Archive for quality
Making Quality pay-off BIG!
Posted by: | CommentsDo you want to inch up the charts or do you want to leap? I think that is the greatest reason Lean-style thinking has develop Kaizan events. Focus on results and “LET’S GITER DONE!”
However, if you want to get something accomlished having a trained practicioner or Black Belt may prove very beneficial to you. This way you can be sure of adequate preparation and a toolbox full of tools that may be needed during the event. They will use a variety of tools to include Pareto Charts, Fish-Bone and Mini-Tab, Names that you may be familar with but unless you have utilized them several times, you will labor through them. Like all software and instruments, it is in the interpretation of the data is where the gold is. The instruments do not just spit out the right answer.
Peter Keen, Chairman of Keen Innovations says; “Characterizing kaizen as simply “continuous improvement” trivializes the concept and portrays it as cautious and lacking in imagination… More typically, the implementation of kaizen reflects a radical commitment to an entire way of operating that requires floor-to-ceiling change in management, work, manager-worker relationships, discipline, decision making, and the organization of knowledge that transforms an organization into a federation of problem solvers.”![ist2_4897256_dan_the_graph_man[1].jpg](http://leanmarketinghouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/ist2-4897256-dan-the-graph-man1.jpg)
These are not simple brainstorming sessions. these are orchestrated events that will allow you to put a plan of action together. Many managers are intrigued by Kaizan because it allows them to form a strong focused approach which can accelerate implemntation. I have seen some use the terminology a beachhead for their project implementation. Also, another important ingredient is having people at the event that can make a decision. It is not meant to be an event that you have to seek approval. However, if you want to jumpstart your quality inititatives, start with Kaizen.
Find a process, Find Quality
Posted by: | CommentsQuality in marketing may be considered too subjective and therefore difficult to define. However, there is a lot about quality and marketing that can be made objective. But to first understand quality in marketing, I think it is important to understand two terms: Process and Metrics.
Quality is not an event – it is a process, and a mindset. A consistently high quality product cannot be produced by a faulty process. There needs to be a repetitive cycle of measuring quality, updating processes, measuring, updating processes, etc. In Six Sigma we use a process called DMAIC which means Define, Measurement, Analyze, Implement and Control. In Lean they discuss the PDCA cycle of Plan, Do, Check and Act. You cannot have a quality system without a defined process. So we must start here and using an established process is simply the best avenue that most of us can take.
To make the quality process work, collecting metrics is vital. If you are not going to capture metrics, it will be hard to improve processes through a quality management initiative. So, what kind of metrics do you capture? First, we must break down the term of “quality” into a number of areas that define the characteristics of quality. Then, look at each of the individual characteristics and determine one or more metrics that can be collected to mirror the characteristic. For instance, one of the features of a quality e-mail program may be increasing percentage of open rates. This is an easily achieved metric that can be measured after the solution goes live.
Releated Subjects: 10-Step Project Management , Lean Six Sigma
