Resources

Following are some resources we’ve either created or recommend.  A recommendation means we’ve used them and have been impressed with the results.

Online Root Cause Analysis workshop- Here’s where you’ll find an electronic version of my root cause workshop.  It’s excellent when you have a small number of people to train, or are trying to earn some continuing education credits for recertification. The course is very highly rated compared to other e-courses.

Online Performance Metrics workshop  Here’s where you’ll find an electronic version of my performance metrics workshop.  When you don’t need to train a large group, this is a low-cost option, with lots of examples, case studies, and Q&A.

SigmaXL – I was amazed to find that this software allows you to do Monte Carlo simulation.  It’s basically a statistics package that runs in Excel, but if you get the DiscoverSim addition, the additional power available is phenomenal for the price.

QI Macros – Allows you to analyze data using a simple set of tools (e.g., paretos, run charts, histograms, control charts). All you do is put your data in MSExcel, and this set of macros will allow you to analyze it very quickly without having to learn a whole new application.

David Walker Designs – This organization managed the update of my website.  Quick, professional and inexpensive.  Great job!

APLOMET Checklists – Following are some checklists, forms and other documents I’ve developed over the years as part of working with organizations.  Feel free to download and use them to help improve your organization.

SIPOC Form – A fundamental tool for helping people understand process management.  It can be used to look at interrelationships between suppliers, processes and customers, as well as the inputs & outputs and related performance measures.

Process Management Maturity Matrix – Want to see how well your organization manages processes?  Here’s a maturity matrix developed for just that purpose.

Metrics Worksheet – If you’re developing some metrics this worksheet can help ensure you’ve considered many of the issues necessary for defining, capturing and using the metrics.

 

My 10-step RCA Problem Solving Guides – A worksheet-type form laying out the 10-step model, and a checklist of the 10 steps and actions & outputs for each step.

Root Cause Analysis Maturity Matrix – Provides an opportunity to evaluate your root cause analysis/corrective action process for degree of sophistication. Intended for quality/performance issues, not safety/accident events

Musings: My Blog

My Fiction Books of the Year

I've shifted more of my time to reading fiction this year.  Here are my Top 3 Recommendations: Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson Burn-In, by Peter Singer and August Cole Borrowed Time, by John Nolte

Baldrige Award Changes

The program was put on hiatus for a year or so in order to do a review.  Information regarding the future is summarized in this post. Key issues/changes include: Recognize role models of resilience and long term success The evaluation process will focus more on...

Improving Visual Inspection

I recently attended a great webinar by a guru on Visual Inspection.  Here's the video And here's a link to his book on the topic.

Free Book on Performance Metrics

My 2013 book on Performance Metrics sold well for a while, but the publisher decided to put it out to pasture last year. So I'm making the PDF version available for free.  Just download it here.

Update to Pascal’s Quote

Blaise Pascal's (1623-1662) famous quote: “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” We need to add, "without a TV, computer or smartphone." It's amazing what the mind can do when it has time to work alone, without all the...

More from ChatGPT

Yes, it can be erroneous at times, but to fear it or not use it for what it's good at makes absolutely no sense.  I asked it what an organization might do if they're having "line clearance" errors, and here's what it said: Line clearance is an important process in...

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