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Here’s something they’ll probably never teach you in business school: The most consequential decision you make in your job—more important than all the rest—is who you name manager. When you name the right people to manage your company’s
When you name the wrong person manager, nothing fixes that…
Story update 4/3/2013: The author replaced his earlier chart example with an explanation of how to set up an Xbar chart.
Unlike the difficult "third album," the one that is supposed to be a real challenge following the first two musical productions, my third album in the Seven Quality Tools suite…
The deadly outbreak, in October 2012, of fungal meningitis associated with a compounded medication was a horrible tragedy. I’ve asked myself many times if and how it could have been prevented. I speak for everyone at the FDA when I say that our hearts go out to the many victims, including those…
(SICK: Minneapolis, MN) -- SICK, a leading manufacturer of sensors, safety systems, machine vision, encoders, and automatic identification products for factory and logistics automation, has launched Frame Light Grids (FLG) for detecting and counting parts as small as 4 mm in size.
With the sender…
(Hexagon: North Kingstown, RI) -- Hexagon Metrology released its preliminary agenda for HxGN LIVE, which builds on this year’s theme, “Great Stories Start Here." The annual conference will be held June 3–6, 2013, at the MGM Grand Resort in Las Vegas. Hexagon Metrology will host the largest…
Here, I share a blueprint of what a well-run team looks like and explain why the power of teams trump the appeal of the rugged individualist.
America loves a fierce individualist. Yes, there is something inspiring about an enterprising loner or an executive of a large corporation blazing a path…
A smart phone that can perform an electrocardiogram (ECG)—measuring the electrical activity of a person’s heart to determine whether he is having a heart attack—is in my opinion an extremely smart phone. That is just one example of how mobile medical applications are transforming healthcare.
As…
Are there any of us who haven’t been assigned to the “undead” project? You know, those projects that seem to go on forever without ever possessing the priority or proper resources to finally launch. Or the ones that are constantly redirected or defined so that we never make meaningful progress. Or…
We were all quietly and happily dozing on the sofa labeled “quality equals conformity to requirements,” when someone in Geneva, quite likely so he could keep pace with his counterpart in Detroit, abruptly awakened us with the continuous, and continual, improvement bell.
Now, maybe this guy just…
Genichi Taguchi passed away in Tokyo on June 2, 2012, at the age of 88. He started his career by studying textile engineering with the expectation of entering his family’s kimono business, but was drafted into Japan’s Imperial Navy during World War II. He became interested in statistics after the…
Here’s some often overlooked and misunderstood value-stream mapping math.
The lead time ladder has two levels or “rungs.” The bottom rung is the process or processing rung on which the relevant process time is dropped down. This is usually pretty straightforward... unless there is a split or…
Has this happened to you? You organize a brainstorming session to analyze your process. At the kick-off meeting, several people sit with arms crossed, lips pursed, eyes cast downward. Frequently, they’re the ones who’ve worked at the process for
“Here we go again. Wasting time to prove the…
The leader’s role is to create a smooth operating organization without barriers that may inhibit employees from improving their personal productivity. The presence of harassing behaviors and those who would use them against their co-workers destroys any empowerment and organizational cohesiveness…
Four hours ago, I walked up to a big pad of paper and started mind-mapping the types of interruptions we might face while trying to get our work done. During that time, the following events took place.
While I was working, Tonianne, who was on Skype, wanted to do a microphone test. Then I…
(LVDT: Pennsauken, NJ) -- Now there’s help to quickly identify the right LVDT linear position sensor for an application. Eliminating the need for customers to peruse numerous web pages and review product specifications, Macro Sensors offers an online Position Sensor Guide that quickly identifies…
We created a video honoring the role of the quality manager in today’s organizations, based on Paul Harvey’s timeless tribute to the farmer, which debuted at the 2013 Super Bowl.
Today’s quality professionals hold a special place in the hearts of the Quality Digest team, not only for the support…
The release of Lean In (Knopf, 2013), the new book by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, has grabbed the attention of media and people around conference room tables. Sandberg’s assertion that women in business should “lean in” and make more of an effort to lead has garnered both nods of agreement and…
Motivation is a very personal thing, so when you find it alive and well within a co-worker, it’s in your best interest (and theirs) to do everything you can to keep it vibrant. The challenge with those who would be motivators is they easily disconnect themselves from others’ perspectives.
Being…
(Global Monitoring LLC: Springfield, PA) -- Nomadic Safety has installed remote monitors on its safety trailers to track operating parameters. The remote monitors will help reduce maintenance costs and improve customer service related to the performance of safety trailers used on remote works sites…
Q uality management has gone through considerable change in a relatively short period. The transition from paper and manual processes to point solutions was revolutionary in and of itself. Using software to automate processes that were once done by hand has increased efficiency, reduced…
We’ve established that executives who focus on aligning and then optimizing people, processes, and technology in operational excellence models will position their organizations for success. This is true in quality, manufacturing, energy management, and other critical operational focal points.
For…
(DCS: Troy, MI) -- Dimensional Control Systems Inc. (DCS) and InspectionXpert Corp. have announced that \QDM Quality Management System software will deliver extended data integration with InspectionXpert that will streamline first-article inspection report authoring and management. This integration…
The focus for management and support staff when diagnosing problems with customers is squarely on the front line. Many times the failure is diagnosed with the phrase, “If they would just follow the procedure, none of these problems would ever have happened.” If only resolving customer issues were…
Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new microscope able to view and measure an important but elusive property of the nanoscale magnets used in an advanced, experimental form of digital memory. The new instrument already has demonstrated its…
Throughout history we've seen it: innovation held back by some elemental impediment in the product development pipeline. Computing speed slowed by balky I/O buses or insufficient software. Super-fast trains derailed by tracks that can't handle their speed. Design innovation slowed by red tape and…
