Structured Innovation: The Separation PrincipleSeparate an interfering part or property from an object or system
Wed, 01/23/2013 - 09:58
Editor’s note: This article continues the series exploring the TRIZ methodology, a problem-solving, analysis, and forecasting tool derived from studying patterns of invention found in global patent data. TRIZ identifies 40 principles, of which… Structured Innovation: The Segmentation PrincipleHow divide and conquer applies to manufacturing
Wed, 01/02/2013 - 11:18
Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series exploring the TRIZ methodolgy, a problem-solving, analysis, and forecasting tool derived from studying patterns of invention found in global patent data. TRIZ identifies 40 principles, of which… Time and Trust Issues at WorkOvercoming the resistance to change initiatives
Tue, 11/27/2012 - 13:12
Brian had been running his machine shop as a third-tier supplier to the aerospace industry for more than 15 years, and it had been successful as a small shop. Over the years he had learned the importance of ongoing training and continuous… Building a Company on ValuesDo your actions match your intentions?
Wed, 11/07/2012 - 15:55
Jerry, the president of a company that manufactured precision machine parts, noticed that the business environment had changed dramatically during the past four years. Although his company had done reasonably well in the aerospace industry,… Thinking Beyond LeanFocusing on nonvalue alone is <em>not</em> the answer
Wed, 09/26/2012 - 12:00
Terry had been using lean techniques to improve his company for quite a while now. He’d held kaizen events, reduced inventory, provided training for his employees, and was quite pleased with the progress his organization had made.
However, he felt… Seeing a Lean Transformation Through Tinted GlassesWe’re often oblivious to ideas elsewhere on the spectrum of possibility
Wed, 08/29/2012 - 10:58
Barry was excited about the journey he was to embark on. He had just contracted a professional organization in his industry that would help his company implement lean practices. These professionals understood Barry’s challenges: “Making it” isn’t… Creating AdjacenciesDiscover your organization’s areas for disruptive change
Fri, 07/20/2012 - 10:36
Starting from scratch, Gil had slowly built a small business and was running it quite successfully. He was a professional at heart: He gained the confidence of customers and prospects, met their expectations, negotiated better prices, and provided… Is the Glass Half-Full?Be sure everyone is talking about the same glass before answering
Wed, 06/13/2012 - 12:41
An optimist would say a glass is half-full, while a pessimist would say it’s half-empty. Someone with a mind for physics would say, “The volume of this cylinder is equally composed of a colorless, odorless liquid and a colorless, odorless gas. Thus… Data First or Workflow First?Without understanding how things go wrong, detailed data analysis is a waste of effort
Tue, 05/22/2012 - 11:49
The IT department of a school district supported itself by providing application development, database maintenance, training, and other services to its internal clients, although no money exchanged hands. The school’s outreach unit, which provided… Reducing Time to ValueA new system runs at peak efficiency only after it’s been launched and used awhile
Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:08
Given the current dynamic business environment, there is a tremendous need for operational agility and the ability to quickly respond to changing market forces. Time to value (TtV) is an important metric that can be used to manage such environmental…
