The holiday season is over. You made it! You can take a breath. You are ready for the hustle and bustle of 2020. There will be new projects, challenges, and successes.

As a Master Black Belt I teach Lean Six Sigma courses and often provide definitions of common terms. One such term is “value” which I define as the ratio between quality and price (value = quality/price).

Good products don’t just happen. Quality depends on processes, and a process approach outlines the steps for success. Like so many elements of quality, it requires methodical attention to detail and planning. 

For several years we have been reading about the ominous skills gap. In some trades, we are teetering on the edge of the gap; in others, we have already picked up several bumps and bruises on the trip down to the bottom of the canyon.

Quality 4.0 is the latest initiative for companies looking to improve operational efficiency and product quality through digital technology. Transforming quality management is essential to address the major challenges posed by changing global markets and disruptive technologies, particularly in regulated industries.

“It may sound like an older version of the iPhone,” writes Dean Marsman in Quality, “but it’s actually a very simple and helpful system that can make the fundamentals of lean manufacturing even clearer to both business owners and employees.”

When we think of November we immediately think about Thanksgiving, deer hunting season, and Black Friday shopping. These observations are well-known and carry a rich tradition. 

My youngest child graduated college last May and just transitioned into his very own apartment. As I helped him move I reflected on when I first ventured out on my own many years ago.

A change management strategy provides direction and purpose for all change management activities.

The ASQ Inspection Division Conference brought quality professionals to Louisville this week to learn more about measurement in the digital age. Keynotes by Mahr and Google provided a closer look at today’s quality challenges.