Archive for April, 2007
Chime-in Comes Before Buy-in
I just finished reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Patrick Lencioni presents the following model as the The Five Dysfunctions of a Team:
I just finished reading The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Patrick Lencioni presents the following model as the The Five Dysfunctions of a Team:
Amazon Alumni on Linkedin
This is an invitation to all former Amazon employees to join the Amazon Alumni Group on Linkedin. I moderate the group and we currently have 91 members that were former employees at Amazon. Some of the former Amazonians are now at Google, eBay, Facebook (5 at last count), Peerflix, Jobster, Microsoft, Last.fm, Yahoo!, TripAdvisor, and at many other high-flying, not-so-high-flying, and other interesting ventures. To join, please follow the instructions below.
This is an invitation to all former Amazon employees to join the Amazon Alumni Group on Linkedin. I moderate the group and we currently have 91 members that were former employees at Amazon. Some of the former Amazonians are now at Google, eBay, Facebook (5 at last count), Peerflix, Jobster, Microsoft, Last.fm, Yahoo!, TripAdvisor, and at many other high-flying, not-so-high-flying, and other interesting ventures. To join, please follow the instructions below.
Shmula Now at eBay
I resigned from my previous position with Ancestry.com; after considering 3 offers, I accepted a position with eBay. Our family will still be in Utah (eBay has a large office here), but I’ll most likely travel to other offices also. I’m very, very excited to be at eBay. From a high level, I’ll be leading the efforts to improve the customer experience by implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and Service Operations best practices. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and opportunity.
I resigned from my previous position with Ancestry.com; after considering 3 offers, I accepted a position with eBay. Our family will still be in Utah (eBay has a large office here), but I’ll most likely travel to other offices also. I’m very, very excited to be at eBay. From a high level, I’ll be leading the efforts to improve the customer experience by implementing Lean, Six Sigma, and Service Operations best practices. I’m really looking forward to the challenge and opportunity.
Quasi-Lean at a Call Center
I stumbledupon an interesting article on Lean implemented at a Call Center. Their implementation of Lean is pretty basic, but I think it’s a decent start. In addition to what they did, I would have taken the Lean Consumption and Lean Provision approach.
Specifically, this is what they implemented:
- Use visual workplace to expose production problems
I stumbledupon an interesting article on Lean implemented at a Call Center. Their implementation of Lean is pretty basic, but I think it’s a decent start. In addition to what they did, I would have taken the Lean Consumption and Lean Provision approach.
Specifically, this is what they implemented:
- Use visual workplace to expose production problems
Obeya & Communication Breakdown
I’ve written previously about team dynamics and team size. I’ve since modified my feelings regarding those previous claims.
Here is what I said previously:
- 2 people are smarter than one
- 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 people are smarter than 2
- a team larger than 9 people is just one big dumb blob
I’ve written previously about team dynamics and team size. I’ve since modified my feelings regarding those previous claims.
Here is what I said previously:
- 2 people are smarter than one
- 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 people are smarter than 2
- a team larger than 9 people is just one big dumb blob
On Queueing and Elevator Mirrors
I went to California earlier this week for business. I rode in an elevator and that experience reminded me of a simple, yet effective way to aleviate the negative feelings that accompany waiting, or the Psychology of Queueing — mirrors in an elevator.
There are a few key behavioral responses or reactions to queues, or waiting. Below are the propositions for the Psychology of Queueing:
I went to California earlier this week for business. I rode in an elevator and that experience reminded me of a simple, yet effective way to aleviate the negative feelings that accompany waiting, or the Psychology of Queueing — mirrors in an elevator.
There are a few key behavioral responses or reactions to queues, or waiting. Below are the propositions for the Psychology of Queueing:
Deming’s 14 Points and Home Building
While at the doctor’s office sometime back, I picked up a copy of a local Utah business magazine. In that magazine, there was an article that highlighted Magleby Home Construction as the recipient of the national home builder award of the year. The article included an interview in which Paul Magleby shared his thoughts on quality and credits Deming for the quality philosophy he has built into his company.
While at the doctor’s office sometime back, I picked up a copy of a local Utah business magazine. In that magazine, there was an article that highlighted Magleby Home Construction as the recipient of the national home builder award of the year. The article included an interview in which Paul Magleby shared his thoughts on quality and credits Deming for the quality philosophy he has built into his company.
“Ask ‘Why’ Five Times About Every Matter”
update:
Taiichi Ohno is known to have said that “having no problems is the biggest problem of all.” He viewed problems not as a negative but as a “Kaizen opportunity in disguise.” Whenever problems arose, he encouraged his staff to investigate the problem at the source and to as “ask ‘why’ five times about every matter (src).”
update:
Taiichi Ohno is known to have said that “having no problems is the biggest problem of all.” He viewed problems not as a negative but as a “Kaizen opportunity in disguise.” Whenever problems arose, he encouraged his staff to investigate the problem at the source and to as “ask ‘why’ five times about every matter (src).”
Kanban Types and Analytical Sizing
Unlike traditional "push" systems, where material is moved downstream according to a schedule, or simply "shoved" downstream even when the downstream partner is not ready for it, a "pull" system encourages and almost forces cooperation, from a systems perspective. "Push" also causes congestion, which grows exponentially as more items enter the queue. Aside from cooperation and coordination, a "pull" system also eliminates overproduction, underproduction, work-in-process, and inventory. One key element that encourages "pull" in a system is the Kanban.
Unlike traditional "push" systems, where material is moved downstream according to a schedule, or simply "shoved" downstream even when the downstream partner is not ready for it, a "pull" system encourages and almost forces cooperation, from a systems perspective. "Push" also causes congestion, which grows exponentially as more items enter the queue. Aside from cooperation and coordination, a "pull" system also eliminates overproduction, underproduction, work-in-process, and inventory. One key element that encourages "pull" in a system is the Kanban.
Complexity: Different Ways, Same Output, or is It?
There are outputs and the processes that produce those outputs. In a business, if there are many processes that produce the same output — that can be a silent killer for a business.
There are outputs and the processes that produce those outputs. In a business, if there are many processes that produce the same output — that can be a silent killer for a business.
