Way of the Quality Warrior

The Way of the Quality Warrior podcast is about becoming powerful at the function of Quality—revealing the true current state and envisioning the desired future state. The underlying paradigms and contexts for practicing Quality and using quality tools are discussed. It is common for quality tools to be used with only the most superficial understanding of their purpose and the larger organizational aims and philosophies. Topics of the podcast range from what we fight as Quality Warriors to psychology to paradigms and assumptions encountered in work to talking about certain tools and their appropriate usage.

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WQW 014: Parallels of Addiction Treatment and Continuous Improvement

Parallels of Addiction Treatment and Continuous Improvement

The work of a Quality Warrior is much more than the Quality and Continuous Improvement tools like Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, Design of Experiments, process behavior charting, and problem solving, to list a few.

The Stages of Change model developed by James Prochaska, John Norcross, and Carlo DiClemente for the treatment of addictions provides a very useful guide for those of us in Quality and Continuous Improvement. We are attempting to guide change efforts constantly.

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WQW 013: Waste Is Not The Enemy

Waste Is Not The Enemy

In the Quality and Continuous Improvement world, it’s common to focus on waste reduction as the enemy to success. However, I don’t think that waste is the enemy of the Quality Warrior. Not that waste is good, but the obviousness of waste as a bad thing actually blinds those of us teaching and coaching continuous improvement to the genius of the Toyota Production System.

Looking at the role of waste as it affects profit, other ways to reduce cost and some of the consequences are discussed.

I reference plastic injection molding in the discussion. In case you are not familiar with the process, here’s a link to a good overview video on YouTube: engineerguy Plastic Injection Molding

All episodes and episode notes are at Way of the Quality Warrior website

You can also contact the host Keith Fong there or on LinkedIn Keith Fong on LinkedIn

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WQW 012: Quality Is Expectation

Quality Is Expectation

Quality as a feature or characteristic is fulfilling expectations. In this episode of Way of the Quality Warrior podcast, I share some of the lessons I learned about creating quality in providing services as a product design engineer at the beginning of my career. There is no magic, but there is a need for perceptiveness.

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WQW 011: Counting In Action

Counting In Action

In the previous episode, “Managers Can Count Better Than They Can Think,” that premise was presented. This episode adds some examples to develop that idea.

In a world where too many problems are described and explained more by opinion and emotion rather than by meaningful data and information, this episode provides a couple of examples of how to leverage managers need for numbers. Also, there are a couple of examples where using the wrong numbers or using numbers wrong is self-defeating.

There is a reference to Paul O’Neill, CEO of Alcoa from 1987 to 1999. The YouTube video where he talks about improving the financial book closing process in 1991 is . The comments specific to the financial book closing happen at 27:38 in the video. I highly recommend watching the entire video. O’Neill is one of the greatest corporate leaders ever.

All episodes are at Way of the Quality Warrior website . There are also downloadable copies of the annotated slide decks of presentations made by Keith Fong in the last couple of years. There is also a contact form if you’d like to get in touch.

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WQW 010: Managers can Count Better than They can Think

Managers can Count Better than They can Think

There’s a premise that I think can help Quality Warriors become more influential in their organization: Managers can count better than they can think.

Is this an attack on managers? No, it is not. It is a call for understanding and a challenge.

People who are not managers often don’t understand what challenges managers are facing. Their expectations of the managers can be unrealistic which undercuts their effectiveness and influence. This episode explores what managers are facing.

Of course, there are two sides to the issue. Many of the challenges managers face with their people are related to things that the managers are capable of controlling. That is also discussed.

Guy Kawasaki’s book “The Macintosh Way” is referenced in this episode. Guy has made a PDF version available for free at this link: TheMacintoshWay.pdf

Guy’s website is Guy Kawasaki

Edward R. Tufte’s book “Visual Explanations” is also referenced in this episode. His website is Edward Tufte website. The book’s webpage is Visual Explanations book. The specific chapter referenced in this episode was published as a booklet. It’s webpage is Visual and Statistical Thinking booklet

You can contact me via the website Way of the Quality Warrior or on LinkedIn Keith Fong

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WQW 009: JiuJitsu Style Quality

JiuJitsu Style Quality

The names of Six Sigma certifications were taken from martial arts. Green Belt and Black Belt sound sexy.

But there are other things in the martial arts that could be adopted to drive continuous improvement. In particular, the idea of the “yielding art” of Jiu Jitsu where the opponents’ energy is used to defeat them. This episode discusses applying that idea in several contexts when solving problems.

Paul O’Neill, CEO of Alcoa from 1981 to 1999 is referenced. After listening to this episode, check out these videos on YouTube. This is a leader who demonstrates how to use organizational energy to overcome obstacles and attain excellence.

Paul O’Neill explain why safety was his leadership focus

Paul O’Neill talking to Healthcare CEOs

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WQW 008: Is the Ishikawa Diagram a Bad Guy Sidekick to the 5 Whys?

Is the Ishikawa Diagram a Bad Guy Sidekick to the 5 Whys?

The Ishikawa or Fishbone Diagram is often coupled with the 5 Whys tool for root cause analysis. In the previous episode, I argued that the deficiencies of 5 Whys makes it an anti-quality tool. Does that mean that the Ishikawa Diagram is also a poor tool?

This episode talks about what the Ishikawa Diagram really is and better practices to leverage its use.

Ishikawa Diagram on Wikipedia

London Tube Map

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WQW 007: The Anti-Quality Tool: 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis

The Anti-Quality Tool: 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis

The 5 Whys Root Cause Analysis tool is very popular in continuous improvement and quality. The 5 Whys concept is very easy to understand and it’s easy to teach. However, that simplicity leads to problems that undermine the quality profession.

This episodes dives into the 5 Whys and the issues it creates. It ends with possible ways to improve the situation.

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WQW 006: The Violin Shaped Object and Quality

The Violin Shaped Object and Quality

If you are looking to purchase a violin through an online vendor, reading reviews will quickly introduce you to the VSO–the Violin Shaped Object. It looks like a violin, but it doesn’t produce the sounds you expect from a violin.

In Quality, we have plenty of our own examples of the VSO phenomena—where there is the promise of Quality tools and initiatives leading to improved performance and then the reality of little to no sustained improvements or benefits.

This podcast episode explores some of the possible explanations for why quality initiatives and tools are failing when they are implemented.

Here is a link to an music store’s description of a Violin Shaped Object: https://kennedyviolins.com/pages/what-is-a-vso

The famed pianist Keith Jarrett also comes up in the episode. Here’s a link to a fan website that has links to many, many resources about Keith Jarrett: Unofficial Keith Jarrett website

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WQW 005: Diet Fads and Quality Initiatives—Two of a Kind

Diet Fads and Quality Initiatives—Two of a Kind

Diet Fads and Quality Initiatives seem to share a number of traits. This episode discusses those traits and introduces an idea that may explain why so often diets and quality initiatives fail.

Go to the Way of the Quality Warrior podcast page for all episodes, extra information, and to contact the host Keith Fong: Way of the Quality Warrior

Referenced paper: Fothergill, E., Guo, J., Howard, L., Kerns, J.C., Knuth, N.D., Brychta, R., Chen, K.Y., Skarulis, M.C., Walter, M., Walter, P.J. and Hall, K.D. (2016), Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after “The Biggest Loser” competition. Obesity, 24: 1612-1619. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21538

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WQW 004: Problem Solving Bankruptcy—Gradually And Then Suddenly

Problem Solving Bankruptcy—Gradually And Then Suddenly

Big problems and crises happen suddenly after they have been developing gradually. This is a consequence of problem solving bankruptcy.

Problem solving bankruptcy is when attempts to solve a problem have been unsuccessful and the team is out of ideas and tools. Then come desperate acts using random ideas. It’s a bad place to be.

This episode of the Way of the Quality Warrior podcast defines problem solving bankruptcy, what are creditors and false friends as well as what are true friends to the problem solving Quality Warrior.

To enjoy other episodes, see additional resources, and/or contact the host Keith Fong, go to www.wayofthequalitywarrior.com

Link to video of presentation to ASQ1401 Greater El Paso Section on July 19, 2022: Problem Solving Bankruptcy presentation video

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WQW 003: Building the Quality Army

Building the Quality Army

In Episode 1, quality for products and services was defined as “Presence of desired features and the degree of excellence of those features.” How do we develop the capability of the team so that our company delivers the quality that makes us the first choice of our customers?

Key Points in this episode:

•Customers have choices and not just between you and competitors who sell the same things

•Customer expectations are constantly increasing

•Competitors can buy the same things as you

•If you have an advantage, it will be in your people’s performance

•Everyone has to know what is known

•Excellence has to be cultivated

•There’s no end to the quality journey

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WQW 002: Who’s the Quality Enemy?

Who’s the Quality Enemy?

A Quality Warrior is fighting against someone or something–who or what is the enemy?

There are a couple of reasons that an organization will launch quality and continuous improvement initiatives. One of those reasons drives most of the focus.

What looks like one enemy is actually several.

The Quality Warrior doesn’t just fight the enemy but also must build the army.

Way of the Quality Warrior podcast page

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WQW 001: Where to Start?

Where to Start?

In this inaugural episode of Way of the Quality Warrior, host Keith Fong introduces himself and then shares the origin story of the podcast which takes us directly to the question: How can we define Quality?

The organization you’d expect to offer an authoritative definition of Quality lets us down. While disappointing, we continue our journey. Listen to see where we end up.

The host is Keith Fong, a consultant, teacher, and coach with over 20 years of experience in quality and continuous improvement.
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WQW 000: Blazing the Path to Better

Blazing the Path to Better

Does making things better motivate you?

The tools and concepts of quality are powerful weapons for improvement, but they require understanding a wide range of topics for effective use.

This podcast “Way of the Quality Warrior” will explore those ideas and use lessons from actual situations to gain the understanding we seek as professionals in business, engineering, and manufacturing.

The host is Keith Fong, a consultant, teacher, and coach with over 20 years of experience in quality and continuous improvement.
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