Shopfloor consultancy in action: why this engineer always starts by listening

No slide decks, no bulky reports, just boots on and straight to the shopfloor. That’s what consultancy looks like at Brightnewday. Consultant Ivan explains why this approach works, both for his colleagues and for the team at Terumo.

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A spreadsheet rarely resembles the workplace

Ivan is a consultant at Brightnewday. Instead of rolling out advice from a distance, he works on-site with clients — literally among the people, machines and processes. His approach? Asking questions, listening carefully, analysing, and only then solving the problem. They call it shopfloor consultancy: not led by spreadsheets, but by the reality of the shopfloor. Ivan applies this philosophy to every new project. That mindset was also the starting point at Terumo, the Japanese manufacturer of medical equipment that Brightnewday works with.

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Who really understands the problem?

Too often, technical problems are solved without understanding the real problem. Customers think they need a solution, but rarely is it clear what the cause is. Engineers want to move forward, often jumping quickly into solutions but then missing the point. The biggest pitfall? Thinking you already know. That's dangerous in a complex environment like Terumo where more control and performance were desired. How do you achieve those goals?

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In every problem there is also the solution

"The key is: first slow down to then accelerate," Ivan says. He does not use a set methodology, but he does use a set mindset: the five W's and H (Who, What, Why, Where, When, How?). Together with the client, he unravels the problem step by step. He asks questions, reformulates, lets people come to their own insights. Because those who see the puzzle for themselves want to help find the solution. At Terumo, this involved a pilot project to evolve from curative to managed maintenance.

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Confidence grows

That approach yields not only better solutions, but also trust. Customers feel heard. Teams are engaged rather than surprised. And proposed solutions effectively match what is needed. Not what happened to be on the shelf. "Consulting is not a trick, it's collaboration," says Ivan. That's why he himself joined Terumo in daily planning. Only in this way could he gain insight into maintenance needs and priorities. Based on this, a stable flow could be designed for Terumo's production line. This was the first assignment after which the confidence of Terumo and the Brightnewday team grew. Brightnewday analyzed the production and brought in two very experienced process engineers to optimize capacity. Brightnewday's role then even evolved into asset management to develop a long-term vision of production together with Terumo.

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Engineering is first and foremost listening and understanding

“I do this work because I see the difference it makes when you really listen,” says Ivan. “I’m not a consultant who shows up to fire off PowerPoint slides. I want to understand it, feel it, help drive things forward. That’s why I’m literally out on the shop floor. It’s not just more efficient, it’s simply more human.” It’s clear this approach works. Recently, Brightnewday also became Terumo’s partner for the purchase and installation of a completely new production line. The Brightnewday team is developing a maintenance strategy and process and applying its know-how to make sure Terumo’s multi-million-euro investment truly pays off.

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Brightnewday in one case? Definitely.

The shopfloor consultant is Brightnewday: entrepreneurial (we look for the real opportunity), warm (we listen and build together), genuine (we work without theatre, sleeves rolled up), and expert (we solve complex challenges by first truly understanding them). “Unlike many consultancies, Brightnewday doesn’t stop at advice or implementation. We even bring the engineers on board,” Ivan concludes.