Dennis Arter: Different communication tools for different jobs.
- Rapid alerts can be done by Linked-In status updates and Twitter postings. They are very short and generally timely. Value lasts for minutes to days, but seldom longer. Recipients must be following the person generating these alerts, so the market determines the value of this information.
- Rapid alerts can also be accomplished through e-mail messages. The information is pushed to the recipient, whether they want it or not. The information is often lost in the flood of e-mail messages, unless the recipient employs filtering techniques (something most people do not practice or even know about).
- Detailed information can be distributed by e-mail (see above), wiki sites, SharePoint, blogs, and discussion platforms. Except for e-mail, which easily gets lost, all these methods promote longevity of the information. Some recipients use RSS feeds (look it up on Wikipedia) to keep themselves aware of information being sent "out there." Some of these platforms also allow for e-mail feeds of newly-posted information.
- Policy, strategy, and process information is often captured and disseminated by web sites. The information is static and has long-term value. These sites are generally hard to maintain, but they are easy to search, classify, and index (by Google, Bing, and other services). This is generally the best method to upload and download specific files, containing forms, templates, presentations, newsletters, and even eBooks. Attention needs to be paid to 1)cultural norms, 2)different operating systems, 3)file size, and 4)installed user applications. Not everyone around the world uses Microsoft.
Daniel Zrymiak: Update to Steering Committee and ASQ Board.
ASQ EVM21 Committee “Draft” 10.21.11
Committee Name: EVM21 Rapid Knowledge Transfer
Committee Member: Daniel Zrymiak; 604-575-3269; dzss@shaw.ca; daniel.zrymiak@accenture.com
Mission Statement:
The mission of this EVM21 Sub-Committee is to assess the use of technology by ASQ members, and evaluate the feasibility of different options and alternatives for ASQ to provide these solutions to members.
Goals & Objectives:
· Capture an initial baseline of common technology options currently available to ASQ members and the quality community at large.
· Engage ASQ members and elicit their expectations and perspectives on technology solutions ASQ should adopt and consider delivering, or continue to provide.
· Explore if there are technologies that ASQ could and should be using to facilitate delivery to our mission.
· Research and derive recommendations on whether ASQ should deliver technology solutions that quality professionals can apply and use as individual practitioners, or to support professional efforts at the section, division, or society levels.
· Define a management model to prioritize and support technology decisions now and in the future.
Plan:
a. Gain agreement on the teaser statement and distribute it to the community.
b. Through information, mobile device and Web technology and tool development, work with divisions and sections to rapidly develop and deploy Quality knowledge sharing and transfer innovations and implementations by December 31, 2011. Through this collaboration of technology experts and the ASQ communities, the understanding and use of Quality tools will grow, and divisions and sections can be revitalized as Quality innovation and application labs.
c. Follow up with the content to prepare recommendations and actions to support the adoption of a cohesive technology strategy for ASQ Members.
Deliverables:
· Created an interactive Wiki site (thanks to Dennis Arter) to capture content, suggestions and collaborative contributions. http://auditguy.net/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/ASQ/Knowledge
· Here are some tech platform suggestions and their sources:
· document sharing in the cloud, both public and private. Upload, download, and edit from around the world. (Like Google Docs) Submitted by Bart Chase, Internet Liaison for Reliability Division, to Dennis Arter on Oct 11. (Bart and I both agree that the current SharePoint platform is too cumbersome and MS centric, requiring MS applications and ActiveX.) (CS Division is already using individual member Google Docs accounts for doc sharing.)
· wiki collaboration platform, like this one but on an ASQ server. Submitted by Dennis Arter because it looks cheesy to use his server. Software is open source. Oct 12.
Here are some software applications suggestions and their sources:
· WCQI events smartphone/tablet application, so participants can decide what speeches to attend while on site. Submitted by Dennis Arter, Tech Pgm Committee, to Dennis Arter on Oct 8.
· Confirm and distribute a “teaser” statement to engage participation and elicit suggestions from a broader potential user community.
· What tech services might Divisions and Sections use to meet member needs? Examples might be mobile versions of web sites, blogging software, or wikis. What software might help members in their day jobs? Example might be a corrective action tracking app.
· Provide insights and engage the membership through the use of internet communication (i.e. social networking on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc.) that promote ASQ as a resource and first contact point for quality-related technology details.
· Provide a forum for information exchange that identifies the different technology options available for selection or consideration.
· To create and make available a repository of success stories demonstrating the productive and value-added application of technology solutions by individuals, sections, divisions, or society initiatives:
· The Committee would be tasked to continue the work of cultivating a “Technology Pipeline” to investigate and confirm the objective technology demands of ASQ Members in order to research, report, and display options for software and applications provided to ASQ Members.
· The Committee would be tasked to update and enhance the management model governing product selection.
· The Kano Model emphasizing Threshold, Performance, and Excitement characteristics would be applicable to make evaluations and prioritizations.
· Technology Demand (as measured by Interaction and Benefit) is a function of the Memberships’ Capability, Capacity, and Desire to use the solution.
· An initial baseline of technology solutions is provided below:
Summaries of different tools and applications.
· LinkedIn: This social networking resource is free to use, with paid subscription for premium features. It provides the ability for individuals to designate themselves by skill set, interest, and experience. Groups and affiliations can be supported with announcements and discussions. ASQ actively uses linkedin to promote events and member incentives.
· Facebook: This social networking resource is free to use, with access to free or paid applications and resources. Different levels of privacy can be established and multiple profiles can be created to distinguish work communities from personal or gaming profiles. Connections are less formal and can be intimate with instant messaging or email, or infinite with broadcasts and links.
· Twitter: This communication site allows people to send and receive brief updates and participants can follow personalities or groups of interest. The "twitter-speak" also allows for "tweets" with common subject material to be connected and aggregated.
· Gmail: This communication resource is quite versatile and can support individuals or groups. In addition to the email component, the ample storage space provides users with a cost-free File Transfer site to store and transfer attachments. The Gmail Chat feature is interesting as it provides North American users with a cost-free telephone application which allows users to make long distance phone calls from their computer. Gmail content can be easily searched and retrieved through "the cloud", reducing personal hardware requirements.
· Skype: This communications resource is rapidly being embedded into other applications to extend the existing computer capabilities to include international telephone and messaging services. Conference calls with multiple participants can be established and files can be transferred across to participants.
· WebEx - MeetingPlace - Office Communicator: These resources support web conferencing to enable presentations, assignment of speakers, file sharing, messaging, annotation and note taking, and other interactive elements of a successful meeting or educational workshop conducted over the internet.
· Ning: This discussion board resource facilitates interaction and builds upon content with anecdotal experiences and feedback. Comments provide a forum for multiple people to offer insights and opinions.
· Blogger: This weblog resource involves members by providing them with the opportunity to upload content and images to broadcast or provide updates in a particular area.
· Wimba - VoiceThread - PowWowNow: These audio and video resources can also be used to have internet-driven communications and interactions for live sessions. VoiceThread to be a very powerful visual presentation tool, especially in education context. I have been using it and it works wonders in having students prepare and present their comments in an audio or video or text format. In the free version, the time or text is limited to a few seconds or minutes. Subscriber options are available for longer tets or messages.
· The providers of Software in the 2011 Quality Resource Guide include the following (ASQ is notably absent in this category):
o BSI Group: http://www.bsi-entropy.com:(approve sites) Management systems software for quality, environmental, governance and compliance, supply chain
o CEBOS Ltd.: www.cebos.com: Quality management, compliance, and business process management software
o Creative Healthcare: www.creative-healthcare.com: Six Sigma and Lean Project deployment for healthcare
o CyberMetrics Corp.: www.cybermetrics.com: Software solutions for calibration and quality management
o DataNet Quality Systems: www.winspc.com: Real-time quality control software
o EtQ Inc.: www.etq.com: Quality system software including CAR/PAR, Audits, Document Control, Risks
o Hertzler Systems Inc.: www.hertzler.com: (no description provided)
o Horizons International: www.hzs.com: Data collection for nonconformance, root cause, corrective actions.
o IBS America: www.ibs-us.com: Compliance and quality management software
o InfinityQS: www.infinityqs.com: Realtime SPC quality control software
o Intelex Technologies: www.intelex.com: Software for quality, environmental, health and safety, business performance.
o Lean & Mean Business Systems: www.theleanmachine.com: Quality and material management software
o Minitab Inc.: www.minitab.com: Statistical software for Six Sigma and quality improvement.
o Pilgrim Software Inc.: www.pilgrimsoftware.com: Enterprise Risk, Compliance, Quality Management software
o PQ Systems Inc.: www.pqsystems.com: Quality control software for charts, gages, SPC.
o Predisys Inc.: www.predisys.com: SPC and Quality Data Analytics software.
o QI Macros Inc.: www.qimacros.com: (no description provided)
o Quality America Inc: www.qualityamerica.com: (no description provided)
o Qualtrax Inc.: www.qualtrax.com: (no description provided)
o SoftExpert Software S.A.: www.softexpert.com: (no description provided)
o StatPoint Technologies Inc.: www.statgraphics.com: Data analytics software
o StatSoft Inc.: www.statsoft.com: Data analytics software
Analysis:
1. Completed.
Results: Member feedback indicates a positive reception to applications, but a lack of desire to pay extra for apps or solutions. Any technology solutions should be included within the cost of ASQ Membership.
Daniel Zrymiak, ASQ-EVM21 Rapid Knowledge Transfer Committee - Phone:604-575-3269 Email dzss@shaw.ca; daniel.zrymiak@accenture.com
Daniel Zrymiak: Different considerations for Cost Recovery (how we intend to pay for our software and applications).
- Who willpay?: This would involve the users (i.e. knowledge recipients, knowledge providers, senders, recipients, etc.) which could include members, member-leaders, presenters, instructors, conference leaders, committees, forums, sections, divisions, society executives/administrators, affliates, and sponsors.
- No charge to sender or recipient: If the solution is truly open-source, there should be no additional cost for the installation and usage of the software or application.
- Time and Materials: This category ensures payback on a per-use basis to recover the costs incrementally.
- Fixed Cost - Distinct: This would involve a common charge that is known and distinct, and would permit use of particular features and functions. This could also be a premium option to an open-source application or software.
- Fixed Cost - Embedded: This technology charge would be incorporated into the overall budget for the course tuition, membership charges, or other general cost outlay. Cost recovery would be provided from the gross revenues of the entity supporting the technology.
- Volume Discount: This would be a combination of fixed and time/materials charges spread over a critical mass. ASQ or its sub-components (divisions, sections, courses, conferences, etc.) would negotiate the discounts and regulate the user communities.
- Sponsored: This category would have the costs absorbed by the provider of the software or application, or by a third party interested in promotion and access to the user community, assisting in cost recovery. A blog emphasizing Quality Management linked to Google AdWords could draw enough internet traffic to be not only cost recoverable but an additional revenue channel.
Daniel Zrymiak: Different purposes requiring communication tools.
- Member to/from Member: This would emulate the social peer interactions among members.
- Instructor to/from Member: This would emulate the specific course instructions, primarily for preparation for certifications or professional initiatives (ISO audits - anyone know a good instructor for quality audit courses??? :) ).
- Presenter to/from Member: This would emulate the programs and conferences where subject matter experts would deliver their content and wisdom, and provide the ability for attendees to submit questions and feedback.
- Member-Leader to/from Member: This would emulate the ongoing communication of announcements, committee work, research projects, planning, and volunteer coordination.
- Member-Leader to/from Section, Division or Society: This would address more of the ASQ planning and administrative obligations to reflect the meeting experience without the time and travel commitment.
- Member to/from Community: This would emulate the larger networking and affiliation to enable the individual ASQ member to gain the impression that they are part of something larger and grander, and to help establish their own identity and "tribe" within ASQ.
Daniel Zrymiak: Different levels of ASQ engagement determining tool and application support. Basede on these different engagement levels, specific recommendations can be made to ASQ Leadership.
- 0 - Disassociate/ Out of Scope: This category would reflect the software and applications that are outside of ASQ scope and would potentially bring confusion or controversy. Examples would be dating or relationship sites, blatant political or religious activity, or unsecured business ventures (i.e. international ponzi schemes).
- 1 - Status Quo: This category would essentially be the "no opinion" option where ASQ does not endorse products nor caution users, but leaves them to their own best preference. An example would be the choice of Web Browsers (i.e. Chrome, Explorer, Firefox, Safari, Opera), which really do not affect the overall content or message form ASQ.
- 2 - Passive Recommendation: In this category, ASQ is in the role of suggesting alternatives to manual processes or cumbersome methods. An example is the technology used to host a formal conference call over the web. Without making formal evaluations, ASQ can mention that Skype or Google Gmail provides users with the ability to conduct such calls without charge, while avoiding an explicit endorsement or directive.
- 3 - Active Endorsement: In this category, ASQ would qualify and approve vendors and programs based on particular criteria. This would be an extension of the existing practice to qualify and select automated software testing solutions and corrective/preventive action (CAPA) systems. One motive would be to convine enough people to create a critical mass using the same standard application or software, particularly those from companies who are significant sponsors of ASQ (i.e. Minitab, BSI Entropy).
- 4 - Collaborative Partnership: This could be a branded version or user-configured version of a common software or application. An example could be a series of SurveyMonkey, Sharepoint or OASIS document management solutions with ASQ images and content, using third party technology.
- 5 - Complete Development: For this category, ASQ personnel drive the development, release, and maintenance of the technical initiative. An example could be the development of a Facebook-compatible social networking game themed on Quality Management (imagine an alternative to Farmville, CafeWorld, or Mafia Wars where the players could collaborate with their networks to learn and simulate a quality initiative).
Such a grading system could make it easier to provide usable categories for our recommendations, and prioritize the funding requests to emphasize those applications ranked with a 4 or 5.
Daniel Zrymiak: Different levels of user engagement determining tool selection.
- Total Engagement: This reflects the faciliators of the event who must have superuser or administrator rights to permit the inclusion or exclusion of other participants, and enforce the rules of conduct. This is beyond the presenter to be the arbiter and adjudicator of any policies or decisions for the application or forum.
- Active Participation: This category would reflect events and participants that need to share and update content, intellectual assets (i.e. graphs, spreadsheets, designs, project plans, etc.), and would have action items arising from the event. Active participation requires versatility and flexibility of features.
- Attentive Observation: This would reflect the engagementof a student or conference participant who may not have a speaking role or obligation within the event but has a strong interest in the material.
- Passive Inclusion: This covers the majority of events where people join a conference call or webinar while concurrently performing other activities like checking email, planning other activities, or conducting separate conversations.
- Minimal Monitoring and Alerts: Participants at this level have the event in the background and if something pertinent is discussed, an alert is triggered to engage their participation. An example would be for a Division executive meeting covering activities within regions, the trigger would be for Region 4 (Canada) to be mentioned by the faciliator.
- Post-Event Reviewer: This level of engagement has no participation during the event or session, but reviews the summaries and highlights after the fact. This would be characterized by someone who reviews meeting minutes or skips the show but reads the "spoilers" on the internet pages.
Daniel Zrymiak: Summaries of different tools and applications.
- LinkedIn: This social networking resource is free to use, with paid subscription for premium features. It provides the ability for individuals to designate themselves by skill set, interest, and experience. Groups and affiliations can be supported with announcements and discussions. ASQ actively uses linkedin to promote events and member incentives.
- Facebook: This social networking resource is free to use, with access to free or paid applications and resources. Different levels of privacy can be established and multiple profiles can be created to distinguish work communities from personal or gaming profiles. Connections are less formal and can be intimate with instant messaging or email, or infinite with broadcasts and links.
- Twitter: This communication site allows people to send and receive brief updates and participants can follow personalities or groups of interest. The "twitter-speak" also allows for "tweets" with common subject material to be connected and aggregated.
- Gmail: This communication resource is quite versatile and can support individuals or groups. In addition to the email component, the ample storage space provides users with a cost-free File Transfer site to store and transfer attachments. The Gmail Chat feature is interesting as it provides North American users with a cost-free telephone application which allows users to make long distance phone calls from their computer. Gmail content can be easily searched and retrieved through "the cloud", reducing personal hardware requirements.
- Skype: This communications resource is rapidly being embedded into other applications to extend the existing computer capabilities to include international telephone and messaging services. Conference calls with multiple participants can be established and files can be transferred across to participants.
- WebEx - MeetingPlace - Office Communicator: These resources support web conferencing to enable presentations, assignment of speakers, file sharing, messaging, annotation and note taking, and other interactive elements of a successful meeting or educational workshop conducted over the internet.
- Ning: This discussion board resource facilitates interaction and builds upon content with anecdotal experiences and feedback. Comments provide a forum for multiple people to offer insights and opinions.
- Blogger: This weblog resource involves members by providing them with the opportunity to upload content and images to broadcast or provide updates in a particular area.
- Wimba - VoiceThread - PowWowNow: These audio and video resources can also be used to have internet-driven communications and interactions for live sessions.
Kam Gupta comments: I find VoiceThread to be a very powerful visual presentation tool, especially in education context. I have been using it and it works wonders in having students prepare and present their comments in an audio or video or text format. In the free version, the time or text is limited to a few seconds or minutes. Subscriber options are available for longer texts or messages.
Laurel Nelson-Rowe suggests:
Through information, mobile device and Web technology and tool development, work with divisions and sections to rapidly develop and deploy Quality knowledge sharing and transfer innovations and implementations by December 31, 2011. Through this collaboration of technology experts and the ASQ communities, the understanding and use of Quality tools will grow, and divisions and sections can be revitalized as Quality innovation and application labs.
Daniel Zrymiak suggests
Problem 1: Quality knowledge is not adequately shared among ASQ members.
- Remedy 1.1: Provide ASQ members with convenient and usable means to request and search for knowledge and subject matter expertise.
- Remedy 1.2: Provide ASQ resources with ample and robust forums to provide this knowledge in palatable and versatile formats.
Problem 2: The understanding and use of Quality tools has stagnated.
- Remedy 2.1: Define the current scope and knowledge of Quality Tools to reflect innovative practices.
- Remedy 2.2: Demonstrate the value of applying Quality tools with examples and positive testimonials.
Problem 3: ASQ Divisions and Sections are stagnant and not viewed as sources of Quality innovation and application labs.
- Remedy 3.1: Hone and refine the messages from the respective ASQ Divisions and Sections on the value provided by these entities.
- Remedy 3.2: Publicize and reinforce the value across multiple channels.
Problem 4: ASQ has not effectively leveraged the full capabilities of available information, mobile devices, web technologies, and tool development.
- Remedy 4.1: Convene an Innovation Panel to monitor and recommend current practices for technology.
- Remedy 4.2: Reinforce the lessons of continual improvement and cost of quality to incorporate innovations seamlessly into regular activities.
Dennis Arter suggests:
Members want Apps, so we need to get some smartphone and tablet ASQ applications out there and fast!
