Reduce Customer Effort, Get More Business

Sound like a pretty easy thing to do? See what Eric Michrowski a globally recognized leader in combining Human Performance, Operational Excellence and Process Improvement to drive Business Transformations says about it: Related Podcast and Transcription Eric: A lot of the work that I’ve done in the past, particularly in the call-center space, is really Read More …

The Power of 3: QFD, Taguchi, TRIZ

Dr. John Terninko has integrated his diverse experience base (electrical engineering, operations research, organizational development, teaching, continuing education and management consultation) to develop a unique intervention style for organizations. He has been teaching and using TRIZ for 13 years. Consistent with his professional life of being on the cutting edge in QFD and Taguchi for Read More …

Can a Process Really drive Innovation?

Can a process really drive innovation? If we call Lean 3P a standard process, how would that accelerate, let’s say, a learning cycle? These are the questions that I asked Dan McDonnell discussed the co-authorof  the book, Unleashing the Power of 3P: The Key to Breakthrough Improvement. He answered the question below and many other Read More …

Out with Stage–Gates, In with Events

I ask Allan Coletta, author of The Lean 3P Advantage this question: You talk about the events, and that seems to be the key part of 3P that you do the work; you do the development, everything, then you get together for this event, instead of stage-gate or control-point. Do you all get together, and Read More …

Lean Learning Cycles

The concept of Learning Cycles is not just something for innovation. I think it is a mindset that is needed  to replace the traditional marketing funnel. We should be building learning experiences with our customers. Tim Schipper and Mark Swets give a brief introduction to Learning Cycles below. An expanded version is available in a Read More …

Should you have Stage-Gates or Knowledge Gates

In a past podcast with Ron Mascitelli, president of Technology Perspectives, we discussed exchanging the use of stage gates in design to what Ron and I both like to call Knowledge gates. I asked Ron, Do these happen at phase gates or control points of the process? Ron: Actually, in my perfect vision of the Read More …