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March 2010

A Bracket is a Queue

by Pete Abilla on March 31, 2010

We’re accustomed to viewing queues as serial lines, or people waiting to be served.  But, not much thought is given to the shapes of queues. Well, a Bracket is a type of Queue. In general, a queue is a line of people or things waiting to be handled, sometimes in sequential order starting at the [...]

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Yvon Chouinard, Lean Thinking, 5 Whys

by Pete Abilla on March 31, 2010

Many years ago, I visited the Patagonia Distribution Center in Nevada.  It was convenient because I had been living in Nevada at the time while working for Amazon.  And, as part of my ongoing education in Lean and Operations in general, a group of us would visit plants and distribution centers across America.  That visit [...]

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Same Process, Different Context

by Pete Abilla on March 26, 2010

context in lean manufacturing

The other day, I spent some time with a group within fulfillment and distribution.  In speaking with a few of the members of that group, I realized that our process is roughly the same process for admitting patients in an emergency room.  Then, it dawned on me. Same Process, Different Context.  And, Context is Everything. [...]

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A Mindless Worker is a Happy Worker

by Pete Abilla on March 8, 2010

One thing I know from experience: when people are given a chance to participate in creating something good, solving a problem, and play a role in adding value through the use of their mind, hands, and heart, good things happen.  Indeed, morale increases and a type of magic takes place – a feeling joy can [...]

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How to Add Value

by Pete Abilla on March 7, 2010

how to add value in business

In Lean Thinking, we use the phrase “value-add” and then qualify that term as taken from the “customer’s perspective.” While that might be true, it’s not concrete enough and is actually difficult to understand. I am reminded of something my older brother taught me a long time ago.  He said simply (I’m paraphrasing): You will [...]

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Gretchen Rubin – Part II

by Pete Abilla on March 5, 2010

how to be happy, happiness experiment

Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, answers reader’s questions – your questions – on this multi-series post on her Happiness Project.  This post is Part II of her responses to reader’s questions. ~~~~~~~~~~ Comment by Brandon Klive on February 10, 2010 @ 2:42 pm Religion promises eternal life and joy, but I see [...]

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Gretchen Rubin – Part I

by Pete Abilla on March 4, 2010

how to find happiness

Gretchen Rubin, the author of The Happiness Project, answers reader’s questions – your questions – on this multi-series post on her Happiness Project. ~~~~~~~~~~ Comment by Porter on February 10, 2010 @ 12:59 pm Hi, Gretchen – There is a debate on whether humans are truly altruistic. What are your thoughts on altruism, and how [...]

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