Currently browsing the Education Category

Mainly primary, secondary and higher education related but also posts on management improvement learning opportunities. Plus some posts on quality learning and learning organizations topics.
Recommended posts: Improving Engineering Education - Learning, Systems and Improvement - Applying Lean Tools to University Courses - Lean Education Academic Network
Related: articles on education improvement - k-12 quality improvement resources - higher education resources - Education post on our Science and Engineering blog


Deming Institute Seminar

Posted on March 16, 2007  Comments (0)

The Deming Institute is sponsoring, How to Create Unethical, Ineffective Organizations That Go Out of Business, 23-25 April, 2007 in Lansing, Michigan. I will be co-presenting the seminar. Let me know if you sign up.

Twenty-seven faulty management and corporate governance practices create most of the problems in any organization. These practices will be identified, and better practices recommended. It will be shown that as better practices are introduced, quality of products and services increases, costs decline, and you create a globally competitive advantage for your organization.

Learn how governance practice leads to the heaviest losses, how inconsistencies between policy and strategy create sub-optimal outcomes, how mismanagement of people leads to unethical and ineffective behavior, and how to overcome these problems. Study the theory and practice of management. Not quality management, not good management, not excellent management, not knowledge management, not risk management, not process management, not performance management, not supply or asset management, not technology management, not time management, not emergency management, just plain management.

Related: Curious Cat Management Improvement Calendar – Deming Seminar and Conference – Deming Institute Conference

The Georgetown Kentucky Way

Posted on February 27, 2007  Comments (0)

The Scott County Way by Jillian Ogawa:

It seemed only natural that Toyota’s corporate culture would influence the local schools, said Superintendent Dallas Blankenship. He estimated that one in three students in the school district have one or more parents that work for either Toyota or a Toyota supplier. The school district has had several partnership programs with Toyota in Georgetown. “Simply over time, we learned a lot of practices that have helped us to become a better school system,” he said.

Center for Quality People and Organizations:

The QUEST process consists of teaching students teamwork philosophies to learn current curriculum in all different subject areas. We provide a safe environment (parameters/ground rules) and a process for the students to conduct their groups using problem-solving techniques (PDCA: Plan Do Check Act)

Great. The Education area does require special care but management improvement concepts can work very well in education. David Langford has done some great work in this area as has Alfie Kohn. They are not focused on the Toyota Way but their principles and lean thinking go together well and there expertise in the education area is very important.

via: Scott County Schools Trying Out the Toyota Way

Related: K-12 (kindergarten though high school) improvement resources – articles on quality education – posts on Toyota management methods – quality learning books

Performance Measures and Statistics Course

Posted on January 20, 2007  Comments (0)

Performance Measures and Statistics Course – free course materials from a 2 day training course by Steven Prevette. Topics include: Dr. Deming’s red bead experiment, operational definitions, selecting performance targets, SPC, theory of variation, case studies, control charts, pdsa, pareto charts, histograms…

Related: Quality, SPC and Your Career – articles by Steven Prevette

Applied Quality Engineering Education

Posted on January 10, 2007  Comments (0)

Classroom projects translate into immediate workplace gains for working professionals in engineering

In the final semester of his UW–Madison master’s degree, Bob Aloisi didn’t just earn a letter grade in his quality engineering class: He saved his company $50,000. It wasn’t the typical classroom outcome — but it wasn’t a typical classroom. As a student in “Quality Engineering and Quality Management,” Aloisi accomplished a major class project in quality improvement at his own workplace.

The project is the capstone experience in the College of Engineering’s award-winning distance-education program, the Master of Engineering in Professional Practice (MEPP). Designed for mid-career engineers who live and work all over the country, MEPP’s Internet-based curriculum strives to provide knowledge students can apply immediately at their companies.
…
“Our project was a very good example of the Kaizen approach,” says Aloisi. “It wasn’t one specific thing, a home run type of thing, that we changed to make our improvements.” Instead, his team met its targets through many small steps, including adjustments to equipment settings and better training for machine operators.

Good news. Related: Wisconsin Manufacturing – Improving Engineering Education – Teaching Quality Improvement by Quality Improvement in Teaching – The Lean MBA

Baldrige in Education

Posted on January 6, 2007  Comments (0)

Superintendent’s method used by Boeing, Motorola by Helen Gao

The three M’s – managing for innovation, management by fact and market focus – are unfamiliar phrases to most people in the educational establishment. But don’t be surprised if, in the coming months, leaders of the San Diego Unified School District start spouting corporate-speak. Management principles long embraced by companies seeking a competitive edge are making inroads in the public school system, as Superintendent Carl Cohn pushes the district toward “Becoming America’s best.”
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When the training was over, one question on employees’ minds was: “Will the district follow through with Baldrige?” After all, other improvement efforts had come and gone.

Good question. I think the Baldrige criteria can help, but it is not the most effective strategy (it is too often just a surface attempt to apply some “tools” without real change). I believe improvement methods, strategies and tools can work for education but the education area has special factors to consider. I suggest the following resources: David Langford, Alfie Kohn – books and articles by Kohn, Applying Lean Tools to University Courses, Ivan Webb’s School Improvement website, books on education improvement, k-12 education improvement links, Jenks Public Schools – 2005 Baldrige Award – UW- Madison Office of Quality Improvement, Improving Engineering Education

Applying Lean Tools to University Courses

Posted on November 25, 2006  Comments (3)

Take a look at an interesting series of posts on Applying Lean Tools to University Courses by Luke Van Dongen:

We have discovered that creating a common experience in the classroom is absolutely essential. To accomplish this we implemented a modified production simulation exercise and in doing so, bring the opportunity to Go & See to the students. These types of simulations are quite common and are usually done with building blocks or paper airplanes. We chose paper airplanes and created a simulation that we run with the class as part of our very first class session. The exercise takes about 4 hours to run, during which time students build paper airplanes in groups of 4 or 5.

Good stuff. There should be much more simulation in education in my opinion. It is effective, and as mentioned, can be used to tie concepts back to a shared experience. Some worthwhile articles on quality improvement in education: Using Systems Thinking To Improve Education by Maury Cotter, The Trouble With “Back-to-Basics” and “Tougher Standards” by Alfie Kohn, Teaching Quality Improvement by Quality Improvement in Teaching by Ian Hau, Applying Total Quality Management Principles To Secondary Education by Kathleen Cotton, Using QFD to Design a TQM Course by Glenn Mazur.

Related: Suggested books for quality improvement in education – Ackoff on learning, education and teaching (podcast) – higher education improvement links – primary education improvement directory

The Lean MBA

Posted on November 20, 2006  Comments (1)

Kevin Meyer recaps the ideas of Improving Management Education by M.L. Emiliani in his post – The Lean MBA. I suggest reading his post and the original article.

In the Curious Cat Science and Engineering blog, The Future is Engineering points to 2 great essays on the secret of Silicon Valley. Guy Kawasaki puts it well, though in my opinion far to kind to our current MBA system (the inordinate focus on accounting does actual harm above and beyond the harm of ignoring what managers should learn):

If I had to point to the single biggest reason for Silicon Valley’s existence, it would be Stanford University—specifically, the School of Engineering. Business schools are not of primary importance because MBAs seldom sit around discussing how to change the world with great products.

Some previous posts here that talk about similar ideas: The Purpose of Organizations – Management Training Program – Performance Appraisal Problems – Find the Root Cause Instead of the Person to Blame – Respect for People – Management Advice Failures – What is Wrong with MBA’s – Common Data Analysis Problem – Manage what you can’t measure

Lean Education Meeting Slides

Posted on November 10, 2006  Comments (0)

Presentation slides from the joint The Lean Aerospace Initiative and LEAN joint meeting (October 16-18, 2006) are available. From Jim Womack‘s slide:

What Is Lean?
Lean = Purpose + Process + People
Purpose = solving customer problem while provider prospers.
Process = 3 primary value streams and many support processes, some involving customers.
People = engaging everyone touching every value stream to operate and improve it steadily (kaizen)
and dramatically (kaikaku)

Related: Lean Education Academic Network Spring Meeting – Lean Education Academic Network – Curious Cat Management Improvement Calendar

What is Wrong with MBA’s

Posted on November 2, 2006  Comments (4)

Two interesting posts from Compound Thinking: What is Management?:

Management is helping others become great.

Well said. As Deming would say management’s responsibility is to work on improving the system (to allow everyone in the system to do great work). This encompasses a wide variety of things. Creating sensible hiring processes. Designing systems that allow people to do great work and take pride in what they do. Providing a system of education and training.

What’s wrong with MBAs?:

MBA graduates generally aren’t the kind of people dedicated to helping other people achieve greatness.

Instead, they want to achieve greatness on their own — which can be a worthy goal. It’s just a terrible goal for a manager. Good managers are relentlessly focused on helping the people they work for perform at their best.

There certainly is something about MBA graduates that they often focus on measuring how important they are and how much they should be paid. I think his statement that managers should be dedicated to helping others achieve greatness. This can run counter to performance appraisals schemes where people have to claim responsibility for successes in order to get more cash. It is hard enough to move toward great systems when you have to have credit for each success fought over so it is known who gets the spoils it is much harder.

Related: Joel’s MBA – Deming’s 14 obligations of management – posts about respect for people – Seven Deadly Diseases

Management Improvement Conferences

Posted on August 8, 2006  Comments (0)

The Curious Cat Management Improvement Calendar includes several interesting conferences and seminars taking place the rest of this year including:

Lean Master Class with Jeffrey Liker (London)

Posted on July 20, 2006  Comments (0)

I have very few details on this opportunity. All I know is what this Deming Electronic Network message says.

24-hour Lean Master Class with Jeffrey Liker
Start: October 10, 2006 5 PM
End: October 11, 2006 5 PM
London, United Kingdom

Rubicon Associates and The Deming Forum are delighted to present a Master Class with Jeffrey Liker. Prof. Liker is a world expert on the culture and methods behind the phenomenal success of Toyota and is offering an in depth view through this unique window.
Continue reading →

Better Manufacturing in UK

Posted on July 16, 2006  Comments (0)

My design for better manufacturing in UK by James Dyson:

The way forward is to make things that are better designed, better engineered and with better technology than our competitors’ products. This is the blueprint for 21st-century success embraced by Japan. It is why Japan makes six times as many patent applications as Britain and spends three times as much on research and development. The Japanese government is about to spend £128 billion on research and development. The figure in Britain is £1 billion.

He at least partially gets the idea. I think he could benefit from studying and exploring the Toyota Production System – perhaps he could attend the seminars by Toyota UK. Still he is encouraging some of the right stuff, and the innovative engineering school he is half funding seems like a very good idea.
Continue reading →

American Manufacturing Successes

Posted on June 29, 2006  Comments (0)

Lean and Unseen, The Economist:

But someone forgot to tell American manufacturers the bad news. Most of them have enjoyed roaring success of late. Net profits have risen by nearly 9% a year since the recession in 2001 and productivity has been growing even more rapidly than is usual during economic expansions

Yes, as I have been saying the demise of manufacturing in the USA has been exaggerated in the popular press (Global Manufacturing Data by Country – US Manufacturing Plant Construction – Manufacturing and the Economy). Manufacturing jobs have decreased dramatically, both in the USA and the entire world. This decrease of manufacturing jobs worldwide is the most significant change. Continue reading →

Manufacturing is Cool

Posted on June 12, 2006  Comments (2)

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers brings us the web site: manufacturingiscool.com. Maybe this is the answer to Bill Waddell post: We Don’t Get No Respect :-)

From the manufacturing is cool site:

Video tapes and books full of additional information regarding the many interesting careers available in manufacturing engineering and technically oriented material.Professionally prepared classroom programs and curriculum resources available to enhance your instructional capabilities.

Ways to help young people find career opportunities in manufacturing and engineering. Also refer our searchable database that shows college and universities that offer manufacturing programs, options, courses or labs. There is also a list of accredited programs and options in manufacturing engineering, engineering technology or industrial technology.

The site really does have some useful and interesting material (especially for teachers). Demonstrating the coolness of manufacturing might need a little work, but this is a start. Continue reading →

Improving Engineering Education

Posted on May 25, 2006  Comments (5)

On our Science and Engineering blog I just posted on the Olin Engineering Education Experiment. It is a great story of doing things differently.

The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering was founded with a donation of over $400 million and opened to students in 2002. All students get a full tuition scholarship. Interesting article: The Olin Experiment by Erico Guizzo gives an excellent overview of the different focus of the school:

Olin’s aim is to flip over the traditional “theory first, practice later” model and make students plunge into hands-on engineering projects starting on day one. Instead of theory-heavy lectures, segregated disciplines, and individual efforts, Olin champions design exercises, interdisciplinary studies, and teamwork.

To some extent this is something a number of schools are attempting to do. Continue reading →

Financial Education

Posted on May 23, 2006  Comments (0)

“Financial education is a critical component of a robust and effective financial marketplace but it is not a panacea. Clear disclosures, wise regulation and vigorous enforcement are also essential to ensuring that financial service providers do not engage in unfair or deceptive practices,” Bernanke said.

Outlining the various initiatives that the Fed already sponsors to boost public understanding of financial matters, Bernanke pledged to keep up the work.

The financial decisions we make have huge impacts on the quality of lives. This blog focus largely on management improvement: in such posts we often mention the importance of long term thinking and systems thinking. When planning our personal financial paths long term thinking and systems thinking (to optimize our long term financial well being given the options available in our individual situation) are necessary. Continue reading →

Understanding Data

Posted on May 9, 2006  Comments (8)

Topic: Management Improvement

Statistics Abuse and Me by Jay Mathews:

the Simpson’s Paradox numbers. The national average for the SAT went up only 4 points between 1981 and 2005, but the average for whites went up 10 points, for blacks 21 points, for Asians 37 points, for Mexicans 15 points, for Puerto Ricans 23 points and for American Indians 18 points.

How can that be? Is it important? First, yes it is important. Effective use of data is an important part of management improvement. Emphasis the effective, not the data. Use of data by itself is not sufficient.

To be effective you need to learn to think about not what is printed on the page but what lies behind the numbers you see. The numbers are just proxies for the real situation. Look beyond the numbers you see to what they mean and understand how the numbers presented may not fully capture the important details you need to consider. Continue reading →

Lean Education Academic Network Spring Meeting

Posted on April 12, 2006  Comments (1)

The Lean Education Academic Network (LEAN) is having their Spring meeting at the University of Kentucky in Lexington May 10th – May 12th. This is targeted at educators and students (a fairly small slice of our audience): still it looks interesting so here are some details.

The agenda includes:

Tour Summit Polymer, considered by the Toyota Supplier Support Center to be the leanest manufacturing facility in the US. And a tour of the Lean Boot Camp in groups, meet with students, see learning factories.

The LEAN site includes some presentations from the winter meeting.
Continue reading →

Organizational Learning

Posted on March 18, 2006  Comments (0)

Why Your Organization Isn’t Learning All It Should by Anita Tucker, Amy Edmondson, and Steven Spear

Our analysis of qualitative data suggests that the problem-solving behavior of front-line workers may reduce an organization’s ability to detect underlying causes of recurring problems and thus take corrective action.

While problems must be solved to reduce the impact on the current customer the organization must also prevent future customers from the poor result.
Continue reading →

Learning, Systems and Improvement

Posted on February 6, 2006  Comments (3)

A Major Mistake That Managers Make by Russell L. Ackoff

Once again Ackoff provides great ideas:

Errors of omission, lost opportunities, are generally more critical than errors of commission. Organizations fail or decline more frequently because of what they did not do than because of what they did.

Page 4 and 5 explore the method to effectively learn from decisions the organization makes. The idea seem simple but they are powerful.

Preparing a record of every decision of any significance, ones that involve doing something or (of particular importance) ones that involve not doing something. This record should include the following information:

• The justification for the decision including its expected effects and the time by which they are expected…
• The assumptions on which the expectations are based…
• The information, knowledge, and understanding that went into the decision.
• Who made the decision, how it was made, and when…
Continue reading →

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