Quality Management : Problem Solving
Expert Answers: November 2009
The TOPS way of getting to the root cause ... Repair vs. rework...
Quality in the First Person: Call to Order
In summer 2001, I was working as a quality engineering manager in New Hampshire. While living there, I became involved in local government—much to the chagrin of my patient wife. Among other positions, I was serving as a member of the town’s budget...
Back to Basics: A Newfound Affinity
While it might be more typical for companies to use affinity analysis for strategic planning, nonprofits and other organizations should not pass up the opportunity to use it in planning strategies for success....
Volviendo a los Fundamentos: Una Nueva Afinidad
En el siguiente ejemplo, 14 iglesias líderes utilizaron el análisis de afinidad para la planificación estratégica y análisis de brechas en su esfuerzo por cumplir con el objetivo de la organización para convertirse en una congregación saludable. Lluvia de...
Back to Basics: A Call for Improvement
It’s a common perception that customer phone support is a resource-draining operation. This misconception results in many call center cost reduction projects but few process improvement initiatives. Basic tools can be used to improve a call center....
Volviendo a los Fundamentos: Una Llamada Para Mejorar
Es una percepción común de que la asistencia telefónica al cliente es un gasto de recursos de la operación. Esta idea errónea resulta en muchos proyectos de reducción de costos en Centros de Atención Telefónica....
The Remedy for a Data Dilemma
In 1994, Bellin Health volunteered for a pilot assessment managed jointly by the Baldrige National Quality Program and the Joint Commission. This assessment helped Bellin focus on developing an integrated measurement system....
Quality in the First Person: Lucky Break
When I was in college, attending classes day after day, I knew exactly where I wanted to be when I graduated: working in a lab somewhere doing groundbreaking research....
Conflict and Complexity
Fourteen years before the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after launch in 1986, NASA unknowingly set in motion a series of events that culminated in the tragic disaster that stunned the proud space agency and rocked a nation....
Exercise a Process Improvement Approach for Your Own Personal Wellness
The human body can be viewed as a system of processes in which the output of one process is an input to another. One quality practitioner applied the concepts of systems thinking, process thinking and process management to improve his own health,...
Back to Basics: Plan Experiments to Prevent Problems
An experimenter's ability to minimize mistakes often comes with experience. Unfortunately, this experience often results from past problems, surprises or confusion....
Volviendo a Fundamentos: Ejecucion de experimentos: Planificar previene problemas
La capacidad de un experimentador de reducir al minimo los errores se consigue a menudo con la experiencia. Lamentablemente, a menudo esta experiencia es el resultado de problemas, sorpresas o confusiones ocurridos en el pasado....
Back to Basics: Have You Adequately Defined Your Situation?
The is/is not matrix is a simple yet powerful tool that enables a planner or investigator to more clearly define the problem, decision or situation being addressed. The matrix can be extremely useful in problem definition and root cause analysis, but...
Volviendo a los Fundamentos: ¿Has definido adecuadamente tu situación?
Uno de los criterios más importantes
en la toma de decisiones o en la resolución de un problema es la necesidad de definir claramente
la situación....
Career Corner: Get Around the Box
Thinking outside the box can be crucial to business success. But career success sometimes depends on getting around the box - and here I'm referring to the boxes on the organization chart....
Volviendo a los Fundamentos: Pautas para la colecta de datos: La Gente como elemento
Colectar datos de alta calidad es esencial para el exito de cualquier proyecto, mejora de proceso o desarrollo de un producto nuevo....
Back to Basics: A Fish(bone) Tale
You have been asked to perform a root cause analysis to determine where a process is breaking down. Not sure where to begin? Use a fishbone diagram to help you and your team identify and discuss all potential causes of an effect....
Volviendo a los Fundamentos: Una historia de espinas de pescado
Te han pedido realizar un analisis de causa raiz para determinar en que etapa un proceso no esta funcionando debidamente. ?No esta seguro por donde comenzar? Utilice un diagrama de espina de pescado....
Back to Basics: Painting the Big Picture
In today’s highly competitive global business environment, a corporation’s
decisions must be based on reliable information rather than sketchy data and gut feelings. Poor decisions no longer can be absorbed, much less tolerated....
In this month’s QP, A.V. Feigenbaum outlines five areas quality professionals must focus on to help their companies succeed as the economy recovers. The article is based on remarks he presented at ASQ’s World Conference on Quality and Improvement in May 2009. For a preview of this article, listen to an interview with Feigenbaum from earlier this year and see his conference presentation. You can also check out his past QP articles.
65th Annual Deming Conference of Applied Statistics
December 7–11 | Atlantic City, NJ
Call Walter Young at 610-989-1622 or e-mail demingchair@gmail.com.
Lean and Six Sigma in Product Development Conference
December 8–10 | Miami, FL
Call Worldwide Conventions and Business Forums at 800-959-6549 or visit www.wcbf.com/quality/5101.
ASQ members exchange comments, suggestions, questions and ideas inspired by articles or letters in Quality Progress.
