Benchmarking Audits

Are you world-class?

You might have asked yourself how well your operation performs relative to “best-in-class”:

Do you operate at a world-class level?
Are your processes ‘best practices’?
What works well? What should be fixed?
Where are the gaps and ‘blind spots’?
What can be done to get to the next level?

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About Benchmarking

Benchmarking is the process of comparing processes, configuration, and performance relative to world-class standards. Benchmarking allows organizations to learn how well they operate (Status) and how well they could perform (Potential) when adapting best practices. Benchmarking establishes a reference point (Baseline), is used for defining the level of ambition (Target) and measuring improvements against (Achievement). Our web-based tool allows a fast, yet precise way to assess operational performance within minutes – we recommend to follow the 5-step auditing process:

Select target, which area you want to assess
Select team, people who know the area best
Benchmark current performance, do the audit
Review results and set improvement targets
Repeat regularly to monitor your progress

Performance Levels

Level	Business	Sports
0-Ignoring	Unmanaged, can’t survive long-term	Bleeding
1-Struggling	Reactive, chaotic, unpredictable results	Health problems
2-Learning	Aware and willing to learn, first steps	Started exercising
3-Improving	Positive trend but still many glitches	Getting stronger
4-Leading	Solid performance but not yet automatic	Regional champion
5-Worldclass	Currently invincible, automatic excellence	Olympic athlete

Assessments Types: Audits and Checks

We offer different assessment types, the ‘Benchmarking Audit’ assesses performance levels across 10 to 20 dimensions, while the ‘Quick Check’ assesses one single dimension, such as speed, quality, delivery, efficiency, organization, flow, takt, pull, leveling etc.

Benchmarking Audit – scores 10-20 dimensions in 50-100 minutes
Quick Check – measures one single dimension in just 5-10 minutes

Available Online Assessments

LEAN Factory Audit – assess Leanness of Factories (Benchmarking)
LEAN Online Certification – test your knowledge, get certified (Exam)
5S Organization Check – assess Level of Organization (Check)
OEE Efficiency Check – assess Operating Efficiency Level (Check)
TPM Maintenance Check – assess Maintenance Performance (Check)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How long does it take? An average needs one minute to answer one question. The Quick Check contains 5-10 questions, hence will take 5-10 minutes to complete. The Benchmarking Audit covers 10-20 Keys which contain 5-10 questions each, so it will take 50-100 minutes to audit your operation.
What result do I get? Both, the Quick Check and Benchmarking Audit deliver a score on one to five point scale.
Why does the scale start at 1:00 point? Why not at zero? The lowest score is 1.00 due to the assumption that the operation being audited is actually ‘alive’, and not being ignored. Alive means that basic processes and systems must be in place to make the operation work, disregarding how well it works, so the minimum score is 1 point. A level below one would indicate a dysfunctional or dying company at ’ignoring’ level.
What does level-5 ‘Benchmark’ mean? Level-5 is considered ‘Benchmark’ or ‘Best Practice’. It’s the level that best companies work at; it is equivalent to a ‘world-class’, where performance is automatic and part of the company’s culture and DNA. In sports, level-5 is equivalent to an Olympic winner or someone setting a new record.
What does level-4 ‘Leading’ mean? Level-4 means that performance is quantitatively managed according agreed metrics, capability is established. Performance is excellent to the outside but not automatic, requiring management attention and intervention to keep it there. A company operating at level-4 leads an industry niche, area, or region. In sports, level-4 is equivalent to a regional champion.
What does level-3 ‘Improving’ mean? Level-3 means that the basic structure, skills, processes, and systems are in place to understand how the business model works and how to improve it. Standards are confirmed with evidence of continuous improvement; key indicators show positive trend. In sports, level-3 is equivalent to an average ‘fit’ person.
What does level-2 ‘Learning’ mean? Level-2 means that people are aware of issues and ready to take action. First steps taken to build basic capability; the entire organization is learning, processes being documented, low discipline and frequent breakdowns cause inconsistent results. In sports, level-2 is equivalent to someone who decided to lose weight and started with an exercise program.
What does level-1 ‘Struggling’ mean? Level-1 means that conditions are out of control, chaotic, activities are ad-hoc, and fire-fighting is normal. In sports, level-1 is equivalent to health problems, someone to get out of breath easily, often being sick with low quality of life.
What kinds of audits are available? We offer a broad range of operational audits, allowing you to assess how effective your business is configured and how efficient it actually works – compared to benchmark companies. See our actual list of Benchmarking Audits and Quick Checks to assess performance of Manufacturing, Processing, Engineering, HR, IT, Quality, and General Management.