Most people calculate the average when summarizing data, but what about the median? The median is not as sensitive to outliers and skewed data, and can be a better indicator of the typical or most common outcome in your data.

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Do you see problems recur later after all the attention has gone away? That could be the Hawthorne Effect at work, which can create confusion on whether your improvements are actually working.

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When I facilitate mapping events, after completing the current state map and before we create the future state map, I like to first walk the team through an ideal state discussion. I categorized these concepts and share the list with you in this podcast.

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Ground rules are an important element of running a successful process improvement event (called Kaizen Blitz or Kaikaku events). In this podcast, I share a compiled list of rules that you can use as a starting point for your next improvement workshop.

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During some recent travel, my wife and I ended up watching multiple episodes of "Bar Rescue." 

I've watched the show for many years, so I re-watched it with a new lens, now that I'm consulting on my own. 

As I thought about my approach to consulting, how would I help these bars and restaurants make dramatic improvements?

Listen for my comparison of how I would prefer to help these bars versus the approach used by host Jon Taffer.

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I discuss the Lean approach to writing a book, which is how I published my first 2.5 books. LeanPub.com allows you to write and publish your book for free and release similar to software, instead of one large batch like in traditional book publishing. 

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I discuss the internal Lean Six Sigma certification program I helped develop and implement at Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace), and why I think it's a good model for other organizations to consider if you want to offer certifications.

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If you've struggled to decide what improvement project to work on at work or for a certification project, check out this list of project or event ideas that you could consider for your industry. I have examples from the following categories: Personal Life, Finance and Accounting, Human Resources, Sales, Shipping/Receiving and Warehouse, Information Technology (IT), Product/Service Design, Call Center, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Sports, Grocery/Supermarket, Nonprofits, Environment, Corporate Responsibility, Diversity/Equity and Inclusion, and Education.

This is a longer podcast than usual, so I apologize but hope you found it useful!

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I try to simplify some confusion about the 7 types of waste (or are there 14 types?), the 3 M's, and explain simpler ways to think about opportunities in a process.

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I finished writing an article about two sustainability certification programs that require continuous improvement, but don't give guidance on how to do that. I explain why I think Lean is the best method to adopt for these mission-driven organizations. I also share examples below in the links about why I think Toyota is a leader in community engagement and environmental causes, not just financial performance.

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Toyota