"We’ve implemented OEE – but it’s just not delivering!"

Implementing OEE – and Why It Often Fails (Part 2 of the Mini-Series)

I hear this feedback quite often from companies that look back on their first OEE experiences with disappointment.

And in many cases, it turns out: The problem wasn’t the concept – it was the way they started.

Common pitfalls:

• Unclear expectations: OEE doesn’t replace leadership or company culture.

• Faulty data foundation: Without clean raw data, OEE produces misleading results.

• No standards: Inconsistent measurement methods across shifts or sites during data collection.

👉 If you don’t start cleanly here, you’re laying the groundwork for frustration and resistance.

🔎 A real-world example:

A machine builder started collecting initial time measurements for OEE three years ago – but today, no one knows how those figures were even calculated.

The measurements were apparently based on rough estimates from operators. There were no documented standards, no defined routines.

The result: unrealistic OEE values, no comparability, growing mistrust within the team – and in the end, OEE was simply ignored.

Only after the company introduced standardized measurement methods, held training sessions, and established daily routines, did trust begin to build.

Today, OEE is an accepted tool for continuous improvement – and the team actively uses it.

My experience:

✅ If you want to implement OEE properly, the starting phase is critical.✅ Mistakes at the beginning will cost you twice – in time, team buy-in, and result quality.

What’s your experience?

💬 What stumbling blocks have you come across?

#OEE #ProcessOptimization #ChangeManagement #QualityManagement #SMEs