Boeing's recent incidents have raised concerns about quality and safety. Some blame maintenance issues, not manufacturing. Regardless, it's a cautionary tale.
The beauty of a good anecdote is that it answers a question or provides a perspective in a much more engaging and memorable way, much like a fable or a fairy tale.
On March 9, NPR reported Boeing was unable to find any paperwork about the door plug and attributed a top Boeing official saying, “It was likely that such records never existed.” Roughly one day later, the Wall Street Journal reported the Justice Department had opened a criminal investigation.
In "Field of Dreams," a farmer builds a baseball field and attracts ghostly players, including his father's favorite. There's a widely circulated mistake about the film's message.
Quality is important in manufacturing as it can protect reputation and help in case of unexpected events. Quality can even help in clearing up the ambiguity of cheating versus gaining a competitive advantage.
There is an old saying: Garbage in, garbage out. It is a reference to the need for any creative, quality end product to start with quality, reproducible material.
While data mining can unearth a wealth of information, it takes discriminating analysis to make sure we are not just making connections, but the right connections.
Do you remember Curious George? If you do, picture him right now. Does he have a long tail? If you said yes, you might be shocked to hear that he had no tail at all.
