Category Archives: Continuous Process Improvement

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Apple, Verizon, and Customer Service

Posted on April 17, 2013 by

Like many people today, I own and use a variety of portable computing devices.  For the past two years, I have had an Apple iPhone 4, which I got on the first day they were offered by my wireless provider, … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Continuous Process Improvement | 1 Comment

Quality in Government: Answers, Questions, and the “AS IF…” to “BOTH…AND…” Challenge

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

Hi again, to all interested in process and organizational improvement.  After a personal leave from the blogosphere, I am back with my fellow ASQ “Voices of Influence.”  In this post, I am playing a bit of “catch-up.”  This post responds … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptive Capacity, ASQ, Change, Complexity, Continuous Process Improvement, Government Improvement, Quality | 1 Comment

Adaptive Behavior and Regulatory Compliance

Posted on April 8, 2013 by

From 1976 to 2002, I worked as a Compliance Specialist for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.  In that capacity, I enforced about 80 different laws, including Federal minimum wage, overtime, child labor, migrant farm labor, family … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptive Capacity, Change, Complexity, Continuous Process Improvement, Government Improvement | 1 Comment

Complexity and Behavioral Health: EBP and PBE

Posted on June 25, 2012 by

Three years ago I went to work as a Senior Advisor at SAMHSA, the Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.  My job was to oversee process improvement efforts at the agency responsible for giving out $3billion a year … Continue reading →

Posted in Behavioral Health, Change, Complexity, Continuous Process Improvement | Leave a comment

Whose Q? GM’s New Quest for Quality

Posted on October 13, 2011 by

Recently, Laurel Nelson-Rowe of ASQ, interviewed Terry Woychowski of general Motors.  Terry is GM’s recently-appointed VP for Global Quality.  In the interview’s video segments at  http://asq.org/blog/2011/09/the-ps-and-qs-of-the-new-general-motors/ we get a clear discussion of Mr. Woychowski’s vision for General Motors. One thing particularly … Continue reading →

Posted in ASQ, Change, Continuous Process Improvement, Creativity, Innovation, Quality | 1 Comment

What’s the Point of Planning?

Posted on September 17, 2011 by

NOTE: this article first appeared in January 2005.  It is freely available through the ASQ website.  What’s the Point of Planning? Bruce A. Waltuck November, 2005 Appeared in the Journal of Quality and Participation January 2006 What is the real … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Complexity, Continuous Process Improvement, Government Improvement | Leave a comment

Competitive Advantage: Can we self-organize our way back?

Posted on September 14, 2011 by

In a well-publicized recent report, the World Economic Forum had the United States slipping to fifth place in competitiveness.  You can read about the report at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44423519/ns/business-stocks_and_economy/t/us-falls-th-global-competitiveness-survey-shows/?GT1=43001 The article notes the slip is in part due to “declining faith in US … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Complexity, Continuous Process Improvement, Education, Government Improvement, Innovation, Social Responsibility | Leave a comment

The Right “Q” for Turbulent Times: the past, present & future of the quality movement

Posted on September 6, 2011 by

Do you know what your organization stands for?  When you see a question like that, it may call to mind an actual mission or vision statement.  For many, it suggests a sense of the core value or values that influence … Continue reading →

Posted in ASQ, Change, Continuous Process Improvement, Quality | 5 Comments

Leadership for Turbulent Times: the changing role of leaders

Posted on August 31, 2011 by

“. . . competition, we see now, is destructive. It would be better if everyone would work together as a system, with the aim for everybody to win. What we need is cooperation and transformation to a new style of … Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Complexity, Continuous Process Improvement, Creativity, Dialogue, Innovation | Leave a comment

The “EX” Factors: Ford’s Quality Journey

Posted on June 28, 2011 by

Last month I attended the annual World Conference on Quality and Improvement in Pittsburgh.  It was an exciting time for me, as I supported the publication of my Primer on Complexity and Quality, and gave a very well-attended session on … Continue reading →

Posted in ASQ, Continuous Process Improvement, Creativity, Innovation, Quality | Leave a comment