An Overlooked Improvement Opportunity in Retail Black Belts could use predictive analytics to transform the convenience store industry
Tue, 07/21/2015 - 13:52
Convenience stores are located on most street corners the world over. These small enterprises offer customers a wide variety of items and often have gas pumps outside as well. Considering how long convenience stores have been around and the… Have Data, Will Cure Data analytics for patient satisfaction and efficiency in healthcare
Tue, 06/16/2015 - 11:42
The dynamics of the healthcare environment are changing rapidly. Small primary care practices are confronting a host of regulatory, technological, and practice challenges, not the least of which is patient expectation and evaluation. The challenges… Profit Optimization Planning Make the most of your Black Belts
Thu, 03/19/2015 - 12:29
Regression equations, fitted lines, and sampling are familiar terms to people in the quality field. There are tools that we use (i.e., planning matrixes, tree diagrams, and flowcharts) to help our organizations optimize processes. These tools aren’… Leveraging Quality Tools Throughout the Organization Applying design of experiments to marketing
Thu, 01/15/2015 - 16:47
Design of experiments (DOE) is a term familiar to most quality professionals. Some use it on a regular basis and others try their best to avoid it. Most of those who employ this problem-solving tool have done so mainly on behalf of quality… Limit Your Way to Innovation Determine constraints to achieve competitive advantage
Thu, 11/20/2014 - 13:13
In today’s world, it’s almost expected that product or service innovation will yield competitive advantage. So how does one innovate? One approach is to hire genius employees and to combine the attributes of a number of tools (e.g., theory of… The Underlying Philosophy of TRIZ Been there, done that
Thu, 09/11/2014 - 10:36
An important concept within TRIZ is that someone, somewhere, has already solved your current problem. In other words, they have “been there, done that.” Or course, the problem has to be clearly stated, in a generic sense, to enable the recognition… Effective Problem Solving Calls for Adaptable Detective Work Finding the root cause vs. treating the symptom
Tue, 08/19/2014 - 16:40
Editor’s note: This article continues the series exploring structured innovation using the TRIZ methodology, a problem solving, analysis, and forecasting tool derived from studying patterns of invention found in global patent data.
The TRIZ… Radioactive Cleanup: A Job for TRIZ Solving the problem of soil contamination at Washington Hanford Closure
Mon, 07/07/2014 - 11:55
Editor’s note: This article continues the series exploring structured innovation using the TRIZ methodology, a problem solving, analysis, and forecasting tool derived from studying patterns of invention found in global patent data.
A special… Embrace Change Resistance is futile
Mon, 06/30/2014 - 10:51
By electing President Obama in 2008, the people of the United States opted for change. In the May 2014 elections in India, the people of India opted for change by nominating N. Modi for Prime Minister after a long run by the Congress Party. The… TRIZ for Identifying Wireless Power Transfer Solutions An example of TRIZ in real life
Wed, 05/07/2014 - 11:20
In late 2010 an R&D lab at one of the world’s largest microprocessor manufacturers was tasked with identifying solutions to improve the effectiveness of a wireless power transfer system. This article summarizes the thought process and methods…