Re: Accountability

[PHILHOOVER@aol.com]

Ben Royal wrote, "I would appreciate your comments on this matter of 
organizing for accountability. Are there perhaps articles and books I could 
turn to?"

This response is not a recommendation of articles and books you could turn 
to, but simple a short summary of my experience with inspection and 
accountability.

In 1982 - 1985, when I was the Commanding Officer at the Naval Aviation Depot 
at North Island, CA, we initiated the "Artesian Certification Program."  In 
short, our Journeyman workers were trained on a process, checked for their 
skills, and then given their own personal Quality Assurance (QA) stamp.  Once 
certified, the Journeyman could perform a task such as install a radio, 
install foot pedals in the cockpit, or align the flaps of the aircraft.  
He/She would then inspect their work and, if satisfactory, would stamp the 
paperwork with the QA stamp.  Our Quality Department mission was changed from 
inspection to training, certifying, and sampling the final product.

I don't have the actual data, but can tell you that once in place, our turn 
around time decreased, defects and rework decreased, cost to rework the 
aircraft decreased, and the final number of "test flights" to pass the 
aircraft for return to the fleet decreased from an average of over Five to 
less than Two.  We started having a number of aircraft pass test flight on 
the first flight, a feat not accomplished in the previous three years at 
least.  The test line culture changed from expecting the plane to require 
another flight to being very disappointed if it didn't pass the first time.  
I still remember one innovative Navy pilot who started the tradition of when 
an aircraft passed flight test, he would fold the wings (Carrier planes can 
do that) as he taxied back into the flight line.  Soon, after a plane landed 
from a test flight, all the test line personnel would come out and watch as 
the plane taxied in.  When (if) the wings folded as the plane started down 
the line, a cheer would go up.  The culture had changed and their was an 
expectation of success.

Bill Cooper was the Production Department Head at North Island at the time.  
His leadership and belief in trained people was a driving force in changing 
our Quality Culture.  In my book, the "Artesian Certification Program" is a 
wonderful system to bring responsibility and accountability together.  Bill 
may want to add to this subject.

The Air Force Depot at Hill Air Force Base initiated such a program.  It was 
a hard sell in the Air Force because they were a very inspection based 
culture.  I heard they experienced success similar to ours at North Island, 
but never saw any actual data.

Phil Monroe
PhilHoover@aol.com
DEMCOM Consulting Group
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