Continuous improvement is predicated on problem solving, you're closing a gap between the current state and an ideal state. However, problem solving, thus continuous improvement, is often not that successful, especially if you are attempting to reach the ideal state.

I believe that there are two fundamental reasons that I share in this episode of Way of the Quality Warrior podcast: lack of imagination and lack of alignment.

There is a reference to the book The Power of Positive Parenting by Dr. Glenn Latham. It's not just for parents—authority figures can use this, too.

I talk about GE and Jack Welch. Much of what I think is expressed by David Gelles in his book Jack Welch: The Man Who Broke Capitalism. Gelles was interviewed by Jeffrey Pfeffer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business in 2022. Here's the link: David Gelles Interview—Stanford 2022 (YouTube)

I also talk about Boeing (a company that has had multiple leaders from GE who worked under Jack Welch). John Oliver's Last Week Tonight (HBO) episode about Boeing's history and decline is entertaining, thorough, and sound.

You can contact the podcast host, Keith Fong, at the website Way of the Quality Warrior

Your company is called the Tesla or Apple of your market. You've gotten more investment capital than any other company in your market. The product you sell has a long waiting list of customers. You must be making money hand over fist, right? Actually, you are declared bankrupt. One important element of your company going bankrupt is poor quality in the product and services your company provides. This episode looks at just such a company.

This episode discusses the appeal of the product, the quality problems experienced by customers, and what improvements could have been made to prevent the quality problems.

Here is a video review of the 2020 VanMoof S3 bike—why the bike was so desireable: TNW Channel 2020 review of the VanMoof S3

The August, 2023 National Public Radio (NPR) article that introduced me to VanMoof and their bankruptcy: NPR article: VanMoof goes bankrupt

A September, 2023 article in The Verge where the VanMoof founders discuss their funding and customer support challenges: The Verge: VanMoof founders on S3 e-bike issues, delays, and new at-home support

A January, 2023 article on the website E-bike Tips where the precarious business state is reported, including comments on the cost to produce VanMoof bikes compared to the sale price: ebike tips: VanMoof secures more funding—but the future remains uncertain

A video from a VanMoof customer from New York who shared the many problems he faced purchasing and owning a VanMoof bike: Joseph Pluchino: VanMoof S3. Do not buy it.

The VanMoof S5 and A5 bikes Reveal video on April 5, 2022 from the VanMoof YouTube channel. VanMoof videos are really compelling, but pay attention to the explanation of the product development: VanMoof S5 and A5 bikes revealed

The Trustpilot website reviews where there are many unhappy customers sharing their experiences: Trustpilot VanMoof reviews

A discussion on the YouTube channel eBike Inspection about the VanMoof bankruptcy: How Did VanMoof The Tesla of e-Bike Go Bankrupt

In each of the videos shared here, you can find plenty of comments where people share their experiences, good and bad, with their VanMoof bikes.

You can contact the podcast host, Keith Fong, through the website Way of the Quality Warrior

In the previous episode, I proposed that seeing the world through the lens of process is a superpower. However, you have to develop the superpower—it's not like Spiderman getting bitten by a radioactive spider. In this episode, we'll talk in more detail about process and how to develop the skills in analyzing processes in order to see through the lens of process.

I refer to a YouTube video about making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Here's the link: Exact Instructions Challenge PB&J

You can contact the host Keith Fong through the website Way of the Quality Warrior website

Attending a high school honor society induction ceremony for my niece, I was witness to how a group of students organized and executed a process. Something they had experienced themselves and which they took ownership for the next generation of students. There was nothing remarkable about the ceremony, but I think it gives us a window into process.

Dr. W. Edwards Deming said "If you can't describe what you're doing as a process, you don't know what you're doing." (For more information about Dr. Deming: Dr. W. Edwards Deming) Seeing the world through the lens of process is a superpower for making things better.

In this episode, we discuss what a process is, some types of outputs and inputs, and how I would have coached the organizers.

I make reference to aviation safety so here are a couple of relevant links:

The Golden Age of Aviation?

How Flying Is Safer Today Than Any Time In The Past

You can contact the host Keith Fong through the website Way of the Quality Warrior

What if the most common training practices in your field actually undermine the topic you're teaching? In Quality, we have exactly that situation in training the tools and methods of Quality.

In this episode of the Way of the Quality Warrior podcast, we consider 4 common problems in the deployment of Quality tools and methods: the sink or swim school, overselling benefits and under-teaching weaknesses, using report formats as the procedure, and lack of teaching expertise.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis is referenced in the episode. Two excellent FMEA reference books are Carl Carlson's Effective FMEAs book and Michael Anleitner's Power of Deduction.

You can contact the host Keith Fong via the website Way of the Quality Warrior

The work of a Quality Warrior is much more than the Quality and Continuous Improvement tools like Failure Modes and Effects Analysis, Design of Experiments, process behavior charting, and problem solving, to list a few.

The Stages of Change model developed by James Prochaska, John Norcross, and Carlo DiClemente for the treatment of addictions provides a very useful guide for those of us in Quality and Continuous Improvement. We are attempting to guide change efforts constantly.

Books and Blogs referenced in the episode:

Harvard Health Blog What is Addiction? Published September 12, 2021

"Changing for Good" book

ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 038072572X ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0380725724

Authors: James Prochaska, John Norcross, Carlo DiClemente

This book is for a general audience to explain the Stages of Change model that the authors developed. It is very easy to read and filled with useful information.

"The High Velocity Edge" book

ISBN-13: 978-0-07-174141-5

Author: Steven J. Spear

This book explores the traits and practices of organizations that outperform their peers. He looks at for-profit companies as well as non-profit and government organizations. This is a well-written book and is also easy to read.

Betty Ford is referenced in the episode. Below is a link to the Wikipedia page about her.

Betty Ford wikipedia page

You can contact the host Keith Fong at the www.wayofthequalitywarrior.com website

In the Quality and Continuous Improvement world, it's common to focus on waste reduction as the enemy to success. However, I don't think that waste is the enemy of the Quality Warrior. Not that waste is good, but the obviousness of waste as a bad thing actually blinds those of us teaching and coaching continuous improvement to the genius of the Toyota Production System.

Looking at the role of waste as it affects profit, other ways to reduce cost and some of the consequences are discussed.

I reference plastic injection molding in the discussion. In case you are not familiar with the process, here's a link to a good overview video on YouTube: engineerguy Plastic Injection Molding

All episodes and episode notes are at Way of the Quality Warrior website

You can also contact the host Keith Fong there or on LinkedIn Keith Fong on LinkedIn

Quality as a feature or characteristic is fulfilling expectations. In this episode of Way of the Quality Warrior podcast, I share some of the lessons I learned about creating quality in providing services as a product design engineer at the beginning of my career. There is no magic, but there is a need for perceptiveness.

In the previous episode, "Managers Can Count Better Than They Can Think," that premise was presented. This episode adds some examples to develop that idea.

In a world where too many problems are described and explained more by opinion and emotion rather than by meaningful data and information, this episode provides a couple of examples of how to leverage managers need for numbers. Also, there are a couple of examples where using the wrong numbers or using numbers wrong is self-defeating.

There is a reference to Paul O'Neill, CEO of Alcoa from 1987 to 1999. The YouTube video where he talks about improving the financial book closing process in 1991 is here. The comments specific to the financial book closing happen at 27:38 in the video. I highly recommend watching the entire video. O'Neill is one of the greatest corporate leaders ever.

All episodes are at Way of the Quality Warrior website. There are also downloadable copies of the annotated slide decks of presentations made by Keith Fong in the last couple of years. There is also a contact form if you'd like to get in touch.

There's a premise that I think can help Quality Warriors become more influential in their organization: Managers can count better than they can think.

Is this an attack on managers? No, it is not. It is a call for understanding and a challenge.

People who are not managers often don't understand what challenges managers are facing. Their expectations of the managers can be unrealistic which undercuts their effectiveness and influence. This episode explores what managers are facing.

Of course, there are two sides to the issue. Many of the challenges managers face with their people are related to things that the managers are capable of controlling. That is also discussed.

Guy Kawasaki's book "The Macintosh Way" is referenced in this episode. Guy has made a PDF version available for free at this link: TheMacintoshWay.pdf

Guy's website is Guy Kawasaki

Edward R. Tufte's book "Visual Explanations" is also referenced in this episode. His website is Edward Tufte website. The book's webpage is Visual Explanations book. The specific chapter referenced in this episode was published as a booklet. It's webpage is Visual and Statistical Thinking booklet

You can contact me via the website Way of the Quality Warrior or on LinkedIn Keith Fong