Escalation management is a defined process for transferring an unresolved issue to a role with the authority or expertise to act when specified conditions are met, such as an overdue Andon response.
In manufacturing, an escalation rule identifies the initial responder and the trigger for involving another role. Acceptance of responsibility and restoration of the process need separate criteria. An acknowledged ticket can remain unresolved, while a ticket sent to an unavailable responder can remain unowned.
For example, a digital Andon pilot might set a five-minute acknowledgement limit for a material-shortage event. If the assigned logistics responder has not accepted the ticket by that point, it routes to the shift supervisor. Material awaiting incoming inspection needs a different response path, involving quality personnel. During reassignment, the record retains an identifiable owner and preserves the operator’s original observation. Escalation does not override containment requirements or authorise restart.
V rámci DMAIC, escalation management provides a process to measure and improve. Event timestamps separate acceptance delay from time spent restoring production. Štandardná práca defines responsibilities, while the plán riadenia specifies stop and restart conditions. Andon communicates the abnormality; escalation management governs the response when normal handling fails. Repeated escalations can support selection of an A3 investigation, with recurrence after closure used to assess whether the countermeasure addressed the underlying cause.
