Imagine this: A production line hums along smoothly. Operators clean and check equipment between cycles to spot problems before they snowball. No scrambling. No surprises. That’s what autonomous maintenance looks like.

Small to midsize manufacturers are facing mounting pressure from unpredictable supply chain disruptions.

In October 1989, my company hosted Total Improvement Process Week, one of the most productive experiences of my career.

It’s called “work” for a reason. Most days we’re able to “work” through it and find enjoyment in what we do. But occasionally we’re faced with a grind that saps our strength and threatens to derail us.

In this article I’m looking at the notion of organizational purposes in light of cybernetic constructivism. The ideas here are inspired by giants like Stafford Beer, Spencer Brown, Ralph Stacey, Werner Ulrich, Russell Ackoff, and Erik Hollnagel.

The plant manager’s day started perfectly. The production schedule was optimized, the teams were aligned, and the shift was running smoothly. Then, a critical pump on Line 3 failed.

Quality initiatives rarely fail because of bad tools. They fail because people don’t adopt them.

There’s a lot of talk about automation these days, not just in manufacturing circles but also the news in general.

Software selection, implementation, and ongoing maintenance are critical stages in the life cycle of biomedical software systems such as asset and calibration management platforms.

It’s hard to balance all the demands that are placed upon you as a leader. Many of us default to dysfunctional ways of spending our time and energy.