Making Your Home "Smart" with the Internet of Things

Back in June 2015, I wrote about the Internet of Things for ASQ (American Society of Quality). Two years have passed and devices that manage technology in our homes are becoming more commonplace. The term "smart home" describes the control and automation of lighting, heating, air conditioning, security, and appliances.

Honeywell Device for Detecting Leaks

Leak detection prevents water damage
The device shown above serves as a leak detector. The wire is a sensor for moisture. The box is a WiFi interface. This device can be placed near a water heater or washing machine. In the case of a leak, an email is sent to the owner.

Email Advising of Leak

Controlling temperature from a phone or other mobile device
More and more people are replacing their thermostats with models that connect to the internet via WiFi and can be controlled through an app on a mobile device. In this way, the home temperature can be checked and adjusted remotely.

WiFi Thermostat

One use is to raise the air conditioning setting while out of town. Once you are on your way home, you can remotely lower the setting so the home temperature will be comfortable when you arrive.

Mobile Phone App Screen Controlling Thermostat

Tablet App Screen Controlling Thermostat

Home security
Many internet of things in the home improve security. Lights and televisions can be turned on and off while on vacation so the home looks occupied. Cameras can be installed inside and out, and viewed on a device from another location (see screenshot below).

Tablet App Showing Camera Views of Business

An internet-enabled doorbell with camera allows the homeowner to respond by voice to someone at the front door even when they're in another location. This uses an app on a mobile device.

New home construction offers smart home technology. The addition of internet-enabled devices to older homes is being simplified to do-it-yourself home improvement projects.

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Industry 4.0: How Quality Professionals Can Stay Relevant

Stay Relevant by Studying Aspects of Industry 4.0

Some aspects of Industry 4.0 are automation, data exchange, the internet of things, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and computer innovations.

Quality professionals need to stay relevant. By relevant, I mean they need to understand these aspects on a general level and stay updated on technical applications and systems that interconnect, exchange data, and prompt autonomous decisions in their industries.

In some cases, this understanding is no further away than a Youtube video. The internet has made staying technically relevant easier. The quality professional should take advantage of all in-company resources as well as local chapter and national ASQ educational opportunities. If you want to request speakers on new technology, reach out to chapter leadership. If you have Industry 4.0 experience, offer to exchange information in the form of a talk or tour with your local chapter membership.

Part of this article appeared in ASQ's July 2017 Roundtable discussion.
 
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Voice of the Customer

ASQ's Quality Mission

The customer is the driving force of organizations. Your customer may be a manufacturing plant half way around the world or a department down the hall. Nevertheless, without customers to require goods or services, organizations would not exist.

The Voice of the Customer or VOC is the customer’s requirements for goods or services. It is their description of what they need. It is of huge importance. The VOC should be used by the quality professional to establish quality parameters within which to produce the goods or services.

Use face-to-face meetings to gather VOC standards

The best way to gather Voice of the Customer standards is through face-to-face meetings followed up by written and verified specifications. In my experience, the earlier the quality professional is involved in communication with the customer, the better. A relationship is built so an exchange of quality data can flow back and forth. This foundation of trust and professionalism creates a basis for quality improvement and superior products and services.

Part of this article appeared in ASQ's April 2016 Roundtable discussion.
 
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Use Baldrige Performance Excellence Program to Meet ISO 9001:2015 Challenges

Terry Burns Of Burns & Associates of Richmond, Virginia recently presented "What's all the fuss about ISO 9001:2015?" to ASQ Raleigh.


Mr. Burns made a case for using the Baldrige Performance Excellence Program for meeting the new ISO 9001:2015 requirements. The Baldrige Excellence Builder is available in a free download here.

The Baldrige documents can offer direction in understanding the new standard by offering explanations of similar clauses.

ISO certified organizations have 3 years to transition to the new 2015 standard. Some of the changes are:

• New Annex SL Format

• 10 Clauses (from 8)

• More easily lines up with other standards

• "Risk-based" language replaces "preventative action"

• Inclusion of Planning to achieve quality objectives

• New Quality System Management model (Leadership is center)

• Services added to Products (before it was implied)

• Quality Manual no longer required (with some exceptions)

• Audit top management to insure hands on involvement - drive quality management to top levels

• Process focused

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Defeat Barriers to a Successful Quality Culture

Once upon a time there was a small metal shop producing parts for the automotive industry. Although a quality system was in place, employee turnover was high and profitability was down. Management blamed employees; employees blamed management. What approach could best address cultural barriers between management and employees to strengthen a culture of quality?

For December's ASQ Influential Voices guest post, Luciana Paulise has written Facing Cultural Barriers by Leaders to Strengthen a Culture of Quality about the case described above. Ms. Paulise explains cultural changes made to turn plant performance around, and details can be found at the link above. Below I'll summarize.

4 Helpful Changes to Improve Quality Culture:

1 - Unite middle managers with common goals to promote cooperation and a healthy company.

2 - Train corporate leaders to understand process variation and to correctly identify problems.

3 - Train leaders to make conclusions based on data instead of hunches or previous experiences.

4 - Center on understanding and respecting people to create a workplace that promotes cooperation to reach goals.

The 2 minute ASQ video below describes the role of a culture of quality in business success.

In August, Influential Voices wrote about company cultures and how they affect quality. My article, How Company Culture Relates to Quality, can be found here.

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© 2016 All Rights Reserved

Corporate Communication: 5 Keys to Success

For November's Influential Voices blog topic, Dr. Suresh Gettala of ASQ India, has written Talking To the C-Suite About Quality. He offers 5 helpful approaches in communication with the C-Suite. They are summarized below. Please refer to the full article (link above) for details.

C-Suite is a term for the corporate leaders in an organization.

 The "C" refers to Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial

 Officer, Chief Executive Officer, etc.

1. Link short term changes to long term success.

2. Explain with numbers.

3. Show financial impact.

4. Tell a story with examples.

5. Seek to improve quality company-wide (not just products and services).

As with any presentation, a quality discussion with the C-Suite should be tailored for that audience. Using the 5 tips above will help ensure successful communication.

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© 2016 All Rights Reserved
Photographs obtained from iStock by Getty Images 
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What is Sustainability?

Is your business sustainable?

Last month, I wrote about company culture (article is here). Potential customers and employees are interested in both company culture and sustainable practices to determine organization character.

In the early 1900s, the California sardine industry was booming. Cannery Row factories lined up along Monterey Bay, fish were brought in without limits, processed and canned, and waste dumped into the bay. You can see the problem here. Unrestricted fishing and pollution led to environmental and economic disaster. The waters that supported the sardines were too polluted and damaged to continue. That situation is the opposite of sustainability. Sustainability includes restraint on harvests to manage resources and reduction and/or repurposing of waste materials.

Sustainable practices are those that allow continued use of resources. Sustainability applies to many situations outside of the industrial context. Individuals can pursue sustainable goals as well as institutions.

Sustainability includes familiar concepts that we may practice daily. Reducing landfill waste is a sustainable practice because landfill space is limited. That practice involves other sustainable concepts like recycling, repurposing, and composting. Below is an informal list of sustainable concepts:

• energy savings
•  recycling
•  repurposing
•  conserve resources 
•  water conservation
•  solar energy
•  rainwater collection
•  decrease carbon footprint
•  purchase carbon offsets
•  growing your own food
•  reduce landfill waste
•  composting
•  support businesses and individuals with sustainable agendas
•  use green construction

3 Pillars of Sustainability

Sustainability can be described as 3 pillars: environment, economy, and social.

Environment:

• climate protection
• resources protection
• biodiversity
• organic farming
• decrease use of natural resources

Economy:

• using local produce in season to avoid resource use and pollution involved with distance transportation 

Social:

• equality between men and women 
• education and training opportunities
• fighting poverty
• prosperity for humanity

As professionals in the Quality industry, our roles are important in sustainability. We maintain and improve quality standards to sustain a customer base. By applying Lean Thinking, we reduce waste to sustain company resources. As company employees and individuals we can use our influence to improve sustainability in all aspects of our lives.

Below is a 4-minute Explainity video on the 3 Pillar Model of sustainability.

This month's guest post on A View from the Q is Does Mission Matter? by ASQ Fellow and incoming ASQ board chair, Pat LaLonde.

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             © 2015 All Rights Reserved

How Company Culture Relates to Quality

Today's media highlights shifts in company culture to attract and keep talented workers. Flexible schedules, liberal parental leave, fun activities, free food, community involvement, and environmentally friendly corporate agendas promote a company culture favored by employees. What is company culture and how does it relate to quality?

Culture of an Organization

Company culture is the "character" of a company. Company culture includes:

• methods of getting things done
• philosophy of work habits and work behavior
• goals to make the company successful
• values and their importance while conducting business
• working conditions

Some aspects of company culture are intangible. Attitudes, morals, and assumptions held by employees are difficult to determine and quantify, but important in shaping company culture.

Company culture is projected from top management down. Successful company culture is driven by management practices that carry this culture throughout all rungs of the organization. To keep the culture positive and relevant, however, employees should be involved in discussions about changes to and maintaining company culture.

Company Culture Affects People and People Drive Quality

A Culture Supporting Quality

Quality of the product or service and effectiveness of quality systems is improved in:

•  a culture where employees understand quality and it's effect on company success
•  a culture where employees can freely make suggestions and report problems
•  a culture where employees are happy and this happiness is passed on to customer contacts
•  a culture enhancing creativity which can help quality problem-solving
•  a culture cultivating teamwork as a powerful tool in quality improvement

The "happiness" aspect of culture is especially powerful in businesses that have direct customer contact. Zappos, an online shoe and clothing business, relates employee happiness to customer satisfaction. In the video below, employees discuss their company culture.

The Culture of Quality has been a popular topic at ASQ over the years. Jennifer Calloway, a quality culture expert, is interviewed in the ASQ TV video below. More ASQ videos on the subject can be found here. (The 46 minute webinar referred to in the video can be found here. )

Company culture is fluid and subject to shift. Management must be vigilant to nurture and protect a positive culture and thereby drive good quality.

ASQ Influential Voice blogger James Lawther has written What Not to Do in Creating a Performance Culture. This article can be found here.


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Ways I use Lean Thinking at Home

5S and Work Areas

5S, an aspect of Lean Thinking, is a system to arrange work areas as efficiently as possible. If every task whether a chore or hobby requires a search for necessary tools to get started, the likelihood of completing the task decreases. So throughout my home I organize work and hobby areas to make tasks easy to start and complete.

To maximize efficiency with gardening chores, I have a workstation with bug spray, sunscreen, and garden tools at 3 different locations. One is in a small greenhouse at the vegetable garden, one is in the garage, and the other is on the backyard deck. Wherever I am in my yard, a workstation stocked with tools is nearby. This saves time because I can begin gardening tasks without searching for tools. Looking 30 minutes for a favorite pair of gardening gloves is a reminder to keep my work areas organized.

Greenhouse Work Area

Indoors, each bathroom cabinet has cleaning supplies. This saves time and energy when I'm ready to clean. Otherwise wasted time and wasted movement is spent gathering cleaning supplies.

My office is arranged so things can be reached with little disruption to ongoing work. Files, notebooks, notepads, pens, and calendar are all in easy reach. Similarly, I have organized areas for photography, scrapbooking, and other hobbies.

Every 4 - 6 weeks, I reorganize work areas using the 5S system.  5S represents sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain. So I replace supplies that are worn out or empty, dispose of items that I don't use, and tidy up the areas. I also make sure the more frequently used tools are convenient to reach and easy to find.

Backyard Work Area

Waste of Motion

Lean Thinking is all about reducing waste, and Shigeo Shingo classified 7 wastes. Waste of Motion is one I try to avoid at home. Many activities in the home can be standardized to reduce waste of motion. I collect a batch of bills and then pay them. Paying each bill as it arrives in the mail would involve opening the envelope, sorting the paperwork, logging into a website to make a payment or writing a check, recording the check or debit in the checkbook, and filing paperwork.  Processing a batch of bills at one time saves duplication of motion. Along the same lines, I let several cups and bowls accumulate on the counter before I open the dishwasher and load these items. Errands can be organized in a route rather than individual spontaneous trips. This saves gasoline and time, as well as reducing waste of motion.

Lean Thinking is using common sense to perform tasks in the most efficient manner. Before it was called "Lean Thinking" people were practicing it to get things done efficiently. Later, it was further defined to apply to workplaces. So go full circle with Lean: do it at work and do it at home, and you will be more productive for it!

In 2014, I wrote about the basics of Lean Thinking. You can access that post by clicking here.

Sunil Kaushik has written about using Lean Principles to minimize travel expenses to Egypt. Mr. Kaushik, an ASQ Influential Blogger, definitely has expertise in traveling cheap. The article can be found by clicking here.

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Managing the Quality of Internet-linked Products

This month's American Society of Quality Influential Voices topic is a review of an essay in the 2015 Future of Quality report. If you are an ASQ member, you have access to this compilation on 11 topics.

Internet of Things

I chose Jonathan Zittrain's Balancing Security With Openness in the Internet of Things. Mr. Zittrain is the author of The Future of the Internet - And How to Stop It (for purchasing info see link below).

The term "Internet of Things" refers to all the devices that can connect to the internet and create systems to share data.

Below is a 2-minute video by Intel that explains the Internet of Things (IoT). Another video by FW:thinking can be found here.

 

 Internet of Things Video

Traffic cameras, electronic signs, and bus communication create an Internet of Things that can steer traffic away from congested areas. In Zittrain's essay, an Internet-aware snow shovel could provide data on frequency of use (Have the kids performed this chore?), health data on the shoveler (Is his heart rate dangerously high?), or assumptions on snow levels based on usage (Where do the snow plows need to go?).

Managing Quality

What are the quality issues of the Internet of Things? To answer that question Zittrain reviews the evolution of both the PC and the Internet. In the beginning anyone could write and share software to be used on PCs. Similarly, code for use on the Internet was unregulated.

The second version of the iPhone introduced an effort to gain more control over outside code (apps) by offering them in a store with required certification. Currently there are app stores for PCs and phones across all operating systems.

To meet quality manufacturing requirements, the product needs to be robust. It needs to be safely manufactured of nontoxic materials, as well. As devices become connected to one another, quality issues will expand.


Will connectivity to other devices be limited to reduce variability in quality issues or will it be open to increase innovation and demand? What quality issues will open connectivity present? Will viruses run rampant and slow device efficiency or cause frequent crashes? How many and what type of sensors will be incorporated into products for connectivity and data sharing?

Managing quality of the Internet of Things devices requires significant corporate decisions that are integral to their business plan. The proposed ISO9001:2015 standard emphasizes quality as part of the business plan and not a stand-alone entity. This falls right in line with establishing corporate policy on a product that is part of the Internet of Things.

Laurel Nelson-Rowe, ASQ managing director, introduced May topics in her guest blog post: What's the Future of Quality? This article is available without ASQ membership.

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Catch Conference "Fever" !!

2014 Quality in the Triangle Conference

This month's blog topic is the Pros and Cons of Conferences. In her blog post on the subject, Julia McIntosh asks ASQ bloggers to address the hows and whys of conference attendance.

It's a compelling subject as we head into a busy spring schedule with the ASQ World Conference on Quality and Improvement and my local chapter's ASQ Quality in the Triangle (Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, USA) in May.

I humbly submit that the Pros of attendance at conferences far outweigh the Cons.

Pros

• Accessibility to peers, leaders, and new contacts (Networking)
• Exchange of information and ideas
• Education at workshops and classes
• Relationship building outside the workplace
• Validation as an interested party in the conference subject
• Convenient exposure to innovations in the conference subject (Exhibits, Vendor Displays)
• Join a gathering of individuals with common interests starting with the conference subject
• Participate in meetings to contribute to policy or standards formation
• Get energized and inspired by conference offerings

 Cons

• Expensive Travel
• Inconvenient absence from job

When I handled quality claim resolution for Burlington Industries, conferences were an opportunity to meet  customer quality managers outside of the hectic pace and pressure of the manufacturing plant. Relationships could evolve on more friendly terms at the conference. My presence at quality conferences specifically for the textile trade validated my position and definitely earned respect with my customer contacts. Meetings on test methods were a chance to be involved in standards establishment.

As a Marketing Specialist investigating new markets for fabric applications, conferences provided access to new contacts and education about unfamiliar fields. A Healthcare conference, for example, allowed conversations with nurses who provided feedback on fabric samples.

 

I base my decision to attend conferences on the following:

• Networking (Who is attending the conference?)
• Expense (How much will it cost including travel?)
• Location (How much travel is involved to get there?)
• Subject (Can I learn something new?)

I'm not working for a company right now so my budget is restricted to local conferences. In May, I'll be attending both a Writers Conference and the Quality in the Triangle conference. I expect to learn a lot and network with other writers and quality professionals. See you there!

Great conference, guys!

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Communication from 3 Sources Encourages Studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

James B. Hunt Jr. Library at NC State

In his March 9th post, Bill Troy writes about how to encourage the next generation to study STEM majors and fill the job market shortage. STEM is the acronym for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM jobs (list at this link) range from Accountants to Zoologists.

Communication is key to encouraging STEM studies. Communication from the following strongly influences students to pursue STEM training:

• Parents
• Teachers/ Mentors
• High School Career Fairs

 

Parents

My approach to this topic is very personal. I have two sons graduating from high school and entering a university in the fall. My husband and I have encouraged them to pursue STEM majors.  With a modest household budget, we have taken the position that there are majors we will not finance. We've discussed the cost of supporting a family and the realities of the job market. The kids have made great choices in majors (accounting and engineering) and we pray they will stick with those decisions.

Over the years we have used experiences of family and friends to illustrate pros and cons of various career paths. Cousin Joe graduated with a Logistics major and can't find a job. Uncle Bob studied Electrical Engineering and has enjoyed a lucrative career. Cousin Suzie earned advanced degrees in Chemistry yet had only 1 job offer hundreds of miles away from home. Two neighbors are Accountants, and support large families.

Local and national news stories provide teaching moments. Unemployed college graduates with thousands of dollars in educational loan debt, local industry expansion or decline, and job market shifts due to an aging population all relate to college major choices.

We've also used our own STEM educations to make some points. Both the industries we trained for no longer exist in the United States. There are lessons to learn in that.

Countless local opportunities have encouraged their interest in science. As preschoolers, we took them to classes at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham, NC. They learned laboratory techniques at the local library in an RV sponsored by the University of North Carolina. In middle school, I organized a Science Olympiad team and volunteered as coach. The kids continued participating throughout their high school years. There is nothing more encouraging about STEM studies than a university basketball auditorium filled with high school students competing in science events.

State Finals NC Science Olympiad Competition

Teachers and Mentors

Teachers have a tremendous influence on students. From advising on high school science and math courses to discussion of college choices, my kids have benefited greatly from conversations with teachers. Experiences in class also shape impressions of subjects. High school students have a vast class selection. Good STEM teachers in high school keep students engaged in those subjects steering them towards STEM college careers.

High School Career Fairs

The value of conversations with employed STEM professionals from the local community is tremendous. Young adults that have career aspirations and those that are still undecided can benefit from discussions with representatives from companies, scientific organizations, and entrepreneurs. Information about education requirements, career paths, salaries, and future job prospects are offered during these interactions.



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Why should Quality (ASQ) go Global?

The Quality message, promotion of  Quality tools and Quality education should definitely be global.  ASQ should continue to expand its global reach.

As Quality Professionals in diverse industries, most of us produce products or services with a global impact. As Consumers we are exposed daily to products and services produced outside our country. Of course we want those companies influenced by the highest quality standards and guided by an organization that has been in the quality business for over 65 years.

Early in February 2015, the FDA posted a voluntary recall notice by Hospira. The injected drug product was distributed in the United States and Singapore. Also in February 2015, a Class 1 Recall on a Medtronic medical device was issued. Medtronic is headquarted in Dublin, Ireland, and has recently merged with Covidien combining "two global healthcare leaders."

Quality issues in one location can affect consumers or production on the other side of the globe. The product could be pencils or pharmaceuticals; technical service offered in a call center or biomolecules for vaccine stabilization. 

Clearly "global" is the "new black." Global is the way our world is now. Everything is moving towards global, increasing global reach if already global, and ASQ has to expand global presence too.

Bill Troy's February post, Why Should Quality "Go Global"?, gives insight to ASQ's role in promoting quality worldwide.


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5 Keys to Quality Problem Solving I learned in a Pizza Delivery Store

Early in my career as a Quality Claims Investigator for a textile company, I was flown to Denver, Colorado, to “save” a fast food uniform program. A box of knit shirts had arrived in my office the day before. Our customer claimed the fabric was “falling apart” in the field. 

It was true. The shirts were in poor shape: severely faded color with holes, snags, and rips. The knit shirt program was just a few months old. What happened to our fabric?

During the next two days, I visited 6 different pizza delivery stores during two shifts to observe our product “in the field.” This visit became pivotal to developing my quality problem solving techniques.

This is what I learned:

Communication. 

Talk to the end user. Although it is important to develop a relationship with management, the end user provides a wealth of information about product performance. In my example, the end user was a pizza delivery employee. 

Consistency.  

 Ask open ended questions and ask all end users the same questions. I developed a questionnaire to use in the field. Despite many distractions and numerous employees, I collected valuable data.

Observation. 

Be curious and observe the product in use. Is it being used the way you assumed? The key to my case was a washer and dryer in the back room.

Patience. 

Be prepared to wait. Show consideration of break or lunch times. Work your investigation around their schedule. In my fast food fieldwork, I sat in the backroom waiting out the lunch rush. I used that time to compile my notes and observe my surroundings.

Humility. 

Often during this research, comments were made about my company making the horrible shirts. I remained calm and explained that I was there to conduct an investigation to solve a mutual problem. I didn’t have the answers and needed their help.

Problem Solved!

 

My fieldwork investigation revealed several factors leading to fabric failure:

1 - The uniform shirts were being worn on 2 shifts for 7 days a week. Employees selected shirts from stock laundered at the store. This practice accelerated fabric wear.

2 - Name tag pins were often laundered with the shirts. Snags and holes were caused by the movement of shirts and pins in the washer and dryer.

3 - Broken plastic filters in the dryers caused snags and rips in the shirts.

The 5 problem solving keys of communication, consistency, observation, and patience served me well in the pizza store case.  The uniform program was saved. My fieldwork became a specialty, and was marketed as a value-added feature of our fabric program.

In his January post, Bill Troy shares points he gained in discussion with Paul O’Neill, expert in healthcare economics and former Secretary of the Treasury. Click here to read that inspirational article.