The 402nd Commodities Maintenance Group now has place where its people can apply Art of the Possible to its processes to improve support for the warfighter.

The Transformation, Operations, Process Improvement Center, commonly called TOPIC, opened its doors in Room 217 on the second floor of Bldg. 140 Aug. 1 to give 402nd CMXG workers a place to host AoP events, focusing on constraint resolution.

The conference room, with its ability to be divided into two areas, is equipped with dry erase boards, computer access and large screen TVs, enabling facilitators to be more efficient at problem solving and facilitating the team through the process with all the tools at their fingertips.

Timothy Gray, 402nd CMXG director, said the central location allows workers to implement AoP practices, while saving time.

“First, it provides a centralized location to perform constraint resolution and problem solving for all of the AoP machines, which assist us in meeting our Mission Essential Tasks,” he said. “Second, it provides a setting large enough to do in-house training, vendor training and ceremonies. The largest benefit is for our technicians, having the training locations means they are not having to travel to locations throughout the installation for in-house mandatory training.”

Gray said TOPIC was built with the Air Force Sustainment Center’s strategic goals using AoP to work through constraints, with the ultimate goal of returning aircraft to the warfighter on-time.

“The room is designed to provide a location the teams can use to walk through the entire process, determining the constraints and working them for a more efficient process,” he said. “Throughout the room we have posted the AFSC Strategic Plan, AFMC ‘We Need’ Initiative, AFSC Leadership Model and Radiator Chart, and WR-ALC memorandums to the workflow. The reason we posted the documents is to remind the teams how important AoP and the processes are from the top level down.”

However, Gray said, any training course can be taught in TOPIC. 

“Since the ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 1, we’ve already held training courses for Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory training and a university taught two 8-step problem solving courses along with two problem solving events,” he said.

Gray said the one of a kind room offers a one-stop area for problem solving.

“The room was designed for busting constraints and ensuring the needed tools are at your fingertips,” he said. “Also, when being used for training, it is within walking distance for the majority of CMXG employees, which cuts down on the travel time and parking.”

Gray said in the end, the TOPIC will enable 402nd CMXG to get aircraft back to the warfighter on-time, every time.