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Category Archives: Management
Managing with Control Charts
Ideas from the Tiger’s Head by Simon Caulkin, The Observer. This is a remarkably nuanced short article on control charts given that it is a newspaper article (which normally overly simplify such concepts to the point not much of value is left). This is a critical distinction: if managers mistakenly tamper with a stable process, believing an occurrence is exceptional, they introduce an external cause, which destabilises it. Targets do the same thing. If a system is stable, as a … Continue reading
Six Sigma Interview with Alan Harrison
Six Sigma Interview with Alan Harrison, Weir Pumps Ltd [the broken link was removed]: Everyone has been trained to some degree on what we have termed the Weir Production System, which includes but is not limited to TPS and Six Sigma. We have created a pragmatic pull improvement system (driven by business needs) where we define what is needed, when it is needed, and how to make it happen.
Posted in Management
Google Talk
Google is at it again. They have announce Google Talk [the broken link was removed]: Google Talk is a simple and free way to talk with and send instant messages to your friends. Like Gmail, Google Talk uses Google’s innovative technologies to help people communicate more effectively and efficiently. Think of it as Google’s approach to communications. Google Talk is easy and intuitive to use. All you need to make free calls is an Internet connection, a microphone, and a … Continue reading
Posted in Google, Management
Has Six Sigma been a failure?
My response to the message, Has Six Sigma been a failure? (broken link was removed) on the Deming Electronic Network email list (DEN). I think Six Sigma has been a success. Do I think it the best option? No, I would prefer a Deming based approach. But I think Six Sigma can be a successful improvement strategy. Like most any management strategy, many applying it do so poorly (hacks as Deming would say). But if most any DEN participant worked … Continue reading
LA Jail Saves Time Processing Crime
After efficiency study, L.A. jail saves time processing crime by Dan Laidman Los Angels Daily News (pointy hired boss broke the link so I removed it) Last week, Chief William Bratton told the Board of Police Commissioners that Toyota methods have produced dramatic changes in a jail division once beset by delays, inefficient transportation, personnel shortages and troubles with medical treatment. … But the collaboration between Toyota and the LAPD marks the first time law enforcement has used the principles … Continue reading
Posted in Deming, Management, Process improvement, Public Sector, Toyota Production System (TPS)
Tagged Deming, government, Madison, management, Process improvement, Public Sector, Toyota
Transforming Aggression into Creative Problem Solving
Transforming Aggression into Creative Problem Solving [the broken link has been removed] by Margaret J. Wheatley and Geoff Crinean With their intelligence awakened, people want to contribute, want to change things, want to make things happen. They will work with existing structures and processes, but they will be altering and adapting them as needed, almost without noticing. Too often, leaders fear a loss of control and attempt to rein in such groups. Their own fear pushes them back into aggressive … Continue reading
Posted in Creativity, Management
Failed Practice: Forced Ranking
The ABCs of Rank and Fire Management [the broken link has been removed] by Mark Edmondson Due in part to the influence of GE, employee ranking has become more widely adopted over the past 20 years. According to a 2004 study, currently about 34 percent of firms rank employees. … Our clients have learned that a performance management system that reinforces a culture of engaged employees can be at tremendous competitive advantage. While at least one-third of your competitors are … Continue reading
Going Lean in Health Care
Going Lean in Health Care [the broken link has been removed] a report from the Institute for Healthcare improvement based on presentation by James Womack and others. This report is an another excellent resource from IHI, which I have mentioned before is doing great things. This is definitely worth reading. Lean principles hold the promise of reducing or eliminating wasted time, money, and energy in health care, creating a system that is efficient, effective, and truly responsive to the needs … Continue reading
Posted in Health care, Lean thinking, Management, Respect
7 Comments
David Anderson CMMI Webcast Aug 18
CMMI Webcast Scheduled for August 18th [broken link removed] David Anderson will present the Microsoft Solutions Framework for CMMI Process Improvement material live at 11am Pacific Daylight Time on August 18th. After the presentation he will answer questions in a chatroom session. Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) for CMMI Process Improvement is a highly iterative, adaptive planning, agile software development process which meets the requirements for the Software Engineering Institute’s (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) level 3 and provides a … Continue reading
Posted in Management
Tagged agile management, Software Development
Purpose of an Organization
W. Edwards Deming described the purpose of an organization in New Economics, on page 51, as: The aim proposed here for any organization is for everybody to gain – stockholders, employees, suppliers, customers, community, the environment – over the long term. Like so much of what Deming said that makes sense to me. It is my sense the “conventional wisdom” would state something more along the lines of the purpose of a company is to make money. I do not … Continue reading
Posted in Deming, Management, Popular, quote, Respect, Systems thinking
Tagged Deming, organization as a system, Popular, respect for people, suppliers
23 Comments
Indian Firms Learning From Toyota
Taking A Page From Toyota’s Playbook [the broken link has been removed], Business Week: The goal for Wipro is to become the Toyota of business services. Toyota preaches continuous improvement, respect for employees, learning, and embracing change. “It’s the soft stuff that makes a big impact on the hard numbers,” says Kurien, a cheerful 45-year-old. There is plenty of hard-edged analysis, as well. To embrace Toyota’s methods, Kurien last year assigned teams to examine business processes, break them into discrete … Continue reading
Posted in India, IT, Management, Process improvement, Respect, Toyota Production System (TPS)
2 Comments
Design of Experiments in Advertising
How Two Guys From the Gold Country Are Changing Advertising Forever [the broken link has been removed] by Robert X. Cringely James Kowalick and Mario Fantoni, two guys who say they can show you how to use science to design ads that cost less while being 10 or more times as effective as doing it the old way. Their secret is the Taguchi Method, which is a technique for designing experiments that converge on an ideal product solution. … “I … Continue reading
Posted in Design of Experiments, Management
Tagged Design of Experiments, marketing, sales
2 Comments
What Business Can Learn from Open Source
What Business Can Learn from Open Source by Paul Graham As usual Paul Graham’s new article is a great read. I think the most important of the new principles business has to learn is that people work a lot harder on stuff they like. Well, that’s news to no one. So how can I claim business has to learn it? When I say business doesn’t know this, I mean the structure of business doesn’t reflect it. … When I’m writing … Continue reading
Posted in IT, Management, Software Development
5 Comments
Deming’s Seven Deadly Diseases
Topic: Management Improvement Dr. Deming noted seven deadly diseases in chapter 3 of Out of the Crisis, 1986. Below his words from pages 97-98 are bolded. As with Deming’s other thoughts, his list of deadly diseases was continually modified as he learned more (to adjust the focus, the basic concept of the diseases were not changed). It is amazing how true all of these points still are. Seven Deadly Diseases Lack of constancy of purpose Emphasis on short term profits … Continue reading
Posted in Deming, Economics, Management
2 Comments
Six Sigma at Jaguar
Six Sigma at Jaguar interview with David Brunson, Powertrain Quality & Reliability, Jaguar Cars Limited by onesixsigma.com. Are there particular tools you want to focus on using more in the future? Yes, it’s very important to focus on the tools you are getting the most value from, and try to apply them to as many areas as possible. There are tools that we want to be using more in the future: Gage Repeatability and Reproducibility (R&R) Modeling using design of … Continue reading
Posted in Management
Curious Cat Travels: Olympic and Mt. St. Helens
Topic: Travel I have posted pictures from my recent trip to the Pacific Northwest: Olympic National Park photos and Mount Saint Helens National Volcanic Monument photos. Previous travelogues include: Rocky Mountain National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Paris and Egypt.
Posted in Management