Content by William A. Levinson
Change and Risk-Based ThinkingIn product design as well as manufacturing, any form of change invites risk
Wed, 05/20/2015 - 17:06
Management of change is a safety-related phrase from the chemical process industry that is adaptable to risk-based thinking. The basic premise is that anything new, different, or nonroutine (such as repairs or replacement of equipment, and process… GM and ISO/TS 16949: ‘Do As We Say, Not As We Do’The basics of FMEA seem lost on the automaker
Tue, 04/07/2015 - 12:12
Two recent “Consumer Watchdog” articles in the Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Times Leader, as well as reports of General Motors’ ignition switch problem, give the perception that GM’s position on ISO/TS 16949 is “Do as we say, not as we do.” If a… Process Performance Indices for Non-Normal DistributionsHow confident can we be in an index that’s based on only 30 measurements?
Wed, 03/11/2015 - 17:25
‘I’m shoveling two feet of your partly cloudy off my sidewalk” is an old joke about what happens when meteorologists get the forecast wrong, and there is a similar running joke among quality practitioners. “Your centered Six Sigma process is… Justify Your ExistenceCompanies should not be paid simply to exist; they must add value
Thu, 01/29/2015 - 00:00
Isaac Asimov’s mystery stories often begin with a guest of the Black Widowers being asked, “How do you justify your existence?” On a darker note, George Bernard Shaw said of the concept of eugenics, “If you can’t justify your existence, if you’re… Referees, Umpires, and Objective EvidenceModern technology can avoid controversial on-field calls
Wed, 11/19/2014 - 11:31
The decades-old stereotype about “visually challenged” referees was reinforced during the recent game between Ohio State and Penn State, when a referee awarded OSU an interception after the ball had clearly—as shown by a subsequent video—touched… Interested Parties and Internet AdsWho are your online customers, and what do they really want?
Thu, 09/25/2014 - 14:48
Provision 4.2 of ISO 9001:2015 cites “Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties.” Interested parties include not only obvious stakeholders (customers, suppliers, employees, and owners), but also anybody who is affected, or perceives himself as… Lean Toilets and LEEDFinding the waste that’s hidden in plain sight
Tue, 08/26/2014 - 11:00
Can something as simple as a toilet support LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)? We take this basic sanitation device for granted, and while it makes the obvious wastes disappear very cleanly, another form of waste hides in plain… Stranded Passengers and the Moment of TruthWould you buy your customers pizza?
Thu, 08/07/2014 - 10:18
Quality Digest’s readers are quite familiar with the deficiencies of the U.S. airline industry, whether through articles in the media, personal experience, or both. Relatively minor issues involve inefficient boarding processes, fees for the first… GM’s Elephant on the Shop FloorWe must acknowledge the problem to solve it
Mon, 06/23/2014 - 16:18
The phrase “elephant in the living room” refers to a major problem that everybody knows is there, but nobody wants to acknowledge. Acknowledging and defining the problem is, of course, the first part of any closed-loop corrective action process. “… Pay Attention to International CulturesCountry to country, attitudes are not the same
Tue, 05/27/2014 - 16:20
The Golden Rule “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” may have applied in biblical times when the “others” lived in your village and shared your values and attitudes. Someone halfway around the world might not, on the other hand, want…
