Variation and Improvement

[James Robert Crow <jr1crow@mindspring.com>]

Hello Group:

I appreciate Rip's comments regarding the red beads and the fact that they
represent a stable system.  When I do the Green M&M's exercise I will also
get a stable process, but one that can be improved.  I usually explain that
one of the benefits of system's thinking is that you can now expand your
vision to include the customer on one end and the supplier on the other as
well as your internal processes.  Beginning with your customer how could
you work with the customer to improve the process?  How could you work with
your supplier to improve the process, and finally how could you improve
your internal processes to get a better result i.e. reduce variation?

The group will usually come up with ways to improve all three.



Robert Crow
Principal
Crow Consulting
165 River North Circle NW
Atlanta, GA 30328 USA
Voice 770-396-2280
FAX 770-396-7010
jr1crow@mindspring.com
www.crowgroup.net