Archive for March, 2007
Queueing, Disneyland, and FastPass
In a previous article, I discussed the Psychology of Queueing and my experience at Disneyland while on vacation with my family. In this post, I want to briefly talk about FastPass at Disneyland, in the context of Queueing.
In a previous article, I discussed the Psychology of Queueing and my experience at Disneyland while on vacation with my family. In this post, I want to briefly talk about FastPass at Disneyland, in the context of Queueing.
Explaining Variation
Most organizations collect and report on metrics that are not descriptive of their processes. Some of you may have noticed that most metrics that are reported are the “average” and some organization also use the “median”. Most people do not understand elementary statistics and their application to business. Here is the truth of the matter: Your customers do not feel the average — they feel the variation.
Most organizations collect and report on metrics that are not descriptive of their processes. Some of you may have noticed that most metrics that are reported are the “average” and some organization also use the “median”. Most people do not understand elementary statistics and their application to business. Here is the truth of the matter: Your customers do not feel the average — they feel the variation.
Psychology of Queueing & Disneyland
I went on vacation last week to Disneyland. We had a lot of fun. It was also a time to learn how organizations like Disneyland deal with queueing challenges, especially with systems under high stress and load. In this post, I want to cover the Psychology of Queueing and how Disneyland satisfies several of the positive properties.
I went on vacation last week to Disneyland. We had a lot of fun. It was also a time to learn how organizations like Disneyland deal with queueing challenges, especially with systems under high stress and load. In this post, I want to cover the Psychology of Queueing and how Disneyland satisfies several of the positive properties.
Unarticulated Customer Needs
I’d venture to say that most products and services are bloated with features that customers most likely don’t care for; I’ve been part of product development teams where the focus is on features, with an implicit goal to stuffing as many features as possible — in consumer packaged goods and in software. This is the wrong approach to developing memorable and sticky products.
I’d venture to say that most products and services are bloated with features that customers most likely don’t care for; I’ve been part of product development teams where the focus is on features, with an implicit goal to stuffing as many features as possible — in consumer packaged goods and in software. This is the wrong approach to developing memorable and sticky products.
Ford’s Contribution to Just-In-Time
The Just-in-Time (JIT) approach attempts to reduce costs and improve workflow by carefully scheduling material to arrive where needed at the proper time. Consequently, costs of inventories can be substantially reduced and the use of space can be conserved. In some cases this approach can contribute to an improved quality of the product.
The Just-in-Time (JIT) approach attempts to reduce costs and improve workflow by carefully scheduling material to arrive where needed at the proper time. Consequently, costs of inventories can be substantially reduced and the use of space can be conserved. In some cases this approach can contribute to an improved quality of the product.
Improving Patient Flow with Lean
Flinders Medical Centre — Australia — implemented Lean over 2.5 years ago and has seen substantial benefit in the way they provide care and the amount of people they are now able to serve. They report safer and more accessible care — the two goals they had made prior to their Lean implementation.
Flinders Medical Centre — Australia — implemented Lean over 2.5 years ago and has seen substantial benefit in the way they provide care and the amount of people they are now able to serve. They report safer and more accessible care — the two goals they had made prior to their Lean implementation.
The DMAIC Framework
Six Sigma is a business improvement methodology that was developed at Motorola to systematically reduce or eliminate defects and reduce variation. Six Sigma typically follows the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control framework (DMAIC). Six Sigma also has the Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify framework (DMADV), for product design, or redesigning an existing process.
Below is the DMAIC Framework:
Six Sigma is a business improvement methodology that was developed at Motorola to systematically reduce or eliminate defects and reduce variation. Six Sigma typically follows the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control framework (DMAIC). Six Sigma also has the Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify framework (DMADV), for product design, or redesigning an existing process.
Below is the DMAIC Framework:
Shmula on Vacation
My family and I have been in Disneyland all week (since March 18 until March 23). This has been a really fun break — I love spending time with my family. While on my vacation, I’ve made it a point to see how Queueing works in theme parks, such as Disneyland, where a system is placed under intense and prolonged stress.
My family and I have been in Disneyland all week (since March 18 until March 23). This has been a really fun break — I love spending time with my family. While on my vacation, I’ve made it a point to see how Queueing works in theme parks, such as Disneyland, where a system is placed under intense and prolonged stress.
Toyota-Style Management in Healthcare
The Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle implemented the Toyota Production System in its everyday healthcare operations. This article is fascinating and shows how a hospital — a rather large healthcare provider in the North West, was able to tranform the way they do business. This article was published in February 2006, American College of Physician Executives.
Here are the key items they implemented:
The Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle implemented the Toyota Production System in its everyday healthcare operations. This article is fascinating and shows how a hospital — a rather large healthcare provider in the North West, was able to tranform the way they do business. This article was published in February 2006, American College of Physician Executives.
Here are the key items they implemented:
Managing Constraints Under Peak Volumes
One of the key lessons in The Theory of Constraints is that the contraint or the bottleneck determines the throughput for the entire system. This means, then, that if we optimize and improve a non-bottleneck, then those efforts have zero impact on the overall throughput of the system. It is only when we improve and optimize the contraint that we will see improvement in the throughput of the entire system. Every system has a constraint — that is neither good nor bad — but just a fact of dynamic systems. The key is to identify and then manage. Once you’ve identified the constraints in your system, then the next step is to manage it.
One of the key lessons in The Theory of Constraints is that the contraint or the bottleneck determines the throughput for the entire system. This means, then, that if we optimize and improve a non-bottleneck, then those efforts have zero impact on the overall throughput of the system. It is only when we improve and optimize the contraint that we will see improvement in the throughput of the entire system. Every system has a constraint — that is neither good nor bad — but just a fact of dynamic systems. The key is to identify and then manage. Once you’ve identified the constraints in your system, then the next step is to manage it.
