DLN Activities September

["Jim Clauson, Breakthrough Systems" <jim@jclauson.com>]

DENizens,

Following is the September neewsletter/list of activities for the Aberdeen, Scotland
Deming Learning Network.  It has lost a bit in conversion - but I hope you will
see what a great amount of work is being done up there.  Contact Gordon Hall for more
info or a cleaner copy.



Gordon Hall
The Deming Learning Network Ltd


Activities for September 2003
For further information visit our web site www.dln.org.uk
or contact Gordon Hall Tel: 01358 721258 e-mail g.hall@harehall.co.uk
Activities - please scroll for further details of appropriate section:
Thinking Managers Course - Thursday 25th September - 4.00pm at Petrofac
Safety Group - Monday 6th October at 4.00pm At Vetco Gray
Accounts Group - To be arranged - early October - 12 noon
Knowledge Management Group - new six part course being designed for autumn
Systems Group - next date to be arranged - 5.00pm at RGU Schoolhill room C221
Consultants Group
Chief Executive Group - next meeting 30th October
Improvement Group - Thursday 11th September at 4.00pm at RGU Schoolhill in 
room C221
Research Project
Psychology Group - 4th September at 5.00pm at RGU Schoolhill room AB13
Mindwalk video, audio tapes and books
Strategic Thinking Course - for the public sector - Thursday11th September 
being hosted by Grampian Police
Training Course - "Opening Our Minds to New Possibilities"
______________________________________________________________________
1. The Thinking Managers Course.
Dr Tony Miller of RGU presents the course, it is hosted by Petrofac 
Production Services, I North Esplanade West, Aberdeen
The theme for the August meeting was "eliminate slogans and exhortations." 
Tony asked what was the theory of perception and action behind the use of 
slogans and exhortations - do they imply a simplistic view that everything 
would be fine if everyone just tried harder? And what does a slogan say to 
the worker?
The task for this month is:
·       Identify a set of tasks where you have assumed that trying harder, 
a bit more commitment, will solve the problem. For each task identify those 
system factors, which have a significant affect on performance.
The overheads for these sessions are available on the DLN web site. To go 
direct to the overheads for this last session go to 
www.dln.org.uk/ttmcoh10.html
The next session is on Thursday 25th September. The theme is to be 
Management for Performance. Where we are identifying stable process, the 
responsibility for improvement and the design for performance. The Action 
required is: Eliminate Arbitrary Numerical Goals.
As Tony will be on holiday on the 25th David McAra and Gordon Hall will 
lead this next session.
We start at 4.00pm and expect to finish at approx.7.30pm. The meetings are 
at the Petrofac offices at Bridge View, 1 North Esplanade West. 
Refreshments are available courtesy of Petrofac
_________________________________________________________________
2. The Safety Group - facilitator David McAra
Next Meeting Monday 6th October at ABB Vetco Gray
Notes on Meeting of 25th August: - Thanks to Neil Birnie of ABB Vetco Gray 
for another excellent presentation about the 6 Sigma process applied to 
pressure testing. Neil's overheads of the sessions are on the DLN web site. 
You can go direct to the overheads by going to: www.dln.org.uk/safeoh4.html

Pressure testing is where the quality of the design and manufacture of 
their product is proved before being consigned to the sea floor. While the 
price of christmas trees has halved over the past 10 years, their duty and 
complexity has increased dramatically to meet the challenges of deeper 
water and higher temperatures and pressures.

As the demand on the product increases so does the demand on the pressure 
test and the pressure test facilities which have not been keeping pace. The 
capability of the existing facilities have been stretched using ingenious 
improvisation to keep up with the demand without incurring capital costs.

The 6 Sigma project was initiated in response to an increasing number of 
incidents involving uncontrolled pressure release. It has run for about 12 
months and is reaching its conclusions although benefits are already 
apparent from the greater involvement of the technicians and engineers in 
reviewing their own test processes.

For our next meeting, on Monday 6 October, we look forward to hearing about 
the experience directly from the technicians and engineers themselves. We 
also plan to have a tour of the facility so may need to limit numbers. 
Please let me know if you intend to come.

Something rather remarkable seems to be on offer in this group. ABB Vetco 
Gray are showing great generosity in opening themselves up very candidly to 
our curiosity. We appreciate this very much as well as their continued 
hosting of the meeting.

Next meeting: Monday 6th October, 4-7 pm, ABB Vetco Gray, Broadfold Road, 
Bridge of Don. Hope you can make it. It's getting really interesting.
For further details please contact David McAra at david@ec-uk.com
_____________________________________________________________________
3. The Accounts Group - Facilitator - Gordon Hall
We have been reflecting on the holistic process of both Cornerstone and 
Partnership, aware that the majority of data collected by Accounts is 
focused on the needs of top management rather than operational management. 
We are also conscious that procedures can become over complicated in 
attempting to cover everything. Cornerstone are in the process of 
conducting an experiment to greatly simplifying their procedures for one of 
their houses. Once this has been achieved then the group can consider what 
should be measured in context of an operational process.
The next meeting to be arranged when Cornerstone have finalised their 
simpler processes.
__________________________________________________________________
4. The Knowledge Management Group. - Facilitators Peter Troxler and Shona 
Fraser
Peter and Shona are in the process of designing a programme for the autumn 
that will focus on two main activities:
·       A series of six workshops on the most relevant and influential 
"theories" of Knowledge Management and their contribution to KM practice
·       A series of approximately 4 presentations that link Knowledge 
Management with key business topics such as Accounting, Health and Safety, 
or Human Resource Management.
For further details please contact Peter Troxler ptroxler@csd.abdn.ac.uk 
Shona Fraser glengarry@ecosse.net
____________________________________________________________________-
5. The Systems Group - facilitator Tony Miller
The next meeting is still to be arranged. The meetings are held at 5.00pm 
at RGU Schoolhill room C221
For further details please contact Tony Miller a.j.miller@rgu.ac.uk
______________________________________________________________________
6. Consultants Group.
We are still talking to the public sector in the hope of having a 
conference where we have a video link with Peter Senge - and in the context 
of "partnership" - and "Community Planning". It might well be Spring 2004 
before this comes to fruition.
________________________________________________________________________
7. The CEO Group - facilitator David McAra
Notes of the meeting of - Tuesday 27th August 2003
We are indebted to Robert Gordon University for hosting the meeting.
The meeting greatly appreciate Dr Peter Troxler's talk about Knowledge 
Management. Though to be more precise about Knowledge itself and then onto 
the difficult question of how one manages knowledge. His theme was that 
maybe the present Knowledge Management task has to be forgotten before we 
can return to the real challenges. IT packages do have their place but it 
is a very small component in the transfer and capture of true knowledge.
The meeting continued by looking at measurement, doing the "straw exercise" 
to familiar ourselves with control charts, and the basic message that if we 
are seeking improvement then it is the system that should be improved.
Next meeting – Thursday 30th August
For further details please contact David McAra david@ec-uk.com
________________________________________________________________________
8. Improvement Group - Six Sigma - Facilitator Philip George
Next meeting is scheduled for 11th September at 4.00pm - RGU Schoolhill 
room C221
At the session on 3rd July Peter Fraser led a session on :
"Business processes - how deployment flowcharts can help you understand 
them well enough to manage them".
The overheads have been loaded onto the web site and can be viewed from the 
"improvement" pages.
For further details please contact Philip George georgep@camerondiv.com
_____________________________________________________________________-
9. Research Project - facilitator Gordon Hall
The aim of the research project is to identify the fundamental and systemic 
issues that underpin our organisations. Until they are identified then 
change aspirations are destined to fall short of our achievements.
To date we have completed three research projects with member companies.
A full write up of the research project is available on the web page under 
www.dln.org.co.uk/resprop.html
___________________________________________________________________
10. Psychology Group - next meeting 4th September - Facilitator David Beare
General.
I would like to thank everybody for supporting the group. The turnout was 
exceptional for the time of year. Thank You All.
Terms of Reference.
I have redrafted the OUTPUT section in line with our conversation:
Aim: The aim of the Psychology Group is to grow our understanding and 
knowledge on the interaction between human behaviour and organisations.
Focus: We will address ways in which organisations can be created to which 
people will willingly commit themselves.
Outcomes: The prime outcome will be our personal learning. We recognise 
that a key part of learning is Doing and the subsequent Study of the 
results; this means will aim to put theories into practice and be prepared 
to bring the learning back to the group.
Context: We will seek ways to integrate our work with Deming’s System of 
Profound Knowledge.
Constituency: We will encourage a wide constituency of views by encouraging 
contributions from practicing managers, practitioners in personal and 
organisational development, and from those with academic and professional 
interests in the contribution that human behaviour makes to organisations.
Other Items.
Review of Deming’s Views.
We discussed the content of Deming’s thinking on Psychology, Leadership, 
and Managing People, as written in his book, The New Economics. The 
following are some of the major items that came up:
·       The definition of Leadership seemed to need updating to incorporate 
concepts such as: multiple sources of leadership; the splitting of 
leadership and position of authority; and followership (leadership without 
authority).
·       People have changed but organisations remain stuck. This increasing 
gap is causing serious problems with the effectiveness of businesses.
·       The incorporation of Parenting should be included in the 
institutions that need transformation.
Meeting Format/Location.
It was agreed that AB13 was a satisfactory location for the meetings.
We accept that the most satisfactory format for the meetings will grow as 
we get to know one another. In the meantime we will decide the content of 
the next meeting at the current one.
Next Meeting – Thursday 4th September.
We agreed to start with some brainstorming and continue with a discussion 
on the Creation of Trust if there is time.
To contribute ideas and suggestions please contact David Beare 
dbeare@inchkey.com
_____________________________________________________________________
11. Mindwalk Video, Audio Tapes and Books - contact Gordon Hall
The Mindwalk video is a representation of Fritjof Capra's argument that we 
need to move away from Cartesian or mechanistic thinking that concentrates 
on the parts, and how we now have the opportunity, if not need, to think 
holistically or in terms of whole systems.
We have now secured 4 copies of this video so that members and friends can 
borrow a copy to view at home. If you would like to borrow a copy please 
contact Gordon Hall.
You can purchase your own copy from Blue Dolphin Videos, 40 Langham St, 
London W1W 7AS Tel: 020 7255 2494. Cost £16.50.
Audio Tapes: We also have a range of audio tapes of very interesting 
presentations made at past British Deming Association conferences. Their 
content is challenging - these are excellent tapes. The audio Tapes include:
Why Performance Pay Cannot Work - Alfie Kohn
Quality as Democracy - Toward a Participative Workplace - Alfie Kohn
Anticipating and Addressing Conflict Inherent in Transformation - Anna 
Maravelas
Convergent and Divergent thinking - Dr Eidlman
Germ Theory of Management - revisted - Myron Tribus
Gallery Furniture - Six Years on - Jim McIngvale
Learning the Ropes - White Rose Line - Denise Howard
The tapes cost £10.00 each
Books: We have made contact with the Blackwell Book shop, 99 High Street 
Old Aberdeen in context of a recommended list of books. This list of books 
will be placed on the web site shortly. Blackwells are able to obtain these 
books. If you wish to place an order might we suggest that you contact 
Stuart Hamilton, his phone number is 01224 485845 e-mail 
aberdeen.uk@blackwell.co.uk
______________________________________________________________________
12. Strategic Thinking Course - for the Public Sector - led by Tony Miller
Grampian Police are facilitating the presentation of our 10 unit Strategic 
Thinking course.
The first session was held on 14th August where Adrian Ward, Deputy Chief 
Constable, both introduced the course and put into context the learning 
challenge.
This was followed by a presentation by Gordon Hall that looked at our 
management paradigms. It looked at the root of our present management 
thinking back to the writing's of Daniel McCallum in 1854. At that point 
the aim of management was to control labour and maximise profit. But we now 
live in a knowledge age, where the task is to enable rather than control 
staff.
The details of the programme and past overheads can be viewed from the web 
site www.dln.org.uk/tmcpol.html and for the slides for the last session you 
can go direct to www.dln.org.uk/tmcpol1.html
The learning outcomes for the delegates of the course will be:
be able to think in terms of systems, and appreciate the role of management 
in system design.
be able to measure the performance of processes and to devise improvement 
strategies.
appreciate the task of leadership based on knowledge, and the 
responsibilities to optimise individual as well as organisational performance.
value knowledge and the need for continual learning, and be able to lead 
strategies for knowledge capture and management.
The course is now over subscribed, so we are afraid that there are no 
places available on this particular programme.
For Further information please contact Aileen Reid of Grampian Police at 
Aileen.Reid@grampian.pnn.police.uk
__________________________________________________________________
13 Training Course - "Opening Minds to New Possibilities"
The network presented the two-day training course for Grampian Police and 
guests. The areas covered were:
Freeing ourselves from past misconceptions
Dialogue
Developing a sound basis for the future development of management
People - our principle resource
Systems thinking
Performance measurement from an appreciation of variation
Personal disciplines
The course was run on two occasions in August and a third presentation is 
scheduled for early October. Cornerstone Community Care have also scheduled 
to take the course - half a day per month over six months - starting October.
Details of the two-day training course is on the web site - to go direct go 
to www.dln.org.uk/2daycr.html
For further information please contact Gordon Hall.

Gordon Hall
The Deming Learning Network Ltd
"Continual Organisational Improvement Through Learning"
web site www.dln.org.uk
Tel: 00 44 1358 721258 Fax: 00 44 1358 723284
e-mail: g.hall@harehall.co.uk



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Jim Clauson --------------------- jim@jclauson.com
Breakthrough Systems ----- http://jclauson.com
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