of doing this project? (State in lost dollars,
productivity loss, customer dissatisfaction, cost avoidance, risk, etc.)
What are the measureable process improvements/wins?
Reduced the packed food box cycle time from 20 minutes to 9 minutes.
Reduced the box preparation lead time by 55 minutes.
Volunteers are overworked because it takes too long to prepare food boxes.
Currently, the total cycle time for food box preparation is an average of 20
minutes. If this continues, the food pantry may loose volunteers who are vital
to the operation of the food pantry as well as the other social programs
offered through the developmental center; thus, impacting the chances of
obtaining new clients.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Baseline Post-Implementation
Cycle Time (Minutes)
Timeframe
BW Food Pantry Process
Improvement Data

3. Key Words
• Boxer: Volunteer responsible for assembling boxes.
• Customer: Volunteer who delivers, unloads, assembles, packs, and stacks food
items.
• Food Items: Canned goods, dry goods, and juices/water.
• Food Box Cycle Time: Time from when first food item is placed in the box until
the last food item is placed in the box.
• Food Box Preparation Lead Time: Total cycle time from when request
received until the last packed food box is stacked.
• Packer: Volunteer responsible for sorting, counting, and packing food items.
• Stacker: Volunteer responsible for unloading and stacking food items.

4. Phase Planned Actual
Define: 25-Jul 27-Jul
Measure: 31-Jul 8-Aug
Analyze: 8-Aug 11-Aug
Improve: 15-Aug 15-Aug
Control: 30-Sep 22-Aug
Process
Start:
Position Person
Process End: Team Lead Darleen 20%
In: Sponsor Ivory 5%
Team
Member
Tomeka 20%
Out: Team
Member
Cindy 10%
Team
Member
Michael 15%
Team
Member
Val 10%
Last item placed in food box.
Prep Area Floor Layout, Process Steps,
Box Content
Cardboard Box Shortage, Warehouse
Layout, Back Pantry Storage Area,
Breads and Meat Distribution
Goal Statement Timeline
Decrease the food boxes total cycle time from 20
minutes to 14 minutes by September 30.
Scope Team Members
First item placed in food box. Time Commitment
Project Charter
Project Name: Reducing Food Box Preparation Cycle Time at BW Food Pantry
Problem Statement Business Case & Benefits
Volunteers are overworked because it takes too long to
prepare food boxes. Currently, the total cycle time for
food box preparation is an average of 20 minutes. If this
continues, the food pantry may loose volunteers who
are vital to the operation of the food pantry as well as
the other social programs offered through the
developmental center; thus, impacting the chances of
Cycle time improvement for food box preparation will
result in an enhanced volunteer experience. Cycle
Time improvement could translate into monetary
benefits because it will be seen as a well organized
operation which could increase volunteerism in other
areas allowing for addition clients for other service
areas as well as reduce risk of injury.

5. Customer Comment
(What Are They Saying?)
Gathering More Understanding
(Why Are They Saying it?)
Customer Requirement
(What Do They Want?)
Voice of the Customer Translation Matrix
We wait for more instructions, food,
and boxes.
We are wasting their time.
Reduce cycle time from 20 minutes to
14 minutes.
A lot of walking is required. We need better layout of prep area
Improved floor layout to minimize the
number of steps.
Why do food items in the box change? We need to plan ahead.
Count food donations in order to know
the quantity to pack and avoid running
out of food.
If we step away and come back, we
ask how many of food item goes into
box.
We need to know what goes into the
box and inform them.
See sample box, picture, or a list of
food box content.
Key Take Away: The project needs to address the overall Lead Time of food box preparation which impact customer
wait time and motion.
There is too much food, boxes, and
tables in this small area at one time.
We need to improve the traffic flow.
Clear pathways free of equipment and
overcrowding.
We go back through the boxes to
recount or repackage.
We need make better use of their time.
List that shows quantity posted in prep
area.

6. S I P O C
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers
Clients
Request for Food
Box Orders
Packed Food Box Clients
Walk-insWalk-ins Volunteers
Volunteers
Houston Food Bank
Sub Partners:
Canned Goods, Dry
Goods, Juices
Aldi, HEB, Krogers,
Wal-Mart
Packaging Materials:
Cardboard Boxes
Equipment: Flat Dolly
SIPOC: Box Preparation from Food Delivery to Last Box Stacked
Pick Up and Deliver
Food
Unload and Stack
Food
Assemble Boxes
Pack Food Box
Key Take Away: The scope of this project goes from time food donations are picked up from partners until the last packed food
box is stacked.
Stack Packed Food
Box
Customer Requirements
Reduce Packing Time
Finish packing food box in 14 minutes or less.
Less Motion
Improved floor layout to minimize the number of steps.
Efficient Use of Time
Predetermine quantity of items to be placed in food box
calculated prior to their arrival.
Clear Direction
See sample box or posted picture of packed food box.
Improve Traffic Flow
Clear pathways.

8. Measure
Data
Type
Operational Definition
Stratification
Factors
Sampling
Notes
Who and How
Assemble
Boxes Time
Minutes -
Continuo
us
Timed from when the boxer begins to
assemble first box until all boxes
needed (based upon number specific
by Program Coordinator) are
assembled and patched (cardboard
By Time of
Day
By Lead
Boxer
Sample Tues
and Thurs for
1 week
Boxer will record start
and stop time on Post-It
Note.
Pack Food
Box Time
Minutes -
Continuo
us
Timed from first food item placed in the
box until the last food item is placed in
the same box..
By Time of
Day
By Assigned
Packers
Sample 6
boxes per
table on Tues
and Thurs for
Packer will use Post-It
Note attached to box to
record time.
Packed
Food Box
Lead Time
Minutes -
Continuo
us
Time from when request for food notice
is received until last packed food box is
stacked.
By Time of
Day
By Lead
Packer
Sample Tues
and Thurs for
1 week
Packer will record time
on Post-It Note.
Stack
Packed
Food Box
Time
Minutes -
Continuo
us
Time from when packer stacks first box
until the last box is stacked on the
table.
By Time of
Day
By Lead
Stacker
Sample Tues
and Thurs for
1 week
Staker will record time on
Post-It Note.
Unload and
Stack Food
Time
Minutes -
Continuo
us
Timed from when the stacker unloads
food truck and delivers first pallet to the
preparation area until the last pallet is
delivered in preparation area.
By Time of
Day
By Lead
Stacker
Sample Tues
and Thurs for
1 week
Staker will record time on
Post-It Note on first and
last pallets.
Data Collection Plan
Key Take Away: Data collection was assigned primarily to the Leads of the team to collect data for a week.

9. Key Take Away: The baseline data shows that food box
cycle time is an averages 20 minutes.
Baseline Data - Cycle Time
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
18 to 19 19 to 20 20 to 21 21 to 22 22 to 23 23 to 24 24 to 25
Number of Measurements
Measurements in Minutes

10. Fishbone Diagram
Key Take Away: Initial brainstorming indicates that box content changes and small space might be potential root causes.
Process
May not know when changes
in box content occurred
Arrive/Leave at
different times
People Place
Decrease
the food
boxes total
cycle time
from 20
minutes to
14 minutes
Poor Prep Area
Floor Layout
Too congested in small
space
Becomes unorganized as
time passes
Multi-tasking
Too much w alking
required to pack
boxes.
Box content changes
Waiting for more food,
boxes, or instructions
Recounting of food
items
Shared space so
space is limited.
Box content unknow n
Quantity to pack
unknow n

11. Why? Because Why? Because Why? Because Why? Because Why? Because
Why does it
take so long
to pack food
box?
Because it
is too
congested
in small
space.
Why is it too
congested?
Because
the
stackers,
packers,
and boxers
are crossing
paths.
Why do the
stackers,
packers,
and boxers
cross
paths?
Because
everyone
converges
in middle of
packing
area.
Why does
everyone
converge in
middle of
packing
area?
Because
there is a
path in
middle for
stackers to
bring
smaller
quantities of
food to
packers.
Why is a
path in the
middle for
stackers to
bring
smaller
quantities of
food for
packers.
Because
pallets are
stacked
further
away.
Key Take Away: Root Cause Analysis will focus on layout of space and box content.
5 Whys
Why 1 Why 2 Why 3 Why 4 Why 5
May not know when changes
in box content occurred
Arrive/Leave at
different times
People Place
Poor Prep Area
Floor Layout
Too congested in small space
Multi-tasking
Too much w alking
required to packboxes
Wafting for more food,
boxes, or instructions.
Recounting of food
items
Share space so
space is limited

12. Name
: Darleen
Process
Name:
Date: 10-Aug
Time
Measured
In: Minutes Hours Days
# Process Step
Step Label
(VA, NVA,
NVAr)
Value
Added
Time
NVA &
NVA-
Required
Work
NVA -
Wait Time
1 Food is unload VA 60
2
Stack large pallets together in rear and
smaller donations up front
NVA 30
3 Assemble boxes and add support in bottom VA 35
4
Bring food items from pallets for each table
and stack on top of boxes or place on cart in
the middle aisle for packers to use
NVA 9
5 Begin to pack food boxes VA 20
6
If no boxes assembled, search and
assemble more boxes
NVA 25
7 Pack more food boxes NVA-r 20
8
If food in cases on top of boxes is depleted,
bring more food over to packing table
NVA 5
9
If a food item runs out before boxes are
completed, then see what's available in back
NVA 20
10
Stack food or place on top of boxes for
packers to use
NVA 5
11 Complete packing food boxes NVA-r 20
12 Stack Packed Food Boxes VA 20
Time % of total
149 55.39% 538
70 26.02%
50 18.59%
269 100.00%
Key Take Away: The majority of the steps are non-value added or non-value added but
required leaving opportunity to eliminate waste.
Total Cycle Time
Value-Added Flow Analysis
Food Box Preparation
(select units)
Total Value-Added Work Time
Total Non-Value-Added or NVA-r Work Time
NVA - Wait Time

13. Hypothesis
#
Possible Root Cause
(x)
Root Cause Hypothesis Result
1
Pre-Planning
Preparation
Box content changes TRUE
2
Pre-Planning
Preparation
May not know when changes in box content occurred TRUE
3 Layout Design Becomes unorganized as time passes. TRUE
4 Layout Design Space is too congested TRUE
Root Cause Hypothesis
Key Take Away: Knowledge of box content will reduce defects, waiting, and waste and improvement of floor
layout will reduce congestion; thus, reducing motion.

14. Key Take Away: An average of 80% of food boxes has content changes.

15. Possible Root Cause
Method to
Verify
Responsible
Person
Date Results
Box content changes
Observation Cindy 10-Aug
Box content changes when
initial donations run out.
May not know when
changes in box content
occurred
Observation Darleen 10-Aug
Volunteer wasn't packing
boxes at time of
announcement. Searching
for more boxes. Multi-
tasking
Becomes unorganized as
time passes.
Observation Val 10-Aug
Volunteers arrive at varies
times and join in the
process where they believe
they are needed or want to
work. No one assigning
Space is too congested
Observation Darleen 10-Aug
Small space and area
sectioned off for another
event. Food, people, and
equipment everywhere.
Verification of Root Causes

16. Objective:
Sponsor:
Stakeholder:
Hard Easy
Redesign layout in prep
packing area to improve flow
and reduce steps.
Key Take Away: The team changed the layout of tables and food by creating
zones, sorted and counted to determine quantity, positioned packers to work on
one side of table, and posted visual of box content.
Low Impact Post visual of box content.
Impact Effort Matrix
Reduce cycle time to pack food boxes.
Ivory
Food Pantry Staff
High Impact
Create zones for dry goods,
canned goods, and
juice/water.
Stackers to work on one side
of table.
Sort and count food items
prior to start of process to
determine quantities to pack
in food boxes.

17. 15-Aug (Rev.):
Process
Step/Input
Potential
Failure Mode
Potential
Failure
Effects
Potential
Causes
Current
Controls
Action
Recommended
Resp. Actions Taken
Redesign of
prep area
layout
Someone
could be
injured while
moving
equipment.
Take time off
to heal from
injury.
5
Prepare area
not cleared
away of
anything that is
not needed or
faulty
equipment.
2
Visual
inspection.
1 10
Make sure all
unnecessary
equipment and
materials are
removed from
packing area.
Inspect and
ensure all
equipment
needed is
Lead Stacker All actions
completed on
8/15/17.
3 2 1 6
Post visual of
box content
Poor quality
picture or
illegible
writing.
Frustration,
waiting for
information,
and adding or
removing
food items
from packed
food boxes.
6
Poor lighting,
paper, tape,
and
pens/makers
are not
available.
3
None
10 180
Inspection of
equipment and
materials.
(computer,
paper, pens or
markers, tape)
Lead Packer Counted food
items and
posted count in
large print on
the wall on
8/15/17
2 2 1 4
Sort and
count food
items prior to
beginning
operations.
Food items
are not
counted or
miscounted.
Frustration,
Waiting for
information or
food, looking
for more
food, looking
for more
boxes,
adding or
removing
food items
from packed
9
All food items
are not in the
prep area,
some food
items are not
seen or
skipped, or
some food
items are
counted twice.
8
None
10 720
All foods or at
least one food
type (canned,
dry or
juices/water)
are in the
packing area
before count
begins. One
volunteer
counts and
another
Lead Packer
and Packer
Began count
when all foods
in prep area
and counts
verified by
second person
on 8/15/17.
3 4 4 48
Risk Management
Responsible: Lead Packer FMEA Date (Orig.):
FMEA Form
Process/Product Name: Pack Food Boxes Prepared By: Darleen
SEVERITY(1-10)
OCCURRENCE(1-
10)
DETECTION(1-
10)
RPN
Key Take Away:Improving layout relieves overcrowding and crossing paths. Counting, sorting, and posting visuals reduces defects, and wa
lowers the risk of running out of a food item.
DETECTION(1-
10)
RPN
What is the
process step
or feature
under
investigation?
In what ways
could the
step or
feature go
wrong?
What is the
impact on the
customer if
this failure is
not prevented
or corrected?
What causes
the step or
feature to go
wrong? (how
could it occur?)
SEVERITY(1-10)
OCCURRENCE(1-
10)
What controls
exist that either
prevent or
detect the
failure?
What are the
recommended
actions for
reducing the
occurrence of
the cause or
improving
detection?
Who is
responsible for
making sure
the actions are
completed?
What actions
were completed
(and when) with
respect to the
RPN?

18. Name of the
Measure
Input,
Process
or
Output?
What is the
Target?
Method of Data
Capture
Checking
Frequenc
y
Person
Responsibl
e
Upper/Lower T
rigger
Measure
Who Will
Respond?
Reaction Plan
Assemble Box
Time
Process
less than 30
minutes
Time stamp
when boxer
brings boxes
into prep area
until all the
boxes are
assembled,
patched (brown
Every
Tues
Boxer
Greater than
45 minutes
Lead
Stacker
- Check to see if all empty boxes were
retrieved from storage at once (no back and
forth to front storage area). - Check to see if
entire box (lid and bottom) are being used
for packing. Make necessary corrections.
Sort and Count
Food
Process
30 minutes
or less
Time stamp
when first pallet
is delivered to
prep area until
all food that will
be part of box
content has
Every
Tues
Packer
Greater than
60 minutes
Program
Coordinat
or
- Check to see if zones are established (dry
goods, juices/water, and canned goods). -
Check to see that donations such as red
barrel are moved to back pantry for sorting
at later date. -Make necessary corrections.
Pack Food Boxes Process
9 minutes or
less
Time stamp
when first food
item is placed
in the box until
the last food
item is placed
in the same
box.
Every
Tues
Packer
Greater than
12 minutes
Lead
Packer
- Check to see if packers are packing from
one side of the table only, - Check to see if
the box content visuals are posted. - Check
to see if foods being retrieved from
designated zones at end of packing tables? -
Make necessary corrections.
Stack Pack Food
Boxes Lead Time
Output
20 minutes
or less
Time stamp
when packer
stacks first box
until the last
box is stacked
Every 3rd
Sat
Stacker
Greater than
30 minutes
Food
Pantry
Coordinat
or
- Check to see if instructions were provided
on how to properly pack boxes. - Check to
see if the box content visuals are posted. -
Make necessary corrections.
Monitoring Plan Response Plan
Key Take Away: The monitoring plan factors in both the leading indicators of assembling boxes, sorting and counting, and packing food boxes along with
the project "Y" of Food Box Cycle Time.

19. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Baseline Post-Implementation
Cycle Time (Minutes)
Timeframe
BW Food Pantry Process
Improvement Data
Key Take Away: The improvements reduced the cycle time from 20 minutes to 9
minutes.

20. Process
Innovation/Addition/Change/Removal
(Describe the solution)
Process Benefits
(Describe measurable plus intangible
benefits of the change)
Area/Department/Business Unit
(Indicate the area that could
benefit from innovation transfer)
Sorting and Counting Prevents searching for more supplies
Back to school drive and Goo
360 program
Visuals Prevents errors and repeating information
Back to school drive and Goo
360 program
Floor Layout
Improve traffic flow and prevent
overcrowding
Back to school drive and Goo
360 program
Designated Zones Reduces steps and provides organization
Back to school drive and Goo
360 program
Innovation Transfer Opportunities
Key Take Away:The improvements can be immediately transferred to other social services event an
time savings.

21. Appendix

22. Program Coordinator
Food Pantry
Coordinator
Volunteers (Stackers)
Volunteers (Boxers)
Volunteers (Packers) No
No
BW Food Pantry Box Preparation Process
Key Take Away: Process has non-value added steps.
Request Food
Order
Pick up and
Deliver Food
Unload and Stack
Food
Assemble Boxes
Pack Food Box
End
Empty
Box?
Food
Left?
Stack Packed
Boxes

23. Program Coordinator
Food Pantry
Coordinator
Volunteers (Stackers)
Volunteers (Boxers)
Volunteers (Packers)
BW Food Pantry Box Preparation Process
Request Food
Order
Pick up and
Deliver Food
Unload and Stack
Food
Assemble Boxes
Sort and Count
Food
End
Post Food Box
Content
Pack Food Box
StackedPacked
Food Box
Key Take Away: Improvements reduce defects, motion and
waiting; thus decreasing the process time 55 minutes.