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In his December 2009 IE column, Kevin McManus says businesses should attempt a new approach at how they set business goals and how to achieve them. "Don't set goals that extend beyond the current process limits unless you are clear on how you are going to change the system to make this happen."
From the January 2010 issue of Industrial Engineer, quality management students learn how to evaluate the capabilities of competing manufacturing processes through candy variation.
In his November 2009 IE column, Kevin McManus reiterates how the dream of "zero defects" will more than likely never become a reality. But systems can still be designed to prevent major process defects such as lost customers, product recalls and fatalities from happening over an extended period of time.
In his October IE column, Kevin McManus pleads with readers to avoid making long-term mistakes in their careers by examining what path they really want to follow as well as determining whether the workplace has become a bore or if it preventing career advancement.
The economic downturn starting in 2008 hasn't stopped manufacturing companies from trying to break out of their box and into service processes, such as accounting and logistics. But is now a good time to try it?
It’s important to understand the differences between service and factory applications in order to optimize this win-win tool.
In his August IE column, Kevin McManus stresses the need to fend off the gradual skill erosion that comes from our modern technological conveniences.
Quality is often the antithesis of speed, according to Kevin McManus’ July IE column.
This paper demonstrates that animated simulation can be effectively integrated with DMAIC, a lean Six Sigma approach to study patient throughput problems.
The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority used Six Sigma to stabilize operations at one of its facilities.
Through the introduction of lean Six Sigma, Deaconess Hospital in Evansville, Ind., was able to reduce surgery cancellations and thereby increase capacity.
Kevin McManus advocates having a self-directed work force in his June IE column.
Companies have to learn to address mental fatigue as well as physical fatigue to improve performance, according to Kevin McManus in his May IE column.
This book by Forrest W. Breyfogle is a reference text for the tools used in Six Sigma projects intended for an audience of green belts and black belts who will be applying the techniques.
In his April IE column, Kevin McManus asserts that the definition of great service has disappeared.
Learn key success factors for integrating lean and Six Sigma into a health care setting in this free webinar.
Kevin McManus extols the virtues of human capital in his latest IE column
Understanding between health care clinicians and engineers is facilitated by presenting three improvement methods compared with patient safety.
The story of Mesa Products Inc.’s quest for excellence
Behavior-based safety approaches aren’t complicated, according to Kevin McManus’ latest IE column.
Statistics and hypothesis tests are perfect process aids.
In his January IE column, Kevin McManus pleads for caution when setting up competitive recognition systems in the workplace.
See how Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., implemented a comprehensive quality program in the August IE cover story.
Mikel Harry and Richard Schroeder helped pioneer Six Sigma while working at Motorola in the 1980s, and their book shows how Six Sigma is working at companies such as General Electric, Polaroid and Allied Signal.
This paper gives an overview of how to decrease variation for students and new quality practitioners.
This paper identifies the root causes of failure for a welding process at a manufacturing plant and proposes to use operational Six Sigma methodology to eliminate the problem.
This presentation compares and contrasts improvement methods using health care to show how to select the best engineering approach and tool.
A Texas hospital’s emergency department is the focus of a Six Sigma, lean process improvement and computer simulation study to use DMAIC to re-engineer its key processes.
This paper explains why project selection for Six Sigma performance improvement programs is important.
This paper documents the integration of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) principles into an existing phase gate process of a new product development group at an automotive part supplier.
This health care case study demonstrates the effectiveness of an integrated process improvement roadmap in improving quality, cost and speed in an emergency department.
Columbus Regional Hospital (CRH) in Ohio has been dedicated to the integration of lean sigma performance improvement into its normal business operations. This case study describes the hospital’s experience in the first two years of implementation and the initial results.
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