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The
Newsletter of Lean Manufacturing Strategy
28 February 2007
www.strategosinc.com
The Psychology of Statistical Process Control
How SPC Affects people and
Why It Works In Any Environment
"If only those
operators would pay attention!" How many times have you heard
this? It seems like such a simple problem but it rarely gets fixed.
"Awareness" is a
very profound concept and a major concern for (among others)
Eastern philosophers and fighter pilots. It is also important for
manufacturing.
One effect of SPC is
increased awareness and focus
when operators collect and analyze their own data. It also enhances
teamwork, commitment and involvement. These
psychological effects translate into
enhanced quality, productivity and employee satisfaction.
Edwards Deming
was first to recognize SPC's psychological effects and he
leveraged them with his TQM philosophy.
Six Sigma does the same.
Contrary to many assumptions, SPC applies
to basic, manual, low-tech processes
such as manual assembly. Nor is
the SPC itself difficult or complex. I have personally taught the basics to
people who could not operate a 4-function calculator but went on to
prevent serious rework.
Our latest web page,
The Psychology of SPC,
presents a true story from my experience as a Plant
Manager. It illustrates how to harness the
power of the conscious and unconscious minds of your operators
for real business benefits. All this is a bit philosophical but also
very real. I hope you enjoy the tale.
Best Regards,
Quarterman
Lee
qlee@strategosinc.com
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2007 Strategos, Inc.
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