Tag: spc

Management Books

• Quality Improvement Through Planned Experimentation: 2nd Edition by Thomas Nolan, Lloyd P. Provost, Ron Moen
  An excellent handbook on how to use experiments to learn about your organization and how to use that knowledge to improve your organization. The book integrates Dr. Deming's ideas and design of experiments thinking. Forward by W. Edwards Deming. 3rd edition is on the way.

• Short Run SPC: by Donald J. Wheeler
  

• Understanding Statistical Process Control: 2nd edition by Donald J. Wheeler, David S. Chambers
  Describes how to use count data effectively, the right way to assess process capability and the right and wrong ways of computing control chart limits. Provides information on flow charts and pareto charts.

• SPC at the Esquire Club: by Donald J. Wheeler, Kaz Koike
  A unique and interesting case study. Another example of how versatile Quality tools are. To us this is one of the best illustrations that the often heard "it can't work here" is most likely an inaccurate statement.

• Understanding Variation: The Key to Managing Chaos by Donald J. Wheeler
  An excellent guide to what you must understand about variation to effectively improve your organization.

• Improving Almost Anything: by George E. P. Box
  

• An Accidental Statistician: The Life and Memories of George E. P. Box by George E. P. Box
  From early childhood to a celebrated career in academia and industry, acclaimed statistician George E.P. Box offers personal insights and a first-hand account of his professional accomplishments in this insightful memoir. It features thoughts from more than a dozen researchers and practitioners on how Box shaped their careers; previously unpublished photos from Box’s personal collection; and Forewords written by two of Box’s closest colleagues and confidants. An Accidental Statistician is a charming, intimate account of a great intellect’s life that will appeal to math and engineering professionals.

Management Articles

• A Study of Statistical Process Control by Henry R. Neave
  

• Development of the Theory of Experimental Design by R.A. Fisher
  Proceedings of the International Statistical Conferences, 1947.

• Integrating Experimental Design and Statistical Control for Quality Improvement by Harriet Black Nembhard, Rene alverde-Ventura
  "As a result of a successful case study, we advance a methodology for combining design of experiments (DOE) and cumulative score (Cuscore) charts to control and monitor an industrial process subject to a feedback control scheme. We use DOE to screen out the most important variable from a larger set of variables."

• Managing Our Way to Economic Success: Two Untapped Resources by William G. Hunter
  "American organizations could compete much better at home and abroad if they would learn to tap the potential information inherent in all processes and the creativity inherent in all employees."

• Using Design of Experiments as a Process Road Map by Davis Balestracci
  "The current design of experiments (DOE) renaissance seems to favor factorial designs and/or orthogonal arrays as a panacea. In my 25 years as a statistician, my clients have always found much more value in obtaining a process "road map" by generating the inherent response surface in a situation."

• What Did Deming Really Say? by Davis Balestracci
  "People don’t need statistics; they need to know how to solve their problems. All that’s needed is a few simple tools and a working knowledge of variation to be able to distinguish between common and special causes. Only 1–2 percent of people need advanced statistical knowledge... 'Prediction is the problem, whether we are talking about applied science, research and development, engineering, or management in industry, education, or government,' [Deming] says. 'The question is, 'What do the data tell us? How do they help us to predict?'"

• An Interview with Donald Wheeler by Donald J. Wheeler
  "All profound ideas are timeless. While the details may change, the underlying principles remain the same. Deming’s fundamental ideas came, in part, from his association with Shewhart and his concept of an operational definition... For years I observed managers telling Deming all the good things that they were going to do and heard him respond with one of two questions: 'By what method?' or 'How will you know?' It is just that basic. Until you can answer these two questions, all you have is wishful thinking."

• Variation, So Meaningful Yet So Misunderstood by Lynda Finn
  "assuming an issue is the result of a special cause will send you on a hunt for the special cause. Walter Shewhart and Deming proved that special cause thinking will lead you astray most of the time. So, if in your company there is often a search for whom or what is to blame before questioning whether the problem is built into the current processes and systems, then you too are likely wasting time and misidentifying causes."

• Working with Rare Events by Donald J. Wheeler
  "Whenever the average count per time period drops below 1.00 you are working with rare events. ... When this happens you should shift from counting the events per time period and instead measure the area of opportunity between the rare events. Here you cease to get a value every time period, and instead get a value every time you have an event."

• Dr W. Edwards Deming’s System of Profound Knowledge
  "Improvement requires change. Change requires a plan. Such a plan is a prediction – if we follow this plan, we believe that certain benefits will accrue. Learning comes from observing the implementation, and modifying further iterations of the plan accordingly. Managers in an improving organisation will see themselves as experimenters and as leader of the learning cycle."

• An Accidental Statistician by George E. P. Box, R.A. Fisher
  "At one point I was having trouble with a statistical problem. A very senior scientist suggested that I contact R. A. Fisher, who asked me to come and see him. The Army did not know how to send a sergeant to see a professor, so they made a railway warrant that said I was taking a horse to Cambridge. It was a beautiful day. Fisher said "let's go and sit under that tree in the orchard, I'll look up the probits and you look up the reciprocals". The specific problem was soon solved and set me thinking about estimating data transformations."

• Why I dislike the name Six Sigma by Rafael Aguayo
  "Lack of management appreciation of the need for participation. Deming emphasized joy in work, teamwork and listening to your people. This seems to be totally lacking in Six Sigma. In fact major SS practitioners emphasize practices that will destroy teamwork, company cohesiveness and pride. ... Failure to appreciate the company as a system. Making improvements to one variable, such as material costs, can lead to higher labor costs. Lowering costs in one department can lead to higher costs overall for the company. These mistakes can be avoided if one understands the systemic nature of a company."

• Special Cause Signal Isn’t Proof A Special Cause Exists by John Hunter
  The control chart is a good way to keep us focused on common cause thinking for improvement. It is also very useful in flagging when it is time to immediately start using special cause thinking (since timing is key to effective special cause thinking)...

Management Web Sites and Resources

• W. Edwards Deming Institute by W. Edwards Deming
  Founded by W. Edwards Deming the institute carries forward his philosophy. The site includes information on the institutes annual conferences and offers newsletters online.

• Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement by George E. P. Box, William G. Hunter
  Founded in 1985 by George E.P. Box and the William Hunter at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. The technical report series is one of the best online management resources with reports authors including: George Box, W. Edwards Deming, Peter Scholtes, Kaoru Ishikawa, William Hunter, Gipsie Ranney and Brian Joiner.

• Statistics for Experimenters by George E. P. Box, J. Stuart Hunter, John Hunter, William G. Hunter
  Web site for the classic book on design of experiments. Includes a search engine for statistics sites for managers.

• PQ Systems
  Software and services provider related to SPC tools. The site includes a blog.

• Life and Legacy of William G. Hunter by John Hunter, William G. Hunter
  George Box, Stuart Hunter and Bill wrote what has become a classic text for experimenters in scientific and business circles, Statistics for Experimenters. Bill also was a leader in the emergence of the management improvement movement. George Box and Bill co-founded the Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Bill Hunter was also the founding chair of the ASQ statistics division.

• Curious Cat Management Improvement Connections by John Hunter
  The aim of Curious Cat Management Improvement Connections is to contribute to the successful adoption of management improvement to advance joy in work and joy in life. The site provides connections to resources on a wide variety of management topics to help managers improve the performance of their organization. The site was started in 1996 by John Hunter.

• Effective Innovation by Bill Kappele
  Blog by Bill Kappele on design of experiments and statistics.

• Stats Made Easy by Mark Anderson
  Blog on design of experiments and statistics by principal at Stat-Ease.

• The W. Edwards Deming Institute Blog by John Hunter