Bramble defines Friction as any obstacle, process, task or system that does not add value in the eyes of the customer.
There are two broad categories of Friction:
Friction we want - The Friction that contributes positively to the culture of an organization
Friction we don't want - The obstacles, processes, tasks or systems that frustrate us and delay or stop the transmission of value to the customer.
We can further break the second category down:
Friction that a frontline leader can influence
Friction that a Transformation, Operational Excellence, Process Improvement team or initiative can influence.
So why do we care about it?
An Ohio State study found that the average worker is productive for 2 hours and 53 minutes per 8-hour day. The gap between the two figures is largely friction! It doesn't mean that people aren't working hard, instead it means that there is significant unidentified Friction occurring.
Bramble allows us to identify and quantify specific Friction types so that it can be removed - either at the frontline or via a specialist department. Once it has been removed, capacity will be left in its' place to focus on other value-adding activities - cross-training, absorbing growth, special projects, etc.
Click the link to watch a short video explaining Friction here.