Balance your Balanced Scorecard : Robin Lawton. A balanced scorecard is a management decision tool. usually intended to show the diverse areas of performance an organization most values and measures focusing on performance along a single dimension and helps management make good, fast decisions on what to celebrate or improve.
Server Performance by Heidi Brumbaugh
The Best Practice Company and Other Benchmarking myths by Dr. Edith A. Wiarda and Dr. Daniel D. Luria : Five lessons from real data.
Best Practices for Performance Support : A comprehensive feature, function, and benefit matrix that defines the requirements and solutions of a best practices performance support system from the perspectives of learners, training managers, content managers, change/compliance managers, IT managers and corporate executives.
Best Training Practices Within the Software Engineering Industry : Nancy Mead, Laurence Tobinand Suzanne Couturiaux. This report provides the results of a benchmarking study to identify the best training practices within the software engineering community, based on a survey of 24 organizations to create a broad picture of training as it currently exists in industry. This report summarizes the results of the survey and the in-depth study, and discusses the best practices and enablers that were identified.
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Business Process Reengineering (BPR)
Business Process Reengineering with Quality Function Deployment : process innovation for software development by Richard E. Zultner, Zultner & Company.
Case Studies In TRIZ :a re-useable, self-locking nut by Darrell Mann, Industrial Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath. This article looks at how TRIZ is used in the design of self-locking nut for safe wheel changes on Formula 1 racing cars, also taken account of the fact that a typical Formula 1 pit-stop may last less than 10 seconds - hence wheel removal and safe replacement must be achievable within this time-frame.
The Customer Interaction Model : a TQM cornerstone for Information Management byDavid O' Sullivan, William J. Egenton. Described as a synthesis of the Quality Function Deployment methodology and the information systems development process. The primary goal behind its development is to provide IS managers and engineers with a road map on how best to integrate the Quality Function Deployment methodology into the information systems development process using the IDEFO modelling technique.
Documentation for Performance Support
A discussion of how application documentation intrinsically effects
a system's usability and a new, interactive help technology that integrates
role-based, business-oriented how-to scenarios with system transactions
and user-modifiable help to create "inherent application performance
support."
Documentation
for Performance Support (16k)
Performance
Support in Process Industries (30k)
Theory of Inventive Problem solving (TRIZ) : The American Supplier Institute (ASI). A Russian acronym for the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving, or TIPS, the American acronym, a revolutionary new technology being introduced in the United States.
What is TRIZ? : TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving ) is the realization that contradictions can be methodically resolved through the application of innovative solutions. This is one of three premises upon which the theory is built: 1) the ideal design is a goal, 2) contradictions help solve problems, and 3) the innovative process can be structured systematically.
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Communicating design of experiments (DOE) to non-statisticians by Steve Schmidt, PhD. and Ken Case, PhD.
Design of Experiments by John S. Kim and James W. Kalb : An Overview and Application Example
DOE/Opt: A System for Design of Experiments, Response Surface Modeling, and Optimization using Process and Device Simulation by Duane S. Boning and P. K. Mozumder, Semiconductor Process and Design Center, Texas Instruments
DOE Breaks Traditional R&D Mold : An article cited from the R&D Magazine, April 1998. Reproduced with permission from Research & Development, c1998. Cahners Business Information.Design Of Experiments practices depart from the linear way of performing R & D by helping users examine multiple variables.,eg. by adopting the practice of N-Dimensional R & D
DOE Requires Careful Planning : An article cited from R & D Magazine, January 1998. Reproduced with permission from Research & Development, c1998. Reed Elsevier, PLC. This article discusses the four common mistakes that researchers make when using the Design of Experiments (DOE)approach.
Twenty Key Elements of a Product Realization Process by Donovan G. Evans, Hugh R. MacKenzie, and Christian Przirembel : Discussions on 20 key elements of a sound product realization process and tools of DOE. It includes a list of the 56 best practices of the product realization process including testing skills and design and manufacturing analysis.
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The Basic Environment Law by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan.
ISO 14001 and Sustainable Development by James E. Haklik, Transformation Strategies.
Summary Report on the implementation of ISO 14000 in Singapore by Chan York Hall, Ng Chee Keong, Ho Han Hong and Ong Huishan, Quality Assurance Engineering Department, Ngee Ann Polytechnic Singapore.
Pilot Test of ANSI draft standard N13.29 Environmental Disometry - Performance criteria for testing by Gladys Klemic, J. Shobe, S. Sengupta, P. Lamperti, C. Soares, P. Shebell, M. Monetti, F.Raccah : ANSI standard N13.29 describes performance tests for environmental radiation disometry providers. If approved, it would be the first step towards applying the types of performance testing now required in personnel disometry to environmental radiation monitoring.
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Automotive Value Stream Mapping : John Bicheno. Describes the progress in a $1.5m three-year research initiative, funded by the UK Government and British Steel, and undertaken by the Lean Enterprise Research Unit, Cardiff Business School. The research follows the multi-echelon manufacture of steel components from slab to delivery into the car assembly plant, and aims at improving flow and cutting waste. A set of mapping tools have been developed and their use in practice is described. The research methodology and initial findings are presented.
Plant Capabilities for Quick Response Manufacturing : David M. Upton, Harvard Business School: A working paper.
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Molecular Mechanics and Molecular Dynamics Analysis of Drexler-Merkle Gears and Neon Pump : T. Cagin, A. Jaramillo-Botero, G. Gao, and W. A. Goddard III. A paper on the developments of nanomachine designs presented at the Fifth Foresight Conference on Molecular Nanotechnology, with 3-D graphical images of the machines.
Nanofabrication of Unijunction Transistors based on Metallophthalocyanines : Gordon A. Parker and K.O. Park. In this thought experiment, the electrical conductivity modulation of unijunction transistors (UJT's) based on metallophthalocyanines, such as CuPc, PbPc, and Cu(PcF8)/NiPc, which are deposited onto P+ region of a n-type substrate is described. The three different kinds of unijunction transistor could be fabricated using a imprint nanolithography and a sublimed method along with a conventional microelectronic fabrication technique.
Nanoscale Etching and Indentation of Silicon (001) Surface with Carbon Nanotube Tips : Fedor N. Dzegilenko, Deepak Srivastava, and Subhash Saini. The possibility of nanoscale etching and indentation of Si{001}(2 X 1) surface by (8,0) and (10,10) carbon nanotube tips is demonstrated, for the first time, by classical molecular dynamics simulations employing Tersoff's many-body potential for a mixed C/Si/Ge system. In the nanotube tip barely touching the surface scenario atomistic etching is observed, where as in the nanoindentation scenario nanotube tip penetrates the surface without much hindrance. The results are explained in terms of the relative strength of C-C, C-Si, and Si-Si bonds.
Surface Spectroscopy of Nano and Subnano Structures : R. Bruch, N. Afanasyeva, P. Kano and D. Schneider, Department of Physics, University of Nevada.
Thin Semiconductor Layers Prepared from Langmuir-Blodgett Precursor : Victor Erokhin, Sergio Paddeu, Cristina Paternolli, Alberto Leotti and Claudio Nicolini. New ultrathin semiconductor materials were prepared by aggregation of nanoparticles, formed in Langmuir-Blodgett precursors. Morphology of the layers was studied by Brewster angle microscopy. Electrical conductivity of these layers was studied in the plane of the layer. It was found, that contacts play an important role in the conductivity of such ultrathin films of about 0.6 nm thickness. These nanomaterials appear quite competitive for their high resolution LB manufacturing with molecular beam epitaxy.
What is Nanotechnology? : Tim Harper.
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Case study of qualification of remote automated ultrasonic inspection of austenitic pipe weld : R V Booler, R C Owen, R K Chapman, Nuclear Electric Ltd United Kingdom. Describes a recent specific example of how Nuclear Electric UK has demonstrated the capability of a remote automated ultrasonic inspection on its Advanced Gas Cooled Reactor plant.
Laboratory Procedures for using Infrared Thermography to Validate Heat Transfer Models : Daniel Türler, Brent T. Griffith, and Dariush K. Arasteh, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Infrared (IR) imaging radiometers, which measure relative levels of thermal radiation energy, can be used for noninvasive surface temperature measurements of building thermal envelope components undergoing steady-state heat flow in laboratory thermal chambers. It also provides large contiguous sets of surface temperature data which are useful for validating the accuracy of complex computer models that predict heat flow through thermally insulated systems.IR measurements complement hot-box measurements of heat flow.
Validating Eddy Current array probes for inspecting steam generator tubes : S.P. Sullivan, V.S. Cecco, L.S. Obrutsky, J.R. Lakhan and A.H. Park, Nondestructive Testing Development Branch,Chalk River Laboratories Ontario, Canada. A CANDU nuclear reactor was shut down for over one year because steam generator (SG) tubes had failed with outer diameter stress corrosion cracking (ODSCC) in the U-bend section. This paper demonstrates new uses of eddy current array probes in the nuclear reactor system, which results in lower costs methods to validate inspection techniques and procedures. The method also led to better results and more realistic POD curve predictions realistic for new inspection technologies.
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Product Information Management by Richard W. Bourke, CPIM
Product Information Management: A Key Building Block - Product Life Cycle Definition by Richard W. Bourke, CPIM
What is Burn-in testing? by Electro World, Inc. (EWI), Florida USA
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Audit
quality: attributes, private safeguards and the role of regulation
: Benito Arrunada.
This article examines the private mechanisms used to safeguard quality
in auditing, with a view to defining rules capable of facilitating the
performance of market forces. An outline is given of a general theory
of private quality assurance in auditing, based on the use of quasi-rents
to self-enforce quality dimensions.
Fitter
Finance : the effects of ISO 9000 on Business Performance : LRQA
Survey Report.
A survey report done by Surrey University, measuring the effects of
ISO 9000 on the financial and sales performance of companies in the
mechanical engineering manufacturing sector.
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Quality Function Deployment (QFD)
QFD for small businesses : a shortcut through the maze of matrices : Glenn H. Mazur, Japan Business Consultants Ltd.
QFD : Past, Present and
Future : Yoji Akao
A paper presented at the International Symposium on QFD'97, Linkoping.
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QS 9000 Awareness Information : An overview on the standard and on auditing
Quality Magazine on Registration/Certification
Quality systems in the small or medium sized enterprise (SME) : guide to the adoption of the ISO 9001:2000 standard : This workbook has been written for Small or Medium Sized Enterprises [SMEs] who are either considering seeking initial registration to ISO 9001:2000 or who are already registered to, or are familiar with, the ISO 9000:1994 series of standards and intend to update to ISO 9001:2000. SMEs are generally described as those that employ less than 250 staff and have a turnover of less than £25M.
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Accurately Measuring Customer Service...a gauge of how well you are meeting your customers immediate needs : Jon Schreibfeder, Effective Inventory Management, Inc.
The
Service Difference : simple maths that will surprise you
Simple online mathematical calculations illustrating the importance
of service delivery.
Service Quality Articles : International Management Technologies, Inc.
When caring is not enough: the service provider's evolving strategic role : Organizations are waking up to the fact that a customer who is merely satisfied doesn`t generate the big payoffs they`re looking for. Creating the types of customer experiences that produce such payoffs may require changes, challenge challenges mostly will fall to the customer service professional. In 1998 and 1999, AchieveGlobal conducted a series of field research efforts. More than 2,100 individual customer service moments were collected, crafted five strategies into the SERVE model.
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Integrating QFD with object-oriented software design methodologies : Walter M. Lamia, Software Engineering Institute. Carnegie Mellon University.
Software Process Improvement in the NASA Software Engineering Laboratory : Frank McGarry, Rose Perjeski, Gerald Page, Sharon Wallgora, Victor Basilli and Marvin Zelkowitz. This report describes the work Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL), the first winner of the IEEE Computer Society Software Process Achievement Award.The concepts of process improvements within SEL focuses on the continual understanding of both product and process, as well as goal-driven experimentation and analysis of process change within a production environment.
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Statistical Quality and Process Control
Learn more about Six Sigma
A series of articles by Thomas Pyzdek, on six sigma.
MINITAB white Papers : This site is to provide you with information and materials that will be useful to the knowledge and understanding of the use of MINITAB in statistics. The papers in this section were written by researchers, professors, and MINITAB experts from various fields of science.
Struggling
with Independence : Paul A. Keller.
A look at the independence assumption and its effect on SPC charting.
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Total Quality Management (TQM)
Compliance
through knowledge transfer : the case for active learner
Intended to help process/manufacturing companies understand the prominent
issues of Process Safety Management (PSM), Total Quality Management
(TQM) and Environmental compliance, and to provide familiarity with
the requirements and components of a good solution.
The premises and findings of this report are based on many well-known
process/manufacturing organizations that have been forerunners in PSM/TQM
compliance efforts.
Do not let TQM Drain You Dry Without Any ROI : Stephen R. Schmidt and Mark J. Kiemele, Air Academy Associates, and Tom F. Cheek Jr., Texas Instruments Defense Electronics Systems
European Foundation of Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model : an overview [Word Document]
How does the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) compare with the Deming Prize? : Kathryn Daut, US Army Tank-automotive Armaments Command Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (TACOM-ARDEC) : Provides an in-depth comparative discussion of the two major quality awards, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and the Deming Prize.
HR Service Quality Survey Results : In October 1999, the HR Director of NOAA informed managers that Human Resources was interested in improving its services. It is part of HR's Objectives to improve the Customer Perspective. Presents the results from this survey exercise.
Performance Excellence, and Total Quality Management Case Studies by Donald Clark.
Quality in higher education : lessons learned from the Baldrige award, Deming prize, and ISO 9000 registration : Mahyar Izadi, Ali E. Kashef, and Ronald W. Stadt, taken from the Journal of Industrial Teacher Education , Vol. 33, No.2, Winter 1996
TQM And Organizational Change And Development : Thomas Packard, D.S.W., from Total Quality Management in the Social Services: Theory and Practice by Burton Gummer and Philip McCallion (Eds.) Albany, NY: Rockefeller College Press, (1995)
Why Strategic Plans Fail : Pete Babich, Total Quality Engineering, Inc. : Discussed classical strategic planning techniques and explore some of the reasons why plans are not used to guide the business. Also presents alternative techniques that can improve the business planning process. The concepts of effective mission statements and visions will be reviewed. The distinction between "business intent" and long range plans will also be addressed. The intent of this paper is to share tools that will help make the strategic plan an integral part of business management; not just a once a year exercise for senior management.
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