This or That?

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Common Cause Variation• Poor training• Unclear SOPs (Standard Operating

Procedures)• Poor work conditions (e.g. lighting or

ventilation)• Improper workstation design• Phenomena constantly active within

the system• Variation predictable probabilistically

The outcomes of a perfectly balanced roulette wheel are a good example of common-cause variation. Common-cause variation is the noise within the system

Special Cause Variation

• Operator falls asleep• Power Surges• Broken tool• Traffic due to snow• New, unanticipated, emergent or

previously neglected phenomena within the system;

• Variation inherently unpredictable, even probabilistically;

Special-cause variation always arrives as a surprise. It is the signal within a system.

Common Cause or Special Cause?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cause_and_special_cause_(statistics)#Examples

Job Enrichment

• An operator is asked to participate in a quality circle to provide expertise

• Increasing the worker’s responsibilities and authority in work to be done.

Job Enlargement

• Added responsibilities of a insurance agent to make copies for the office each day

• Expands the variety of tasks performed by an employee

Enrichment or Enlargement?

Strategic Planning Considerations:

• Develop the long-range strategies of the organization.

• External customers’ needs and expectations

• Competitors’ capabilities• Business systems needed• Regulatory requirements• Risks that must be taken into

account• Organization’s basic goals and

objectives

Operational Planning Considerations:

• Develop day-to-day operating procedures that ensures the quality of individual products and services

• Resources needed to develop and create the product/service

• Materials and supplies required for creating the product/service

• Knowledge and skills required of employees

• Documentation (specifications, standards, etc.) required

• Process improvement methods to continuously improve the deliverables

Strategic Planning or Operational Planning?