Alternatives to Workshop Worship, from IDCON

IDCON’s Torbjörn Idhammar spent several weeks in Sweden where he met with various clients and potential consulting partners. In every discussion it became clear to him that IDCON works differently than other consulting firms in Europe.

In the old country, consultants tend to provide technical services or hold a workshop in order to receive results. The notion is that classroom training or a workshop can solve all problems. Idhammar said it is important to hold workshops, but the workshops must be combined with on-the-job training and execution in the field.

He found that a number of other European consultants tended to provide technical services or hold workshops in order to receive results some organisations think that workshops and two-day training seminars automatically transfer into improvements in the plant.
IDCON understands that, while it is important to hold workshops, the workshops must be combined with on-the-job training and execution in the field to achieve long-term results.

However this is not always possible, most managers don’t have time to educate and train every planner, supervisor and operations coordinator. This is where consultants and internal resources can be utilised to coach and train members the organisation to achieve real change.

They start by educating in class format or through discussions with the client, and then go into the field and show the client how to execute the theoretical concept, and finish up by letting the client show them what they has learned from the hands-on support.

Special events

IDCON takes part in international conferences, as well as co-sponsoring events. In the coming months, the company will attend a number of conferences, including:

• IDCON Training Classes Planning and Scheduling, Longview, WA, 1-2 June. A fundamental course for planners, schedulers, maintenance and operations supervisors and maintenance managers all wanting to learn the best practices in managing the planning and scheduling process
• Pulp and Paper Industry Reliability and Maintenance Conference 11-14 May
• Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP) annual conference, 12-15 October at Duke Energy Centre, Cincinnati, Ohio
• Mainstream 7-10 June, Christer Idhammar will start the conference and co-present with John Crowe on 8 June. Tor Idhammar will present a half day Root Cause workshop on 10 June, and will be available at booth #1