[How Do I Learn?] Design Thinking & Six Sigma Management Attitude

This post is for learners in my TQM course interested in design thinking and quality management in a dynamic-learning environment:

As you are trying to understand Dr. Deming's System of Profound Knowledge, here is an article titled "Using Tools to Support Design Thinking in the Classroom" by Barbara Cleary. It will be useful to you at this juncture of TQM problem solving where you are trying to "Design" your own answer to the question: "How do I learn best?" (Remember: each student has his/her own learning style).

In doing so recall Dr. Deming's Views on Performance Evaluation (see the source document cited below for details):

Here are some excerpts from the above article.....

 

NOW

Similarly, if you recall, even sales performance....

Hence, do read the above articles before moving forward with your work on "Cost of Quality Glossary" & small "Six Sigma Projects" related to your own learning environment. I hope you will be able to design your own answer to the question "How do I learn best?"

Best wishes......K. Sahu

Six Sigma Management Attitude

This post is for learners@KIIT interested in quality management around a dynamic-learning environment:

As you are trying to understand the teachings of the Quality Gurus, this post is to help you improve your learning outcomes. If possible, read "An Afterword on Six Sigma" in Robert Barry's book "Nan - A Six Sigma Mystery".  It will help you to pursue your “Triple-role Continuous Improvement Values” by developing a Six Sigma management attitude. 

This is my 13^th year at KIIT and it has taken me as many years to bring this article to the notice of the stakeholders. Some of them may be your mentors, teachers, administrators and other important process owners and they (in their capacity) are helping you to be part of the system in which you are taking a lead role (in your own capacity) as the process owner of several learning processes. Each one of these processes offer you scope to develop the six sigma management attitude (i.e., Face it, Find it and Fix it).

Having developed this attitude you will be in a better position to handle even greater responsibilities. There is a lot of scope around you where you can apply these concepts (see the above article for ideas). Also, our PM is promoting the ZED program - which has set even loftier goals in terms of “Zero Effect (on the environment) due to Zero Defects”. If you train yourself well then you will be able to find greater satisfaction in any project where you get involved to drive improvement initiatives.

See the figures below and recall what you are supposed to do.....

[Now with a Six Sigma management attitude]

Best wishes...........K. Sahu

[HR Conclave 2017] "Practical Knowledge" AND "Book Knowledge"

In the recently concluded conclave, sitting in the last row during the inaugural session, I was trying to get a student's/learner's perspective on what the speakers were articulating.

Some (in the audience) may have perceived: 

.......that "book knowledge" is irrelevant and "practical knowledge" is everything.

.......that "success" comes to those who do not adhere to books.

.......that whatever is being taught is, therefore, not so important.

.......and so on

And then the questions:

.......why are we then paying for the books?

.......what is then the need for having a library?

.......why waste time in classrooms?

.......why have Universities at all?

While these perspectives may differ, it is important to drive home one point:

.......that theory and practice go hand-in-hand. 

Note: 

"Practice without theory is blind and theory without practice is lame."

“He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast.”―Leonardo da Vinci

Remember what one speaker in the second session (Track-2) had said:"Future may not be an extrapolation of the present"

So, it is the books which will be remaining as your friend when you leave school for your career pursuits. 

If you look at Dr. Deming's 14 points written in his book Out of Crisis, it is Point# 9 which says:

"Break down barriers between departments. People in research, design, sales, and production must work as a team, to foresee problems of production and in use that may be encountered with the product or service." (click on the hyperlink)

It was written in the last century and is quite aligned with this year's conclave theme "Beyond HR: Transcending Functional Boundaries" (i.e., "Book Knowledge" of last several decades yet to be imbibed by many in the world of practice.)

Also, taking cues from the workshop titled "Virtual Workplace: Role of HR in Building and Engaging a Virtual Workforce", let us all look forward to creating the future workplace which adopts Dr. Deming's Point# 8:

   

"Drive out fear, so that everyone may work effectively for the company." (click on the hyperlink)

"Fear invites wrong figures. Bearers of bad news fare badly. To keep his job, anyone may present to his boss only good news." .....W. Edwards Deming, page 94, The New Economics ("This book, according to Deming, is a textbook for engineering, economics and business students, to be used to prepare students for the future". Here is another link on the "Management and Accounting Web" that may be useful in the practical world.)

Feel free to ask as many questions as you can relating to these concepts. We will try to find an answer based on the principles propounded by the Gurus. (The TQM students paying attention to the course contents will be able to explain some of these concepts to you as time progresses.) 

While taking this pledge for a new India.....

As we take this pledge for a New India, the struggle against these evils continues. 

I invite attention to the following posts from my archives (with some posts written before I joined KIIT):

• Ensuring Transparency in the Private Sector [Fri, Jan 16, 2004]
• There is no such thing as a free lunch [Fri, Nov 30,2007]
• On "Tolerating" Tolerance [Tue, Oct 2, 2012]

These posts highlight some aspect of the pledge taken by the nation today - be it the right to information, fight against corruption, inclusive growth challenges or just overcoming fear around the teaching-learning processes. 

As rightly said by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, "we have to live for our nation and take it to new heights of progress."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sankalp Se Siddhi 

(New India Movement 2017-2022) 

New India Pledge 

Let us together pledge for a New India. 

In 1942 our freedom fighters took a pledge of ‘Quit India’ and in 1947 India achieved Independence. 

Let us together pledge that by 2022 we build a New India. 

Let us together pledge towards a Clean India.

Let us together pledge towards a Poverty free India. 

Let us together pledge towards a Corruption free India. 

Let us together pledge towards a Terrorism free India. 

Let Us together pledge towards a Communalism free India. 

Let us together pledge towards a Casteism free India. 

Together let us strive whole heartedly to accomplish this pledge for a New India. 

Pledge by Individual/Institution: Dr. Kaushik Sahu, KIIT Deemed to be University

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------