Introduction

Organisations that adopt "Best Practice" have usually learnt from others, shared insights of how to improve performance and most importantly - have successfully implemented this knowledge.

It is very likely that a "Best Practice" organisation will have followed four broad stages of development:

• Learning.
• Sharing of knowledge.
• Made changes, based upon the lessons learnt and knowledge gained.
• Measurement and feedback of results and modification of plans.

This Guide sets out to demonstrate - through the experiences of others:

• How learning took place.
• How this knowledge was shared.
• How changes were enacted.
• How results were measured which facilitated further plans for improvement.

A more comprehensive explanation of the main issues affecting the timber and forest products industries is given in the section "Where is improvement (better practice) needed?".

The areas where improvement has been recognised as being essential are:

• Developing & Motivating Staff.
• Improving the Skills Base of People.
• Improving Supplier & Customer Relations.
• Developing e-Business & Other IT.
• Producing standardised & pre-assembled products.
• Comparing Performance.
• Managing Waste.

Each of these issues emerged from research undertaken specifically for the development of the "Timber Best Practice Programme". There are of course many other issues where the industry believes that improvements can be made, but it is these seven, especially, where the timber and forest products industry has identified where it needs to make the greatest improvement.

Each of these issues is dealt with separately within this web-based guidance to provide the required individual focus and understanding. To understand more of why this web-based tool has been developed, read "About this web-based Guidance"

To use this guidance tool, read about the "Best Practice" Theme that you wish to receive guidance on, and follow the links to begin the process of adopting "Best Practice".

Much of the information can be printed directly from the web page or downloaded for inclusion within your own work spaces for reference and planning.

When linking to case studies it is usually possible to click on the "on-line" or "pdf" version to view the experiences further..

If at any stage of using this tool you should wish to develop a theme further, please contacts us by email or phone.