Better-holics AnonymousEven ISO seems addicted to change for change’s sake
Thu, 03/21/2013 - 13:27
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… A Laugh Is Worth 1,000 RulesLet’s communicate more and harangue less
Fri, 03/01/2013 - 15:47
Last night I went to the theater. Actor and satirist Marco Paolini was performing his favorite monologue about Galileo Galilei. Not an easy task, when you consider the man and his place in history. Paolini was juggling religion, the Inquisition,… Running @ RiskIf any process could use a serious overhaul, it’s planning
Tue, 02/19/2013 - 11:21
According to official statistics, the root cause of most accidents that befall us at home, on the road, or at the workplace is “distraction.”
However, if we were walking around in Mr. Ishikawa’s skin, we would immediately say that distraction is… The Quality Art of DozingWe humans have more speeds than ‘on’ and ‘off’
Thu, 01/24/2013 - 10:15
Some of you will surely think the subject of this column is inconsistent with Quality Digest Daily’s line of interest. But, please, first allow me to remind you that sleep is hardly second to food, as far as human health is concerned. Without…
‘Ship’ or Submarine?Leader-‘ship’ is more evident when it’s absent than when it’s present
Fri, 01/11/2013 - 15:29
I first came across this notion of the invisibility of good leadership back in 1969. I had just started working in the laboratory of a chemical company based in Hamburg, and I was given the task of learning how to glue things together. To glue my… Ptolemaic QualityIn a geocentric quality solar system, everyone revolves around the CEO
Tue, 12/11/2012 - 12:31
Despite the efforts and misfortunes of Copernicus, Galileo, and other famous astronomers to convince us that the world is not the center of the universe, the quality “solar system” remains stubbornly geocentric—that is, top-management-centric.
I… Is Accredited Certification Really ‘Value-Adding?’Accreditation auditors look for records; they don’t look for ‘plans’
Mon, 11/12/2012 - 09:33
In times when companies are fighting for every cent, value-adding is a big word. If we answer incorrectly the question posed in this column’s title, we could soon find ourselves fighting like David against Goliath. So we’d better consider our answer… Brave New ConsultantAdvice to a stubborn neophyte
Fri, 10/05/2012 - 16:41
I’m presently working with a former auditee, now a friend, on a consultancy project, the aim of which is to establish a management system for a service provider. My friend, formerly an experienced production technician in his field, felt called by… Power of BabbleAll languages are equal, but some are more equal than others
Tue, 09/25/2012 - 11:44
In 1995, Qualityworld magazine published a case study that examined how the 1993 European Quality Award (EQA) was scored by 175 participants who had undertaken assessor training for it. Three findings stood out:• Assessors who spoke English…
Innovation Can’t Be TaughtWhen I ‘audit’ my brain, am I truly objective?
Wed, 09/19/2012 - 15:17
I’ve been thinking of innovation these days, and how it’s being given as a password, and passport, to sustain economies, especially in the Old and New Worlds—that is, us. And how—and why—we are given rules to innovate. It’s odd to me that anyone…
