Tag Archives: Quality tools

Brainstorming Under Attack

Posted on June 14, 2006 by John Hunter

Brainstorming under attack: 8 errors in the WSJ [the broken link was removed]. The WSJ has their content behind a wall [the broken link was removed] so their content is not part of the web and so I have not seen their article. The blog post makes good points about mistaken impressions of brainstorming: People do better on their own than they do in brainstorming sessions. This is really daft. I like to think of myself as a pretty creative … Continue reading →

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More Kaizen

Posted on June 14, 2006 by John Hunter

More Kaizen – Why Not Eleven? [the broken link was removed]: We also talk about lean production and Toyota methods and how far you have to go. He tells me about a course he did where the company took him out of work for a couple of days and sent him to another plant where they showed him how to work an assembly line station, then set him to come up with 5 improvements for the process before lunchtime.When he … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Quality tools | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Kaizen Event Research Project

Posted on June 5, 2006 by John Hunter

NSF Funded Kaizen Event Research Project [the broken link was removed] First, this research seeks to identify the most important factors influencing successful outcomes (both technical and social)…The second objective investigates the sustainability of Kaizen events over time. The research team has visited numerous organizations utilizing Kaizen events across multiple areas. Leaders in some organizations acknowledge that some areas will quickly (within 6 months to one year) revert back to the pre-Kaizen performance levels. Yet other organizations appear successful in … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Manufacturing, Public Sector, Quality tools | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Planning 5s? First Know Why!

Posted on June 4, 2006 by John Hunter

Planning 5s? First Know Why! [the broken link was removed] by Jamie Flinchbaugh The basic principle is that you must know why you want to implement 5S before being concerned about learning how to do it. Most people, when they are asked the purpose of 5S, cite safety, discipline, employee morale, reduced waste of motion and-perhaps the worst reason of all-being tour ready.All of this is wrong. The true purpose of 5S is to spot problems quickly. Very clear point. … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management Articles, Quality tools | Tagged | 1 Comment

Production Preparation Process

Posted on May 3, 2006 by John Hunter

The Top 5 Reasons for Using Production Preparation Process (3P) [the broken link was removed] by Jon Miller: Production Preparation Process (3P) is one part of an overall Lean design approach that includes QFD, design reviews, and post-start up monitoring by a cross functional team to kaizen any bugs in the new system. The benefits of Production Preparation Process are a cross-functional team approach, rapid testing of ideas and the embedding of Lean manufacturing principles into process and product design.

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Most Meetings are Muda

Posted on April 29, 2006 by John Hunter

Most Meetings are Muda (Waste) from Got Boondoggle: I will not waste your time and regurgitate all the expert based meeting protocols like following an established agenda, having a meeting plan, taking meeting notes, etc. All these ideas are great and work well. Instead, I have a list of a few meeting musts that may guide you to more productive meeting time. The post provides good tips on what to avoid. Given how many people know that many meetings are … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Quality and Costs

Posted on April 16, 2006 by John Hunter

Finding the balance between quality and cost [the broken link was removed] by Thomas Nolan Maureen Bisognano One of the steps toward a system for improving value is recognizing that waste removal is an essential component of that system, not just a by-product of defect reduction. To alleviate discomfort with setting aims for cost reduction, senior leaders should: Set aims for cost reduction while also mandating that quality must be maintained or improved by the effort. In the article they … Continue reading →

Posted in Deming, Management, Management Articles, Quality tools | Tagged ,

Consumer Idealized Design

Posted on March 8, 2006 by John Hunter

Consumer Idealized Design: Involving Consumers in The Product Development Process Interactive Design vs. Reactive “Focus” A consumer design session is characterized by at least three features which distinguish it from a focus group. (1) It requires innovation and interaction from participants. (2) It is task-oriented, competitive and consensus-generating. (3) It requires the articulation and design of the group’s notion of the ideal in a designated product or service category. This concept is based on the idea of Russell Ackoff – … Continue reading →

Posted in Customer focus, Innovation, Management, Quality tools, Systems thinking | Tagged , ,

Quality Customer Focus

Posted on February 21, 2006 by John Hunter

Delivering Two Kinds of Quality [the broken link was removed] by Keith McFarland, Business Week: What do the Japanese take for granted when it comes to quality? They take for granted that things should work as they are supposed to, and they even see an elegance to things working properly — whether it’s cars, subway schedules, traditional flower arranging, or the famous tea ceremony. Japanese manufacturers were so obsessed with taken-for-granted quality that they created a constant stream of innovations … Continue reading →

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Visible Data

Posted on February 18, 2006 by John Hunter

Effective visual signals are important for effective management improvement: lean thinking emphasizes such ideas. Top 5 Rules of Effective Measurement Boards is an excellent post on how to make measurement effective. Take the time to find the important measures and then don’t keep data hidden in some drawer or computer file out of people’s view and therefore out of mind. Post the important data for everyone to see. Review the data as changes are made and see that the changes … Continue reading →

Posted in Data, Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Quality, SPC and Your Career

Posted on December 24, 2005 by John Hunter

Lead To Succeed [sigh, ASQ broke the link so I removed it, it sure gets tiring how backwards some organizations still are about using the internet, June 2010] by Stephen S. Prevette: * Succeed as a quality professional by branding yourself and providing a service or product your manager and organization deem worth paying for. * Lead your manager “your customers” by providing the data they need in a form they can understand. This is a great article on how … Continue reading →

Posted in Career, Deming, Management, quote, Statistics, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Visual Work Instructions

Posted on December 17, 2005 by John Hunter

Via Got Boondoggle? Shorter Text for Visual Work Instructions (link broken 🙁 so removed) by Steven Blackwell: The line worker may not even read text that seems excessive. We have spent the last eight years observing line workers using visual work instructions and asking them if they read the text. If the text is a short sentence, the answer is usually “yes.” If the text is more than one sentence long, the answer is usually “no.” Another recent post, Poka-Yoke … Continue reading →

Posted in Lean thinking, Management, Quality tools, quote | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Taguchi Loss Function

Posted on October 14, 2004 by John Hunter

Topic: Management Written in response to this post on the Deming Electronic Network (DEN) [broken link removed]. The responses on this topic show the strength of the DEN. 1) thoughtful responses that should help the person posting the original message 2) thoughtful responses that are of interest to many of us 3) the chance to explore concepts in some greater depth than we may otherwise Relating to the 3rd item in my list I would like to explore part of … Continue reading →

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