Monthly Archives: February 2012

Learn to Code to Help Your Career

Posted on February 22, 2012 by John Hunter

I believe there are big benefits to knowing how to code (programing, software development). What is possible for your organization is often significantly impacted by understanding how to properly use software (and create it, coding, when needed). The lack of … Continue reading →

Posted in Career, Creativity, IT, Management, Systems thinking | Tagged Career, curiouscat, engineering, IT, management, programming, Software Development, Systems thinking, technology, usability | 3 Comments

Management Improvement Blog Carnival #158

Posted on February 20, 2012 by John Hunter

The Curious Cat Management Improvement Blog Carnival has been published since 2006. We find great management blog posts and share them with you 3 times a month. We hope you find these post interesting and find some new blogs to … Continue reading →

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged management, Travel photos | Comments Off

Why Use Lean if So Many Fail To Do So Effectively

Posted on February 15, 2012 by John Hunter

If less than 1% of companies are successful with Lean, why are we doing it? Lots of us are not. I would say the efforts I see “fail” are because they don’t do it. They have something they call TQM, … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Lean thinking, Management, Process improvement, Six sigma, Systems thinking | Tagged commentary, curiouscat, Deming, John Hunter, lean management, lean six sigma, management, Quality tools, Six sigma | 11 Comments

ASQ Influential Voices: Future Engineers and Scientists

Posted on February 13, 2012 by John Hunter

As I mentioned previously, I will be posting on a topics raised by Paul Borawski, CEO, ASQ as part of ASQ Influential Voices. This month Paul’s post, New Bloggers, STEM & More, looks at the development of future engineers. How … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Science | Tagged ASQ Influential Voices, Education, engineering, quality | 3 Comments

Management Improvement Blog Carnival #157

Posted on February 10, 2012 by John Hunter

The Curious Cat management blog carnival is published 3 times a month with hand picked recent management blog posts. I also collect management improvement articles for the Curious Cat Management Articles site; you can subscribe via RSS for new article … Continue reading →

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged Carnival, John Hunter, management | Comments Off

Agile Story Point Estimation

Posted on February 8, 2012 by John Hunter

In agile software development tasks are documented as user stories. Then the level of effort for those stores can be estimated by assigning each story points. The velocity that can be produced in a period (called a sprint, for us … Continue reading →

Posted in Data, IT, Process improvement, Quality tools, quote, Software Development | Tagged agile management, project management, Quality tools, quote, Software Development, variation | Comments Off

Looking at Auto Manaufacturing in the USA

Posted on February 6, 2012 by John Hunter

America’s Dirty War Against Manufacturing Bob Lutz, the former head of GM, says it was neither uncompetitive wages nor unions that drove the Big Three into decline. It was a management with its eye focused on the bottom line and … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Economics, Manufacturing | Tagged cars, Deming, economic data, economy, lean manufacturing, Manufacturing, Toyota, USA | 1 Comment

Pull Consulting: Immediate Management Consulting As You Need It

Posted on February 2, 2012 by John Hunter

2013 Update – New method for by the minute consulting with John Hunter. As happens in this fast paced world this service is no longer available. The company has shut down their web site. I think the potential for consulting … Continue reading →

Posted in Career, Deming, IT | Tagged agile management, Career, coaching, John Hunter, Lean thinking, management consulting | Comments Off

Management Improvement Blog Carnival #156

Posted on February 1, 2012 by John Hunter

The Curious Cat Management blog carnival highlights recent management blog posts 3 times each month. The posts generally focus on the areas I have focused on in the Curious Cat Management Guide since 1996 (Deming, evidence based management, lean manufacturing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Carnival, Management | Tagged agile management, management, project management, Software Development | Comments Off