Month: September 2009

Enhanced Stoplight Report Template Software

Organizations often describe their business performance using a table of numbers, stack bar charts, and/or pie charts. Red-yellow-green scorecards may also be used for an assessment of how well a function is performing relative to established goals. Traditional performance scorecards present historical information for some timeframe with no predictive statement. Business decisions made through the use of these charts are not unlike driving a car by only looking at its rear view mirror. What organizations need is a predictive metric reporting system. This futuristic assessment can then be utilized so that if expected future performance is not desirable, adjustments can be made. This is not unlike making an automobile driving adjustment using a steering wheel or brake/gas pedal, where this mechanical intervention is analogous to incorporating process improvement activities. The described Statistical Business Performance Charting (SBPC) methodology can, for example, reduce firefighting when the performance measurement system replaces organizational red-yellow-green scorecards, which often have no structured plan for making goal-setting improvement objectives. This article describes how organizations can benefit from a SBPC scorecard or dashboard system, which can guide them to the most appropriate performance-measurement system actions or non-actions in both manufacturing and transactional processes.

Statistical Transformations for Normality: NOT Transforming The Data Can Be Fatal To Your Analysis

There is debate whether, in statistical process control (SPC), a data transformation should be considered when constructing an individuals chart. This article shows, using real data, why an appropriate data transformation is very important to determine the best action or non-action to take in both manufacturing and transactional processes at any point in time. Described in this article is also an enhancement to traditional process control charting methodology. The described statistical business performance charting (SBPC) system can, for example, reduce firefighting when the approach replaces organizational goal-setting red-yellow-green scorecards, which often have no structured plan for making improvements. In addition, the methodology provides predictive performance statements. Donald Wheeler and Forrest have a difference of opinion about the need to transform data when a transformation makes physical sense. The reason for writing this article is to provide information on the reasoning for Forrest’s position. Hopefully this supplemental explanation will provide readers with enough insight so that they can make the best logical decision relative to considering data transformations or not.

Lean Six Sigma Black Belts are applying what they learn during the recession

This is a guest post by Becki Breyfogle. She talks with people to are interesting in Lean Six Sigma that contact Smarter Solutions and she has compiled these thoughts through these discussions. Florence Nightingale compiled mortality statistics from the British military hospitals and the battlefields. Her statistics efforts lead directly to improve hospital conditions and …

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Facebook: Another tool in the box for practitioners

Here at Smarter Solutions, we value providing each person with value-add, everyday tools to complete their jobs. From our vast array of technical resources via our online resource library to blogs to LinkedIn to Twitter and now we’re on Facebook. So, if you’re on Facebook, we invite you to become a fan: Smarter Solutions, Inc.

Creating Profitable-Green-Business Strategies

Many businesses adopt Green strategies as part of their business plan in an effort to be good stewards of the environment and their community. No one can argue that this is not a good thing to do. However, often these efforts can become a silo activity relative to other organizational initiatives, resulting in a significant negative impact to the corporate financials. Because of the economic implication, this approach for implementing Green could jeopardize future environmental-improvement efforts. VIEW NOW, and learn about an alternative business system approach to integrating Green strategies with other organizational strategies so that created environmental-enhancement efforts either improve or do not degrade the current financials. Described is a methodology for targeting Green efforts so that there is success, while maintaining or enhancing overall business benefits.

Cycle time distribution characteristics – Transform or not?

Forrest Breyfogle and Donald Wheeler have had an argument about transformations that is documented in a series of articles in the Quality Digest online magazine. They are quite interesting, in that each is passionate. The center of the disagreement is whether a transformation of lognormal distributions is a reasonable act. Don Wheeler indicates that it …

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Log Transformation: Non-Normal Data, To Transform Or Not To Transform

This article was written as an alternative approach to analyzing non-normal data to that which was presented by Dr. Don Wheeler in a previous Quality Digest newsletter. This article illustrates, from a high level, or 30,000-foot-level, when and how to apply transformations and present results to others so that the data analysis leads to the most appropriate action or nonaction. Statistical software makes the application of transformations simple.