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Today’s article is inspired by the politically-charged gobbledygook we call presidential primaries. This battle of principles turned battle of wills reminds me that the role of the change agent can be as much theater as science. In a public forum, at least, the positions of the opponents are…
I have written many times about the importance of the employee experience, both on its own in terms of retention and performance, and with regard to the effect of the employee experience on the customer experience.
Sadly, many companies still aren’t focusing on the employee experience. IDC’s 2015…
(ISO: Geneva) -- Vape and vapor products represent a technical and economic novelty. The electronic cigarette devices and their consumables, called e-liquids, are recognized as a genuinely disruptive innovation, having reached mass markets in many countries in just a few years. The use of…
People say that I overthink everything. I’ve given this assertion considerable thought, and I don’t believe that it’s true. After all, how can any one person possibly overthink every possible thing in just one lifetime?
For example, suppose I live 85 years. That’s 2,680,560,000 seconds (85 years…
A self-made leader doesn’t make much. I first wrote that statement in my book, Leadership Gold (Thomas Nelson, 2008). Eight years later, I still believe it. After all, I’m not a self-made man; it took a lot of people investing in me to get me where I am today.
You may wonder who helped me. Well,…
(CADENAS: Augsburg, Germany) -- Since 2012, the 3D CAD models engineering app from CADENAS has served engineers and purchasers as a download service and calculation tool for 3D data. Due to the growing popularity and the increasing download figures in Google Play and the iTunes Store, the…
Across the clinical research enterprise, there is a growing awareness of serious shortfalls in the current model for generating the scientific evidence that supports medical product evaluation and clinical care decisions. As a result the FDA seeks to modernize methods and satisfy expectations…
Across the clinical research enterprise, there is a growing awareness of serious shortfalls in the current model for generating the scientific evidence that supports medical product evaluation and clinical care decisions. As a result the FDA seeks to modernize methods and satisfy expectations…
Not long ago, most Americans could safely ignore congressional deliberations about Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authority, leaving the details to industry experts and lobbyists. But this time, we may need to fasten our seatbelts and actually read the card in the seat pocket.
A bill under…
The 2016 Masters Tournament is in the history books. Jordan Spieth had what some are calling an epic meltdown on the final nine holes of the tournament, and in a come-from-behind victory, Danny Willett earned the green jacket. The tournament is touted as a tradition unlike any other. Edge-of-your…
When asked about the thing most managers dread about their job, the No. 1 response is giving constructive feedback. Yet this is the most important task for any leader.
As someone who came out of college and was leading a team at 22 years old, I wish I’d had some guidance on how to make feedback…
(IRMA: Washington, D.C.) -- On April 5, 2016, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) has released the second and revised draft of the “Standard for Responsible Mining” for a 60-day review and public comment period ahead of the first-ever global certification program for industrial-…
(Etalon: Braunschweig, Germany) -- Absolute Multiline Technology is a worldwide unique measurement system for monitoring the geometric accuracy of machine tools by means of high-precision length measurements: An absolute distance interferometer measuring with submicrometer resolution serves as the…
Adam Grant, a professor of psychology at Wharton, admitted how wrong he was to pass up on the opportunity to invest in an online startup selling glasses. Because the company didn’t have a functioning website the day before its launch, and because other competitors were already operating in the…
In yesterday’s column, I discussed how a DOE was chosen to optimize a chemical-mechanical polishing process in the microelectronics industry. This important process improved the plant’s final manufacturing yields. We selected an experimental design that let us study the effects of six process…
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W hen you work on projects like NASA’s Space Launch System and deep-space radio telescopes, the opportunity for accolades and large revenues can be great. However, due to the massive scale and demanding tolerances of such projects, the opportunity to have your lunch eaten by…
Ionce worked in the manufacturing industry. Some processes were so complex that even a very experienced and competent engineer would not necessarily know how to identify the best settings for the manufacturing equipment.
You could make a guess using a general idea of what should be done regarding…
A leader’s ability to communicate is fundamental to building trust and forming a cohesive team. Transparency has become a necessary element of team support. It may be scary to share everything, but the benefits are undeniable.
As I was walking back from the gym one morning, I passed by the local…
The search for a truly revolutionary engine design that can make dramatic gains in efficiency requires deep scientific understanding and tools. Lots and lots of tools.
In the past, tools were needed to make prototypes, requiring repeated testing and retrofitting along with a healthy dose of…
About a year ago, a reader asked if I could try to explain degrees of freedom in statistics. Since then, I’ve been circling around that request very cautiously, like it’s some kind of wild beast that I’m not sure I can safely wrestle to the ground.
Degrees of freedom aren’t easy to explain. They…
My first exposure to manufacturing was nearly 21 years ago. My on-the-job training was brief and mainly consisted of general safety, machine operating, and maintenance instructions with little focus on problematics or quality requirements. After all, I wasn’t forming sheet metal for an airplane; I…
When we look at business dynamics, regardless of industry, we see an increasing rate of change in products, processes, and regulations. One process affects the next, and with a growing focus on regulations and standards, complexity becomes an ever-expanding theme, whether related to quality…
They activate airbags. Keep aircraft correctly positioned in flight. Detect earthquakes or sudden vibrations in failing machinery. Guide military hardware. Monitor falls in elderly individuals and initiate calls for help. They rotate the display on a smartphone from vertical to horizontal, and…
Most people begin with the great intentions to eat well, exercise, do their best at work, and get along with co-workers. Unfortunately, good intentions don’t always impel us to actually do what we say we’ll do. Why is this? Let’s explore the answers to this question and how to align our actions…
If you’re still using failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) as your methodology to capture medical-device risk management activities, then your risk management process is out of date. Let me tell you why.
Here’s the definition of “risk management” as defined in ISO 14971:2007—“Medical devices—…
