Instead of the internet of things (IoT), perhaps we should call it the “data of things” or the “internet of data?” IoT will generate a staggering 400 zettabytes (or 400 trillion gigabytes) of data a year by 2018, according to the 2016 Cisco Visual Networking Index.

Industry 4.0, also known as smart factory 4.0, is labeled as the fourth industrial revolution, yet many don’t understand it or how it will affect the things they do; quality management is no exception. The executives in your organization, however, are most certainly monitoring this paradigm-shifting strategy. Quality professionals should be as well to ensure they are part of their company’s Industry 4.0 dialogue.

In our March 16, 2018, episode of QDL, we looked at universal basic income, management status quo, ISO 10018, and how a community college is teaching cutting-edge metrology skills.

“Public Split on Basic Income for Workers Replaced by Robots”

Gallup asks Americans if they would support a universal basic income for workers who have lost their jobs due to technology.

What is the primary element required by an organization—or an individual—when they begin to seek improved outcomes? It’s not dedication, or desire, or knowledge, or even skill. Rather, it’s critically important to begin by getting clear, perfectly clear, about what you’re doing and why. Only then can a leader marshal the forces necessary to align the team’s vision and achieve its goals.

In our previous article, we discussed the mindset of athletic leaders, specifically their improbable combination of mental toughness and adaptability. Now let’s look at what they do.

This week’s episode of our show looked at the various ways in which quality organizations plan to ensure long-term success. Here are the stories we covered:

The evolving trends of automation are affecting quality management business processes for manufacturing organizations of all sizes. In this article, we’ll look at the business case for automation; consider the basic opportunities and challenges found at the start of a quality automation project; and share a brief case study.

Developing high-quality products is more important today than ever before. Market visibility to product quality has never been higher, and competitive pressures continue to squeeze margins and time to market. Manufacturers must consistently deliver better, faster, cheaper. It’s easy to deliver on any one of those adjectives, difficult to accomplish two, but a strategic, collaborative, and digitalized effort is required to consistently achieve all three.