Session 122
The Process Based Approach to Management: Creating Advantage through Customer Focus
Jonathan Port, Beacon Quality

Utilization of the process based approach to management is an excellent way to identify and satisfy internal and external customers for your organization. It is the baseline for an ISO 9001 compliant QMS, but can be utilized at a basic level inside any organization to create a performance advantage.

Session 123
Using History to Predict the Future of Quality
Tim Donaldson, Donaldson Group

For all participants who want to learn a brief history of quality and use it as a guide to predict the future of the Practice of Quality and why the adoption of the culture of excellence is necessary to succeed in the 21st century.

Session 124
The Communication Curveball (Sponsored by MNASQ Program Committee)
Barb Minkel-Dusek

During the interview process communication clarity is especially important. Using a quick communication style tool, we’ll show you how you can enjoy a positive interview experience. In this session, we cover:
• Answer The Question - staying on target with your response
• Display Your Talents - expressing your background through the answer
• Speak With Conviction - mean what you say

Session 125
Improve Pricing Operations to Increase Profits: Using Quality Tools to Improve Pricing
Navdeep Sodhi, Six Sigma Pricing

Pricing of products and services is a major worry in the current economy especially due to lackluster sales growth in many companies. But companies can have far more control over it than they may realize by adopting quality tools for improving their internal pricing operations.

Session 131
Creating Advantages Using the Perspective of the Customer
Sandy Miller, X-Treme Leadership Group

It’s no longer enough to rely just on cost, schedule and quality. With Customers’ increasing options, and their growing demand to “be in the know”, a company will not be successful with what has always worked in the past. This workshop will focus on five successful principles for program management.

Session 132
Rethinking DMAIC: A More Rational Approach
Rip Stauffer, Woodside Quality Solutions

DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control) is the common Six Sigma roadmap for projects. Most DMAIC models use the same sequence of major steps and a fairly standard set of phase deliverables. This article addresses some of the deliverables, points out some potential weaknesses, and proposes some simple, proven adjustments addressing the weaknesses.

Session 133
Leaning the Innovation Process
Dave Duffy, Malt-O-Meal

The speed and the quality of the innovation process needs to match the demands and dynamics of today’s markets and today’s consumers. In his presentation Dave Duffy will touch on each of the four elements that comprise an effective, lean innovation process and will review real life examples of how he’s implemented these elements as well as the successful results.

Session 134
Certify Me! Creating Advantage through ASQ Certification
Jonathan Port, Beacon Quality

In today’s challenging world, you need every advantage to get recognized. ASQ Certification can give you an advantaged edge. Attend this session to learn about reasons to get certified, how to sign up to get certified, how to study for the exam, what to expect exam day, re-certification activities and have questions answered.

Session 135
Keep on Truckin’: Optimizing FMEA in a Challenging World
Bruce Bader, Little Rapids Corporation

During FMEA sessions people often have difficulty thinking of all possible failures leading to incomplete or repetitive FMEA sessions. This presentation gives a practical way to visualize all possible failures, through a thought stimulator using toy trucks. New or experienced facilitators can implement this thought stimulator in any organization.

Session 141
CxO Language: Business Value through Quality
Scott Ward, Scott Ward Associates

Cost of (Poor) Quality has been used for decades, but here’s a way to get the CEO, CFO and COO’s ear by tying improvement efforts into the growth of the company’s value by showing effects in a key financial metric that combines the income statement and the balance sheet.

Session 142
Avoiding Endless Design Loops in New Product Development
Perry Parendo, Perry’s Solutions

Whether you are responsible for product or process design, you recognize the time burden associated with project set backs. They cost more money, kill team motivation and obviously delay product introduction to the market. This presentation will frame the situation and offer a range of solutions.

Session 143
A Practitioners Guide to Virtual Teaming – Dealing with Remoteness and Cross-Functionality
Steven Trautman, Future Keynote

First, we will understand the issues of remoteness and crossfunctionality. Then, we will dig into some very practical processes and tools to build and sustain a high performance, virtual team (where team members report to different organizations and are remote). Anyone working in a virtual environment should attend.

Session 144
Networking for Introverts and Extroverts Alike – The Who, What, When and How
Karen Kodzik, Cultivating Careers

The golden rule for every professional is to never let your network die. Whether you are working, on the verge of career change or in full blown transition, a solid professional network is your life line. However it is often the first thing to fall off the “to-do” list because people don’t know where to begin. This presentation will give you tips and strategies to build and maintain your professional network starting with that first networking conversation.

Session 145
Quality Improvement in an Engineering-To-Order Workplace
Wayne Hochrein, Westinghouse Electric Company

Engineering intensive companies recognized that quality is fundamental to achieving long-term financial success with customer satisfaction. This presentation is a review at the ‘Engineering-To-Order’ work environment with emphasis on tools that engineers and managers may use to reduce hidden costs.