Notes from the last ASQ world conference

By Shlomit Shteyer, VIS Quality Manager for Verint Systems Canada Inc.

Following are the sessions in which I participated along with some notes I wrote during the session:
1. Improvement team by Gregory S. Babe (President and chief Executive officer, Bayer Material Science LLC) In this session, the focus was on a success story of improvement teams. This team was initiated by the CEO. It included people as a full time job and various people from different departments part time. The improvement teams included the following areas: Systems (tools, infrastructure), Process (sales, product, development), and Behavior. The goal was to make the order entry process untouchable. Success was a result of a dedicated team, management support, and good results.

2. Innovation by Michael Stanleigh (President, Business Improvement Architects)
What is Innovation?
Some people sit together and bring some ideas and turn a vision into reality.
Innovation should be in the formal agenda of the regular leadership meeting.
Innovation is a long journey – do not focus on the short run.
Example: Google: 20% of the time invested in innovation.
We are so focused today in “how are we doing this month” that they cannot innovate.

How do we create the culture to Innovate?
- Create a steering committee.
- This committee should include representatives from different groups, culture, and generations.
- Define the purpose and mandate of the steering committee.
- Perform a survey to understand the needs.
- Identify gaps.

The Innovation process:
1. Capture visions/ ideas
2. Create innovation team
3. Review & combine innovation (break it down to more manageable units)
4. Identify benefits
5. Overcome barriers
6. Develop business effectiveness strategy (A plan!)

3. Improving communication with a common RCCA Process by Carl L. McCauley (VP Sales, Metric Stream)
cmccauley@metricstream.com
High-tech manufacture case study.
Company is based on 11 different groups that are functional groups.
Main problems are:
- Communication.
- One customer or supplier does business with few groups that are working in Silos.
- Each group has different processes, templates, and metrics.
Solution: One common business process based on a software.
Steps:
1. Evaluate all exist processes
2. Define common process according to 7 steps of RCCA
3. Define data collection
4. Create detail business process
Challenges and Lessons learned from it:

Challenge

Lesson learnt

Complex data collection (HW, SW, service problems)

Each group has different form
You need to ensure common fields in the form to allow you later to perform reports

Ensure all groups are following a consistent process (they have different work flow, approval, and resolution process)

Configure system to have different business rules.
Review the proposed solution + commit early and often with each group executives = buy them into the process

Out of the box functionality vs. customization. Business process was defined before SW vendor was selected

A lot of time spent on requirements and customization
Involve SW vendor in the process definition
Configurability

Common reporting Vs. business group reporting requirements. Ability to compare metrics

Define reporting requirements before defining the data collection
Define security and access limitation
Define how to normalize the data
Allow end user configuration- flexibility

Managing time line and dead line. The company had time line before they selected the vendor

Phases
Understand corporate IT philosophies
Work with vendor on time line and get commitment
Review and manage expectation with end user teams

IT resources were not available

Vendor that can host the IT solution will have the advantage
SW licensing
Cost for hosting


Additional lessons learned:
1. Capture too much data
2. Consider a vendor to design the business process
3. Map reporting requirements to data collection needs
4. Get buy-in from each business group executive sponsor

Benefits:
1. Improved product quality
2. Process excellence (one same process)
3. Efficiency and savings
4. Improved throughput time

Business Values:
1. Communication
2. Reduce risks
3. Increase in customer satisfaction