Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category

Alternatives to knee-jerk reaction: Understanding variation

February 18, 2010

What is known as “point mentality” is a knee-jerk response to what appears to be a problem. We may learn this when we take our child’s temperature and find that it’s high; we are inclined to do something right away—give ibuprofen, orange juice, and bed rest—rather than waiting to see if this is a “trend.”

In fact, sometimes we can’t wait to evaluate patterns in data, but need to respond immediately to a situation. Emergencies require response. But most of the time, we will save time, energy, and other resources by examining data over a period of time and making decisions based on trends or other patterns in the operation of the system itself. The fact that a child fails one third-grade spelling test does not mean that he or she will be a failure in life—or even in spelling.

Every system has variation; some of this is due to the system itself, known as common cause variation; some of it is due to singular incidents or special situations; this is special cause variation. W. Edwards Deming estimated that 94% of problems (or possibilities for improvement) lie with the system as common-cause variation; 6% are special causes. [Out of the Crisis, 315]

Describing variability over a period of time helps one to understand how the system is working, and to predict how it will continue to work in the future. The alternative is a constant tampering with the system, responding to every whim it may have.

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Upcoming articles in this month’s Quality eLine

January 11, 2010

Alison Nelson

We’ve just wrapped up the latest edition of Quality eLine, our monthly e-newsletter that gives you industry news, case studies, and product tips you can use to enrich your software use. Here is what you’ll see in this month’s issue:

  • Losing the blame with cause-and-effect charts
  • Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary—and last month’s winners!
  • Data in everyday life: Record cold temperatures
  • Six Sigma and more: Celebrating Russell Ackoff

We’ll be sending the newsletter out tomorrow morning, so if you’re not a subscriber yet, subscribe now to receive your free copy.

Upcoming articles in this month’s Quality eLine

December 7, 2009

Alison Nelson

We’ve just wrapped up the latest edition of Quality eLine, our monthly e-newsletter that gives you industry news, case studies, and product tips you can use to enrich your software use. Here is what you’ll see in this month’s issue:

  • An improved improvement chart: Minding the straight and narrow
  • Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary—and last month’s winners!
  • Data in everyday life: Christmas trees

We’ll be sending the newsletter out tomorrow morning, so if you’re not a subscriber yet, subscribe now to receive your free copy.

We’ll be sending it out later today, so if you’re not a subscriber yet, subscribe now to receive your free copy.

Meet me in Orlando: PQ Systems at IHI 21st Annual National Forum

December 1, 2009

Mike Cleary

If you’re headed to Orlando, Florida next week (Monday, December 7th-Wednesday, December 9th) for the 21st Annual National Forum on Quality Improvement in Health Care, watch for me in the PQ Systems booth #801 in the exhibit area. I look forward to greeting you myself, showing you some of our newest products, and hearing about what you’re up to with your CQI efforts. I’ll also have demos of our process behavior charting software available.

Seeing familiar faces and making new friends in the quality world are highlights of the conference experience for me. See you there!

Upcoming articles in this month’s Quality eLine

November 10, 2009

Alison Nelson

We’ve just wrapped up the latest edition of Quality eLine, our monthly e-newsletter that gives you industry news, case studies, and product tips you can use to enrich your software use. Here is what you’ll see in this month’s issue:

  • Minding your g’s and t’s: Charting rare events effectively
  • Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary—and last month’s winners!
  • Data in everyday life: States that produce the most turkeys
  • Six Sigma and more: David Schwinn advises us to lighten up

We’ll be sending it out later today, so if you’re not a subscriber yet, subscribe now to receive your free copy.

Upcoming articles in this month’s Quality eLine

October 12, 2009

Alison Nelson

We’ve just wrapped up the latest edition of Quality eLine, our monthly e-newsletter that gives you industry news, case studies, and product tips you can use to enrich your software use. Here is what you’ll see in this month’s issue:

  • Little netbook takes on big job for auto supplier
  • Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary—and last month’s winners!
  • Data in everyday life: Which age group received the most flu shots last year?
  • Six Sigma and more: David Schwinn’s thoughts on Ted Kennedy’s death

We’ll be sending it out later today, so if you’re not a subscriber yet, subscribe now to receive your free copy.

Check out our new CHARTrunner ad

September 14, 2009

Alison Nelson

Check out our new CHARTrunner ad currently running on page 49 of this month’s issue of Quality Progress.

Thank you to those who served on our advisory panel as we designed this ad. Your input was greatly appreciated.

Meet me in Grapevine: PQ Systems at NAHQ 34th Annual Educational Conference

September 11, 2009

Mike Cleary

If you’re headed to Grapevine, Texas next week for the National Association for Healthcare Quality’s 34th Annual Educational Conference, watch for me in the PQ Systems booth #200 in the exhibit area. I look forward to greeting you myself, showing you some of our newest products, and hearing about what you’re up to with quality and process improvement. I’ll also have demos of our process behavior charting software available.

Seeing familiar faces and making new friends in the quality world are highlights of the conference experience for me. See you there!

Conference Link:

http://www.nahq.org/conference/

Upcoming articles in this month’s Quality eLine

September 8, 2009

Alison Nelson

We’ve just wrapped up the latest edition of Quality eLine, our monthly e-newsletter that gives you industry news, case studies, and product tips you can use to enrich your software use. Here is what you’ll see in this month’s issue:

  • Filling the learning void: ‘The more you learn, the more you earn’
  • Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary—and last month’s winners!
  • Data in everyday life: Most-visited national parks
  • Six Sigma and more: Pete Seeger at 90: His example still rings true

We’ll be sending it out later today, so if you’re not a subscriber yet, subscribe now to receive your free copy.

How many charts can you track?

August 21, 2009

Steve Daum

Most of our customers use charts as part of their work. Depending on their job, they may review charts every hour, day, week, or at some other interval. Creating and reviewing these charts is almost never a primary job. Instead, the charts are used as decision support tools; they support the primary job and help a user make better decisions.

Different types of charts have different usage patterns. For example, when looking at a chart of sales, the usage pattern is something like this:

  1. View the chart
  2. Ask this question: Are we on target, above target, or below target?
  3. Depending on the answer, take appropriate action to move towards the desired outcome.
  4. At some later date, repeat.

Statistical process control (SPC) charts have a similar usage pattern with a narrower focus. For example, you might chart the wait time between a customer posting an order and receiving an order acknowledgement.

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