QUALITY PROGRESS | JULY 2014

Putting Best Practices to Work

www.qualityprogress.com | July 2014

Blog Heaven:
Reasons to Read
and Write
p. 16

QUALITY PROGRESS

THE CAREER ISSUE

Network
CONNECTIONS
Cultivate career prospects with
these simple tips p. 24
Plus:

VOLUME 47/NUMBER 7

A new approach to
process capability
analysis p. 28
The Global Voice of Quality

TM

Gage R&R
expanded p. 34

Check out a few of the NEW books

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This handbook is intended to serve as a baseline

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Contents
Putting Best Practices to Work | July 2014 | www.qualityprogress.com

FEATURES
16

24

SOCIAL MEDIA

Blog Boom

The backstory on blogging from five quality professionals who use

the popular medium to learn, create, connect and share.

by Jimena Calfa, Mark Graban, John Hunter, Jennifer J. Stepniowski

and Dan Zrymiak

24

CAREERS

Making Connections

Advice on building a network of professional connectionsincluding

ways to perfect your LinkedIn profileto get the career you want.

by Marshall Brown

28

PROCESS CAPABILITY

ONLY @

Before spending precious time and resources establishing process

control, determine whether the process can meet customer
requirements in the first place.

Google+ Hangout

www.qualityprogress.com

First Things First

by C. Steven Arendall, Andrew A. Tiger and Kevin W. Westbrook

34

METROLOGY

Necessary Measures

Understand the difference between standard and expanded gage

repeatability and reproducibility studies and how the latter
helps clarify measurement system variation.

by Louis Johnson and Maureen Deaner

34

Follow a link to watch a live

Google+ Hangout with some of
the bloggers featured in Blog
Boom, pp. 16-23. The bloggers
will discuss the value of social
media to quality professionals
and how to get involved. The live
event takes place at 12 p.m. CST
on July 23. You also can watch
a recording of the discussion later.

Innovation Insight

Three sidebars with more career

advice from Peter Merrill, author
of this months Innovation Imperative
column, Making Choices, pp. 39-40.

SIPOC Supplement

A suppliers, inputs, process,

outputs and customers diagram
to illustrate progress on the AS9100
revision, the topic of this months
Standards Outlook column, Revision
Runway, pp. 50-52.

Free Template
See an example of an individual

development plana quality

tool used to improve skills and
performancethat accompanies
this months One Good Idea
column, Steer Your Career, p. 64.

QP

DEPARTMENTS
6

LogOn

Expert Answers

12

Supplier or customer?

QUALITY PROGRESS

Building an effective QMS.

Understanding medians.

Mail

Quality Progress/ASQ
600 N. Plankinton Ave.
Milwaukee, WI 53203
Telephone
Fax
800-248-1946 414-272-1734
414-272-8575

Keeping Current

Concerns with the

VA healthcare system.
Report to president touts Baldrige.

14

Mr. Pareto Head

58

QP Toolbox

60

QP Reviews

12

Email

Follow protocol of first initial and full last

name followed by @asq.org (for example,
vellifson@asq.org).

Article Submissions

Quality Progress is a peer-reviewed publication with 85% of its feature articles written
by quality professionals. For information
about submitting an article, call Valerie
Ellifson at 800-248-1946 x7373, or email
manuscripts@asq.org.

COLUMNS
5
39

Author Guidelines

Up Front
Social cues.

Innovation Imperative
Recognizing good career
opportunities.

48

41

Statistics Roundtable

44

Measure for Measure

Caution when categorizing

quantitative variables.

Understanding test accuracy

and uncertainty ratios.

46

Quality in the First Person

48

Career Corner

50

Standards Outlook

64

One Good Idea

Back to the beginning.

What career centers can

do for you.
Updating AS9100 standards.
The benefits of individual
development plans.

SPECIAL SECTION
ASQS CONTINUING EDUCATION
AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTORY p. 54

NEXT MONTH

- EYE ON IMPROVEMENT

An IT organization strives to build a

self-sustaining business excellence culture.

- QUALITY-DRIVEN CULTURES

Report on what organizations view as the

vital components to a true culture of quality.

ASQs Vision: By making quality a global priority, an organizational imperative and

a personal ethic, the American Society for Quality becomes the community for everyone
who seeks quality technology, concepts or tools to improve themselves and their world.
Quality Progress (ISSN 0033-524X) is published monthly by the American Society for Quality, 600 N. Plankinton Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53203.
Editorial and advertising offices: 414-272-8575. Periodicals postage paid at Milwaukee, WI, and at additional mailing offices. Institutional
subscriptions are held in the name of a company, corporation, government agency or library. Requests for back issues must be prepaid and
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issue for domestic addresses and six months for Canadian and international addresses.
Postmaster: Please send address changes to the American Society for Quality, PO Box 3005, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005. Printed in USA.

QP www.qualityprogress.com

To learn more about the manuscript review

process, helpful hints before submitting a
manuscript and QPs 2014 editorial planner,
click on Author Guidelines at www.
qualityprogress.com under Tools and
Resources.

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Photocopies, Reprints
And Microform

Article photocopies are available from ASQ

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Membership and Subscriptions

For more than 60 years, ASQ has been

the worldwide provider of information
and learning opportunities related to
quality. In addition, ASQ membership offers
information, networking, certification and
educational opportunities to help quality
professionals obtain practical solutions to
the many problems they face each day.
Subscriptions to Quality Progress are one of
the many benefits of ASQ membership. To
join, call 800-248-1946 or see information
and an application on p. 2.

List Rentals

Orders for ASQs member and nonmember

buyer lists can be purchased by contacting
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Roman List Management Co., 402-836-6626
or fax 845-620-1885.

UPFRONT

QP

QUALITY PROGRESS

Social Cues
Be true, be you; get it right in social media

EXECUTIVE EDITOR AND

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
Seiche Sanders

ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Mark Edmund

ASSISTANT EDITOR
Amanda Hankel

IT USED TO BE that you only had one reputation to uphold. Social media has turned
that concept on its ear. Now, its prudent to be conscious of your reputation on the internet, because the medium and its contents can be that much more far-reaching. To some,
this age of increased visibility and the availability of what some consider to be private or
at least protected information is alarming.
Yet, the wide net the digital age casts can be a beautiful thing, particularly when it
comes to growing personal and professional networks, opening up career prospects and
getting your name in front of the right peoplejob recruiters or hiring managers, for
instance.

MANUSCRIPT COORDINATOR
Valerie Ellifson

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Megan Schmidt

COPY EDITOR
Susan E. Daniels

ART DIRECTOR
Mary Uttech

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Sandy Wyss

Often, people join or are a part of a professional association to help further their

PRODUCTION

careers. Whether its seeking certification or training, or accessing knowledge resources,

Cathy Milquet

career advancement is a perennial interest area for readers. This months issue is

ADVERTISING PRODUCTION

dedicated to that pursuit.

In Making Connections, p. 24, author Marshall Brown has pulled together a handy
list to help you improve your networking skills and land the job you want. He discusses
how to maximize opportunities at live events and in the virtual world. He also has a helpful sidebar on making the most of your LinkedIn profile.

Barbara Mitrovic

DIGITAL PRODUCTION SPECIALISTS

Julie Schweitzer
Julie Wagner

MEDIA SALES

tive and engaging bloggers in the quality community. Whether you just want some fresh

Naylor LLC
Lou Brandow
Krys DAntonio
Norbert Musial

reading material, or youre interested in the possibility of blogging yourself, youll find

MEDIA SALES ADMINISTRATOR

Blog Boom, p. 16, showcases this popular medium and introduces you to some ac-

these bloggers tales enlightening.

When is the last time you Googled yourself? Go ahead, give it a try! What sites come
up? What do they say about you and who you are? Are you shown in the best light? If not,
what can you do to enhance your image? We hope this issue helps you take that first step
toward being a better you.
And remember to find and follow QP on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter! QP

Kathy Thomas

MARKETING ADMINISTRATOR
Matt Meinholz

EDITORIAL OFFICES
Phone: 414-272-8575
Fax: 414-272-1734

ADVERTISING OFFICES
Phone: 866-277-5666

ASQ ADMINISTRATION
CEO

Bill Troy

Managing Directors

Seiche Sanders
Editor

Dont forget to watch the new episode

Ajoy Bose
Julie Gabelmann
Brian J. LeHouillier
Michelle Mason
Laurel Nelson-Rowe

To promote discussion of issues in the field of quality and

ensure coverage of all responsible points of view, Quality
Progress publishes articles representing conflicting and minority views. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not
necessarily of ASQ or Quality Progress. Use of the ASQ logo in
advertisements does not necessarily constitute endorsement of
that particular product or service by ASQ.

July 2014 QP

LOGON
Seen&Heard

Tune In

Customized QMS
In response to Solid Base (June 2014, pp.

reports based on their quality? The expert

28-33): The sort of customized, in-depth

answers: The bottom line, the customer is

assessment described by the author is

still the customer if it supplies the materi-

performed by many of our customers. In

als to be serviced or machined.

many industries, this practice lays to rest

I completely agree with the experts

the promise that registration to one or

answer, but would add that perhaps the

more of the internationally recognized

underlying cause of this problem lies in

quality management system (QMS) stan-

the lack of quality assurance requirements

dards by qualified certifying bodies would

being included in the contract. An agree-

replace the need for a customized QMS for

ment beforehand should have included

separate customers: Its registration and

what to do with customer-supplied materi-

customization.

als that are received nonconforming by

Phil Scott
Downers Grove, IL

the organization. ISO 9001:2008, Clause

7.2Customer-related processes closely
applies here. It is up to the organization to

FMEA refresher

determine requirements not stated by the

I just became a member of ASQ, and I

customer.

wanted to say that the June 2014 edition

ISO 9001:2008, Clause 8.3Control of

of QP magazine is fantastic. Most impor-

nonconforming product also applies. When

tantly, the article about failure mode and

the received raw materials did not meet

effects analysis (FMEA) (3.4 Per Million:

requirements, they should not have been

Conducting FMEAs for Results, pp. 42-45)

used by the organization unless autho-

was a great refresher. What I appreciated

rized by the customer.

the most was the authors use of an actual

example to highlight his points.
Gregory P. Simmons
Nashville, TN

A similar problem occurs when the

customer dictates to an organization
which supplier they are to buy materials
or components from. This differs from
the above in that the organization issues

More to add

the purchase order to the supplier. It

After reading the Expert Answers response

should be agreed on up front and in

Defining the Customer (March 2014, pp.

the contract who is responsible for the

8-9), I just had to add to the experts reply.

quality management of the supplier

Briefly, the problem is that a customer oc-

the customer or the organization. The

casionally sends raw materials to be used

agreement should include what actions

in a machining operation and, at times, the

the organization should take if the supplier

material is received nonconforming. The

delivers nonconforming materials or

question asked is, Should these custom-

components and who is to absorb the cost

ers who provide raw material be classi-

for the non-quality issues.

fied as customers or suppliers, and be

logged into the supplier base and receive

QP www.qualityprogress.com

James D. Werner
Raritan, NJ

The latest ASQ TV episode focused

on data management. View the
episode to get an overview on data
management, from hot topics such
as big data to using data to improve
quality.
Also, watch for a new episode
discussing quality and athletics,
available July 15.
Visit http://
videos.asq.org
to access the full
video library.

StayConnected
Find the latest news, quips and targeted
content from QP staff.

Executive Editor & Associate

Publisher Seiche Sanders:
@ASQ_Seiche

Associate Editor Mark Edmund:

@ASQ_Mark
Assistant Editor Amanda Hankel:
@ASQ_Amanda
Contributing Editor Megan Schmidt:
@ASQ_Megan
editor@asq.org
www.facebook.com/
groups/43461176682

www.linkedin.com/groups/qualityprogress-magazine-asq-1878386

QP

ONLINE
EXTRAS@

QP

QUALITY PROGRESS

www.qualityprogress.com

Hang out with ASQ bloggers

Watch a live Google+ Hangout with some of the bloggers featured in Blog Boom (pp.
16-23) as they discuss the value of social media and how to get involved. The event takes
place at 12 p.m. CST on July 23. You can also watch a recording of the discussion later.

More career moves

Peter Merrill offers more career advice in three sidebars that add to this months
Innovation Imperative column, Making Decisions (pp. 39-40).

Illustrated progress

A suppliers, inputs, process, outputs and customers diagram shows the

progress made on the AS9100 revision, the topic of this months Standards Outlook
column, Revision Runway (pp. 50-52).

Improvement plan example

See an example of a quality tool used to improve skills and performance, as described in
this months One Good Idea column, Steer Your Career, p. 64.

QUICK POLL RESULTS

Each month at www.qualityprogress.com, visitors can take an informal survey. Here are
the numbers from last months Quick Poll:
Which aspect of supply chain optimization would most benefit your organization?
Identifying and partnering with the right suppliers.
36.6%
Managing processes effectively.
28.1%
Eliminating waste within the chain.
19.7%

Auditing suppliers accurately. 15.4%
Visit www.qualityprogress.com for the latest question:

PAST CHAIR

John C. Timmerman, Gallup Inc.

CHAIR

Stephen K. Hacker, Transformation Systems

International LLC

CHAIR-ELECT

Cecilia Kimberlin, Kimberlin LLC (retired Abbott)

TREASURER

Chava Scher, RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems

(retired)

DIRECTORS

Heather L. Crawford, Apollo Endosurgery

Raymond R. Crawford, Parsons Brinckerhoff
Ha C. Dao, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc.
Julia K. Gabaldn, Quality New Mexico
Gary N. Gehring, Saskatchewan Ministry of
Government Relations
David B. Levy, Tekni-Plex Flexibles Division
Sylvester (Bud) M. Newton Jr., Alcoa
Daniella A. Picciotti, Bechtel
Steven J. Schuelka, SJS Consulting
Kush K. Shah, General Motors
James B. Shore, Nipro Healthcare
Daniel E. Sniezek, Lockheed Martin (retired)
Joal Teitelbaum, Joal Teitelbaum Escritrio de
Engenharia
Alejandra Vicenttin, Vicenttin Organizational
Excellence & Kaizen
G. Geoffrey Vining, Virginia Tech, Department of
Statistics
Bharat Wakhlu, Tata Services Ltd., Division of Tata Sons

What is your favorite social media network?

Facebook.
LinkedIn.
Twitter.
Instagram.
Other.

QP EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD

QualityNewsTODAY

Andy Barnett, Matthew Barsalou, David Bonyuet, David Burger, Bernie Carpenter, L.N. Prabhu Chandrasekaran, Ken Cogan, Linda Cubalchini-Travis, Ahmad
Elshennawy, Mark Gavoor, Kunita Gear, Daniel Gold,
T. Gourishankar, Roberto Guzman, Ellen Hardy, Lynne
Hare, Ray Klotz, Tom Kubiak, William LaFollette, Pradip
Mehta, Larry Picciano, Gene Placzkowski, Tony Polito,
Peter Pylipow, Imran Ahmad Rana, John Richards,
James Rooney, Brian Scullin, Amitava Sengupta, Mohit
Sharma, A.V. Srinivas, Joe Tunner, Manu Vora, Keith
Wagoner, Jack Westfall, Doron Zilbershtein

Recent headlines from ASQs global news service

(All URLs case sensitive)

Auto Industry Gets Serious About Lighter Materials

Automakers have been experimenting for decades with lightweighting, as the practice is
known, but the effort is gaining urgency with the adoption of tougher gas mileage standards.
(http://bit.ly/lightermaterials)

Randy Brull, chair

Administrative Committee

Brady Boggs, Randy Brull, Jane Campanizzi,

Larry Haugh, Jim Jaquess, Gary MacLean,
R. Dan Reid, Richard Stump

Technical reviewers

CDC: Two 'Sproutbreaks' Sicken More Than 70

More than 70 people in the United States and Canada have been sickened in two so-called
sproutbreaks involving foods made from either sprouted chia seeds or clover, federal
investigators say. (http://bit.ly/sproutbreakssicken70)

WANT THE LATEST QUALITY-RELATED NEWS AND ANALYSIS? The QNT Weekly
enewsletter, available exclusively to ASQ members, delivers it every Friday.
Subscribe now at http://email.asq.org/subscribe/qntwk.

July 2014 QP

EXPERTANSWE
Build an effective QMS

The organization also effectively used

presentation on quality.

Q: Whats an effective approach for estab-

product inspection based on statisti-

lishing, maintaining and optimizing an ef-

cal sampling at suppliers facilities and

management was strongly supported by

In both of these examples, quality

fective quality management system (QMS)?

retailers warehouses; it conducted pre-

senior management. In the first case, quality

David Stuckey

purchase and post-award product testing

management was driven by customers. In

Fort Worth, TX

to ensure the products met requirements;

the second case, it was driven by the bot-

it passed on information from customer

tom line.

A: The most effective approach is based

complaints to the suppliers for their con-

on demonstrated need for a QMS and sup-

sideration and actions; and it helped buyers

ported by the senior management of an or-

(purchasing officers/agents) establish

ganization, meaning the CEO and his or her

performance specifications. Using these

direct reports. When everyone in an orga-

strategies, the retailer became known for

Understanding medians

nization understands the need to address

first-class quality across all merchandise

Q: How robust is median as a statistic?

quality, there will be buy-in from everyone

categories within two to three years, and

Govind Ramu

for a QMS. Consider two examples:

its quality system came to be known as

San Jose, CA

When everyone in an organization

understands the need to
address quality, there will
be buy-in from everyone for a
quality management system.

Pradip Mehta
Mehta Consulting LLC
Coppell, TX

A: To be clear, the median is the center

value of a set of observations taken from a
broader population. As such, it is the 50th
percentile. If a set of observations in rank
order contains an uneven number of them,
it is the observation in the middle; if the set
contains an even number of observations, it
is the mean of the two numbers closest to
the middle.
How robust is it?

1. Many years ago, there was a prevailing perception in the customer base of a

one of the best in the retail industry.

2. In another example, a childrens wear

A statistic is robust if it is resistant to

change even when some observations

large retailer that the retailer sold seconds

manufacturer had an established QMS,

change. The mean of a data set, for ex-

merchandise (products in which a mistake

but the director of QA was not getting the

ample, will change if any observation in the

was made in making the item), even though

necessary resources. Over a few months,

data set changes. This is not so for the me-

that was not the case. To address and

he had his staff collect data on scrap, re-

dian. Individual observations may wander

change this, the CEO of this organization

jects and rework, and put cost figures to all

within limits and the median wont budge.

created a quality assurance (QA) division

these data. He managed to get 10 minutes

That property is partially responsible for the

with the director of QA reporting directly to

of time in the executive vice presidents

medians appeal. But just how robust is it?

the CEO. The fact that the director of QA at-

(EVP) staff meeting and presented on how

You would have to define a specific quanti-

tended weekly staff meetings with the CEO,

much money the organization could save

tative measure of robustness to say.

along with other direct reports to the CEO,

with a bit more resource devoted to quality

sent a powerful message throughout the

management. This opened the EVPs eyes

When is the median appropriate?

retailer as well as the supplier community

to potential savings, and the director of QA

In theory, if your data set fails the test of

that quality of merchandise was extremely

got what he needed. From then on, every

normality, and you cant find a transforma-

important to top management.

staff meeting with the EVP opened with a

tion to normality or another suitable distri-

QP www.qualityprogress.com

RS
bution that fits, you can always default to

miss the point of getting to the root causes

a distribution-free test for comparing two

of variation.

or more treatments. Distribution-free tests

Still, when the data set is decidedly not

often rely on the median as a measure of

normal and all other avenues have been

central tendency. Developers of distribu-

traveled, the distribution-free test based on

tion-free tests are careful to examine rela-

medians is appropriate.

tive efficiency, measured as the ratio of the

variance of the distribution-free statistic

How can you prevent the misuse of

to the variance of the appropriate statistic

medians to sway perception?

under normality (or some other assumed

You cant. If someones paycheck depends

distribution).

on their ability to produce a summary that

The relative efficiency of a distribution-

best supports their argument, little can be

free test statistic computed on data that

done to dissuade them from the practice.

are actually normally distributed is often

However, given the opportunity, you may be

low. This is one factor that prevents you

able to educate an errant user of medians

from abandoning all normal theory statis-

by showing plots of the data, including a

tics in favor of distribution-free tests. If the

normal probability plot, to point out that the

data are normal, using median instead of

data can be summarized more efficiently.

the mean is often inefficient.

Bear in mind, however, that if the distribu-

It is important to understand that often,

tion is normal, the median and mean will

large data sets, even some from an under-

be very close, so there may be little harm

lying normal distribution, will fail a formal

done by showing the median in place of

test of normality simply because the test

the mean. When data analysts use medi-

criteria are very strict. In most practical

ans, they should provide some justification

applications, a straight line on a normal

explaining why that choice was made.

summarized by the median.

There is a formula for the variance, 2,

probability plot is sufficient evidence of

normality or near-normality. Opinions will

Are there measures of dispersion for

of the median from any population, but it

differ, but many applied statisticians will

the median that should be published

assumes a known distribution:

stick to normality unless there is clear

along with them (for example, inter-

evidence against it.

quartile range)?

in which n is the number of observations,

An interquartile range may be appropriate,

f is the density function of the population,

in seeking the cause of non-normality. Data

but a statistic showing something closer

and m is its median. In situations in which

may actually come from multiple sources

to the full range of the data might do a

the distribution function may be assumed

with different means, causing the appear-

better job of persuading the reader of vast

for example, microbiological counts are

ance of non-normality in the aggregate data

uncertainty, assuming it exists. A graphi-

often approximately lognormalthere may

set. A distribution-free test in this environ-

cal display, such as a box plot, is useful for

be value in showing the variance or the

ment may be technically correct, but it may

showing the variability of the data that are

standard deviation of the median, simply to

In many situations, there may be value

2 = {1/(4n[f(m)]2)}

point out the uncertainty associated with

the median.

GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

At some point, everyone runs into a problem they cant solve alone. Let QP help.
Submit your question at www.qualityprogress.com, or send it to editor@asq.org,
and our subject matter experts will help you find a solution.

Lynne B. Hare
Statistical consultant
Plymouth, MA

July 2014 QP

QUALITY COUNCIL OF INDIANA

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Our Primers contain study material for the current ASQ bodies of
knowledge plus sample questions and answers. The Primers may be
taken into the exam. The completeness of our materials makes them
the most widely used texts for Certification Training.

SOLUTION TEXTS

Quality Council of Indiana offers detailed solutions to all

questions presented in the corresponding Primer.

CD-ROMS

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QCI offers user-friendly interactive software to assist students preparing

for ASQ examinations. Each CD contains 1000 total questions.
Examinations are timed and summarized graphically. A help file provides
explanations and references. The CDs run on Windows XP and newer.

Mail Orders
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602 W. Paris Ave.
W. Terre Haute, IN 47885-1124

Information
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Jurans Quality Handbook

by Juran & De Feo
The essential quality reference
for most ASQ exams
En Espaol

CSSGB
PRIMER

Implementing Six Sigma

by Forrest W. Breyfogle, III
A great CSSBB reference

The Quality Technicians Handbook

by Gary K. Griffith
Great for CQT and CQI exams.

Spanish
Green Belt

Quality
Dictionary

The Spanish version of the

CSSGB Primer.

by Tracy Omdahl

More than 2500 definitions.

Great for any ASQ certification.

RAM
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LSS Primer
The Lean Six Sigma Primer is
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more case studies and lean content
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questions are included. A solution
text is also available.

by Tracy Omdahl

Contains 2800 definitions.

Helpful for Reliability and
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ISO 9001 Internal

Auditing Primer

ISO Primer
by Bensley & Wortman

by Greg Wies & Bert Scali

A convenient book for training internal

auditors to the ISO 9001 expectations.
An instructor CD is available.

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by Bryan Dodson

Solve your Weibull, reliability, warranty, Bayesian &

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Presents a thorough treatment

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There are generic manuals on
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Quality System
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by Edenborough

Performs all measurements required in the AIAG manual.

Contains ANOVA methods and excellent graphs.
Site and global license available!!!

Used by Chrysler, ITT, FedEx, Ford,

TRW, GM, HP, U.S. Postal Service

QSH

Details the selection,

organization, and writing
of quality documents.
The disk contains
procedures and work
instructions.

KEEPINGCURRE
GOVERNMENT

Culture, Cover-ups Plague VA Health System

Appointment delays, inaccurate reporting and varied quality of care found
Last fall, Thomas Breen, a 71-year-old U.S.

appear patients were being seen within

In 2011, it began publishing hospital medi-

Navy veteran noticed blood in his urine.

the VAs standard for a timely appointment,

cal complication and surgical death rates

With a history of bladder cancer, Breen

which is about 14 days. In actuality, patients

based on a national surgery quality im-

called his Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital

in Phoenix waited an average of 115 days

provement program. An internal database

in Phoenix for a follow-up appointment.

for an appointment, and secret waiting lists

called Strategic Analytics for Improvement

He had to wait months to get in. In the

were kept to hide the true wait times.4

and Learning (SAIL) tracks procedure out-

meantime, his family took him to a private

A nearly month-long internal audit com-

comes and ranks VA hospitals on various

hospital where he was diagnosed with

pleted in early June shows these problems

bladder cancer. As Breens daughter-in-law

are systemic across the wider VA health-

told the Los Angeles Times, when the VA

care network. The audit of 731 VA facilities

satisfaction scores are higha 2013 survey

called in early December to schedule an

and nearly 4,000 employees found nearly

by VA found 93% of patients said they had a

appointment, she informed the scheduler

60,000 veterans were waiting for appoint-

good experience when they received care.

it was too lateBreen had died on Nov. 30.1

ments at VA health facilities, and 70% of VA

A 2005 comparison of VA patient medical

facilities have used alternative scheduling

records with a national sample found bet-

weeks into his new job as a scheduling clerk

methods so wait times appear shorter.

ter quality of care at the VA, especially for

at a VA clinic in Austin, TX, Brian Turner was

More than 10% of scheduling staff reported

depression, diabetes, high cholesterol and

At another VA health facility, just a few

safety measures for benchmarking.7

The VA healthcare systems patient

hypertension.8

instructed to cook the books.

They said, You gotta zero out the

So, how did access to care be-

date. The wait time has to be zeroed

come a problem?

out, Turner told the Washington Post.2

Part of the cause has been at-

Zeroing out was a workaround

tributed to a shortage of doctors

for the VAs accountability system,

particularly primary care physicians

which was monitored by supervi-

coupled with an increased demand

sors in Washington, D.C., to ensure

for VA healthcare. The American

patients werent waiting too long for

Federation of Government Employees

appointments. When a patient would

reports some VA doctors carry work-

ask for an appointment on a specific

loads of more than 2,000 patients.

day, Turner would search for the next

The goal set in the VHA handbook is

available timewhich was usually

1,200.9

several days later. When the patient agreed

they were instructed to alter patient ap-

to the later date, Turner would type that the

pointment scheduling.5

patient requested the later day. Suddenly, a

Preliminary audit results sent to President Barack Obama pointed to an overarching environment and culture which allowed

wait time that may have been much longer

Backtracking on progress

was reported as zero days.3

The VA Health Administration (VHA) is the

Consider the accountability reporting

largest integrated healthcare network in

system that was supposed to make officials

investigation was launched into allega-

the United States with 1,700 hospitals, clin-

in Washington, D.C., aware of problems in

tions that VA healthcare facilities were

ics, counseling centers and nursing homes

the field through data. Instead, a culture

manipulating patient waiting lists to hide

throughout the country.6

of manipulating data to hide deficiencies

Occurrences like these are why an

long delays in access to care. The Phoenix

In the past, the VA healthcare system

VA healthcare system is at the center of

has been viewed as a leader in medical

the scandalmanagers there are being

advances, especially when it comes to

accused of falsifying records to make it

gathering and releasing performance data.

12 QP www.qualityprogress.com

this state of practice to take root.10

developed, and employees risked backlash

for pointing out patient care issues.11
Even when officials learned this was happening, as they did in 2005, and attempted

NT
to address the issue, honest reporting wasnt enforced.
Because of the fact that the gaming [manipulating the system] is so
prevalent, as soon as something is put out, it is torn apart to look to see
what the workaround is, said William Schoenhard, who was working as
the deputy undersecretary for health for operations and management in
2005. Theres no feedback loop.12
Furthermore, while the criticism and investigation of the VA healthcare
system has revolved around patient wait times for appointments, SAIL data
show there is another serious problem within the VA healthcare system
widely varying patient care results among VA facilities and what experts
call a slippage of quality at some facilities.13

Next steps
On May 30, Eric Shinseki, the Department of VA secretary, resigned.
Shinseki said he was unaware of the access to care and reporting issues
engulfed in the system. Following the results of the internal audit, an external, independent audit of scheduling practices will take place.14
As the VA healthcare system looks to fix its systemic issues related to
access to and quality of care, refining its performance-metric reporting
system will be key.
According to William E. Duncan, who supervised the publication of
medical outcomes until 2012, The goal was not for hospitals to be average performers. The goal was to be in the top 10%. Our patients have little
recourse, and they rely on our staff to tell them the truth. We cant forget
that medical quality is not just access to care.15
Compiled by Amanda Hankel, assistant ediitor
REFERENCES
1. David Zucchino, Cindy Carcamo and Alan Zarembo, Growing Evidence Points to Systemic Troubles in
VA Healthcare System, Los Angeles Times, May 18, 2014, www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-va-delays20140518-story.html#page=1.
2. David A. Fahrenthold, How the VA Developed Its Culture of Coverups, Washington Post, May 30, 2014,
www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2014/05/30/how-the-va-developed-its-culture-of-coverups.
3. Ibid.
4. Sandhya Somashekhar, Some of the Internal Problems That Led to VA Health System Scandal, Washington Post, May 30, 2014, www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/some-of-the-internalproblems-that-led-to-va-health-system-scandal/2014/05/30/399095b4-e81e-11e3-8f90-73e071f3d637_
story.html.
5. Ben Kesling, Nearly 60,000 Veterans Face Delays Receiving Health CareVA Audit, Wall Street Journal, June 9, 2014, http://online.wsj.com/articles/over-100-000-veterans-face-delays-receiving-healthcareva-audit-1402339138.
6. Somashekhar, Some of the Internal Problems That Led to VA Health System Scandal, see reference 4.
7. Thomas M. Burton and Damian Paletta, Veterans Affairs Hospitals Vary Widely in Patient Care, Wall
Street Journal, June 3, 2014, http://online.wsj.com/articles/veterans-affairs-hospitals-vary-widely-inpatient-care-1401753437.
8. Somashekhar, Some of the Internal Problems That Led to VA Health System Scandal, see reference 4.
9. Ibid.
10. Michael D. Shear and Richard A Oppel Jr., V.A. Chief Resigns in Face of Furor on Delayed Care, New
York Times, May 30, 2014, www.nytimes.com/2014/05/31/us/politics/eric-shinseki-resigns-as-veteransaffairs-head.html.
11. Zucchino, Growing Evidence Points to Systemic Troubles in VA Healthcare System, see reference 1.
12. Fahrenthold, How the VA Developed Its Culture of Coverups, see reference 2.
13. Burton, Veterans Affairs Hospitals Vary Widely in Patient Care, see reference 7.
14. Kesling, Nearly 60,000 Veterans Face Delays Receiving Health CareVA Audit, see reference 5.
15. Burton, Veterans Affairs Hospitals Vary Widely in Patient Care, see reference 7.

Whos Who in
NAME: Bryan T. Blunt.
RESIDENCE: Eloy, AZ.

EDUCATION: MBA from Western International University in Tempe, AZ.

INTRODUCTION TO QUALITY: While Blunt considered

product quality to be a top priority
throughout his working career,
the light really came on regarding
process quality when he was a
manufacturing engineer at AlliedSignal.
PREVIOUS JOBS: Director of
quality for Textron Systems Inc.,
director of quality for Lycoming Engines and director of
supply chain quality for Cessna Aircraft Co.
CURRENT JOB: President, Quality Works Consulting LLC.
ASQ ACTIVITIES: Past section chair of two ASQ sections and immediate past nominating chair of ASQ
Phoenix Section.
ACTIVITIES/ACHIEVEMENTS: One of the earliest Black
Belts certified at AlliedSignal, where the first large-scale
deployment of Six Sigma took place after its initial
development. Received Textron Six Sigmas prestigious Top Gun award. Currently a doctoral student in
organizational leadership at Grand Canyon University in
Phoenix. Involved in several areas of church ministry.
PUBLISHED WORKS: Author of Turnaround: The Quality
Path to Saving the Business (QW Press LLC, 2011).
RECENT HONORS: Blunt was part of the 2013 class of
ASQ fellows.
PERSONAL: Married, three sons and eight grandchildren.
FAVORITE WAYS TO RELAX: Reading, playing the
guitar and spending time with his wife and their pet
labradoodle.
QUALITY QUOTE: There are no great businesses that
are not excellent in terms of quality.

July 2014 QP 13

KEEPINGCURRENT
BALDRIGE AWARD

STANDARDS

ISO 9001 DRAFT AVAILABLE

FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
ISO 9001Quality management systemsRequirements, the most widely
used International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard, has been
made available as a draft international standard (DIS), a key milestone in its
revision process.
As all ISO standards, ISO 9001 is reviewed every five years and is now being revised to ensure it is relevant and updated. At the DIS stage, all interested parties can submit feedback that will be considered before the final
draft is published by the end of 2015. In addition, the draft version now can
be purchased, giving organizations the opportunity to get a taste of the new
standard before the final publication date.
Comments will be accepted until July 15. For more details, visit http://asq.
org/standards-draft-iso-9001-2015.html. Only U.S. stakeholders can provide
public comments. Other stakeholders can purchase the standard or contact
their National Standardization Bodies to learn how they can contribute.

SHORTRUNS
THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE on Quality 2014Tokyo will be
held Oct. 19-22. The conference takes place every three years and is
sponsored by ASQ, the European Organization for Quality and the Union of
Japanese Scientists and Engineers. Visit ww.juse.or.jp/e/conventions/202.
THE SOCIETY OF Automotive Engineers (SAE) Foundation received a
$75,000 grant from the Chrysler Foundation to continue providing science,
technology, engineering and math education programming to K-8 students. An SAE program called A World in Motion gives younger students
opportunities to learn about math and science concepts. For more details,
visit www.sae.org/news.

Mr. Pareto Head

BY MIKE CROSSEN

14 QP www.qualityprogress.com

BALDRIGE SINGLED
OUT IN REPORT TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA
ON HEALTHCARE
A recent report sent to President Barack Obama
called out the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality
Award as an opportunity for raising awareness
of performance excellence in the U.S. healthcare
system.
In the 66-page report released in late May, the
Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and
Technology (PCAST) offered seven recommendations
to Obama, all of which support and reinforce each
other as components of a strategy to improve the
quality of delivery of healthcare and the health of
Americans through systems engineering, the report
said.
The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award was
specifically mentioned in the sixth recommendation:
Establish awards, challenges and prizes to
promote the use of systems methods and tools in
healthcare.
The report continued: Health and Human
Services and the Department of Commerce should
build on the Baldrige award to recognize healthcare
providers successfully applying system engineering
approaches.
The report, titled Better Healthcare and Lower
Costs: Accelerating Improvement Through Systems
Engineering, can be accessed at http://tinyurl.com/
pk23tq9.

ASQ TEAM EXCELLENCE AWARDS

TWO TEAMS REACH GOLD STATUS AT ASQ COMPETITION

United Arab Emirates Dubai Aluminium and Argentinas Tgestiona were
awarded gold-level status at ASQs International Team Excellence Awards
after showcasing how they increased quality and financial savings at their
respective organizations.
ASQ announced the gold-level winnersalong with silver and bronzeat
its recent World Conference on Quality and Improvement, which was attended by nearly 2,800 people. In the awards 29th year, 39 teams from 14
countries competed.
Dubai Aluminiums stub repair reduction team used lean Six Sigma and the
define, measure, analyze, improve and control method to slash repair costs by reducing product damage from 6% to 3%, resulting in $1.3 million in annual savings.
Tgestionas matter of time team used Six Sigma to address the process
for handling customer access to the companys systems, which affects more
than 20,000 users of 256 systems. The results included reducing the error
rate from 10% to 0.05%, and reducing processing time from 26 days to
fewer than three days.
For more information about the award recipients and the team
excellence award process, visit http://asq.org/wcqi/team-award.

MEMBERS OF United Arab Emirates Dubai Aluminium stub

repair reduction team celebrate their gold-level accomplishment
at ASQs International Team Excellence Awards.

ASQNEWS
ASQ RECEIVES AWARD ASQ achieved

visit www.asq.org/media-room/press-

peer-reviewed courses, created and

the excellence level of achievement

releases/2014/20140512-nightingale-

taught by Master Black Belt industry

from Wisconsin Forward Award Inc.,

scholarship-winner.html.

experts, include instructor-led class-

the state awards top recognition. The

room training and one-on-one coach-

award is modeled on the Malcolm

NEW CASE STUDY ASQs Knowledge

ing. For more information or to register,

Baldrige National Quality Award frame-

Center released a new case study

visit www.asq.org/sixsigma-elite.

work, process and criteria. ASQ will join

about India-based Max Life Insurance

other Wisconsin-based organizations

and how it improved customer reten-

NEW ISO/IEC TRAINING ANAB un-

receiving the award at ceremonies in

tion through Six Sigma and quality

veiled new training on ISO/IEC 17021,

December. For more information about

tools. The improvement project nearly

Conformity assessmentRequirements

the award, visit www.wisquality.org/

tripled Max Lifes customer reten-

for bodies providing auditing and certi-

wfa/wfa.

tion rate and generated more than

fication of management systems. The

$8.6 million in revenue. Read more at

training will provide an understanding

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT ASQs

http://asq.org/knowledge-center/case-

of the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021

Healthcare Division awarded its annual

studies-max-life-improves-customer-

and its relationship with other certifica-

$2,000 Nightingale Scholarship to Ellen

retention.html.

tion scheme standards and Internation-

Martin, a doctoral student in the school

al Accreditation Forum documents. The

of nursing at the University of Texas-

LSS TRAINING OFFERED Redesigned

course also includes information about

Austin. Martin was recognized for

lean Six Sigma Green Belt and Black

potential developments related to the

demonstrating an outstanding commit-

Belt courses are being offered by ASQ.

revision of ISO/IEC 17021, scheduled for

ment to pursuing quality improvement

The courses will teach participants to

release in late 2014. For more informa-

in the healthcare field. For more infor-

use lean and Six Sigma tools to improve

tion, visit www.anab.org/resources/

mation about Martin and the award,

workflow and reduce inefficiency. The

anab-training.

July 2014 QP 15

BLOG
Blogging keeps growing,
remaining a relevant
way to share, learn
and network

SOCIAL MEDIA

BACK IN THE late 1990swell before 140-character

Tweets, Facebook posts and LinkedIn discussionsthere was
the blog.
Register at any number of blogging sites and you could
set up your own personal or professional website to report
and record information, showcase your talent and expertise,
share opinions and theory, and relay across the world anything from photos to links to videoall in one place.
But are blogs still relevant? Have they been surpassed by
other social networking sites?
Googles Blogger site has more than 46 million unique
visitors each month. About 6.7 million people write on
blogging sites, and 12 million blog via social networks.1
More organizations are getting in on the act, too. The use of
corporate blogs has shot up to 34% in the last two yearsa
nearly 50% increase.2
Clearly, a lot of people still use blogs to push out information, messaging and opinion, and even more continue to
consume the words and join in the dialogue.
What keeps millions writing blogs and reading them?
We posed this question to a few members of ASQs Influential Voices blogging group and asked them to describe their
blogging experiences. We also asked the bloggers about the
difference blogging makes in their professional lives. How did
their own careers shift because they dared to venture into
the blogosphere?
Perhaps their words and ideas will inspire you to log on,
speak up and join the online opportunities within what
remains a popular medium for learning, creating, sharing and
networking.
REFERENCES
1. Douglas Karr, The Blogconomy Blogging Statistics (Infographic), Social Media Today, Aug. 26, 2013, http://
socialmediatoday.com/douglaskarr/1696221/infographic-blogconomy-blogging-statistics.
2. Nora Ganim Barnes, Ava M. Lescault and Stephanie Wright, 2013 Fortune 500 Are Bullish on Social Media, Charlton
College of Business Center for Marketing Research, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, www.umassd.edu/cmr/
socialmediaresearch/2013fortune500.

July 2014 QP 17

HOME

ABOUT

HELP

CONTACT US

BLOG

The Benefits of Blogging

Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 12:01 am

5 comments

QP: Why do people write blogs?

Daniel Zrymiak (DZ): People have a particular message or impression they wish to
communicate. Through blogging, they can establish and entrench a connection with their

Search

RELATED ARTICLES

audience or community. Blogs provide additional flexibility to incorporate visuals and audio,
and embed hyperlinks to extend the breadth and depth of the articles scope. People should
write to initiate an interactive connection with readers on an interesting subject or idea.

Real Time, Interactive and

Dynamic, p. 20.

Mark Graban (MG): I started my blog in 2005 because I was frequently emailing articles
about lean to colleagues. I realized I could post them on a blog, and people could pull
information instead of having it pushed to them via email. I also realized I could reach a

Build Credibility and

Reputation, p. 22.

broader audience and use the blog as a way to meet new people in the lean world.

John Hunter (JH): People blog to share their ideas. A blog can be a creative outlet on
a work topic or another topic. I blog about management and also about investing, travel,

More Active
Networking, p. 23.

engineering, technology and other topics that interest me.

QP: Why is blogging right for you?

DZ: In my personal situation, I must frequently travel or change plans on short notice.
This has the unfortunate effect of forcing cancellations of previous commitments. For example, it is regrettable to have submitted an abstract to present at a conference, have it
accepted by a review committee, be scheduled to present, and then need to inform those
same supportive team members that I have to decline the opportunity to present and engage their conference audience. In contrast, blogging works because it provides me with
the maximum level of flexibility and the ability to customize my message.

Google+
Hangout
Follow a link to watch a live Google+

MG: I love blogging, and Ive kept at it nearly every weekday for the last nine years. As

Hangout with some of the bloggers

with any sort of writing, I think you have to do it because you want to write and because you

featured in Blog Boom. The blog-

enjoy it. Too many blogs flame out after just a few weeks or months. Maybe the bloggers

gers will discuss the value of social

who gave it up were motivated to start because they felt like they had to blog. Writing

media to quality professionals and

must be a passionwhether its a blog or a bookand its not right for everybody. Some

how to get involved. The live event

folks like to write occasionally, and submitting occasional magazine or journal articles might

takes place at 12 p.m. CST on July 23.

be a better fit. Some people can podcast or create videos.

You also can watch a recording of the

JH: I have been blogging for 10 years, which is more than enough time to convince me
it is right for me. Blogging fits my personalityI like short delivery cycles. I dont like the
idea of working on a project that takes a year to reach the audience or customers. With
blogging, I can have an idea, and in an hour I can share that with people across the globe.
Blogging is similar to agile software development in this way: minimize work-in-progress
and deliver working softwareor in blogging, textto users as quickly as possible. Then
iterate and extend.
To a much larger extent than most bloggers, I also take advantage of hypertextlinking
to other related online content. This is also a wonderful thing. Again, it fits my personality.
I wrote a book called Management Matters: Building Enterprise Capability (http://curiouscat-media.com/management-matters), and it had to be an e-book because Im constantly
linking to other parts of the book and resources online.
While writing the book, I thought about how constrained I would feel writing an old
style book with no hypertext capability. I think I would have quit before I finished.

QP: Why do you blog?

DZ: I am not a commercial blogger. I am not promoting a practice, nor am I a center of
influence to recommend products and services. Primarily, I blog to use this communication

18 QP www.qualityprogress.com

discussion later.

HOME

ABOUT

HELP

The Benefits of Blogging

Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 12:01 am

CONTACT US

BLOG

Search

5 comments

channel to present viewpoints and opinions on the pertinent quality issues of the day. For
this reason, I enjoy participating within the ASQ Influential Voices framework to realize and
expand the synergistic benefits of collaborative communication.

MG: As I said in this video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfUJLSRgDt0 (case sensitive),

I blog to learn, and I really mean that. Sure, sometimes I like to get on a soapbox and share
my own views, but my goal is to learn. Having a blog means I keep up on reading new material thats out there in the lean worldin the news and otherwise. Writing is a great way
to practice articulating views and a way to practice teachingskills and experience that
translate into my consulting work and speaking. I love it when we have good discussion

The Bloggers
Jimena Calfa
Author of Lets
Talk About Quality
and Opportunities
for Improvement blogs.

in blog comments, especially when people disagree because that leads me to sometimes
changing my own viewsto learn.

JH: One of the nice things is how easy it is to blog. I managed several websites for years
before I started blogging (which is quite rare). Dealing with a typical website is much more
work than blogging. With a blog, you can have the idea and be up and running with your

Mark Graban
Author of
Lean Blog.

new blog post in 10 minutes, using something like www.wordpress.com. How easy it is to
blog is one factor.
Another thing I like is being able to refer back to my thoughts on a topic. This is not
something I have ever heard someone else mention as a reason for blogging, but one of
the ways I use blogs is as a resource I can go back and use later.
I also blog as a way to build a personal brand. When people are introducing me to a
colleague, I am often introduced to people as the author of that Curious Cat blog and
website. I have never been introduced as the author of my book.

John Hunter
Author of Curious
Cat Management
and W. Edwards
Deming Institute
blogs.

QP: What are your goals in blogging?

DZ: I aspire to introduce topics and subjects that interest me personally and add value
to the profession and to subjects that I believe should be more actively promoted by the
profession. Based on my experience, the most impactful decisions are made when financial
and governance considerations are incorporated into the decision process. My inclination
is to justify the involvement of quality people within these financial and governance activi-

Jennifer J.
Stepniowski
Author of Quality
Time blog.

ties, thus transcending the traditional role of inspection and compliance.

JH: When I originally started providing content online (even before blogs), one of my big
goals was to help people improve management. There are many good management ideas
and practices that are decades old and yet ignored. I thoughtand still do thinka big part
of the problem is people havent seen good management ideas.
With blogging, I continue to attempt to help people apply proven management practices.

Daniel Zrymiak
Author of
AQualitEvolution
blog.

Building a personal reputation and learning are other reasons I continue.

I think a big problem is that people find bad management advice (even on good management concepts), use it, get frustrated and dont believe better management practices
really work. So they experience lousy implementation of good ideas and decide the ideas
are bad.
For example, lean thinking has great value, but the way it is done in many places leaves
people with the impression that lean is bad management. Or they read about or get trained
on lean or W. Edwards Deming, but the way the information is presented doesnt provide a
convincing case for the value of the management advice.
By helping people find better advice, I can help improve the success rate of adopting
practices such as customer focus, respect for people, managing with an understanding of
Read more >
July 2014 QP 19

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The Benefits of Blogging

Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 12:01 am

variation, continual process improvement and mistake-proofing. I make a

big effort to promote good content in addition to writing my own ideas that
I hope will help people improve their practice of management.

QP: Has blogging helped advance your career and opened doors?
DZ: I was accepted into the portfolio of Influential Voices after I had established myself as a conference speaker, author and an ASQ fellow. The
more appropriate characterization would be that blogging refined my approach and allowed me to target my interests and communicate more precisely. In general, writing has been beneficial. One of my articles published in
a local ASQ newsletter, for example, directly led to a series of postsecondary
instruction assignments for the next 11 years. When viewing blogging as
one of several modes or channels of communication, I can readily testify
that writing has helped advance my career and open doors.

MG: For me, blogging directly opened a door with the publisher of my
first book, Lean Hospitals: Improving Quality, Patient Safety and Employee
Engagement (Productivity Press, 2011). Becoming known as a blogger led to
that introduction, and having a blog demonstrated my willingness and abilityfor what it isto write.

JH: Probably. Even before blogging, my efforts online helped me get a job
at the Office of Secretary of Defense, Quality Management Office. I am not
sure you can point to bloggingor most thingsas the definitive reason
something happens, but I think you definitely can increase your network via
blogging. Doing so increases your opportunities.
I believe blogging can be especially useful for consultants. Blogging allows you to provide evidence that you have something to say worth listening to. It helps others, too, but consultants often need to make many
more sales (new clients and people attending seminars) compared to an
employee who usually gets new jobs much less frequently.

QP: What are the benefits of blogging?

DZ: At first, I was inclined to view blogging as a way to propagate and distribute content. When used creatively, however, it can be an outlet for playful jocularity. As a result, I enjoy injecting a few articles that some respective
journals and publications would decline to publish due to subversive or controversial messages. If you can project expertise and a distinct personality
through an array of blog entries, you can give people a flavor of what you
are about in a way that does not come across in an article or presentation.

MG: Blogging (and podcasting) has been a great networking and career
opportunity for me. I didnt realize that or have grand plans when I started.
I was just trying to share helpful information and ideas. Being able to interview guests for a blog post or a podcast has been a great excuse to meet
and get to know many interesting people in the lean world. This helped me
build a relationship with Jim Womack, founder of the Lean Enterprise Institute, among others, and that helped create opportunities for the work I did
later with that organization.
The benefits of blogging are indirect. Its not directly a business or a mon-

20 QP www.qualityprogress.com

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5 comments

Real Time,
Interactive
and Dynamic
by Daniel Zrymiak
Writing for publication is something Ive done since I was
a university student more than 20 years ago. Where able, I
have used various channels of communication to present studies, opinions, perspectives or general insights to
interested readers. Prior to the popularization of internet
blogging, I worked with editors and publishers for more
than two decades to submit, revise and deliver articles. In
most cases, these would be either a synthesis or exposition
of concepts I found personally interesting and wanted to
share with my peers.
ASQ is supportive of those who write and want to
have their work published in peer-reviewed magazines,
forums or journals. This activity is incentivized with recertification credits for ASQ certification, award applications
and overall recognitions. As an organization, ASQ has
long recognized the value of encouraging members to
continually raise the level of discussion and advance the
quality issues of the day. (I recently found out that ASQ
will credit participants of the Influential Voices program
with recertification units characteristic of society committee work).
In our internet age, those who provide and receive
communication cannot be satisfied solely with passive
reading. Twenty-first century publication requires real-time,
interactive and dynamic modes of expression. By reducing
or removing the layers between concept and distribution, internet communications fulfill these expectations.
There are multiple formats to communicate, ranging from
individual emails or text messages to internet discussion
forums to a controlled portfolio of internet blog collections.
Having used many of these formats, I find internet
blogging provides the best control over the theme and
consistency of articles, and actually permits the author
to serialize articles to create progressive continuity. This
can help to refine a particular audience, and if certain
controls are activated, manage the discussions and
responses surrounding the content.

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CONTACT US

eymaker, but again, being known from my blog has led to paid speaking and consulting
opportunities. Blogging is often part of a strategy I just learned about called inbound marketing. Its a strategy to have people find you because youre creating compelling content
instead of doing push marketing, such as traditional advertising or sending out a ton of
flyers.

JH: One of the benefits I didnt appreciate before I started was how blogging helps build

Influential
Voices
ASQs Influential Voices group is a

your knowledge and understandingin the same way teaching helps you learn the topic

collection of personal blogs produced

you are discussing in a deeper way.

by 25 quality professionals and online

I find myself more thoughtful and engaged with ideas because I think about how I can
build on those ideas in a blog post. When I start writing, I sometimes realize I dont actually
understand the idea or topic as well as it seemed I did. So I must think about it more to be
able to understand it well enough to write about it.

QP: What tips or advice would you offer?

DZ: Blogging is not a substitute for personal interaction, but it should come as close
as possible to providing a dynamic and interactive experience. Try to include a nugget of

influencers who regularly comment

and share information on a host of
quality-related topics and ideas. The
bloggers come from all around the
world, including Australia, China, Ecuador, India, Malaysia and the United

wisdom or applicability that would create enough interest to be quoted and shared. Follow

States, and represent a wide range

the examples of authors such as Michael Lewis or Malcolm Gladwell, who dive into the

of industries. Visit http://asq.org/

most common items to find the depth and breadth of interesting facts. Especially consider

voice-of-quality to see the complete

Gladwells essay on ketchup and mustard at http://gladwell.com/the-ketchup-conundrum.

roster of bloggers, short descriptions

I dont think blogging is for everyone, nor do I believe blogging is the full extent of what a

of their backgrounds and links to the

professional should do. I view blogging as one of several opportunities to engage and inter-

respective blogs. To read ASQs blog,

act with your fellow professionals and communities on the subject of your choice. It should

visit http://asq.org/blog.

not be seen as something you must do, but rather as an opportunity that you get to have
through the advancement of technology and communications.

MG: Its easy to get started with a blog on free hosting platforms such as www.blogger.com
and www.wordpress.com. Even if you use a free service, its important to get your own URL,
such as www.MyCoolBlogAboutLean.com (case sensitive) instead of a default URL, such as
myblogname.blogspot.com. When you have your own URL, you create your own brand, and
you can move your blog more easily to another platform or to paid hosting solutions.

JH: Do it. Write about a topic you are passionate about. If that topic mirrors your career,
that is great. You can gain benefits to your career, but if not, I would suggest writing about
something you care about and are interested in.
Commenting on other blogs, too, is a good way to engage with others thinking about the
same topics you are. It also might help you get into the habit of writing on the topic you will
blog about. Even though comments will likely be shorter than blog posts, it might be a useful
way to get started. It also can help you come up with ideas on what topics to write about.
The most common reason for the failure of blogs is that bloggers just give up. Many blogs
that are started dont get updated after a few months. To give yourself a chance to make
blogging worthwhile for you, its important to write about something you enjoy. Then write
blog posts continuously for at least six months.
I dont think is too important whether continuously means two or three posts a week or
once a month, although I think it should be at least once a month. The more frequent, however, the better the chances of success. After you get into the habit, I dont think frequency
matters much at all, but to get started, I think a higher frequency of posting is useful.

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Build Credibility and

Reputation
Thursday, July 3, 2014, 9:46 pm

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3 comments

by Jimena Calfa
After passing the ASQ certified quality process analyst exam in 2010, I thought it would be a great idea to have all the
notes and research Id prepared for the exam online in a single place so it could be accessible anywhere and anytime I
needed it. I found out that a blog was a great tool. It was easy to set up and allowed me to do it in a free and fast way.
What I never imagined was that by sharing my posts on a few social networks, I could reach readers around the
world who started exchanging their knowledge, experiences and opinions with me.
After blogging for four years, I can tell you the benefits of writing are endless. Here are just a few real facts from my
experience:
It allows you to reach people interested in the same field around the world. Today, I have about 7,000 worldwide
visits per month.
Without too much effort, you can create what I call your own online quality network of professionals that gives you
visibility online. With more than 1,500 followers on Twitter and 360 connections on LinkedIn, it helps me share my
experiences and thoughts with an ever-increasing audience.
By establishing an interesting interaction with your readers, its a win-win situation. I try to help my readers wherever I can, answering their questions and sharing my thoughts. At the same time, they help me with their comments,
feedback and testimonials for my own professional development.
It will open doors for you that you never thought you could open. In 2012, ASQ invited me to be part of its Influential
Voices group, where I contribute to a monthly discussion of key quality issues.
It brings you satisfaction at all kinds of levels. One section of my blog called XX vs. YY focuses on resolving questions that I had about the differences between two concepts. For examplequality assurance vs. quality control. After
researching to find the answers and sharing them on my blog, I got incredible satisfaction knowing that people with
the same questions found my posts useful to understanding such differences and use them as references for training
in different organizations and prestigious universities in the United States, Italy and Argentina.
It enhances your online presence, building your credibility and reputation by showing who you are, what your area
of expertise is, and how you think and act as a professional.
With your commitment to writing frequently, blogging will help you keep yourself updated on all of the latest news
on your field of expertise.
Some people ask me: I would like to start a blog, but I dont know exactly what to write about. Do you have any
tips? As I always say, the only rule to starting a blog is to write about your passion. Everybody has one: cooking,
fishing, yoga, construction, family, quality, engineeringyou name it. It is that passion that you must let flow and be
captured in your blog posts. Everything else will come easily.
Regarding tips, I like to share with the readers my blogging commandments I wrote many years ago, which are still
true and useful. I used BLOGGING as a mnemonic to make things easier to remember:
Be yourself, discover what your passion is and let it flow on your blog.
Lean your blog. Keep it simple, fresh, professional and without waste.
Overcome any bad and negative comments or critics. Think of them as great opportunities for improvement.
Get focused on one specific audience.
Grow a quality community.
Interact with your readers.
Network: Let the world know about you and your blog. You never know what doors that will open for you.
Get moving and keep improving.
Cuban writer Jos Mart said: Everyone to be complete has to plant a tree, have a child and write a book.
With respect to Marts words, in this technological age we could replace the last part of the quote with and
write a blog.

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Tuesday, July 15, 2014, 3:30 pm

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by Jennifer J. Stepniowski

Blogging is a win-win endeavor. It establishes you as an active participant in the field youre
working in, allows you to develop and manage your personal brand, gives you an opportunity to
stay updated about the things you love, and it lets you practice writing. And, I love being connected
to people who share my passion.
For me, blogging was a natural extension of journaling from a personal perspective and writing
about how my career developed. Ive always maintained notebooks of thoughts and stories, and
even started out as an undergradate student writing copy for people to listen to while they were
on hold. Theres a message or story always worth sharing.
I can remember my first website, which was registered in 2000. My husband and I wanted to
digitally store photos and post updates about our lives to share with family and friends around the
world. That site still follows our lives to this day, although my attention to content development has
shifted to more professional efforts over the years. In 2010, I put up ijenn.me as a way to establish
a personal brand, but more to have a voice about matters I was personally passionate.
Not long after ijenn.me went up, I pitched value creation through content to my employer and
am still fortunate to manage that component of our business. Currently, I manage three blogs, a
few Facebook and LinkedIn pages, and more. Its fun, and its a sure way to never stop learning.
As an adjunct instructor, my students consistently ask what they can add to their rsums to
make them look more established. My best answer here is blogging, in addition to more active
networking and association participation. Employers will Google you, so managing what they find
can determine whether you get a call back.
Anyone can blog. I recently developed and conducted a workshop on managing online presence.
As a lover of all things quality, of course I used the plan-do-check-act cycle to explain how success
can be achieved here. In a nutshell:
Plan: Ive noted that people often underestimate the time required to actively manage a blog or
other social media efforts. I always suggest planning a reasonable amount of time you can dedicate
per day or week, even if its only a few minutes. Being inactive can sometimes be worse than
not being there at all. It can be difficult to establish an exercise routine, but the benefits drive us
forward. I think of blogging as exercise for the brain, and its also professional development.
Do: Following a schedule can be challenging, but most things worthwhile require some level
of effort. Writers block is a terrible thing, and Im sure Ive dreamed of blinking cursors at least
once or twice, but, I can usually find ideas in current events or by reading other blogs or discussion
boards. I just try to express myself and stand by my guiding principle to always be professional and
respectful of others opinions.
Check: I will absolutely admit that I Google myself, and I encourage others to do the same.
Im even crazy enough to recommend setting a quarterly calendar reminder. Even if youre not
looking for a job, you must know whats showing up on the first page of search resultsif anything
shows up at all. Ill admit, too, that I have a search engine optimization edge with the last name
Stepniowski. I also make it a point to look over profiles and privacy settings regularly to keep
things fresh and be more proactive with managing everything.
Act: If Im looking for inspiration or just have a few extra minutes, Ill look over my older content.
It never fails that I notice something that could have been written better, or note information that I
later discovered would be a great addition to the piece. Its a continuous learning and improvement
process, just like anything else.
Writing evolves as we evolve as individuals. Blogging is an amazing opportunity to watch this
happen. I smile sometimes when I think about what my kids or grandchildren will say one day
when they come across my stuff: That crazy quality lady QP

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Biographies
JIMENA CALFA is a quality software
engineer from Argentina. She holds a
bachelors degree in information systems
engineering from National Technological
University, Cordoba Argentina. She is a
senior ASQ member and an ASQ-certified
software quality engineer and quality
process analyst. She blogs at Lets Talk
About Quality at http://onquality.blogspot.
com and Opportunities for Improvement at
onofi.blogspot.com.
MARK GRABAN is an author, consultant,
speaker and entrepreneur in the field of lean
healthcare and is vice president of innovation and improvement services at KaiNexus
in San Antonio, TX. He earned masters
degrees in mechanical engineering and business administration from the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA. He
blogs at www.leanblog.org.
JOHN HUNTER has worked to improve
management and software development at
the Quality Management Office of the Office
of the Secretary of Defense and the White
House Military Office. He is the author of
Management Matters: Building Enterprise
Capability, the Curious Cat Management
Improvement blog at http://management.
curiouscatblog.net, and the W. Edwards
Deming Institute blog at http://blog.
deming.org.
JENNIFER J. STEPNIOWSKI is communications director at Pro QC International and
an adjunct professor of marketing and
management at Hillsborough Community
College in Tampa, FL. She holds an MBA
from the University of South Florida and
is an ASQ-certified manager of quality and
organizational excellence. Stepniowski is an
ASQ senior member and education chair for
Section 1508. She blogs at Quality Time at
http://ijenn.me.
DANIEL ZRYMIAK is a mobilization lead at
Accenture in Vancouver, British Columbia.
He holds a bachelors degree in commerce
with honors in marketing from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Zrymiak
is an ASQ fellow and an ASQ-certified quality
auditor, hazard analysis and critical control
points auditor, biomedical auditor, engineer,
manager, Six Sigma Black Belt and software
quality engineer. He is also a QMI Canadacertified environmental management
systems lead auditor and quality systems
lead auditor. Zrymiak is an ASQ Quality
Press author and reviewer, member leader
and active with the Quality Management
Divisions finance and governance technical
committee. He blogs at AQualitEvolution at
http://qualitevolution.blogspot.ca.

Older posts

July 2014 QP 23

MAKING

CONNECTIONS
Tips for networking your way to
the career you want
by Marshall Brown

CAREERS

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS, GETTING involved, letting

other people know about what you have to offer and creating a successful network is critical to your professional development. Whether you are in the midst
of a job search or not, take the time now to develop your network.
Networking isnt easy for a lot people. Keep in mind that you should do
what is right and comfortable for you. To overcome the fears or reservations
associated with the process, here are some suggestions that can be useful in
helping you build your network:
Be authentic. Dont be concerned about what others might think. Being
yourself is sometimes difficult, but you owe it to yourself to try. Be realdont
try to be someone youre not. Let people see and get to know the real you.
Know what you have to offer. Begin conversations with people and tell
them what you have to offer. Be bold and fearless. Speak intelligently and have
interesting things to say about topics such as you, your profession or current
events.
Have a 30-second elevator speech ready. This is a quick marketing response for the frequently asked question: What do you do for a living? Quality
professionals often overlook the importance of adequately answering this question. Your response should clearly describe what you can do for an employer
and the career opportunities you seek. Remember,
you are in a selling positionand you are the product. Why should an employer hire you? What do you
offer that others dont? As a leader, what successes
have you had?
Avoid closed-ended questions. Try to get the
other person to talk, and truly listen to what he or she
is saying. Instead of asking, Do you know anyone
who ? ask, Whom do you know that ? This
will allow for discussion and problem solving instead
of a one-word response that halts conversation.

In 50 Words
Or Less

Whether youre searching for a job or not,

building a network of
professional connections
is important for career
development.
Leveraging tips to make
the networking process
go smoother can help
you make valuable professional connections at
conferences and events.
Perfect your LinkedIn
profile to help expand
your network even further.

July 2014 QP 25

Use active listening skills. When the other person is

developing relationships.

talking, do not be considering your response in your head.

Contribute something. Great networkers dont just go

Instead, just listen. Look into the speakers eyes and give

to events (small or large) to promote themselves. They also

verbal and nonverbal clues that you are listening and under-

go to contribute something to the people they meet. Be sure

standing.

to know what you can contribute and listen to what others

Dont go alone. How about inviting someone you know

need. Just like you, others might be going to an event to

to go along with you to a networking event? This way, at

meet additional contacts. Perhaps you have a great contact

least you will know one person, and you wont be alone.

you can share. Maybe you know of a person who can help

Make a plan to each meet two or three new people. Turn it

someone solve a problem.

into a game: You meet two, and I will meet two. Well intro-

Share your information. Consider how you might help

duce each others two, so well each know four. Throughout

others you meet. The old adage, What goes around, comes

the event, check in with each other. Support each other, and

around is true. You may not get immediate help, but oth-

reward yourselves for going to an event and meeting new

ers will remember that you helped and will speak highly of

people.

you. Your reputation will grow and others will seek you out

Start small. If you are uncomfortable with large events,

to help make connections and get information. Without a

try starting with some smaller networking opportunities.

doubt, youll be top of mind when someone discovers your

This may mean getting involved with an association or group

perfect job.

and serving on a council or committee, which tend to have

smaller, more intimate meetings. Get to know some people

Conference connections

that way so when you go to the larger events, you already

Networking at conferences can be a particular challenge, es-

know people.

pecially if you are a first-time attendee or a new member of

Dont come across as pushy. People sense desperation

the organization. For some individuals, attending a confer-

and neediness. It doesnt work, and it doesnt engage people.

ence is the only connection they make during the year with

Dont be overly aggressive, follow people around and talk in-

their association. Or perhaps you havent developed your

cessantly about what you have to offer. And definitely, dont

networking skills yet. Between the education sessions, the

just walk around passing out your business cards. Network-

exhibit floor expo and all the other events, it can be over-

ing is not about how many cards you can hand out. Its about

whelming and tiresome. But even for an extrovert (who typi-

ADD SPARKLE TO YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE

Youre likely already familiar with LinkedIn,

2011 report, 59% of professionals who are

a networking website for professionals. It

active on social networking sites say that

is mainly used for professional networking,

LinkedIn is their platform of choice.1

rather than as a fun, social site, like Face-

Knowing this, theres no question LinkedIn

book. LinkedIn has more than 200 million reg-

can help you to leverage the power of your

istered users with two new users per second

network by connecting you to the people

in more than 200 countries and territories.

you want to know and the people those

shot, not me on a mountain.

2. Your professional headline should reflect
your experience and potential, not your
current job title. For example, organizational expert, not administrative
assistant.
3. In the summary section, tell your story

people know. So, while LinkedIn is great for

using the challenge, action and results

job search, it should be part of your ongoing

(CAR) formula. Write five or six brief stories

It allows you to build your

professional development. If youve only used

about a challenge you faced, the action

personal brand, enhance

it for job search, or if youve never used the

you took and the resulting outcome. Pro-

your Google presence and

site before, it can be difficult to navigate the

vide engaging information to make people

increase your ability to find,

myriad available options. Here are nine tips

more interested in you. Write your profile

communicate and connect

for creating a LinkedIn profile that gets the

in the first person and keep it professional.

with the right contacts. It

attention you want:

This is not the place for jargon and clichs.

1. Post a picture of yourselfnot an image

Show your unique value as a potential

Many people use LinkedIn for job search

purposes, but it has several other benefits.

also can act as your portfolioa valuable addendum to your rsum.

Executives from all Fortune 500 companies are on LinkedIn. According to a June

26 QP www.qualityprogress.com

of something else. Remember, these

employee, expert and as a person others

pictures are small, so ensure the photo

in the field should know. Remember, you

mainly captures your face. Think head-

get 2,000 charactersuse them all.

CAREERS

cally fits into a large event easier than an introvert), network-

or months later with a question that interests you on a topic in

ing is a necessary skill for your professional development. Tips

which he or she has expertise. Remember to include a reminder

to keep in mind when attending conferences include:

about how you met. See if this develops into a conversation. For

Be active. Be an active participant in seminar discussions.

Be willing to initiate, facilitate or report on behalf of your small

anyone with whom you exchange emails, follow up on discussions that pertain to your long term or short-term goals.
Remember the exhibitors. Introduce yourself to selected

discussion groups.
Continue the discussion. At the end of seminars that in-

exhibitors and express your interests to them. Leave a busi-

terested you, ask the group if anyone would like to continue

ness card so they can help connect you with others with simi-

the discussion during a break or over dinner. Meet with any-

lar interests.

one who indicates interest, and have a professional discussion

on the topic. Remember to be willing to share what you know

Never eat alone. As much as you may want to recharge,

meals are the best opportunities to make connections.

while also respecting others expertise and opinions. Find out

Have fun. The most important part of networking is to

as much as you can about the professional interests and exper-

have a good time. Look at it as a great way to meet new people,

tise of the people you meet without coming across as pushy.

engage in conversations and to show passion about the person

Exchange business cards. Be sure to exchange business

you are and what you have to offer. Set a goal.

cards with people you meet. Print stickers for the back of the

Challenge yourself. Yes, it might be uncomfortable. You

business cards you take to the conference that say, for ex-

might not have answers to all the what ifs before going into

ample, We met at ASQs conference in _____. The person to

a room. But by stepping through the door, you will learn more

whom you hand your card might not think to do the same, and

about yourself and what you have to offer. What a wonderful

it will remind him or her how you met. Or, write the topic you

gift that can be. QP

discussed on the business card before handing it over. Again,

this will jog the persons memory.
Reconnect post conference. On the business cards you
collect, make notes about any new acquaintances interests
and expertise. Email contacts the week after the conference to

MARSHALL BROWN is an executive leadership coach, and

founder and CEO of Marshall Brown and Associates in Washington, D.C. Brown has a bachelors degree in psychology from
the University of Pittsburgh.

say how much you enjoyed the discussionbut dont ask for
business or a job. Follow up with another email several weeks

everything you know that is relevant to

into a vanity URL so you can put it on a

your rsum, but flesh it out with detail.

your professional life. What computer

rsum or a business card, such as www.

This is a place to reinforce your brand and

programs do you know, especially ones

linkedin.com/in/marshallbrown.

value proposition. Tell why an employer

the average person wouldnt know? Are

should be interested in you. Tell stories.

you a good writer or editor? Are you good

LinkedIn profile? Make your profile robust us-

What benefits do you offer? Again, turn

with numbers, even though youre not an

ing the CAR formula, showcase your achieve-

to the CAR formula as a framework. This

accountant? Put that in.

ments and add recommendations. When

4. In the experience section, dont just post

is also the best place for search engine

7. List your Twitter handle to help engage

What does it take to have a fabulous

youre done creating, check back often and

optimization, so use common keywords

readers further. Remember to post rel-

read your emails to add and accept contacts,

in your job titles to ensure people find

evant information in the interests section,

update your profile regularly and participate

you. LinkedIn lists you higher in the search

and complete the honors and awards

in conversations among members of your

results if keywords show up multiple times

portion.

network. Follow these tips and people will

in this section.
5. Ask for recommendations. Recommenda-

8. Have you ever looked at the LinkedIn

groups directory? This allows you to find

tions can provide excellent content to cre-

communities of professionals who share

ate a powerful summary statement. Hint:

a common experience, passion, interest,

If you give, you are more likely to receive.

affiliation or goal. Find a group thats right

6. Dont forget the skills section. You can

list up to 50 skills here. Dig deep and list

for you and network.

9. Last, but not least, edit your profile URL

not only know of you, but theyll also know

who you are. M.B.
REFERENCE
1. Performatics, New Social Media Study: Nearly 60% Say
LinkedIn is Most Important Social Network Account, June
7, 2011, www.performics.com/new-social-media-studynearly-60-percent-say-linkedin-is-most-important-socialnetwork-account.

July 2014 QP 27

Evaluate the potential of a

process before establishing
process control

PROCESS CAPABILITY

by C. Steven Arendall,
Andrew A. Tiger and
Kevin W. Westbrook
QUALITY MANAGEMENT literature has devoted considerable effort over the years to the task of understanding and measuring
process capability.1, 2 Process capability is defined as the best distribution
a process can produce given its present design at a given point in time.3
Currently, the accepted process capability analysis entails two stages:
Establishing process control.
Comparing process performance to customer requirements by

calculating a process capability index.4

Figure 1 (p. 30) shows process capability analysis and improvement

can be performed only on a process in statistical control. Applying process capability to processes that are not in statistical control can result in
unreliable estimates of process capability.5
We agree process capability is unreliable
when measured from an out-of-control (OOC)
process; however, we believe even OOC processes must consider customer requirements.
Neglecting customer requirements until systems
are in a state of statistical control can be time
consuming and expensive.
Although it goes against the conventional
wisdom that the determination of process control
and process capability should be done sequentially, the concurrent assessment of control and
capability is a practical and useful process assessment tool.

In 50 Words
Or Less

Traditionally, process
capability analysis involves
establishing process control and then comparing
process performance to
customer requirements.
A new approach proposes
that before quality practitioners spend considerable time and resources to
establish process control,
they should determine
whether the process has
the potential to meet customer requirements in the
first place.

July 2014 QP 29

Consequently, we propose an additional way of

Measuring potential

looking at process capability analysis based on evalu-

Measuring a processs potential requires performing

ating the potential of the process. For a process not in

a what-if analysis. Consider a process not in control.

statistical control, Figure 2 shows an additional check

Before actually detecting and eliminating assignable

based on potential.

causes, which take time and effort, we propose the

This check is based on a practical question: If the

following what-if question: What if assignable causes

process was in control, would it be capable of meet-

were found and removed? If so, OOC points could be

ing customer expectations? If not, the system should

eliminated, and potential process statisticsspecifi-

be redesigned without exerting the additional effort to

cally, the process standard deviation and process aver-

establishing control. Some processesregardless of

agecould be estimated.

being in statistical controlwill never meet customer

expectations.

For statistical validity and to provide an adequate

representation of the process over time, experts rec-

To illustrate, consider the (in)famous New York

ommend at least 25 subgroups be used in formulating

Mets and New York Yankees manager, Casey Sten-

initial control limits.7 Therefore, we advise taking 50

gel, and his discussion with reporters concerning two

samples, or subgroups, to begin. After the initial con-

young baseball players on his team:

trol limits are calculated and OOC samples are identified, the iterative task of removing OOC points and

See that fellow over there? Hes 20 years old. In 10

years, he has a chance to be a star. Now, that fellow

recalculating the limits ensues.

Hopefully, the end result will leave at least half of

over there, hes 20 years old, too. In 10 years, he has a

the points in statistical control. If not, this process ar-

chance to be 30.6

guably is so inconsistent that establishing estimates

of process variability is unreliable. Or, it could be the

Failure to identify processes that will never meet

sampling method used does not accurately reflect

customer expectationseven when in statistical con-

the chance variation that exists in the process. Both

troladds unnecessary time and effort.

of these potential causes should be examined before

Current relationship
between process control
and process capability / FIGURE 1

Proposed relationship
between process control
and process capability / FIGURE 2

Detect and attempt

to eliminate
assignable causes.

Detect and attempt

to eliminate
assignable causes.

Measure process
control.

Measure process
control.

Has
potential?

In
control?

In
control?

Measure
process
potential.

Yes
Process capability
analysis.

30 QP www.qualityprogress.com

No

Yes
Process
capability.

No

Yes

No

System
redesign.

PROCESS CAPABILITY

See that fellow over there? Hes 20 years old. In

10 years, he has a chance to be a star. Now, that
fellow over there, hes 20 years old, too. In 10 years,
he has a chance to be 30.
proceeding with estimating process standard deviation

classified as a zone-one process, in which case a cost-

and process average.

effective approach might be to reduce inspection au-

For this article, the potential process standard

dit because there are no quality management actions

deviation is defined as . Similarly, we define the po=

tential process average as X. The capability index, or

necessary.

Cpkinitially developed with Ford Motor Co.has

provement, redesigning the system or retooling would

undergone several permutations over time. In general,

likely reduce process variability in any of the cases,

the most commonly accepted formula for Cpk is the

=
difference between the process average (X ) and the

but we have assumed meeting the specifications is an

We realize that as part of a focus on continuous im-

acceptable definition of process quality levels.9

specifications, divided by three times the estimated

If a process is a zone-two process, however, statis-

process standard deviation.8 Using , the potential

tical process control (SPC) and lot-by-lot acceptance

process capability index (Cpk) can be calculated as

sampling will improve quality. For a zone-three pro-

follows:

cess, SPC and lot-by-lot acceptance sampling will not

Potential process capability

ratio, Cpk = MIN

improve process output because the process output

= =

USL X , X LSL
3
3

}.

is already consistent (that is, in statistical control). In

the case of a zone-three process, specifications should

If Cpk is acceptable (that is, the minimum value is

at least greater than one), the process has potential,
and the act of detecting and eliminating assignable
cause should continue. If not, however, the process
will never meet customer expectations even if in control; therefore, the system should be fundamentally
redesigned.

Four process control and potential

process capability scenarios / TABLE 1
Is the process potentially
capable of meeting
specifications?

Is the process in statistical control?

Yes

No

Directing quality improvement strategies

Yes

Zone 1

Zone 2

This article offers a change in the two-stage process

No

Zone 3

Zone 4

improvement strategy of establishing process control,

followed by determining process capability. The revised process, as shown in Figure 2, offers an evaluation of the potential of the process prior to establishing
process control.

Quality improvement actions and

where they apply / TABLE 2

Now, we will expand on this new quality improvement process by suggesting that at any time, four scenarios exist based on process control and potential
process capability (see Table 1). Depending on the
specific zonal quadrant a process falls within, different
quality management actions are appropriate.
If a process is running in statistical control and is
capable of meeting specifications, for instance, it is

Zone 1
100% inspection

Zone 2

Zone 3

Zone 4

Lot-by-lot acceptance sampling

Statistical process control

System redesign

Specification review

Reduced inspection audit

July 2014 QP 31

PROCESS CAPABILITY

be reviewed to see whether they are appropriate or the

by quality management practitioners, but believe this

system must be redesigned or retooled. For a zone-four

practice should be explored further.

process, any quality improvement actions will be help-

One of the most obvious challenges is based on the

ful. Table 2 (p. 31) summarizes quality improvement ac-

assumption that OOC points can be eliminated. This

tions based on zones.

is not a trivial assumption and requires quality management to make a decision based on an uncertain

Technique example

future. Fortunately, creative problem-solving tech-

This evaluative and prescriptive technique could be

niquessuch as Pareto charts and cause-and-effect

used for vendor analysis or to examine in-house pro-

diagrams10exist to address this issue.

cesses. In fact, the development of this concept came

This evaluative and prescriptive technique could

from work with a major U.S. food manufacturer look-

be used for vendor analysis as well as to examine in-

ing for a way to classify its suppliers process perfor-

house processes. It offers a way to examine whether

mance and output and, more importantly, to direct

processes are doing as well as they are capable of do-

these suppliers to the appropriate corrective action

ing. The assessment can guide users to appropriate

when necessary.

corrective actions and continuous improvement. QP

The company invited its top 25 suppliers to participate in a vendor assessment and assistance program.
Process data were collected from these suppliers.
Based on the degree of statistical control and their potential capability of meeting the current specifications,
the vendors were placed into one of the four quadrants. Those that did not fall in the zone-one quadrant
met with the food manufacturer to discuss where they
were and how they could improve quality.
More than a handful of these vendors were categorized as zone two. None of these zone-two operations
had SPC systems in place, but several were planning
to buy new equipment to address their quality problems. Of course, they were encouraged to invest in
SPC training and implementation instead. In all but

REFERENCES
1. Daniela Marzagao, Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk: Know How and When to Use Them,
iSixSigma, Feb. 26, 2010, http://isixsigma/tools-templates/capabilityindices-process-capability.
2. Thomas Pyzdek, The Six Sigma Handbook, revised and expanded edition,
McGraw-Hill, 2003.
3. K. Lai Chan, Smiley W. Cheng and Frederick A. Spiring, A New Measure of
Process Capability: Cpm, Journal of Quality Technology, Vol. 20, July 1988,
pp. 162-175.
4. William J. Stevenson, Operations Management, 11th edition, McGraw-Hill,
2012.
5. Pyzdek, The Six Sigma Handbook, revised and expanded edition, see reference 2.
6. Ira Berkow and Jim Kaplan, The Gospel According to Casey, St. Martins
Press, 1992, p. 23.
7. Eugene L. Grant and Richard S. Leavenworth, Statistical Quality Control,
sixth edition, McGraw-Hill, 1988, pp. 122-125.
8. Marzagao, Cp, Cpk, Pp and Ppk: Know How and When to Use Them, see
reference 1.
9. Philip B. Crosby, Quality is Free, McGraw-Hill, 1979.
10. Pyzdek, The Six Sigma Handbook, revised and expanded edition, see
reference 2.

one case, these zone-two vendors moved to zone one

by using SPC.
Conversely, it was interesting that at least two of
the vendors that were in the zone-three quadrant had

C. STEVEN ARENDALL is a professor of management

and MBA program director at Union University in
Germantown, TN. He holds a doctorate in management from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

planned to spend money for extensive SPC training.

Instead, they were convinced to first invest in new
process technology, which resultedin both casesin
their being able to meet the specifications consistently
and save a lot on material that had previously been

ANDREW A. TIGER is a professor of management at

Union University. He holds a doctorate in industrial
engineering from the University of Houston.

returned, only to be scrapped. In another zone-three

case, a discussion with the manufacturer resulted in a
loosening of unnecessarily tight specifications, which
moved it to the zone-one classification without it
spending a penny.

Challenges and future research

From working with organizations, we are aware these
process potential assessments are already being done

32 QP www.qualityprogress.com

KEVIN W. WESTBROOK is a professor of marketing at

Union University. He holds a doctorate in marketing
from the University of Memphis in Tennessee.

Take the QP Salary Survey

WHETHER YOURE STARTING a new job or discussing a raise, every
negotiation starts with current salary rates. In other words, what are
people earning?
Help us figure that out by completing the 2014 QP
Salary Salary online today. In Decemberjust about
the time for year-end reviewswell publish the
most current salary data for quality professionals.
Visit www.asq.org/2014-qp-salarysurvey and
follow the link to the survey, which is open the
entire month of July.
Remember, the survey is completely anonymous.
No one will ever know how much you make. But it
will let you know what otherson your level with similar backgrounds and qualifications in your particular
area of expertiseare making. And the more people
who take the survey, the more accurate the
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After youre done with the questionnaire,
you can enter to win one of five $50
Amazon cards as a thank you
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2014

QP
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Necessary

Measures

| | ||| | |||| | | | | | | | | | | |||| | |||| | |||| | ||| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Expanded gage R&R to detect
and control measurement
system variation
by Louis Johnson and Maureen Deaner
In 50 Words
Or Less

Learn the difference

between standard and
expanded gage repeatability and reproducibility (R&R) studies
and how expanded
gage R&R helps clarify
measurement system
variation.
A case study shows the
capability of a measurement system and
the main sources of
variation at a manufacturing facility serving
wind and solar power
industries.

MEASUREMENT SYSTEM analysis (MSA)

is a key component of continuous efforts to establish,
improve and maintain system quality. MSA helps you identify problems with a measurement system and determine
measurement system capability to provide the data needed
to be successful. But can a standard gage repeatability and
reproducibility (R&R)
study appropriately

METROLOGY

assess your measurement system?

Common gage R&R studies assess the effects of
two factorsoperator and parton variation in a
measurement system. For some systems, however, the
effects of operator and part are not enough to provide
a complete understanding of the measurement. Adding

| | | | | | |||| | | | | | | | | | | | |||| | |||| | |||| | || | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

a third variable to the standard study, commonly the
gage, is often required.

When three or more factors are involved in the

analysis, the study is known as an expanded gage R&R.

The third factor is key to understanding the system in
the following two scenarios:
1. A manufacturer of gas chromatography columns
uses a bank of 28 chromatographs (gages) to test
each column in final inspection to ensure performance is to specifications.1 Faced with an unacceptably high reject rate, the quality manager conducts
an expanded gage R&R study that includes the
chromatograph, operator and part. The calculated
percent tolerancethe portion of the specification
range that is taken up by measurement variabilityis 47%, which clearly reveals the problem. After
improving the calibration procedure to calibrate the
chromatographs to one standard, rejects are reduced by 60%.

July 2014 QP 35

2. A machine shop produces stainless steel resistance

coils for the medical device industry. Customers require
verification of the capability of the machine shops di-

2. The interactions of the additional factors with operator

and part are evaluated.
3. Missing data points are accommodated in the analysis

mensional measurement systems. The coils are flexible

for an expanded study, but not for a standard study.

and require skill to measure them without compressing

4. Because the sampling plan for the expanded study

them. Also, measurement technicians in the machine

quickly grows beyond a reasonable size, reducing the

shop use dozens of gages, so a standard gage R&R

sample size of at least one variable is typically required.

would not demonstrate capability. The shop conducted

For example, reducing the number of parts from 10 to

an expanded gage R&R, which included operator, part

five is a common approach.

and gage. The total gage R&R percent study variation

Sample size reduction for an expanded gage R&R

the ratio of the measurement variability to variation in

study also reduces another important considerationthe

the overall studywas much less than 10%, which met

cost of the study.

customer requirements and the manufacturers quality

standard.

Reducing the sample size

In these two examples and hundreds more like them,

A standard sampling plan of three operators measuring

an expanded gage R&R is necessary to properly assess the

10 parts twice results in 60 measurements and 30 repli-

measurement system.

cates that are used to estimate instrument repeatability.2

The repeatability estimate is a key result of a gage R&R.

Standard and expanded gage R&R

Duplicating this standard plan three times (once for each

There are four main differences between a standard and

of three gages) results in 180 measurements and 90 rep-

expanded gage R&R study:

licates. This is usually considered an unacceptably high

1. The expanded study allows factors such as gage, lab or

number of measurements. Also, a reliable estimate of re-

location to be evaluated in addition to operator and part.

peatability typically requires only about 35 replicates.3 A

key part of planning your expanded gage R&R study is

Data collection plan for

the study / FIGURE 1

deciding how to modify the sampling plan to a more manageable size. There are several ways to reduce the sampling plan and still provide enough data to estimate the
variance components of interest:
Measure 1

Gage 1

If a key goal of the study is to compare two operators or

gages, the gage or operator is considered a fixed effect.

Measure 2

Many measurement systems use only a few operators

or gages. If so, this approach is appropriate, and using

Gage 2

only two gages or operators will reduce the total num-

Gage 3

The standard sampling plan measures 10 parts repre-

ber of measurements to 120.

Operator 1

sentative of normal process variation to properly calcu-

Sensor 1
Gage 4

late the number of distinct categories and the percent

study variation, which are important estimates of the

Gage 5

capability of the measurement system. Two other measures of the capability of the measurement system

Gage 6

percent tolerance and percent process variationdo

not require this estimate of the normal process varia-

Operator 2

tion. If one or both of these capability measures are

the main goal of the study, the number of parts can be

10 sensors are randomly selected to represent the typical process.

2 operators represent a random sample of all possible operators.
6 gages represent a random sample of all possible gages.
Each operator will measure each sensor with each gage twice.
Response-directional current (milliampere) measuring wind direction.

36 QP www.qualityprogress.com

reduced to five or fewer. This would greatly reduce the

total measurements required while still retaining key
results from the study.
The number of times a replicate measurement is taken

METROLOGY

on a particular gage, operator or part combination can

variance (ANOVA) approach to estimate the variance

be reduced by as much as 50%, and the study will still

components as shown in the Automotive Industry Ac-

collect enough replicate measurements for a precise

tion Group Measurement Systems Analysis Reference

estimate of repeatability. For example, measuring

Manual.4 Step-by-step instructions for analyzing an ex-

twice for only 45 of the 90 gage, operator or part com-

panded gage R&R study are detailed in L.A. Johnsons

binations will reduce the total number of measure-

white paper, How to Design, Analyze and Interpret the

ments from 180 to 135 while still providing 45 repli-

Results of an Expanded Gage R&R Study.5

cates to estimate repeatability.

The ANOVA output for the directional current study

is shown in Table 1. The F-tests for the statistical signifi-

Expanded gage R&R case study

cance of each of the effects (except repeatability) indi-

Renewable NRG Systems in Hinesburg, VT, has manufac-

cate sensor, gage and the operator x gage interaction are

tured products that help customers measure and better

each statistically significant. The statistical significance

understand the renewable energy resources that serve

of the sensors indicates the parts used in this study are

the wind and solar energy industries since 1982. Its cus-

different from one another, but this is not physically im-

tomers range from turbine manufacturers to electric

portant because sensors are not a part of the measure-

utilities and renewable energy researchers.

ment system variation that is of interest in this study.

Renewable NRG Systems built six gages to monitor

As with most gage R&R studies, the relative size of the

its turbine control products to tight process specifica-

variance components is important for indicating which

tions. The goal of their study was to determine the capa-

sources have the greatest contribution to overall mea-

bility of the measurement system and the major sources

surement variation. The variance components calculated

of measurement variation. Names of variables and data

from the ANOVA, and shown in Table 2 on p. 38, indi-

units have been changed for proprietary reasons, but the

cate the inherent repeatability of the instrument and the

analysis and conclusions remain the same as in the origi-

gage-to-gage variation accounted for 2.23% and 5.86% of

nal study.

the overall variation, respectively. These are the largest

The data collection plan for the expanded gage R&R re-

contributors to the measurement variation and should

quired that two operators measure 10 sensors on each of

be addressed with the highest priority. Also, while the

the six gages. They completed these measurements twice,

operator x gage interaction is statistically significant, its

for a total of 240 measurements. The response was direc-

variance component is not large enough to be of concern

tional current used to identify wind direction. In many

from a practical perspective.

studies, the 240 measurements might exceed the budget,

Table 2 indicates two ways to improve the precision

but the electronic measurements were economical and

of the measurement system:

fast enough that the data collection plan was acceptable,

1. Variability from one gage to another, shown in Fig-

especially given the importance of the study. A schematic

ure 2 on p. 38, is the greatest source of measurement

of the data collection plan is shown in Figure 1.

Data analysis and results

In a standard gage R&R analysis, the variation due to the
following factors is estimated:
Part.
Operator.
Operator x part interaction.
Repeatability.
In the expanded study analysis, the variation due to

ANOVA table with all terms

Source
Sensor

DF
9

Adj SS

Adj MS

6.169921

0.685547

927.65

P-value
0.000

0.009792

0.009792

3.67

0.121

Gage

0.381223

0.076245

25.54

0.001

Sensor x operator

0.005085

0.000565

0.80

0.615

45

0.039546

0.000879

1.25

0.161

0.014055

0.002811

3.99

0.002

0.000705

Sensor x gage
Operator x gage

Gage.

Repeatability

165

0.116283

Gage x part interaction.

Total

239

6.735905

Both studies rely on a random effects analysis of

F-statistic

Operator

the following additional factors is also estimated:

Gage x operator interaction.

/ TABLE 1

ANOVA = analysis of variance

Adj SS = adjusted sum of squares

DF = degrees of freedom

Adj MS = adjusted mean square

July 2014 QP 37

METROLOGY

variation. Calibrating all six gages to a single standard

surement system variability) is calculated as:

and operating them in the same environment, with the

same procedure, will help keep the six gages consistent.

6 * (variance of the measurement system)1/2 x 100

(upper specification lower specification).

2. Improving the consistency of each gage, the way the

measurement is read, electronics, fixturing the part

In this study, the range of the upper and lower specifi-

and other factors will improve their repeatability and

cation was 2 milliampere, and the resulting percent toler-

therefore the measurement precision.

ance was 6 x (0.0027380)1/2 x 100 / 2 = 15.7%. This is well

below 30%, the typical upper limit for percent tolerance.

Measurement system capability

The measurement system, therefore, is capable of deter-

The percent tolerance ratio6 (the proportion of the cus-

mining whether parts are within the specifications for

tomers specification range that is taken up by the mea-

the supplier and the customer.

The expanded gage R&R study provided a compre-

Variance components and

percent contribution / TABLE 2

hensive assessment of the measurement system for the

directional current measurement. While the percent
tolerance of 15.7% indicates the measurement system

Source

Variance
component

Percent contribution
(of variance component)

Total gage R&R

0.0027380

8.76

Repeatability

0.0007005

2.23

Reproducibility

0.0020405

6.53

capability of many measurements when other vari-

Operator

0.0000582

0.19

ables also have an important role in the measurement

Gage

0.0018313

5.86

system. When a standard study is not enough, an ex-

Sensor x operator

0.000000

0.00

panded gage R&R is the right tool to comprehensively

Sensor x gage

0.0000453

0.14

characterize your measurement system and determine

Operator x gage

0.0001057

0.34

its capability. QP

Part-to-part

0.0285278

91.24

Sensor

0.0285278

91.24

Total variation

0.0312658

100.00

A standard gage R&R cannot adequately assess the

REFERENCES

/ FIGURE 2

5.2
5.1
5.0
4.9

4.86

4.7

4.80

4.86

4.8
4.76

proved by minimizing gage-to-gage differences and variation within gages.

R&R = repeatability and reproducibility

Directional current by gage

is capable, the precision of the measurement can be im-

4.82

1. L.A. Johnson and S.P. Bailey, Implementing an Expanded Gage R&R Study,
proceedings from the ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement,
May 2013, Anaheim, CA.
2. Measurement Systems Analysis Reference Manual, third edition, Automotive
Industry Action Group, 2003.
3. Y. Zuo, Effect of Sample Size on Variance Component Estimates in Gage R&R
Studies, Minitab white paper.
4. Measurement Systems Analysis Reference Manual, see reference 2.
5. L.A. Johnson, How to Design, Analyze and Interpret the Results of an Expanded Gage R&R Study, Minitab white paper.
6. D.C. Montgomery, R.K. Burdick and C.M. Borror, A Review of Methods for
Measurement Systems Capability Analysis, Journal of Quality Technology, Vol.
35, No. 4, 2003, pp. 342-354.

LOUIS JOHNSON is a trainer and consultant at Minitab Inc.

in State College, PA. He holds a masters degree in statistics from Pennsylvania State University in State College.
A senior member of ASQ, Johnson is an ASQ-certified Six
Sigma Black Belt.

4.77

4.6

MAUREEN DEANER is a quality engineer at Renewable

NRG Systems in Hinesburg, VT. An ASQ member, she holds
a masters degree in ceramic science from Pennsylvania
State University in State College.

4.5
4.4
Gage 1

Gage 2

Gage 3

38 QP www.qualityprogress.com

Gage 4

Gage 5

Gage 6

INNOVATION IMPERATIVE

BY PETER MERRILL

Making Choices
A lifetime of decisions leads to a career in innovation
WHEN YOU think about how to steer

riences and share the lessons Ive learned

The organization said employees going into

your career, its important not to steer too

along the way. See a useful, condensed

R&D could expect to move into a complete-

hard. Life presents many opportunities,

list of lessons on this articles webpage

ly different area after two or three years. I

and if you are trying to force your way

at www.qualityprogress.com. To this day,

saw this as an opportunity to do something

through, you will miss the opportunities

I still question some of the decisions I

other than chemical engineering.

that come your way. I have a fortune

made, but I firmly believe that every deci-

At the same time I got this job offer,

cookie message that says, The secret of

sion is a right decision if you gain experi-

my university offered me the opportunity

a good opportunity is recognizing it.

ence. You should never stop learning.

to earn a doctorate. I said noand it was

one of the toughest decisions I have ever

The second principle I live by is to

seek a job in which you will be happy,

Tough decisions

made. I still wonder whether I made the

not one that merely pays big money.

My first lesson: Try jobs that frighten you.

right choice, but the three years I had

Too often, a big salary is the payoff for a

This comes from my experience in high

at the organization took me to South

miserable work environment created by

school working a summer job at a cloth-

Africa, the United States and Scandinavia.

an organization with high staff turnover.

ing store. I learned how to sell in this job,

Arguably, I learned far more working in

The illusion is that big pay enables you

and it provided me indirect experience

industry than I would have learned in

to purchase happiness outside of work

I applied throughout my career. You can

academic research.

while enduring misery at work.

read more about this in the online side-

Finally, choose a job in which you will

learn, not one in which you are necessar-

While I didnt pursue the doctorate, I did earn an MBA. I did this while

bar, Overcoming Fear.

After high school, I earned my degree

I was working and, while it is tough, I

ily an expert. Look for unsteady ground

in chemical engineering. I must admit,

recommend it to everyone. Your college

and take risks. There is an old saying that

I didnt enjoy much of it. But chemical

qualification is probably narrow in scope,

you can gain 20 years of experience or

engineering is the perfect training for

so you must broaden your scope. A man-

one year of experience 20 times.

quality management, and 20 years later,

agement degree will help you do this, but

In this column, Im going to take you

I found all that pain of flowcharting, pro-

you must pick the right one. Find an MBA

through some of my practical career expe-

cess analysis and process control would

program that has a human or behavioral

equip me ideally

science focus, not accounting. If you

for quality manage-

are in the quality profession, you must

ment. Next lesson:

balance your process focus with a people

What you learn at

focus to succeed in your career.

one stage in your

career will equip

Wrong turns, more decisions

you to do some-

The corporation I joined for my first job

thing else later.

was a chemical and textile organization,

I left the univer-

and initially, I worked on synthetic fiber

sity and joined the

R&D. The head of my department noted

R&D department of

how my management degree helped me

a major corpora-

manage tough projects and enlisted me

tion. I chose this

to help run a newly acquired textile busi-

because I liked the

ness in northern England. Aside from my

people I met there,

experience working in the clothing store

and they are still

in high school, I knew nothing about

friends to this day.

textiles. Furthermore, my boss, who had

July 2014 QP 39

INNOVATION IMPERATIVE
become managing director of the organiza-

Moving on

you learn the most. Crosby became a good

tion, said the place was a mess.

So the chemical engineer became a

friend and I still have many friends from

I moved to the new job and I did the

fashion designer. After all, design follows

that experience.

only thing I knew how as a chemical engi-

the same process whether it is a chemical

When Crosby retired, he sold the busi-

neerI process mapped the new business.

plant or womens fashion. All the portents

ness and the new owners had an entirely

This was well before process mapping was

were bad, but I pursued it anyway. You can

different culture. I learned the importance of

common. Lesson: Skills youve acquired in

read more about my experience running

culture, which is so easy to take for granted

the past will remarkably come into play at

my own business in the online sidebar,

when you have worked in a happy but work-

some time in the future as new opportuni-

Entrepreneurship.

focused environment. Within three years,

ties arise. You just have to recognize them.

While this was happening, I was learning

I eventually let go of my business,

and I rejoined the organization I had first

80 to 90% of the original employees left the

organizationmyself included.
I started my own training and consult-

leadership outside of work as the captain

worked for at a lowly position. Remem-

of my rugby team. I learned that if you plan

ber: Do that job well and keep looking for

ing practice using the skills I had learned

and organize for the people on your team,

opportunities. I moved back up through

while working for Crosby. I had learned

they will respect you as a leader.

the ranks and was eventually given the

speaking and facilitation skills and contin-

job of product development and manag-

ued to develop these in the field of quality

probably have had at one time or anoth-

ing sales for a leading U.K. brand. It was

management. Many think consulting is an

erI took a wrong turn. I moved to a busi-

exciting and fulfilling, and all my previous

easy and high-paying life. The majority of

ness on the textile side of the organization,

experienceespecially that of running my

consulting practices fail after two years.

which appeared to provide new learning

own businesscame into play. Lesson:

If you are moving into consulting, know

opportunities. It was a textile merchanting

The broader your experience, the more

that you must constantly change as the

business that had been recently pur-

opportunities will come your way.

industry changes.

My next experience is one most of you

chased, and it gave me a chance to use my

But it was difficult to see a career path

production planning ability (which I was

forward. Then I got lucky. As Thomas Jef-

Into innovation

good at) and to develop my sales skills

ferson once said, The harder you work,

Between 2000 and 2003, I had to figure out

(which were not good).

the luckier you get. The chairperson

my next step. As you get later into your

The problem was this job involved

offered me the job of chief executive. I

career, you find that the things you did

working with the wrong people. The gen-

knew that the life expectancy of the job

earlier guide you quite naturally into your

eral manager operated largely alone. He

was probably only two or three years, but

next step. At the same time, you must still

surrounded himself with employees who

I took it anyway. Lesson: Dont be afraid to

invest time developing new knowledge. In

didnt question his management style, and

take a risk, but manage the risk. After two

my own case, my love of teamwork and

he saw me as a threat.

years, I started planning my next step.

quality management experience drew me

The up side was working in the fasci-

My big learning opportunity in this posi-

quite naturally into innovation. However,

nating industry of fashion. I traveled to

tion was in recruitment. You will be re-

my earlier work in R&D, and my experi-

Londons West End. I met fashion designers

spected for the people you recruit to your

ences in entrepreneurship, sales and

and worked with fabric and color. But I was

team. Take time to do this right. Select five

leadership gave me the ability to sell the

unhappy. I wanted to run a business, but

or six candidates, use a structured inter-

concept of innovation to business leaders.

the road was blocked. So I was faced with

view with scoring and see everyone on the

It took a lot of listening to my peers for

another tough decisionI left the organiza-

same day. This pays huge dividends. On

me to see the path forward. The door was

tion I had been with since graduating and in

one occasion, I did not follow that process

open, the path was clear, but the secret to

which I had many friends in other divisions.

and regretted it later.

finding a good opportunity was recogniz-

This was one of my hardest decisions.

I spent my third year as a chief

I am loyal, but there comes a time when

executive looking for my next move, and

you must leave. A speaker at ASQs World

a job posting caught my eye. I decided to

Conference on Quality and Improvement

join Phil Crosby in Florida and had five

once said, People dont leave jobs. They

of the most amazing years working with

leave relationships. Lesson: If the people

wonderful people and learning so much.

you work with are not your type, get out.

Lesson: Find good mentors. That is when

40 QP www.qualityprogress.com

ing it. QP
PETER MERRILL is president of Quest
Management Systems, an innovation
consultancy based in Burlington, Ontario. Merrill is the author of several
ASQ Quality Press books, including Do
It Right the Second Time, second edition (2009), and Innovation Generation
(2008). He is a member of ASQ and
chair of the ASQ Innovation Interest Group.

STATISTICS ROUNDTABLE

BY JULIA E. SEAMAN
AND I. ELAINE ALLEN

Dont Be Discrete

Caution when categorizing quantitative variables during data analysis

WHEN PLANNING AN analysis, the type

education achieved. In this survey, you can

and quality of data will have the biggest

classify the variables as:

impact on the robustness and validity of

Quantitative: Age and salary are quan-

The most common type of categorization is creating two groups, or a binary

split, in a variable at its median. The argu-

the results. The type of data gathered dur-

titative because they each have defined

ment for using this is it simplifies the

ing an experiment, survey or sampling will

order and magnitude of differences. These

analysis and interpretation because it

determine the type of analyses performed

variables can be added, subtracted, multi-

compares the low and high groups of a

and often the confidence in those results.

plied and divided.

measurement. But unless there is a known

After data collection is done, there are

Ordinal: Degrees of agreement

underlying reason for creating any discrete

still methods to improve your data for

with statements often are presented as

groupings, there is no reason to split the

analysis. These include normalization,

multiple-choice responses or Likert scales:

data at any point.

inferring and imputing missing values and

strongly agree, agree, no opinion, disagree

Statistically, information is always

data, and variable reduction techniques

and strongly disagree. Highest educational

lost by grouping a continuous variable,

such as principal components analysis. A

degree also is a ranked variable. For both

and the power to detect a difference is

method that seems to simplify the data,

of these variables, there is a defined order

always reduced. Creating a binary split at

however, may actually harm your results:

between the possible answers, but there

the median reduces power by the same

categorizing quantitative variables.

is no defined arithmetic magnitude of dif-

amount as would discarding one-third of

ference.

the data.1,2 Also, by creating groups, the

Types of data

Categorical: Gender and zip code are

overall variability in the original variable is

The most common types of data encoun-

categorical variables because there is no

lost. Categories may be found to be differ-

tered and used are quantitative, ordinal

defined magnitude or value in the data, and

ent when, in fact, they are not statistically

and categorical, as shown in Table 1.

basic arithmetic does not hold between

significant when the variability is under-

Often, data sets will have a mix of all the

the categories. New York Citys 10037 and

stood. Finally, using fabricated categories,

types of variables. For example, a survey

Chicagos 60088 cannot be combined to

especially binary splits, may mask true

may include questions about gender, zip

create New Orleans 70125 zip code, nor

nonlinear distributions as a simplified

code, age, salary, degrees of agreement

does New Orleans higher zip code imply it

linear relationship leading to false conclu-

with statements and highest level of

is greater than New York City or Chicago.

sions about the data relationships.

During a statistical analysis, the specific

Major types of data

type of analysis applied depends on the

type of data and its distribution. For

/ TABLE 1

continuous variables, they are generally

Variable

Definition

Examples

assumed to be or converted to a normal-

Quantitative
(often
referred to as
continuous)

A variable that has measurements that vary

in magnitude from trial to trial, which means
some order or ranking can be applied to
the levels. Can be continuous or discrete.

Age, weight,
abundance, number
of units produced,
percentages and rates.

ized data set. However, after a continuous

Ordinal (also
referred to as
ranks)

A variable that has measurements that can

assume only order or rank of possible values,
not any degree of difference.

Pain scale, survey

multiple-choice
response scales and
income categories.

Categorical

A variable that has measurements that vary in

kind or name, but not in degree or rank. This
implies that one level of a categorical variable
cannot be considered to be greater than or
better than another level.

Gender, brands, zip

codes, colors and
binary outputs.

variable is categorized, this assumption

may no longer be true and changes what
tests may be appropriate. For the measured outcome variable, converting a continuous variable to a binary split changes
the analysis from a linear regression to a
logistic regression. For a dependent variable, converting to a binary split may be
better analyzed with t-tests rather than a
regression.

July 2014 QP 41

STATISTICS ROUNDTABLE

Plot of two symptom scores

by gender showing a
linear relation / FIGURE 1
3.00

Gender
Male
Female

4.00
Symptoms z-score final

Symptoms z-score final

4.00

2.00
1.00
.00
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00

-3.00

-2.00

Categorization of two
symptom scores by gender
into four groups / FIGURE 2

-1.00

.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

3.00
2.00
1.00
.00
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00

Symptoms z-score baseline

For example

is appropriate. If there are privacy or

Suppose youre treating patients with a

anonymity concerns about the continu-

debilitating disease and charting their

ous data in which a unique individual

increase in symptoms over time. Figure

might be identified given the original

1 shows the original data with blue

data, you may need to create categories

dots indicating males and green dots

for age or level of education to preserve

indicating females. The chart shows

an individuals privacy.

variability within and between genders

Another appropriate instance for

with a roughly linear fit to each gender.

categorization is when the continuous

Figures 2 and 3 categorize the baseline

variable may have only a few values and

symptoms into four groups and two

should be regarded as ordinal rather

groups, respectively.

than continuous. Finally, if your variable

The fitted lines for each gender

strata in your data set, you may want

categorized and dichotomized, includ-

to use categories to separate the data

ing the variable for gender changing

into linear segments for modeling rather

than as one continuous model.

the data are categorized. There are

42

different conclusions for gender and

Categorization considerations

symptomsdepending on which model

As a general rule, collect variables as

is usedthat can affect real-world

continuous, and preserve variables as

outcomes. Because there is no inherent

they were collected. Preserving the

reason to group the symptoms score,

variables as continuous will increase

however, the true model is considered

the statistical power and provide more

the continuous analysis. See Table 2.

validity to the analyses. Categorization,

and especially creating binary splits

When to categorize data

in the data, can reduce the inherent

There are several situations in which

variability of the measurements and

the categorization of continuous data

create higher significance values than

QP www.qualityprogress.com

Baseline symptoms

Linear regression
lines for continuous
and categorized
data / TABLE 2
Continuous model:
B

Std.
error

p-value

(Constant)

-0.381

0.155

0.015

Symptoms

0.757

0.041

0.000

Gender

0.216

0.104

0.039

R2 = 0.656

is not linear and the nonlinearity creates

show marked changes as the data are

from significant to nonsignificant as

Gender
Male
Female

Four category model:

B

Std.
error

p-value

(Constant)

-0.503

0.089

0.000

groupedHtz

1.047

0.028

0.000

Gender

-0.001

0.059

0.991

R2 = 0.888
Binary split model:
B

Std.
error

p-value

(Constant)

-0.915

0.163

0.000

dichotbaseline

1.887

0.103

0.000

Gender

-0.005

0.104

0.959

R2 = 0.650
Std. error = standard error

are in the original data (as the symptom

variable in the example became more
significant) and may lead to false positive

Categorization of two symptom

scores by gender / FIGURE 3

relationships.
4.00

hide true relationships (as the gender

variable became nonsignificant upon
categorization). While categorization may
seem to clean the data, the analytical
costs are not worth the apparent gains;
therefore, never categorize continuous
data. QP
REFERENCES
1. Robert C. MacCallum, Shaobo Zhang, Kristopher J.
Preacher and Derek D. Rucker, On the Practice of
Dichotomization of Quantitative Variables, Psychological
Methods, 2002, Vol. 7, No. 1, pp. 19-40.
2. Jacob Cohen, The Cost of Dichotomization, Applied
Psychological Measurement, 1983, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 249253.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Chen, Henian, Patricia Cohen and Sophie Chen, Biased
Odds Ratios From Dichotomization of Age, Statistics in
Medicine, 2007, Vol. 26, No. 18, pp. 3,487-3,497.
Irwin, Julie R., and Gary H. McClelland, Negative Consequences of Dichotomizing Continuous Predictor
Variables, Journal of Marketing Research, August 2003,
Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 366-371.
Lazic, Stanley E., Why We Should Use Simpler Models if the
Data Allow This: Relevance for ANOVA Designs in Experimental Biology, BMC Physiology, 2008, Vol. 8, No. 16.
Maxwell, Scott E., and Harold D. Delaney, Bivariate Median
Splits and Spurious Statistical Significance, Quantitative
Methods in Psychology, 1993, Vol. 113, No. 1, pp. 181-190.
Naggara, O., J. Raymond, F. Guilbert, D. Roy, A. Weill and
Douglas G. Altman, Analysis By Categorizing or Dichotomizing Continuous Variables Is Inadvisable: An Example
From the Natural History of Unruptured Aneurysms,

Symptoms z-score final

Conversely, categorization also can

3.00

Gender
Male
Female

2.00
1.00
.00
-1.00
-2.00
-3.00

Few symptoms

Many symptoms

Baseline symptoms

American Journal of Neuroradiology, 2011, Vol. 32, No. 3,

pp. 437-440.
Owen, Steven V., and Robin D. Froman, Why Carve Up Your
Continuous Data? Research in Nursing and Health, 2005,
Vol. 28, No. 6, pp. 496-503.
Royston, Patricia, Douglas G. Altman and Willi Sauerbrei,
Dichotomizing Continuous Predictors in Multiple Regression: A Bad Idea, Statistics in Medicine, 2006, Vol. 25, No.
1, pp. 127-141.
Streiner, David L., Breaking Up is Hard to Do: The Heartbreak of Dichotomizing Continuous Data, Canadian
Journal of Psychiatry, 2002, Vol. 47, pp. 262-266.
Taylor, Jeremy M., and Menggang Yu, Bias and Efficiency
Loss Due to Categorizing an Explanatory Variable,
Journal of Multivariate Analysis, 2002, Vol. 83, pp.
248-263.
van Walraven, Carl, and Robert G. Hart, Leave Em Alone
Why Continuous Variables Should Be Analyzed as Such,
Neuroepidemiology, 2008, Vol. 30, pp. 38-139.

JULIA E. SEAMAN is a doctoral

student in pharmacogenomics at the
University of California-San Francisco,
and a statistical consultant for the
Babson Survey Research Group at
Babson College in Wellesley, MA. She
earned a bachelors degree in chemistry and mathematics from Pomona
College in Claremont, CA.
I. ELAINE ALLEN is professor of
biostatistics at the University of
California-San Francisco and emeritus
professor of statistics at Babson
College. She is also director of the
Babson Survey Research Group. She
earned a doctorate in statistics from
Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Allen
is a member of ASQ.

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July 2014 QP 43

MEASURE FOR MEASURE

BY CHRISTOPHER L. GRACHANEN

Calculating Uncertainty
Understanding test accuracy and uncertainty ratios
IN METROLOGICAL circles, there are

Real-life conditions

many different statistics and figures

Suppose you are tasked with determin-

test accuracy ratio (TAR). TAR is the ratio

of merit used to gauge the quality of

ing the performance of an environmental

of the accuracy tolerance of the UUT to

measurement data. Of course, the well-

chamber set to 20 Celsius. You take 10

the accuracy tolerance of the ME used

accepted statistics of standard deviation

measurements in a pristine laboratory-

to measure the UUT. TAR is computed as

and variance are routinely used to

controlled environment and determine the

follows:

determine the variability of measurement

mean temperature is 20.6 Celsius with a

data as well as to assign distributions to

standard deviation of 0.05 degrees estimat-

data to define the likelihood that these data

ed at a two-sigma students T-distribution

the possible amount of error influence that

fall within an expected interval or span.

at nine degrees of freedom.

can be attributable to the ME when mea-

In other words, they show that prob-

This, at first glance, would seem to be

The first figure of merit is known as

TAR = UUT tolerance / ME tolerance.

TAR provides a ballpark estimate as to

suring a UUT. It is assumed that the larger

ability measurement data fall within a

a reasonable representation of the in-site

a TAR, the less error may be attributable

range of symmetrical or asymmetrical

performance you would expect from the

to the ME and measurement data are as-

values, which are normally given in terms

environmental chamber. However, if per-

sumed more representative of the actual

of percentages. These statistics are used

formance of the environmental chamber is

performance of the UUT. Industry practice

to gain insight into measurement data.

influenced by line voltage disturbances so

is to strive for at least a 4:1 TAR whenever

This insight is derived from an ensemble

much that small percent changes (typi-

possible.

of influencing factors, including:

cal of unfiltered, in-site AC line voltage)

Drift between measurement values.

produce temperature offsets in the range

ogy practitioners often compute is known

Instrumentation threshold-triggering

of a couple of tenths of degrees Celsius,

as test uncertainty ratio (TUR). The classic

the aforementioned measurement data

definition of TUR is the ratio of the accu-

Measurement setup inconsistencies.

would not be truly representative of the

racy tolerance of UUT to the uncertainty of

Ambient environmental changes be-

chambers performance under real-life

the ME used to measure the UUT. Classic

operating conditions.

TUR is computed using this equation:

inconsistencies.

tween measurements.
Operator control inconsistencies between measurements.
Operator reading interpretation inconsistencies between measurements.
Instrumentation resolution rounding
inconsistencies.

In this example, measurement data

should be qualified by noting the range
of line voltage values at the time of the

The second figure of merit that metrol-

Classic TUR = UUT tolerance / ME

uncertainty.
ANSI/NCSL Z540.3-2006Require-

measurements, or by taking measurements

ments for the calibration of measuring

while intentionally adjusting line voltage

and test equipment,1 provides the follow-

amplitudes to values that are representative

ing more descriptive and explicit defini-

Calibration correction errors.

of the disturbances the chamber will typi-

tion of TUR helping to improve uniformity

Instrumentation ranging errors.

cally experience during in-site operation.

in its usage:

Comparing merit

ME uncertainty.

Operating voltage and load fluctuations.

These and other influences may

Z540.3 TUR = UUT tolerance span / 2 *

contribute to measurement data uncertainty,

Once measurement data are qualified for a

and limit the datas usefulness.

particular device, metrology practitioners

of the span of the accuracy tolerance of

will often compute two figures of merit

UUT to twice the 95% expanded uncer-

datas applicability to determine real-life

based on the accuracy of the unit under test

tainty associated with the ME.2

performance of a device being tested and

(UUT) relative to the accuracy or uncertainty

calibrated be qualified. The following

of the measurement ensemble (ME), such as

between TURs and TARs? TURs take

example will help to clarify what I mean

the instrumentation and accessories used to

into account ME error contributors

by qualifying measurement data.

derive the measurement data.

(uncertainties) which may not be included

It is important that measurement

44 QP www.qualityprogress.com

This definition defines TUR as the ratio

So simply stated, what is the difference

It is important that measurement datas

applicability to determine real-life
performance of a device be qualified.
in a ME accuracy tolerance. As with

ing the possible magnitude of ME error

TARs, a larger TUR implies measurement

influences on measurement data. So why

data are probably more representative of

compute TAR and TURs? The answer

the actual performance of a UUT when

has to do with measurement risk and the

compared to smaller TURs. It must be

liabilities associated with decisions based

duly noted that ME tolerance and ME

on measurement data. To reduce measure-

expanded uncertainty are not the same

ment risk, metrology practitioners strive

(computing expanded uncertainty is a

to minimize ME error influences on mea-

subject that extends beyond the scope of

surement data ideally to the point of being

this article).

insignificant. This helps equip decision

From this discussion, you can ascertain

makers with the best possible informa-

that TAR and TUR provides metrology

tionmeasurement data upon which to

practitioners a ready means for estimat-

base their decisions. QP

REFERENCE AND NOTE

1. American National Standards Institute and National
Conference of Standards Laboratories, ANSI/NCSL Z540.32006Requirements for the calibration of measuring and
test equipment.
2. Test uncertainty ratios are often reported in calibration
reports for each measurement parameter evaluated or
is assumed not to dip below a specific ratio (normally 4:1
unless otherwise noted).

CHRISTOPHER L. GRACHANEN is
a master engineer and operations
manager at Hewlett-Packard Co. in
Houston. He earned an MBA from
Regis University in Denver. Grachanen
is a co-author of The Metrology
Handbook (ASQ Quality Press, 2012),
an ASQ fellow, an ASQ-certified
calibration technician and the treasurer of the Measurement
Quality Division.

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July 2014 QP 45

QUALITY IN THE FIRST PERSON

BY MIKE GLOVER

Return to Roots
Taking quality on a round-trip journey
MANUFACTURING IS in my blood. I
often accompanied my Dad on take your
child to work days1 when he worked
for Westinghouse in Utah and for Eckert
Enterprises in Arizona. Those experiences
helped me learn about the manufacturing
industry and why it is the heart of America.
In my dads free time, he and I worked
on fun projects together, such as participating in the pinewood derbya racing
event for Cub Scouts in the Boy Scouts of
America. The precision-cut derby car that
my Dad and I built was the fastest car on
the tracks, indeed. I never lost a race as a
Cub Scout.
After I graduated from high school, my
father left Eckert Enterprises and founded
his own machine shop, Glover Precision
in Mesa, AZ. I helped him clean the ma-

them with reducing waste in their work-

chines and the shop after the various jobs

flows. My experience there, however, led

What executive leadership needed to

we handled. I enjoyed working with my

me to question whether people really want

understand was that it isnt about fixing

father as he worked to fulfill his American

to be autonomous and whether leaders re-

what isnt broken. Its about taking what

dreamproviding for his family and doing

ally want employees to innovate new and

is good and making it the best. Business

meaningful work that he loved. Around

more efficient ways to do things.

cannot be expected to thrive by just get-

Breaking the status quo is difficult.

that time, I began contemplating my goals

Senior leaders encouraged the work-

and what I wanted out of life. I decided to

force to embrace new ideas and practices.

constantly, and businesses must look at

experience what else was out there in the

But when an innovation was introduced

how they are keeping their competitive

world. I left the machine shop and entered

by staff, senior leaders would say stifling

advantage.

volunteer service. I taught Spanish, Eng-

things such as dont fix what isnt bro-

lish and addiction recovery, and helped

ken. A quote from Henry Ford summariz-

a rut with the university. I often found

people overcome declining lifestyles.

es this situation best: Any customer can

myself heading to the shop after work to

have a car painted any color that he wants

see what I could help out with. I started

so long as it is black.2

spending vacation days at the shop doing a

Lessons in leadership
After my volunteer term ended, I stayed

I found myself doing the same thing

ting by year to year. Industries change

After learning this, I saw that I was in

variety of things. It was then that I realized

in the education sector and went to work

to my own staff memberstelling them

that the manufacturing industry was where

for a university in an administration role.

to innovate and be leaders, as long as it

I belong. I needed to return to the family

I quickly was promoted to a leadership

was according to my style and not theirs.

business and take what I had learned and

post and helped train others. Managers

I found that innovation and leadership

apply it to Glover Precision. My experience

focused on efficiency and the cultivation

will thrive only under the right conditions.

in training and policy prepared me for the

of dedicated staff. We strived to help staff

These conditions must be set by executive

next step in my career.

members be autonomous and take on

leadership and be allowed to trickle down

leadership themselves while also assisting

to frontline staff.

46 QP www.qualityprogress.com

Because quality is in every industry

and is what makes or breaks a business,

I began as the quality manager and took

courses to catch up with practices and
trends in the industry. Gaining buy-in from
executive leadership to execute projects

While something may not be broken,

it does not mean it is not breaking.

was much easier because the size of the

shop was significantly smaller than the
university, which employs thousands of

thing has to do with quality. Whether it is

investments than being reactive to broken

people. Getting buy-in from staff and the

in leading people or processes, quality is at

processes. QP

executive leaders at Glover Precision

its core. When everyone has the urgency of

takes much preparation, but ultimately, it

quality instilled within them, they strive for

enhances how we do business.

their best and continue to improve themselves and their processes daily. Quality

I find myself happier than I have ever

been. I find great satisfaction in improv-

professionals must impart this in everyone

ing how people and businesses work with

they work with.

greater efficiency and the best results. The

1. Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day is a nonprofit

educational program in the United States and Canada
that involves parents taking their children to work for one
day to promote career exploration. It occurs on the fourth
Thursday of April every year.
2. Henry Ford and Samuel Crowther, My Life and Work,
Garden City Publishing Company Inc., 1922.

Organizations, no matter the indus-

decision to come to Glover Precision was

try, must keep a close watch on qual-

an easy one, and its one I am most proud

ity management and acknowledge that

of because I strongly believe in American

everything they do can be improved. While

manufacturing and providing the best

something may not be broken, it does not

products made in America.

mean it is not breaking. Successful leaders

My experiences taught me that every-

REFERENCE AND NOTE

know that preventive measures are better

MIKE GLOVER is a quality assurance

manager at Glover Precision Inc.
in Mesa, AZ. A member of ASQ,
Glover is a student at Brigham Young
University in Rexburg, ID, working on
a bachelors degree in small business
management and entrepreneurship.
He holds AS9100C:2009 and ISO
9001:2008 internal auditor certifications from Gladhill Associates International in Glendale, AZ.

Visit asq.org/cert-prep
for more information
on ASQ certifications
and certification
preparation products,
or call 800-248-1946.

Get ASQ Certified!

ASQ certification is a formal recognition by ASQ that an individual has
demonstrated a proficiency within, and a comprehension of, a specified body
of knowledge. No matter where your career takes you, ASQ certifications
are internationally accepted and recognized. Register today for one of our
certification exams being held in October!
Upcoming exam date: October 4, 2014
Application deadline: August 15, 2014

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July 2014 QP 47

CAREER CORNER

BY JOSEPH D. CONKLIN

Opening Doors
Career centers unlock opportunities for displaced workers
IN OCTOBER 2013, I was one of many

I scheduled an assessment interview

forces of hope during a time when reas-

U.S. federal employees who took an

with Jo Welker, a counselor at the center

surance and encouragement are most

unpaid vacation popularly known as the

and team member of the group adminis-

needed. The center gave me permission to

government shutdown. The furlough no-

tering the training and retraining pro-

speak to Welker about the centers efforts

tice arrived during my honeymoon, mak-

grams authorized under the Workforce

to help applicants build and improve their

ing both events even more memorable.

Investment Act (WIA). The WIA is one

work lives.

In the blink of an eye, I was facing the

of the many state versions of job and

Joseph Conklin (JC): What is your

same prospects confronted by many of

training programs enacted under various

role at Prince Georges One-Stop Career

my colleagues in the quality field in the

federal laws during the early 1960s.

Center?

aftermath of the Great Recession: job

Thankfully, the shutdown ended just

Jo Welker (JW): I am one of several

loss and the looming necessity of a new

before my appointment. In the glow of

career consultants. We work for the same

career path. At the time the furlough hit,

being recalled back to work with back

Department of Labor program found in

it was not clear how long it would last.

pay, I decided to still meet with Welker

all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

I stopped by Prince Georges One-Stop

to learn more about the many good and

Our main role is to prepare individuals to

Career Center in Laurel, MD, during the

helpful things I sensed happening at the

return to the workforce. Although those

second week of the shutdown to look

center. With so many professionals in

completely out of work are understand-

into training and retraining programs for

and out of the quality field and struggling

ably the focus of news coverage these

displaced workers.

with unemployment, career centers are

days, my role also includes helping people

with part-time jobs transition to full-time
employment.
JC: What services do you offer under
the WIA?
JW: We provide informal and formal
tests and assessments. We work with
applicants to create career development
plans. We supply local labor market information and referrals to other services for
resume writing, job search strategies and
effective use of social media for networking. We help applicants develop training
plans when the goal is new or enhanced
job skills. We also provide funding for applicants to undergo training programs.
JC: How do applicants qualify for
services?
JW: They must provide proof of their
identity, U.S. citizenship and residence
in the service area covered by our office.
Then, we discuss their current situation
and needs in depth. With respect to training or retraining programs, we look at an

48 QP www.qualityprogress.com

Retirees must focus on what they

want to be instead of what they
were in their old jobs.

JW: There are several career

consultants in the office. We talk
across desks, in the halls and
in monthly meetings. We share
what works and what doesnt. We
discuss which jobs are hot and
which ones are not. We brainstorm ideas for new workshops.

applicants education, experience and

particular situation. Some applicants

In the era of social media, labor market

major job interests before funding a par-

come to us with complex emotional

news ages quickly. We dont let more than

ticular program to ensure its a good fit.

issues that are significant barriers to em-

a few days go by without finding out the

JC: What happens when displaced

ployment. We work with the Department

latest.

workers apply for retraining?

JW: We encourage those applicants
to train for jobs that are in demand
in the local labor market. We assess
the proposed training to ensure it will
provide the right skills for the job the

of Rehabilitation Services to connect

JC: What special issues apply to retir-

applicants to special programs they need

ees returning to work or starting a new

to overcome barriers.

career?

JC: What recent success stories come

to mind?
JW: Success is when an applicant

JW: Retirees must focus on what they

want to be instead of what they were in
their old jobs. They must translate their

applicant seeks. Before retraining begins,

is hired. It is a time to celebrate when

old job titles into appropriate skills and

we require applicants to research the

we can close a file. Success stories are

connect them with organizations needs

local marketplace. Many visit organiza-

posted on our bulletin board for all to

during job interviews. While a new indus-

tions where they would like to work and

see. Some recent jobs landed by our

try or job is a worthy goal, retirees should

collect feedback on how well a particular

applicants are Java engineer, computer

check their skills and determine their fit.

program or certificate would qualify them

network engineer, licensed truck driver,

They should be prepared for competition.

for a job there.

computer lab instructor, senior IT ana-

My own sense is that over time, orga-

lyst, bank teller and elementary school

nizations will recognize more clearly the

teacher.

contributions older workers can provide.

JC: What attitudes and habits help applicants succeed in training programs?
JW: Applicants must demonstrate the
same attitudes and habits in training as

JC: What can employed workers do to

prepare for potential job loss?

That should make it easier for future

retirees to open their next chapter.
JC: What is the next chapter in your

they would on the job: a positive mental

JW: I can only reiterate some tried-

attitude, punctuality, follow-through on

and-true advice: build skills, look for proj-

assignments and regular attendance.

ects that will challenge and develop you,

Training programs require applicants

complete your education, and keep up

sultant, but I will be shifting my focus to

to pass the final exam and successfully

with trends in your field and in the local

helping organizations develop and retain

complete the course.

market. In Maryland, the federal govern-

staff. The same assessment and collabora-

ment is a major player in the economy.

tion I have applied to individuals will now

Local workers might do well in their job

center on change at the department, office

JC: What services exist for helping applicants handle the stress of job loss?

own career story?

JW: I plan to continue as a career con-

JW: We offer an internal workshop

search to see which organizations are

or organization level. ASQs website has a

called Professionals Rethinking Employ-

winning new and large contracts and

lot to offer in this area, and I am sure that

ment Pathways. The workshop is run by

target them accordingly.

I will refer to those resources in my new

a facilitator, and attendees complete an

JC: How do you collaborate with

individualized plan of study, counseling

your colleagues to help applicants suc-

and positive actions for handling their

ceed?

job working with organizations. QP

JOSEPH D. CONKLIN is a mathematical
statistician in Washington, D.C., and
a senior member of ASQ. He earned
a masters degree in statistics from
Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Conklin is
also an ASQ-certified quality manager,
quality engineer, quality auditor,
reliability engineer and Six Sigma

THINKING ABOUT A CAREER CHANGE?

Go to www.asq.org/careers, where job seekers can post rsums, get career

advice and explore career development opportunities, and employers can post
jobs and search rsums.

Black Belt.

July 2014 QP 49

STANDARDS OUTLOOK

BY L.L. BUDDY CRESSIONNIE

Revision Runway
SIPOC implemented in process for updating AS9100 standards
REVISION ACTIVITIES on AS9100

The publication date depends on when

Administration, NASA, the U.S. Depart-

Quality management systemsRequire-

ISO 9001 is published so that it can be

ment of Defense and trade associations

ments for aviation, space and defense

integrated and coordinated with other

in the United States.

organizations continue. AS9100 is the

IAQG standards. To keep IAQG standards

flagship aviation, space and defense

current, IAQG also is required to review

requirements for establishing, develop-

(ASD) quality management system (QMS)

standards at least every five years.

ing and maintaining IAQG standards.

Improvement strategy teams include

The answer to the second question

The product and supply chain improve-

the International Aerospace Quality Group

why it takes so long to revise a standard

ment team develops how-to guidance to

(IAQG). Publication of a revised standard

requires some explanation: Users will

improve the supply chain;1 the people

is planned for 2016, shortly after the ISO

appreciate that IAQG uses a process-based

capability team establishes the ASD

9001 revision is released.

approach to a standard revision. The

body of knowledge and human factors;

standard and the foundation standard of

Some ASD industry organizations may

process is demonstrated by a suppliers,

and the performance improvement team

wonder why the standard should be updated

inputs, process, outputs and customers

develops measures to assess industry

when the transition to AS9100C:2009 was

(SIPOC) diagram in Online Figure 1,

just completed. They also might wonder

found on this articles webpage at www.

why it takes so long to revise a standard.

qualityprogress.com.

The first question is easy to answer.

AS9100 is based on ISO 9001, so the revision

performance and improvement.

Other-party management teams that
manage and oversee the AS9100 series
ASD QMS certification program.

Suppliers

When AS9100 is revised, it isnt just rep-

timing is affected by the activity of the Inter-

AS9100 provides QMS requirements ap-

resentative of the IAQG writing team pro-

national Organization for Standardization

plicable to the ASD industry. The revision

ducing the standard; it is the work of the

(ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 176. ISO/

activity will consider the new and emerg-

entire ASD community coming together

TC 176 plans to publish a revised ISO 9001

ing international requirements, as well as

with a shared vision and goal to create the

in 2015. That is why the next revision of the

stakeholder input for changes.

foundation for the AS9100 series.

AS9100 series is planned and scheduled for

publication in early 2016.

Suppliers include IAQGs external and

internal stakeholders. External stakehold-

The inputs to the AS9100 series develop-

aerospace auditors, certified

ment process include:

organizations, airline and

Stakeholder input received through

aviation operators, distribu-

external stakeholders survey feedback

tors and deliverable software

and comments templates completed by

organizations.

internal stakeholders. Stakeholders are

Internal stakeholder

engaged throughout the development

groups mirror the IAQG

process and often participate on writ-

organizational structure. This

includes:
Relationship growth teams

ing teams as the voice of the customer.

The IAQG future vision for improving
on-time and on-quality performance of

that coordinate with key

the ASD industry, which ensures that

stakeholder groups to

the key strategies of the IAQG leader-

ensure the continued rec-

ship are incorporated into the stan-

ognition of the standard

by ASD authorities, including the Federal Aviation

50 QP www.qualityprogress.com

Inputs

ers are certification bodies,

dards development process.

ISO 9001, which is a key input because
the AS9100 is based on it. The IAQG

Integrating the project schedule

reviewed and placed on the master com-

ISO/TC 176 on the newly proposed

and plan. IAQGs goal for this revision is

ments review template used by the IAQG

high-level structure and common man-

to release all related AS9100-series stan-

9100 team. The team examines whether

agement system requirements in ISO

dards simultaneously with deployment

rewording a portion of the standard would

9001:2015 (see Table 1, p. 52). IAQG

support materials and training.

ensure improved understanding by orga-

AS9100 team is closely engaged with

was recently granted liaison status with

This has never been done before, and

nizations implementing the standard and

the ISO/TC working group revising ISO

it is quite a challenge for an international

auditors assessing it. A proposed change

9001 to ensure the ASD industry needs

quality organization comprised of volun-

or addition must meet all the requirements

are represented.

teer resources. An integrated schedule

of the design specification and receive

and project plan, therefore, is critical to

consensus approval by the entire IAQG

been assessed for moving forward.

ensure standards development alignment

AS9100 team.

The current approach is for AS9100 to

occurs to incorporate lessons learned

stay aligned with ISO 9001 and ASD

from the 2009 revision.

Risk assessment options that have

Design specification. The design

additional requirements.

The review and disposition process

for comments occurs in a tiered process,
whereby each sector (such as the Ameri-

specification provides the logic for review-

cas Aerospace Quality Group, European

Process

ing proposed changes. As shown in Figure

Aerospace Quality Group or Asia-Pacic

The three-phase development process for

1, stakeholders from several organizations

Aerospace Quality Group) first reaches a

the AS9100 revision began in 2012. I cov-

submitted 559 comments, which were

consolidated position for their sector, after

ered the revision process in my last column,

evaluated by the IAQG 9100 revision team.

which a final disposition of each comment

Road to Revision,2 but I will also briefly address it here.

For changes and additions to be

is reached at the international team level.

considered, according to the design

Each sector, in establishing its position,

specification, they cannot be contractual

involves any interested party of the respec-

2012. Approval was based on incorporat-

QMS requirements; they cannot contain

tive sector companies, thus achieving a

ing changes made to the ISO 9001 require-

product-specific requirements; they must

true consensus position on each comment.

ments embedded within AS9100, while

enhance clarity of requirements or ad-

also considering stakeholder needs iden-

dress stakeholder needs; they must be

are established when stakeholder com-

tified since the last revision and clarifica-

auditable, and define what not how; and

ments require further concept develop-

tions issued by IAQG.

they must offer a benefit that outweighs

ment. The teams develop proposals for a

the impact of implementation.

change and present it to the IAQG AS9100

The project was approved in October

Designing and developing the standard

is the first and most rigorous phase. This

Master comments review. All stakeholder comments are collected, organized,

includes:

AS9100 revision comments

team for discussion and acceptance. All

accepted proposals were added to the
master comment review template. For the

/ FIGURE 1

559 comments received

(responses, percentage)

AS9100 revision, priority focus teams and

their proposals included:
Product and flight safetyevaluate

Americas Aerospace Quality Group (AAQG)

2, 1%

Asia-Pacific Aerospace Quality Group

67, 19%

96, 28%

21, 6%

.5%
1, 0
%
,5
17 %
2
6,

78, 23%

enhancement.
Human factorsconsider inclusion.

Civil Aviation Authority

Riskbalance ISO 9001 additions.

European Aerospace Quality Group

Preventive actionassess ISO 9001

LinkedIn 9100 Hints and Tips Group

31, 9%

14
,4
%
12,
3%

Priority focus teams. These groups

Maintenance/repair organizations
International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG)
product and supply chain improvement
strategy team
IAQG Space Forum
AAQG Space Forum
Web surveyOASIS suppliers/others
Trade organizations

OASIS = online aerospace supplier information system

approach.
Counterfeit partsconsider inclusion.
Configuration managementconsider
enhancement.
Product realization planningconsider
link to AS9102, the First Article Inspection (FAI) standard, and Advanced
Product Quality Planning/Production
Parts Approval Process (APQP/PPAP).

July 2014 QP 51

STANDARDS OUTLOOK

New ISO 9001 clause

structure / TABLE 1
1. Scope
2. Normative references

Plan

3. Terms and definitions

Do
Check

content from AS9110, which covers

within a 9100 QMS.

Deployment support materials, includ-

maintenance organization links.

ing communications, presentations,

Sub-tier managementconsider en-

frequently asked questions, articles,

hancement.

auditor guidance materials and clarifica-

Coordination draft. A writing draft

tions.3

will be developed this summer. The draft

Training, which will be developed in

4. Context of the organization

Organization and its context
Needs and expectations
Quality management system
(QMS) scope
QMS and processes

will incorporate stakeholder feedback

close coordination with ISO/TC 176 for

regarding the ISO 9001:2015 draft interna-

certified organizations and auditors.

tional standard (DIS). The DIS will be reviewed by the writing team and provided

Customers

to the IAQG AS9100 team for comments.

The customers of AS9100 are the entire

5. Leadership
Leadership and commitment
Policy
Roles, responsibility and
authority

After its accepted by the team, the

ASD industry, including the various

standard will be sent to sector stakehold-

publishing sectors of the Americas, Asia-

ers for an informal coordination draft

Pacific and Europe.

6. Planning
Actions to address risks and
opportunities
Objectives and plans to
achieve them
Planning of changes

reconciled for the formal sector review in

requires aligning a worldwide audience

phase two.

and building multiple consensus-based

7. Support
Resources
Competence
Awareness
Communication
Documented information

Act

Post-delivery supportconsider

8. Operation
Operational planning and
control
Determination of
requirements
Design and development
Control of externally provided
products and services
Production and service
provision
Release of products and
services
Nonconforming process
outputs, products and
services
9. Performance evaluation
Monitoring, measurement,
analysis and evaluation
Internal audit
Management review
10. Improvement
Nonconformity and
corrective action
Continual improvement

review. Comments will be reviewed and

Phase two involves a formal review

that is conducted across the three IAQG
sectorsthe Americas, Europe and

international standards with plenty of

behind-the-scenes coordination.
Using a SIPOC diagram demon-

Asia-Pacific via review ballots. The team

strates how all the elements are coor-

will analyze comments submitted, and if

dinated into the process to reach a suc-

content is changed, subsequent review

cessful end result. This extra effort and

ballots will be submitted to the sectors

time to involve stakeholders will help

until the standard is approved.

IAQG produce a standard that is what

In phase three, after a ballot is ap-

the users want and need to improve

proved, the standard will be published

their QMSs, thus raising the bar for the

within each sector, with translations per-

ASD industry as a whole. QP

formed for the various language versions.

REFERENCES

Outputs
The AS9100 series outputs include:
AS9100 series standards, which include AS9100Quality management
systemsRequirements for aviation,
space and defense organizations;
AS9110Quality maintenance
systemsAerospaceRequirements
for maintenance organizations;
AS9120Quality management
systemsAerospaceRequirements
for stockist distributors; AS9115
Quality management systemsRequirements for aviation, space and
defense organizationsDeliverable
software; and ARP9137Guidance
for the application of AQAP 2110

52 QP www.qualityprogress.com

Revising AS9100 takes time because it

1. International Aerospace Quality Group, Supply Chain

Management Handbook, www.iaqg.org/scmh.
2. L.L. Buddy Cressionnie, Road to Revision, Quality
Progress, July 2013, pp. 47-49.
3. International Aerospace Quality Group, www.iaqg.org.

NOTE
A presentation of the topics discussed in this article is
available on the IAQG website, www.iaqg.org.
L.L. BUDDY CRESSIONNIE is the
Americas requirement lead and the
Americas lead for the IAQG AS9100
team, as well as a voting member
of the U.S. Technical Advisory Group
to ISO/TC 176. In these roles, he
represents the Lockheed Martin Corp.,
where he works in the aeronautics
business area overseeing quality and mission success
processes. Cressionnie is an ASQ senior member with
quality manager and quality auditor certifications. He also
is an RABQSA-certified aerospace experienced auditor and
International Register of Certified Auditors lead auditor for
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Cressionnie has an MBA from Texas
Christian University in Fort Worth and a bachelors degree
in industrial and systems engineering from the University of
Florida in Gainesville.

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Standing out from the pack is no longer optionalits
a necessity. In todays competitive world, employers are
looking to hire, promote and pay only those with the highest
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54 QP www.qualityprogress.com

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Special Advertising Section

ASQs Continuing Education and Professional Development Directory

ASU Global Outreach and Extended Education (GOEE)
781 E. Terrace Road, Suite 591
Tempe, AZ 85287
Phone: 480-965-8515
goee.asu.edu

ASU Engineering connects professionals to a leading university with world-renowned faculty who design and deliver a broad
array of programs featuring innovative instruction, in-depth industry experience and hands-on application.

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Advance your knowledge.

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56 QP www.qualityprogress.com

Special Advertising Section

ASQs Continuing Education and Professional Development Directory

Kent State University
204 Schwartz Center
Kent, OH 44242
Phone: 330-672-8698
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Kent State University provides lean and Six Sigma training and process improvement consulting services to meet your continuous
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VERSE is a dedicated cloud-based quality management system that provides the dynamic performance of an on-premises
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July 2014 QP 57

QPTOOLBOX

Vise jaw system

circuit-card servo pres-

The CARVEsmart quick-change vise jaw

sure transducer. The Type

system is designed for production and

3110 is designed to pro-

tool-room applications, replacing the

vide economical air pres-

method of attaching vise jaws to a vise us-

sure monitoring within

ing face mounted cap screws. The system

original equipment manu-

employs threefrom the topchanneled

facturer applications.

clamping elements and a dovetailed jaw

Two unique manifold

design to couple the master jaw and soft

block configurations are

or hard jaws. This makes the CARVEsmart

available. One features

system ideal for shops that run repeating

front ports to facilitate

and tight tolerance work.

direct panel mounting

The CARVEsmart dovetailed jaw

provides a larger machinable workholding
zone that permits holding parts deeper

or seamless insertion
into a DIN-rail adapter tray.

Coarse and fine height adjustment

The second option, featuring bottom

knobs are mounted on both sides for

and more securely into the jaws of the

ports, is typically specified for multi-unit

precise focusing. Illumination is provided

vise providing less jaw lift and more se-

pressure manifold systems.

by a quadrant LED ring top light with four

An onboard pressure transducer within

cure clamping.

individually controlled segments, and table

the manifold block permits 0.5% full-scale

mounted telecentric LED transmitted light

is simple using a T-handled hex wrench

accuracy. Custom multi-unit manifolds are

for more focused measurement of rota-

to loosen three channeled clamping

also available. Typical applications include

elements accessed from the top of each

damper control, gas chromatography, pro-

master jaw.

cess control and medical equipment.

Email: doug@carvesmart.com.

Call: 800-309-6150.

Visit: www.carvesmart.com.

Visit: www.marshbellofram.com.

Front or side-loading of the soft jaws

Transducer

Video measuring microscope

The Precision Controls Division of Marsh

Mahr Federal has introduced a video mea-

Bellofram Corp. has announced its Type

suring microscope with image processing

3110 single-loop electro-pneumatic analog

capability, designed for measuring and

dimensioning geometric
elements.
The MarVision MM
320 incorporates an integrated camera with zoom

58 QP www.qualityprogress.com

tionally symmetric parts.

The automated video edge detection and

lens and a 23 in. touch-

multi-touch functions make the MarVsion

screen PC with keyboard

MM 320 especially suitable for a wide

and mouse. Automatic

range of punched and flexible parts, plastic

edge detection allows

components and electronic circuit boards.

low-contrast features to

Call: 800-343-2050.

be measured.

Visit: www.mahr.com.

Laser scanner

ecology studies to hurricane

Steinbichler Optotechnik GmbH has

storm surge monitoring.

released the Steinbichler T-scan CS hand-

To analyze and plot water

guided laser scanner that can be mounted

level data, Onset offers HOBO-

on a robot. The laser offers surface

ware, a graphing and analysis

cooperativeness and scanning that can be

software package. HOBOware

recorded in-line.

provides a graphical user inter-

Metrolog X4 i-Robot is suited for ap-

face and features a barometric

plications requiring flexibility, productivity

compensation assistant, which

and measurement precision. Applications

enables easy pressure-to-level

ideal for this technology are for inspection

conversion. The software also

on production lines in the automotive in-

features a bulk export tool for

dustry, the aeronautics and space industry

users to export data files to

and their suppliers.

text format for use in spread-

Call: 49-8035-8704-769.

sheets.

Visit: www.steinbichler.com.

Call: 800-564-4377.
Visit: www.onsetcomp.com.

Water level logger

which are data loggers for continuous wa-

Microscopic
measurement

ter level and temperature measurements

ProtoRhinos FlexRHINO Dyna-

in streams, lakes, saltwater estuaries and

Mat is a device that will help

other underwater environments.

engineers and researchers better under-

tions. DynaMat captures damage occurring

stand the processes leading to material

in these circumstances.

Onset announced the HOBO U20L series,

It is available in 13, 30 and 100 ft. depth

models and can be used in a range of environmental monitoring applications, from

weakening and failure.

Material failure begins at the micro-

DynaMat is an optical-only technology, ideal for extreme conditions such as

scopic level, with

high temperatures and pressures or harsh

events measured in

chemical environments. DynaMat is suit-

microseconds. When

able for a range of testing schemes, includ-

a certain threshold is

ing fatigue testing, tensile strength and

reached, this accumu-

bending measurements, and creep testing.

lated damage can lead

Email: info@protorhino.com.

to sudden cracking and

Visit: www.protorhino.com.

breakage. DynaMat
helps engineers observe this process. The
microscopic damage
that occurs prior to
total failure can occur
at relatively ordinary
loads and stress condi-

GOT A QUALITY PRODUCT?

Send your product description and
photo to vellifson@asq.org.

July 2014 QP 59

QPREVIEWS
Why Doers Do: Managing
Human Performance to
Optimize the Return on Your
People Investment

Wile uses storytelling to inspire readers to

This book is not recommended as a

embracing workers and their potential.

David E. Wile, CreateSpace Independent

reference resource in the field of quality.

Further chapters discuss pertinent and

Publishing Platform, 2013, 478 pp., $26.95

For persons interested in personal and

important matters, such as the opportu-

(book).

professional improvements in complex,

nity cost of ignoring the human potential,

This book is a

people-based organizations, however, it

social cohesion and conceptual unity.

fictional story about

is thought-provoking. Writers in the field

Transformation in organizations happens

managing group

of quality may be interested in the book

by putting it all together.

activities. It offers

as a model to be used as methods and

opportunities for

resources specific to the broader idea of

understand language and diagrams from

reader involvement

quality as process and result fields are

start to finish, making it useful to manag-

in thinking about

explored.

ers and HR professionals at all levels. It is

spot in todays organizational manage-

cesses with quality results implied.

mentnot placing a high value on

management. It is

Jerry Brong

well-organized with

Ellensburg, WA

a detailed table of
contents, but it lacks an index. It is not a
tool to use to find information, but rather
a story about "doers doing." The nine
chapters explore the nine elements of the
externality-tangibility (E-T) model.
The book opens with the story about
the character Luke. Luke manages an IT

The book begins by discussing a blind

think about human performance and suc-

This book uses simple and easy-to-

a must-read for those in IT organizations. It

is an invaluable guide to building a better
IT department from the inside out.

Transforming IT Culture: How to

Use Social Intelligence, Human
Factors and Collaboration to
Create an IT Department That
Outperforms

Anuradha Rangarajan
Harvard, IL

Frank Wander, John Wiley & Sons, 2013,

Four-Cornered Leadership:
A Framework for Making
Decisions

224 pp., $50 (book).

John Roland Schultz, Productivity Press,

department, and he is the parent of three

This book provides a

teenagers. The themes of the story explore

comprehensive over-

This book on leader-

his life, human performance problems and

view of transform-

ship is based on W.

situations in which he would like to help

ing IT organizations

Edwards Demings

people do better at their jobs. Part of it is

with an emphasis on

teachings. While most

tied to his involvement with an ice hockey

realizing the value of

books directed toward

team. The chapters show how Luke

the HR department.

Demings principles

becomes involved with situations in which

Wander laments

focus on the tech-

his employees, his teammates or his teens

that IT organizations

niques for supporting

are somehow struggling with lower-than-

intensely focus on

2013, 277 pp., $59.95.

and improving quality,

expected performance. Luke discovers

processes, technology and analytics, but

this one focuses on guiding leaders to

solutions using the E-T model and eventu-

not on their professionals.

achieve organizational goals using those

ally succeeds.
Though quality as a technical and

In today's IT world, employees must

collaborate to create value. The author

same tools.
Schultz describes a set of leadership

management process is not a primary

contends that social intelligence, trust and

competencies based on four elements of

theme, elements of successes, continued

unselfishness are indispensable tools of

the system of profound knowledge: ap-

improvement, confirming results and com-

management that will enable leaders to

preciation for the system; understanding

municating expectations are key elements.

energize HR.

variation and data-based decisions; un-

60 QP www.qualityprogress.com

derstanding individual and organizational

parts, 10 chapters, six appendixes and an

pares and contrasts the leadership styles

learning; and understanding individual and

index. The parts describe his approach:

in a handy table.

organizational psychology. The ability to

build a framework, provide structure, fill in

move within these four corners is what

the details, and include tools and diag-

Mersinos uses of models and diagrams

makes a good leader. To aid in under-

nostics that can be used by individuals

to show relationships and how emotional

standing and polishing those abilities,

and project managers. He first provides

intelligent and self-awareness are at the

numerous topics are reviewed with re-

an introduction to emotional intelligence

core of excellent project management.

The area that benefits readers most is

spect to how they fit within the processes

and slowly changes

necessary for effective leadership using

focus by showing that

this model.

project management

Frank Pokrop

begins with self-man-

San Diego

I particularly enjoyed the discussions

on the distinction between leadership and

agement.

management and overlaying the plan-do-

As a manager, your

check-act cycle with the learning cycle to

project is entirely built

generate a standard four-quadrant situa-

around stakeholder

This is a highly beneficial and easy-toread book that will benefit many people.

RECENT RELEASES

they fare in this model, a questionnaire for

thats the subject of part three. Mersino's

Effective Implementation
Of an ISO 5001 Energy
Management System

assessing leadership capability is included.

experience is best showcased where he

Marvin T. Howell, ASQ Quality Press, 2014,

talks about using emotional intelligence to

192 pp., $48 member, $80 list (book).

tion matrix. For those interested in how

According to the author, Leadership is

about governance and making things hap-

relationships, and

lead project teams.

management and quality trends, or ever

book are in the later pages. First, Mersino

wondered how quality could work on the

describes four resonant leadership styles.

Outcomes Performance
Structure: Three Keys to
Organizational Excellence

management side of the business, you will

These are the ways that a leader builds

Michael E. Gallery and Stephen C. Carey,

benefit from this book.

through personal and team synergies. As

ASQ Quality Press, 2014, 112 pp., $20

with other parts of the book, he com-

member, $34 list (book).

penrepeatedly. If you follow leadership,

Marc A. Feldman

The two most impressive parts of the

Houston

Emotional Intelligence for

Project Managers: The People
Skills You Need to Achieve
Outstanding Results
Anthony Mersino, Amacom, 2013, 285 pp.,

Advertisers Index

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ment. Exploring emotional intelligence,

what it meansknowing how to use it
and improve on itis challenging.
To describe and address the topic,
Mersino divides the book into four major

Extented Education (GOEE)

EtQ Inc.

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IFC

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VERSE Solutions

57

423-388-3777 www.versesolutions.com

July 2014 QP 61

PROFESSIONALSERVICES
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PROFESSIONALSERVICES

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contact Media Sales at 866-277-5666.

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July 2014 QP 63

ONE GOOD IDEA

BY SEAN P. GOFFNETT

Steer Your Career

Employee work plans feed into organizational success
DEVELOPING QUALITY LEADERS is

improve to enhance performance. Identify

critical to the success of every organiza-

strengths, interests and opportunities for

As employees fulfill strategically

tion. High-performing quality leaders do

improvement. Form a concise list of KSA

planned tasks, challenging new assign-

not materialize overnight. They develop

improvements related primarily to your job

ments and education experiences, the

over time with proper training and support.

requirements and career goals. Set goals

person gains KSAs that lead to higher per-

An individual development plan (IDP)

that are specific, measurable, achievable,

formance, increased career satisfaction

focuses on developing a quality talent pool

relevant and timely. Commit to a few spe-

and rapid advancement. As managers use

by allowing each individual to create a

cific goals. Managers should provide clari-

IDPs, the organization enhances its overall

systematic strategy to improve skills and

fying feedback to ensure that your goals

performance while forming a deeper

overall performance. IDPs help cultivate

align with those of the organization and

talent pool to meet the quality leadership

talent and enable individuals to advance

that nothing stands in the way of success.

needs of tomorrow. QP

more quickly to meet the critical needs of

Employees and managers should

the organization while fulfilling their per-

establish a timeline to accomplish each

sonal skills development and career goals.

goal. Goals can be added to an IDP and

An IDP is a tailored plan created by

appraised at any time, but it is beneficial

employees in collaboration with their im-

to set firm deadlines. Use major achieve-

mediate managers to establish clear goals,

ments and activity milestones as key

deadlines and measurable action items. It

measures of success.

is important for managers to engage in the

After defining IDP goals and dead-

process and provide resources. Manag-

lines, describe the activities necessary

ers undertake a quality control function

to achieve the goals. Action items might

during performance appraisals and ensure

include job rotation, stretch assignments,

that employees at all levels have the

travel, training, mentoring, supplier

knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) to

contact, customer interaction and perfor-

perform their roles.

mance reviews. Individuals are motivated

IDPs can range from informal state-

by and benefit from diverse development

ments shared with supervisors to struc-

experiences that provide challenging op-

tured documentation that is submitted as

portunities to practice new skills.

part of a larger performance management

A team development plan is a subtle

system. Organizations that employ per-

variation of the IDP that teams can use to

formance management tactics are more

identify improvement opportunities in the

likely to outperform competitors on finan-

collective skill set needed to meet project

cial measures and nonfinancial measures.

requirements.

for the organization and its employees.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cascio, W. F., Global Performance Management Systems,
from The Handbook of Research in International Human
Resources Management, Edward Elgar Ltd., 2006, pp.
176198.
Caplan, Janice, The Value of Talent: Promoting Talent Management Across the Organization, Kogan Page, 2010.
Developing Employees: Expert Solutions to Everyday Challenges, Harvard Business School Press, 2009.
Fenwick, Tara, Professional Growth Plans: Possibilities and
Limitations of an Organizationwide Employee Development Strategy, HR Development Quarterly, 2003, Vol. 14,
No. 1, pp. 59-77.
Hamori, Monika, Jie Cao and Burak Koyuncu, Why Top Young
Managers Are in a Nonstop Job Hunt, Harvard Business
Review, July-August 2012.
IDP Individual Development Planning Guide to Getting
Started, Yale University, 2013, www.yale.edu/hronline/idp.
Jackson Jr., D.W. and N.J. Sirianni, Building the Bottom Line
by Developing the Frontline: Career Development for
Service Employees, Business Horizons, 2009, Vol. 52, No.
3, pp. 279-287.
Latham, G.P., The Motivational Benefits of Goal Setting,
Academy of Management Executive, 2004, Vol. 18, pp.
126-129.
Lipman, Victor, Why Employee Development Is Important,
Neglected and Can Cost You Talent, Forbes, Jan. 29, 2013,
www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/01/29/whydevelopment-planning-is-important-neglected-and-cancost-you-young-talent.
Mattone, John and Luis Xavier, Talent Leadership: A Proven
Method for Identifying and Developing High-Potential
Employees, American Management Association, 2012.

There are three major elements in a

structured IDP:

Paths toward success

1. Development goals.

The IDP is a quality tool that creates direc-

2. Timelines to accomplish each devel-

tion and ongoing dialogue with future qual-

opment goal.

ity leaders. They help identify improve-

3. Activities necessary for development.

ment needs and align them with internal

Online Figure 1 illustrates a structured

talent needs and future opportunities in

IDP. Start the process by thinking about

the organization. This allows managers to

what you do well and what you should

gauge and support paths toward success

64 QP www.qualityprogress.com

SEAN P. GOFFNETT is an assistant

professor of marketing and logistics at
Central Michigan University in Mount
Pleasant. Goffnett received his doctorate in quality management from Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti
and holds masters degrees in HR and
labor relations from Michigan State
University in East Lansing, and a masters in engineering
management from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. He is a senior member of ASQ, an ASQ-certified quality
process analyst and holds a Lean Six Sigma Master Black
Belt from Villanova University in Pennsylvania.

Whats Online in the

ASQ Knowledge Center?
CASE STUDY
India-based Life Insurer Improves Customer
Retention Through Six Sigma, Quality Tools
Using Six Sigma and quality tools, a Max Life
Insurance Company improvement team reclaimed
deeply lapsed policyholders and generated more
than $8.6 million in revenue.

BENCHMARKING
Key Manufacturing Benchmarks at a Glance
A collection of documents highlights
manufacturing process benchmarks for
organizations in aerospace, consumer products/
packaged goods, electronics, industrial products,
and petroleum/chemical industries.

WEBCAST
ISO 9001:2008 in Police Organizations
David Amari shares how to apply the most widely
used standard on quality management systems in the
world to police and law enforcement organizations,
from implementation to success stories.

Access this months featured content and more Web exclusives in the
ASQ Knowledge Center at asq.org/knowledge-center/featured.html.

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