Knowledge Center

EPA Ruling Shines a Spotlight on Greenhouse Gases and How to Control Them.

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:41:46 +0000

The debate over greenhouse gases and how to regulate them has taken on new urgency with an Environmental Protection Agency ruling that six greenhouse gases "contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare." In 2006, ISO released ISO 14064, a voluntary standard providing specifications and guidance on quantifying and reporting greenhouse gases. With the recent EPA ruling, the standard is getting a lot of new attention. In ASQ's Knowledge Center: ASQ's Energy and Environmental Division offers a free Powerpoint presentation, complete with speaker notes, entitled "ISO 14064 - Why Should You Care?" Download the presentation from the division's newly redesigned Web site. You also can buy the standard from ASQ as a hard-copy document or as an e-standard. And ASQ's upcoming World Conference on Quality and Improvement will include a session on using the greenhouse gas standards.

Quality, Teamwork and All That Jazz

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:38:03 +0000

Here's a blast from the past: a 1990s-era video produced by ASQ (then known as ASQC) and the Disney Institute. Noted sax man Tom Scott and his band demonstrate -- with tongues firmly in cheeks -- that a tight jazz jam is really just another effective team activity, where everyone's on the same page but everyone gets a chance to solo too. It's a fun 8-minute video that still carries an important message.

ISO 26000: Why did the U.S. vote no?

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 14:02:33 +0000

The latest draft of ISO 26000, the upcoming standard on social responsibility, received two-thirds approval from the international committee developing it. But the contingent from the United States voted no. In this mp3 interview Bowers, immediate past president of the U.S. group, explains why the United States didn't support the current draft, and why she believes ISO 26000 is still on track for a 2010 release. (5:13)

NIST Now Stands for "Newest Internet SupersTar"

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:19:19 +0000

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has launched its own YouTube channel. The channel offers videos that range from the lighthearted -- don't miss the lowdown on pig-manure biofuel, or the recap of a recent nano-bot soccer tournament that took place under microscopes -- to more serious subjects, including NIST's groundbreaking investigation of why Building 7 at the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11.

As the Pharma World Evolves, Statistics Keep Companies Strong

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 14:14:59 +0000

The pharmaceutical industry is changing -- rapidly. Successful companies need to navigate new global competition, new FDA demands and expectations that the drug-development process will move more quickly. The current issue of the Journal of Quality Technology offers an in-depth look, complete with case studies, at how pharmaceutical companies are using statistical thinking and methods to stay competitive. The authors include staff from GlaxoSmithKline, Merck and Pfizer. Open Access.

Teamwork is everything -- when the team works, that is

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:59:23 +0000

It seems only fitting, given the renewed interest in teamwork sparked by a certain March sporting tournament, to focus on ways to make teams work better. In the latest Quality Management Journal, William Norton and Lyle Sussman explore the development and deployment of "team charters" as tools to link a company's mission statement with ground-level activities. They offer specific guidance on the content of team charters, suggest some ways to use them effectively, and discuss limitations. Open Access (with free registration required)

Sweet, Delicious Social Responsibility

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:56:21 +0000

Jerry Greenfield, of Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream fame, speaks with ASQ's John Van Slyke about how and why social responsibility has been at his company's core since its inception - and how they've turned the notion that SR hinders profitability on its head.

New Hot Topic: How to survive the economic crisis

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:44:56 +0000

The Knowledge Center's newest Hot Topic page is all about keeping your career and your business strong amid the current economic downturn. Is this the worst of times, or the best for quality professionals? Times are tough, but who's better-positioned for a future that promises lots of cost-cutting and new emphasis on efficient process management?

ASNI kicks off contest for papers on global accreditation

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:39:12 +0000

ANSI is kicking off its celebration of International Accreditation Day on June 9 with a paper competition. Entries must explore the value of accreditation in the global marketplace. The deadline for entries is Friday, April 24.

Making Innovation a Core Competency

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:33:54 +0000

See how Ritz-Carlton, a two-time winner of the Malcolm Baldrige Award, keeps its employees engaged in work with their whole brains. This special web-only version of an article from the Journal for Quality and Participation includes detailed project materials and resources not found in the print version. Open Access

Creating a Culture of Quality – Free Webinar

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:47:11 +0000

Quality isn’t the work of one person. You need to engage your whole organization. Learn how Ford did just that — with great success. June 2008.

Quality for Kids: "Claire Anne and the Talking Hat"

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 21:16:06 +0000

In this ASQ Audio Interview, author Barbara A. Cleary explains how she came to write "Claire Anne and the Talking Hat," a book designed to introduce children to basic quality tools and methods. (MP3, 880KB, 3:29)

Six Sigma: "Don't Fear the Math"

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 19:41:01 +0000

Rama Shankar discusses her new book, Process Improvement Using Six Sigma. Some would-be Six Sigma users are afraid of using calculation data to support decision-making. Others develop "analysis paralysis" and can't see past the math to the question they started with. Shankar offers guidance for staying focused and "having fun" with the math aspects of Six Sigma, and staying focused on the process, not the tools. (mp3 format, 4:05)

ISO 9001 Revision: No New Requirements, Several Clarifications

knowledgecenter@asq.org (Knowledge Center - ASQ) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:13:07 +0000

In this audio interview, Jack West, author of ISO 9001-2000 Explained, spoke with John Van Slyke, ASQ Weekly editor, about the new revision scheduled for print next month (November, 2008). West discussed what has changed, and how to go about using the revised standard ISO 9001:2008.