POWERS Playbook: How to Get Materials, Info, and Time Moving Again

You’ve mapped the flow, now what?

You know where materials should be staged, how information should move, and how the day should run. But the reality on the shop floor? Bottlenecks, delays, and wasted minutes still sneak in. Every. Single. Shift.

This playbook is designed for frontline supervisors who want to act fast, without waiting for budget approvals, workflow redesigns, or executive buy-in.

These are real-world solutions you can apply today to get production flowing again.

Let’s tackle three of the most common chokepoints: materials, information, and time.

Stuck Materials: Get What You Need, Where You Need It, Before It’s Too Late

When materials aren’t where they need to be, everything downstream suffers. You lose minutes every time someone stops to search, ask, or wait. And over a week? That turns into hours of lost output.

Common issues:

Quick Wins:

Mark visual lanes with tape or cones for staging, FIFO, and returns. Don’t assume people “just know.”
Build a basic pre-shift checklist to verify all materials are ready to run before startup. Assign someone to own it, don’t leave it to chance.
Log shortages and late deliveries on a whiteboard near the line. This helps identify repeat problems, whether it's a vendor issue or internal handoff.

Real Example

A supervisor at a packaging plant started using colored tags on pallets, green for ready, yellow for needs review, red for missing parts. It took 15 minutes to implement. They saw a 20% drop in changeover delays that week.

Missing Information: End the Guessing Game

No one wants to chase down answers. But too often, operators don’t know what to run next, what quota they’re hitting, or if they’re falling behind. That confusion leads to missed orders, poor changeovers, and finger-pointing.

Common issues:

Quick Wins:

Start every shift with a 5-minute huddle. Cover the day’s top priorities, key metrics, and any alerts. Use a whiteboard to guide the talk and keep it consistent.
Post live tracking boards near each cell or line to show progress against goals. Even a simple hourly check can keep things on track.
Create a “production priority sheet” that travels with each batch. It should include due time, customer status, and line assignment.

Pro Tip

If you’re seeing recurring gaps in communication, assign a lead operator to update the whiteboard at the top of every hour. Just that small rhythm can create real-time awareness across the floor.

Wasted Time: Stop Bleeding Minutes Between the Work

Time is your most limited resource, and the hardest to recover. If your people are waiting around for parts, paperwork, or direction, you’re paying for stillness. It’s not always obvious in the moment, but over time it’s one of the biggest productivity killers.

Common issues:

Quick Wins:

Install a “ready to run” checklist at each workstation. This should cover tools, parts, documentation, and safety items. One glance tells the team what’s missing before they waste time.
Deploy mobile tool carts or shadow boards in high-traffic zones. Keep essentials close to where the work is done.
Use a simple shift-change template. Capture what’s running, what’s holding it up, and what’s next in line. Make it part of the routine, not an afterthought.

Real-world result

One team used laminated shift templates on clipboards. It cut handoff confusion by more than half and helped new leads ramp up faster.

Stacking Small Wins: What It Looks Like on the Floor

These aren’t earth-shattering fixes, but they work. When supervisors take small steps that make the day run smoother, they see quick returns:

A Georgia plant cut setup times by 15 minutes using shadow boards and hourly prep reviews.
A Midwest facility slashed unplanned downtime by 18% just by logging material shortages and acting on the top 3 each week.
One team saw a 25% boost in line output by tracking and huddling around top priorities daily.

Small changes build trust with your team. They show that leadership is paying attention and taking action, without red tape or long-term delays.

And maybe most importantly, these quick wins build momentum. They help supervisors feel in control of their area, and they encourage everyone to spot and fix problems on their own.

Today’s Action: Pick One Flow and Unstick It

The fix doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be visible, simple, and repeatable.

Here’s your move:

Look at where time is getting lost, materials, info, or wait time.
Pick one place where people are stuck or confused.
Try one fix today. Post a board. Move a cart. Mark a lane.

Then track what happens. See what you learn. Make it part of tomorrow’s routine.

And when you’re ready to go deeper or scale this across your operation, we’re here to help.

Unlock the Full Potential of Your Resource Flow

Lost time is one of the most expensive problems on the shop floor, and the hardest to see. Whether it’s stalled materials, delayed information, or inefficient labor allocation, these flow breakdowns quietly drain productivity and profits every day.

That’s where POWERS comes in.

We specialize in helping manufacturing teams remove roadblocks, streamline resource flow, and reduce the friction that slows daily operations. Our proven, hands-on approach empowers supervisors to fix issues in real time, without waiting on capital investment or top-down directives.

To take it further, we developed DPS, our digital production system, to make factory flow visible and manageable. With DPS, supervisors can spot flow gaps early, take action faster, and align the team around the metrics that matter. It integrates lean principles with intuitive tools for tracking, planning, and sustaining performance at the front line.

Ready to take back your lost time and optimize every step of your process?
Contact POWERS today to learn how our expert team and DPS platform can help you create smoother, smarter, and more profitable production flow, starting now.