FAA to Airline Pilots: Turn Cell Phones Off March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management.Tags: 5S & Visual Management
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The US FAA has issued an alert to airlines following an inspector’s report that a first officer’s cell phone began ringing at a critical phase of a takeoff recently, an incident the agency says was “a potentially serious hazard”.According to the FAA air safety inspector who was riding along on an unnamed airline’s flight from the jump seat, just prior to reaching V1, the speed after which pilots generally are committed to taking off rather than aborting on the runway, a rather loud “warbling” sound was “detected” by both crewmembers.
It was later determined that the sound came from the first officer’s cellular phone, which had been left in the ON position.
As a result the ring tone caused a distraction between the crewmembers during the takeoff phase and could have led the to crew to initiate an unnecessary rejected takeoff.
We should all find it disturbing that the FAA actually needed to print a rule like this. This “audio clutter” is a clear violation of good “audio 5S”. Just as we sort out a work area to help create a visual management system where signals are as free as possible from distracting noise, so is it also true that a workplace needs to be free from audio clutter, which can create a cluttered, confusing, ambiguous environment, particularly in highly critical processes.
How would you feel if you were wheeled into surgery to find your surgeon listening to electronic dance music cranked up to 11 so he couldn’t hear the beeps of your heart monitor?
Read some of the details of the air incident here.
FAA to Airline Pilots: Turn Cell Phones Off March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in 5S & Visual Management.Tags: 5S & Visual Management
add a comment
The US FAA has issued an alert to airlines following an inspector’s report that a first officer’s cell phone began ringing at a critical phase of a takeoff recently, an incident the agency says was “a potentially serious hazard”.According to the FAA air safety inspector who was riding along on an unnamed airline’s flight from the jump seat, just prior to reaching V1, the speed after which pilots generally are committed to taking off rather than aborting on the runway, a rather loud “warbling” sound was “detected” by both crewmembers.
It was later determined that the sound came from the first officer’s cellular phone, which had been left in the ON position.
As a result the ring tone caused a distraction between the crewmembers during the takeoff phase and could have led the to crew to initiate an unnecessary rejected takeoff.
We should all find it disturbing that the FAA actually needed to print a rule like this. This “audio clutter” is a clear violation of good “audio 5S”. Just as we sort out a work area to help create a visual management system where signals are as free as possible from distracting noise, so is it also true that a workplace needs to be free from audio clutter, which can create a cluttered, confusing, ambiguous environment, particularly in highly critical processes.
How would you feel if you were wheeled into surgery to find your surgeon listening to electronic dance music cranked up to 11 so he couldn’t hear the beeps of your heart monitor?
Read some of the details of the air incident here.
Lean Lessons From a Freelance Writer? March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity
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Believe it or not, there is a connection between freelance writers and production lines. In the freelance writer’s world, orders can arrive any time during a 24-hour period with various deadlines and requirements. Loyal customers may have rush projects. And small projects often become larger than originally anticipated.In addition, the recession is forcing many writers to accept as much work as possible to make ends meet. And with so many other writers out there, a writer must meet the client’s needs without question. Otherwise, the client will move on to the next writer and repeat business will be lost.
The author goes on to describe her application of lean concepts to personal time management – a favorite topic of mine.
All this makes the application of lean manufacturing principles an absolute must for any writer to be truly successful.
There are great parallels.
Read the full article here.
Lean Lessons From a Freelance Writer? March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in lean office, Lean Thinking.Tags: lean office, Lean Thinking, personal productivity
add a comment
Believe it or not, there is a connection between freelance writers and production lines. In the freelance writer’s world, orders can arrive any time during a 24-hour period with various deadlines and requirements. Loyal customers may have rush projects. And small projects often become larger than originally anticipated.In addition, the recession is forcing many writers to accept as much work as possible to make ends meet. And with so many other writers out there, a writer must meet the client’s needs without question. Otherwise, the client will move on to the next writer and repeat business will be lost.
The author goes on to describe her application of lean concepts to personal time management – a favorite topic of mine.
All this makes the application of lean manufacturing principles an absolute must for any writer to be truly successful.
There are great parallels.
Read the full article here.
Communicating Lean Efforts: An Example of Lean Government March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in government, Lean Thinking.Tags: government, Lean Thinking
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The article provides an edited version of a document from Enterprise Lean, a coordinated State of Minnesota government initiative for improving the organizational performance of Minnesota’s state government agencies. Though the information was prepared for government agencies, its message is certainly applicable for private-sector businesses.Your thoughts? Could other government entities you know benefit from lean?
Read the full article here.
Communicating Lean Efforts: An Example of Lean Government March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in government, Lean Thinking.Tags: government, Lean Thinking
add a comment
The article provides an edited version of a document from Enterprise Lean, a coordinated State of Minnesota government initiative for improving the organizational performance of Minnesota’s state government agencies. Though the information was prepared for government agencies, its message is certainly applicable for private-sector businesses.Your thoughts? Could other government entities you know benefit from lean?
Read the full article here.
Error Proofing Handwashing March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking, mistake-proofing
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Hand washing and proper hand hygiene is a big concern at most hospitals. The basic Lean concept of Error Proofing is interesting to apply to this issue: How CAN we error proof proper hand hygiene? We can do spot checks, but we can’t watch people constantly, it seems. We can make it easy to do the right thing — eliminating systemic barriers that would make it hard to clean your hands. Hospitals can put gel dispensers everywhere and can make sure carts are available so staff members can keep their hands free to be able to clean up. Is there more that can be done?This post on the LeanBlog includes a video that shows a prototype device attached to a hand sanitizer dispenser. One step closer to mistake-proof. As the comments to the post indicate, there are some concerns. What are your ideas?
Read the post here.
Error Proofing Handwashing March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in healthcare, Lean Thinking.Tags: healthcare, Lean Thinking, mistake-proofing
add a comment
Hand washing and proper hand hygiene is a big concern at most hospitals. The basic Lean concept of Error Proofing is interesting to apply to this issue: How CAN we error proof proper hand hygiene? We can do spot checks, but we can’t watch people constantly, it seems. We can make it easy to do the right thing — eliminating systemic barriers that would make it hard to clean your hands. Hospitals can put gel dispensers everywhere and can make sure carts are available so staff members can keep their hands free to be able to clean up. Is there more that can be done?This post on the LeanBlog includes a video that shows a prototype device attached to a hand sanitizer dispenser. One step closer to mistake-proof. As the comments to the post indicate, there are some concerns. What are your ideas?
Read the post here.
Value Stream Mapping: Making It Work March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: value stream mapping
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Similar to the use of control charts in the early 1980s, there are many value stream-mapping activities in companies “doing lean.” Unfortunately, many of these mapping activities result in mere documentation of the stages of a process that may or may not provide new insights into ways to improve the system. “Isn’t that what mapping is supposed to do? Give us a map of our process?” No, in addition to showing where you are and where you want to go, every VSM should also provide a framework for improvement work.
Read the full article here.
Value Stream Mapping: Making It Work March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Tools & Techniques.Tags: value stream mapping
add a comment
Similar to the use of control charts in the early 1980s, there are many value stream-mapping activities in companies “doing lean.” Unfortunately, many of these mapping activities result in mere documentation of the stages of a process that may or may not provide new insights into ways to improve the system. “Isn’t that what mapping is supposed to do? Give us a map of our process?” No, in addition to showing where you are and where you want to go, every VSM should also provide a framework for improvement work.
Read the full article here.
Implementing a Replenishment Pull System Using Kanban March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking, Pull Systems.Tags: Lean Thinking, pull
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Pull is one of the key principles of lean thinking. There are essentially two different types of pull systems: sequential pull and replenishment (or supermarket) pull.
This article from SME’s Lean Directions Newsletter describes the two types and provides a real world example of the results achieved when the two types are implemented in a factory process.
Read the article here.
Implementing a Replenishment Pull System Using Kanban March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Lean Thinking, Pull Systems.Tags: Lean Thinking, pull
add a comment
Pull is one of the key principles of lean thinking. There are essentially two different types of pull systems: sequential pull and replenishment (or supermarket) pull.
This article from SME’s Lean Directions Newsletter describes the two types and provides a real world example of the results achieved when the two types are implemented in a factory process.
Read the article here.
Process Maps and FMEA Help Prepare Utility for Disaster March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in six sigma.Tags: six sigma
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Two Six Sigma tools, process maps and the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), were applied by a team at a wastewater utility to prepare for possible issues in the wake of retiring staff, and in the process helped ready the facility to face a powerful natural disaster. The case study details how these tools were used.
Read the full article here.
Process Maps and FMEA Help Prepare Utility for Disaster March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in six sigma.Tags: six sigma
add a comment
Two Six Sigma tools, process maps and the failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), were applied by a team at a wastewater utility to prepare for possible issues in the wake of retiring staff, and in the process helped ready the facility to face a powerful natural disaster. The case study details how these tools were used.
Read the full article here.
Tom Kelly Explains How to Cultivate Personal Innovation March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation.Tags: Creativity & Innovation
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Chuck Frey at the Innovation Weblog pointed out an excellent series of video clips from a lecture by Tom Kelly of Ideo to a class of college students at Stanford, in which he shares five essential strategies for cultivating and nurturing personal innovation throughout life.Chuck’s favorite excerpts from Tom Kelly include these:
1. Think like a traveler: When you travel, especially internationally, it’s as if part of your brain transforms into a hyper-aware state, causing you to notice everything. You’re able to observe more and learn more. The trick is to cultivate this mindfulness in your daily life, even when you’re not traveling.
2. Treat life as an experiment: This principle has to do with the risk, with the willingness to fail and to learn from your failures.
3. Nurture an “attitude of wisdom:” This principle has to do with cultivating the fine balance between trusting and distrusting what you know, and to have a constant thirst for new knowledge throughout your life.
4. Use your whole brain: Kelley refers to Dan Pink’s excellent book, A Whole New Mind, which suggests that success in the years ahead will come from our ability to use our whole mind, our left and right brains working together to take us to new levels of performance and creativity.
5. Do what you love: Kelley told students to search out the intersection between what they’re naturally good at, what they were born to do, and what people will pay them to do.
I’m a big fan of Tom Kelly and the folks at Ideo.
Check out the videos here.
Tom Kelly Explains How to Cultivate Personal Innovation March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation.Tags: Creativity & Innovation
add a comment
Chuck Frey at the Innovation Weblog pointed out an excellent series of video clips from a lecture by Tom Kelly of Ideo to a class of college students at Stanford, in which he shares five essential strategies for cultivating and nurturing personal innovation throughout life.Chuck’s favorite excerpts from Tom Kelly include these:
1. Think like a traveler: When you travel, especially internationally, it’s as if part of your brain transforms into a hyper-aware state, causing you to notice everything. You’re able to observe more and learn more. The trick is to cultivate this mindfulness in your daily life, even when you’re not traveling.
2. Treat life as an experiment: This principle has to do with the risk, with the willingness to fail and to learn from your failures.
3. Nurture an “attitude of wisdom:” This principle has to do with cultivating the fine balance between trusting and distrusting what you know, and to have a constant thirst for new knowledge throughout your life.
4. Use your whole brain: Kelley refers to Dan Pink’s excellent book, A Whole New Mind, which suggests that success in the years ahead will come from our ability to use our whole mind, our left and right brains working together to take us to new levels of performance and creativity.
5. Do what you love: Kelley told students to search out the intersection between what they’re naturally good at, what they were born to do, and what people will pay them to do.
I’m a big fan of Tom Kelly and the folks at Ideo.
Check out the videos here.
Does Creativity Make You Happy? Thoughts by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation.Tags: Creativity & Innovation
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Csikszentmihalyi not only has a terribly unpronouncable last name, he is also one of my favorite authors.A post on the Lateral Action blog details a video presented by Mihaly at the TED conference a few years ago. He explains the concept of flow for which he is famous. Flow is his answer to the question ‘What makes human beings happy?’ – ‘An almost automatic, effortless, yet highly focused state of consciousness’ that we can experience when devoting ourselves to a meaningful challenge. Flow can occur during any complex and difficult task, but you won’t be surprised to learn it is often experienced by people engaged in creative work.
The dissection of his talk offers several key insights. All of them tie back to being more happy and fulfilled in life. This is not tantric chant stuff. Mihaly backs up his assertions with sound research and models he has developed through decades of interviews.
Read the post, which includes a YouTube copy of the TED video, here.
Does Creativity Make You Happy? Thoughts by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in Creativity & Innovation.Tags: Creativity & Innovation
add a comment
Csikszentmihalyi not only has a terribly unpronouncable last name, he is also one of my favorite authors.A post on the Lateral Action blog details a video presented by Mihaly at the TED conference a few years ago. He explains the concept of flow for which he is famous. Flow is his answer to the question ‘What makes human beings happy?’ – ‘An almost automatic, effortless, yet highly focused state of consciousness’ that we can experience when devoting ourselves to a meaningful challenge. Flow can occur during any complex and difficult task, but you won’t be surprised to learn it is often experienced by people engaged in creative work.
The dissection of his talk offers several key insights. All of them tie back to being more happy and fulfilled in life. This is not tantric chant stuff. Mihaly backs up his assertions with sound research and models he has developed through decades of interviews.
Read the post, which includes a YouTube copy of the TED video, here.
John C. Maxwell on Failing Forward March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership.add a comment
Failure didn’t stop Vincent Van Gogh from painting, Albert Einstein from theorizing, or Michael Jordan from playing basketball. All had experienced withering failures earlier in their careers. However, failure has paralyzed countless leaders and prevented them from reaching their potential.At some point, all great achievers are tempted to believe they are failures. But in spite of that, they persevere. In the face of adversity, shortcomings, and rejection, they hold onto self-believe and refuse to see themselves as failures. John Maxwell describes seven abilities of achievers that enable them to rebound from failure and keep moving forward.
Read the full article here. (Note: This article will remain up only for a limited time.)
John C. Maxwell on Failing Forward March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in leadership.add a comment
Failure didn’t stop Vincent Van Gogh from painting, Albert Einstein from theorizing, or Michael Jordan from playing basketball. All had experienced withering failures earlier in their careers. However, failure has paralyzed countless leaders and prevented them from reaching their potential.At some point, all great achievers are tempted to believe they are failures. But in spite of that, they persevere. In the face of adversity, shortcomings, and rejection, they hold onto self-believe and refuse to see themselves as failures. John Maxwell describes seven abilities of achievers that enable them to rebound from failure and keep moving forward.
Read the full article here. (Note: This article will remain up only for a limited time.)
CFOs Say Offshore Outsourcing to Decline March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, supply chain.Tags: economy, offshoring, supply chain
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In a new survey, chief financial officers at leading U.S. technology businesses say they’re more likely to consider the U.S. as an outsourcing destination for services and manufacturing over China and India in 2009. Already, it appears that technology companies have started to pull back, according to the BDO Seidman 2009 Technology Outlook Survey, an annual survey of CFOs conducted in January. Only 42% of the 100 CFOs surveyed said they have operations outside the U.S., compared to 79% last year.
Read the full article here.
CFOs Say Offshore Outsourcing to Decline March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in economy, supply chain.Tags: economy, offshoring, supply chain
add a comment
In a new survey, chief financial officers at leading U.S. technology businesses say they’re more likely to consider the U.S. as an outsourcing destination for services and manufacturing over China and India in 2009. Already, it appears that technology companies have started to pull back, according to the BDO Seidman 2009 Technology Outlook Survey, an annual survey of CFOs conducted in January. Only 42% of the 100 CFOs surveyed said they have operations outside the U.S., compared to 79% last year.
Read the full article here.
Survey Sees Some Buyers Switching to U.S. Sourcing March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in manufacturing, supply chain.Tags: manufacturing, supply chain
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The North American Die Casting Assn. reports that a recent survey of its members reveals a significant majority, 78%, have evidence that buyers of their products are shifting to domestic sources for diecast components. The survey identifies three reasons for these shifts: buyers’ concerns about the product quality, supplier proximity, and overseas logistics.Read the full article here.
Survey Sees Some Buyers Switching to U.S. Sourcing March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in manufacturing, supply chain.Tags: manufacturing, supply chain
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The North American Die Casting Assn. reports that a recent survey of its members reveals a significant majority, 78%, have evidence that buyers of their products are shifting to domestic sources for diecast components. The survey identifies three reasons for these shifts: buyers’ concerns about the product quality, supplier proximity, and overseas logistics.Read the full article here.
Solar Panel Achieves Holy Grail: $1 per Watt Grid-Parity March 10, 2009
Posted by Jeff Fuchs in green business, new products and technologies.Tags: green business, new products and technologies
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Arizona-based company First Solar has achieved a major milestone in reducing the manufacturing cost for solar panels below the $1 per watt price barrier – the target necessary for solar to compete with coal-burning electricity on the grid or grid-parity. Using cadmium telluride (CdTe) technology in its thin-film photovoltaic cells, First Solar claims to have the lowest manufacturing cost per watt in the industry with the ability to make solar cells at 98 cents per watt, one third of the price of comparable standard silicon panels. The efficiency is in part due to a low cycle time – 2.5 hours from sheet of glass to solar module – about a tenth of the time it takes for silicon equivalents.Read more here.
