Market decline versus speed to market – ‘A bird in the hand...’

Wednesday, August 25, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
I recently saw an interesting @RISK cashflow model from the portable phone industry. It modeled the uncertainty in the length and decline of overall market demand for a particular technology against five strategies for getting various application products to market as soon as possible. 

Using @RISK’s Simtable function, combined with Excel’s Index function, it was possible to run multiple simulations and see which strategy could take best advantage of the potential market, given the uncertainties in the development process, the possibility of competitors, the market take-up and the margins that might be achieved.

As is often the case in all aspects of life, the simulation revealed that ‘a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush’; it’s very comforting to know that @RISK risk analysis solutions can cut through loads of detail and come back with an answer that echoes received wisdom!

Ian Wallace, ACMA
Palisade Training Team

Is @RISK a forecasting tool or a decision-making tool?

Thursday, August 19, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
Most people understand that @RISK and Monte Carlo simulation are designed to be an improvement on single-point estimates.  In practice, however, I often see people using @RISK as a forecasting tool to get yet another single-point estimate, such as the 90th percentile, without putting it into the context of the potential range of outcomes.

This is probably the difference between a forecasting and a decision-making.  The former tends to focus on historical or observed trends and developing specific scenarios (e.g. best, most likely, worse) based on expert opinion, while the latter is concerned with confidence ranges and likelihood.

Indeed, it’s not until you add probability, as with @RISK, that you start to measure the quality of your forecasts (i.e. your confidence level) and calculate the margin of error – something that’s crucial in all walks of life!

In my opinion, therefore, @RISK is much more of a decision-making tool than a forecasting tool.  Both involve trying to predict the future but the addition of probability gives decision-makers vital insight to a problem. 

Don’t you just love semantics!

Ian Wallace, ACMA
Palisade Training Team

Free Webcast This Thursday: “Assessing Your New Product, Process or Service Introduction Methodology: Is Yours Premier? Does it Enable Six Sigma Performance?”

Monday, August 16, 2010 by Steve Hunt
On Thursday, August 19, 2010, David Roy will present a free live webcast entitled. "Assessing Your New Product, Process or Service Introduction Methodology: Is Yours Premier? Does it Enable Six Sigma Performance? "

As companies make changes to or introduce new Products, Processes or Services, we observe a wide spectrum of methodology; from well defined process with trained resources, effective tools and excellent results - to no process, ad hoc application of tools, and frequent cycles of “Launch and Learn.”

Where does your methodology rank?

In this free live webcast, we will provide a framework for assessing the Process, People, Tools and Results for premier attributes in the New Product, Process, Services Introduction Methodology.


» Register now (FREE)
» View archived webcasts

Free Webcast This Thursday: “Assessing Your New Product, Process or Service Introduction Methodology: Is Yours Premier? Does it Enable Six Sigma Performance?”

Monday, August 16, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
On Thursday, August 19, 2010, David Roy will present a free live webcast entitled. "Assessing Your New Product, Process or Service Introduction Methodology: Is Yours Premier? Does it Enable Six Sigma Performance? "

As companies make changes to or introduce new Products, Processes or Services, we observe a wide spectrum of methodology; from well defined process with trained resources, effective tools and excellent results - to no process, ad hoc application of tools, and frequent cycles of “Launch and Learn.”

Where does your methodology rank?

In this free live webcast, we will provide a framework for assessing the Process, People, Tools and Results for premier attributes in the New Product, Process, Services Introduction Methodology.


» Register now (FREE)
» View archived webcasts

Oops! Didn’t see that coming! Part 4

Monday, August 9, 2010 by Steve Hunt

This is the conclusion of Dave Roy’s guest blog, we hope you have found them informative. Again, Dave comes to us from SSPI, Six Sigma Professionals, Inc., and taught Jack Welch and his entire staff their Six Sigma Green Belt training. Also, look for Dave’s free live webcast on August 19th, Assessing your New Product, Process or Service Introduction Methodology: Is yours premier? Does it enable Six Sigma performance?



Oops! Didn’t see that coming! Part 4
 

 

As a continuation from the July blog, we are now concluding with the “Optimize” and “Validate” phases of the ICOV (Identify-Conceptualize-Optimize-Validate) framework of a rigorous new design process as explained in “Services Design for Six Sigma – A Roadmap for Excellence”.

 

These phases are important because it allows time and methodology to optimize the design, develop all of the detailed documentation, verify performance and capability under operating conditions and manage an orderly transition to the new state.

 

The Optimize phase consists of a single stage (Design Optimization) and associated Tollgate 5 to validate successful completion of the requirements. 

 

The Design Optimization stage involves completing all of the detailed design documentation, building Prototypes of the design, simulating/analyzing Process Capability, preparing all Control Plans and updating the Design and Process Scorecards.

 

Tollgate 5 Exit Criteria:

o    Agreement that functionality and performance meet the customers’ and business requirements under the intended operating conditions.

o    Approval to proceed with the Validate stage.

 

Formal tools which can be used in this phase are Design Scorecard, Process Management, Mistake Proofing, Simulation, Change Management, Control Plans, Reliability and Robustness.

 

The Validate phase consists of two stages (Verification and Launch Readiness) and associated Tollgates (6 and 7) to validate successful completion of the requirements. 

 

The Verification stage involves developing Pilot plans, Piloting the new design and process and analyzing and making adjustments to achieve the desired functionality and performance under operating conditions.

 

Tollgate 6 Exit Criteria:

o    Agreement that functionality and performance from the pilot meet the customers’ and business requirements under the intended operating conditions.

o    Approval to proceed with the Launch Readiness stage.

 

Formal tools which can be used in this phase are Design Scorecard, Process Management, Mistake Proofing, Change Management, Control Plans, Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Confidence Analysis.

 

The Launch Readiness stage involves developing Pilot plans, Piloting the new design and process and analyzing and making adjustments to achieve the desired functionality and performance under operating conditions.

 

Tollgate 7 Exit Criteria:

o    Agreement that transition plans and training plans have been developed and are executable.

o    Approval to proceed with the Production stage.

 

Formal tools which can be used in this phase are Transition Plans, Training Plans, Process management, Change Management and Control Plans.

 

Following the ICOV model we have now used a formal methodology that allows us to validate performance at progressive economical stages and have improved the ability to detect unknown risks thus avoiding the Oops! Didn’t see that coming!. It should be mentioned that the methodology should be flexible and scalable to adjust for level of invention and risk. A brand new invention (Research & Development) that has never been deployed in similar conditions is much different than implementing a known solution (Application Engineering) under new conditions.

 » Part 1
 » Part 2
 » Part 3
 

 

 

BIO:

 

David Roy is an integral part of the Six Sigma community. He taught GE’s Jack Welch and entire staff Six Sigma, as well as served as Senior Vice President of Textron Six Sigma. He is a Certified GE Master Black Belt, was instrumental in developing GE’s DMADV (DFSS) methodology, and has taught 3 waves of DFSS Black Belts. David holds an BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of New Hampshire. He is also the co-author “Services Design for Six Sigma – A Roadmap for Excellence”

 

Oops! Didn’t see that coming! Part 3

Monday, July 19, 2010 by Steve Hunt

We are pleased to welcome back to my blog consultant and trainer David Roy from Six Sigma Professionals, Inc.

 

 

Oops! Didn’t see that coming! Part 3
 

 

As a continuation from the June blog, we are now covering the “Conceptualize” phase of the ICOV framework of a rigorous new design process as explained in “Services Design for Six Sigma – A Roadmap for Excellence”.

 

This phase is important because it conceives, evaluates and selects good design solutions through robust process methodology which ensures alignment to the customer and the business needs.

 

Many design solutions skip this phase and become typically named as “Launch and Learn”.

 

The Conceptualize phase consists of two stages and associated Tollgates to validate successful completion of the requirements. 

 

The Concept Development stage involves translating Customer requirements into solution free Functional requirements, developing the System Level Conceptual Design, generating Concepts for required functions, Concept selection and translation of the Functional Requirements to Design Parameters.Click to Enlarge

An example of a Functional Requirement for a Customer Want of “Speedy Service” could be “Speed of Service” and a Design Parameter could be “Waiting Time

 

Tollgate 3 Exit Criteria:

  • Assessment that the Conceptual Development Plan & Cost will satisfy the customer base
  • A Decision the design represents an economic opportunity (if appropriate)
  • Verification adequate funding will be available to perform Preliminary Design
  • Identification of the Tollgate Keeper & the appropriate staff
  • An action plan to continue flow-down of the design Functional Requirements

 

The Preliminary Design stage involves creating the design documentation and configuration management, performing design analysis and testing, translating the Design Parameters into Process Variables and formulating the Production strategy.

An example of further mapping the Design Parameter of “Waiting Time” to a Process Variable could be “Number of Phone Lines

 

Tollgate 4 Exit Criteria:

  • Acceptance of the selected Solution/Design
  • Agreement the Design is likely to satisfy all Design Requirements
  • Agreement to proceed with the next stage of the selected Solution/Design
  • An action plan to finish the flow-down of the design Functional Requirements to design parameters and process variables

 

Formal tools which can be used in this phase are QFD, TRIZ/Axiomatic design, Measurement System Analysis (MSA), Failure Mode effect Analysis (FMEA), Design scorecard, Process mapping, Process management, Pugh Concept Selection, Robust Design, Design Scorecards, Design for X and Design reviews.

 

The next and final blog will cover the Optimize and Validate phases.

 

BIO:

 

David Roy is an integral part of the Six Sigma community. He taught GE’s Jack Welch and entire staff Six Sigma, as well as served as Senior Vice President of Textron Six Sigma. He is a Certified GE Master Black Belt, was instrumental in developing GE’s DMADV (DFSS) methodology, and has taught 3 waves of DFSS Black Belts. David holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of New Hampshire. He is also the co-author “Services Design for Six Sigma – A Roadmap for Excellence”

 


 » Part 1
 » Part 2


Customised Solutions Using @RISK and VBA for Excel

Thursday, July 8, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
If you missed Palisade trainer Rishi Prabhakar's webcast "Customised Solutions Using @RISK and VBA for Excel," you can still view it in our archive.

The hour-long presentation explores the use of VBA for Microsoft Excel to control @RISK functionality, to simplify the process of risk analysis for resource-strapped businesses. Rishi explains the advantages (and limitations) of macro control for modelling and running simulations.

Simple examples are worked through to show the XDK (@RISK’s automation library) in action, from generic examples to a cost estimation model. This addresses elements of model construction, various simulation settings and finally reporting. The emphasis is on exposing the viewer to the various possibilities the XDK lends to the user rather than an in-depth VBA for Excel coding session.

Rishi Prabhakar holds a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Technology, Sydney Australia. Rishi has experience in the resources, infrastructure and primary industries, telecommunications, scientific research, banking and finance with an emphasis on operational risk.

With technical skills in the areas of modelling, simulation, statistical analysis, cost estimation, time series forecasting, customised solutions utilising VBA for Excel, and extreme value theory, Rishi has provided training and consulting services in risk and decision analysis for Palisade’s Asia Pacific office since 2005.


» Customised Solutions Using @RISK and VBA for Excel
» Webcast archive

Oops! Didn’t see that coming! Part 2

Tuesday, June 15, 2010 by Steve Hunt

Guest blogger David Roy Six Sigma Professionals, Inc., and taught Jack Welch and his entire staff their Six Sigma Green Belt training. Dave also has a quick survey for your input on structuring DFSS training. brings us the second installment of his four-part blog. Dave comes to us from SSPI,

 

--Steve Hunt

 
Oops! Didn’t see that coming! Part 2

We’d like to ask for your guidance by completing a short marketing survey to help SSPI structure our training in a way that is most useful to our community. This 8 question survey should take less than 5 minutes, and is anonymous. Your opinions are greatly appreciated.

As a continuation from the May blog, we are now covering the “Identify” phase of the ICOV framework of a rigorous new design process.

This phase is important because it establishes the framework for the concept, establishes the level of rigor required for the project management process, estimates the development cost, collects the Customer and Business requirements and the criteria for success.

 

The level of project management needs to be flexible and scalable depending on the Level of Effort (cost) and the Level of Innovation (risk) of the new concept.

 

Surely a project that will take a month to develop and has been done elsewhere requires less rigor that a concept that will take 3 years to develop and represents a brand new invention which has never been done before.

 

The I phase consists of two Tollgates during which an objective steering committee will decide whether to refine the work in the current phase, proceed or cancel the project. 

 

Tollgate 1 Exit Criteria are:

o     Decision To Collect The Voice Of The Customer To Define Customer Needs, Wants And Delights

o     Verification adequate funding is available to define Customer Needs

o     Identification of the Tollgate Keepers1 leader & the appropriate staff

 

Tollgate 2 Exit Criteria is successful demonstration of:

o     Assessment of market opportunity

o     Command a reasonable price or be affordable

o     Commitment to development of the Conceptual Designs

o     Verification adequate funding is available to develop the Conceptual Design

o     Identification of the Gate Keepers leader (gate approver) & the appropriate staff

o     Continue flow down of CTSs to Functional Requirements

Click to Enlarge 

Formal tools which can be used in this phase are Market/Customer research tools, Product Roadmaps, Process Roadmaps, Technology Roadmaps, Multigenerational plans, Quality Functional Deployment (House of Quality).

 

Market/Customer research tools may include Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Data, Surveys, Focus Groups, Conjoint Analysis and Kano Model Analysis.

 

The next blog will cover the Conceptualize phase

 

 

 

BIO:

 

David Roy is an integral part of the Six Sigma community. He taught GE’s Jack Welch and entire staff Six Sigma, as well as served as Senior Vice President of Textron Six Sigma. He is a Certified GE Master Black Belt, was instrumental in developing GE’s DMADV (DFSS) methodology, and has taught 3 waves of DFSS Black Belts. Dave’s experience includes Product and Transactional so his examples are of interest to all. David holds an BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of New Hampshire. He is also the co-author “Services Design for Six Sigma – A Roadmap for Excellence”

» Part 1

(Data) Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

Monday, June 7, 2010 by Steve Hunt

I’m pleased to welcome Palisade Six Sigma Partner Edward Biernat of Consulting with Impact as featured guest blogger. As well as running a successful consultancy, Ed is a noted Six Sigma educator and author.

 

--Steve Hunt

 

 

(Data) Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness

 

I recently had dinner with Eric Alden, a Master Black Belt for Xerox corporation.  Eric had just gotten back from the American Society for Quality’s  (ASQ) headquarters in Milwaukee where he was one of 200 Master Black Belts worldwide that generated the questions for the upcoming ASQ Master Black Belt certification examination (more on that in an upcoming post).  Eric had also recently completed a mini-course for the local ASQ chapter on data integrity.  We shared some war stories and came up with some common threads regarding data integrity.

 

1.       Just because it is a number doesn’t mean it is worth anything.  People get enamored with tons of data from process instrumentation, shop floor collection sources or Excel spreadsheets.  There seems to be a false security with this pile of data, and managers often look to the Black Belt to ‘sort it out’, because with all that data, the answer is in there somewhere.  Many a belt has crashed on the rocky reefs of bad data, often after tons of time and effort (and credibility) were wasted generating false answers.

2.       GIGO.  The Garbage In – Garbage Out philosophy of computing applies especially to existing corporate databases.  Here a few recent examples of GIGO.

a.       A belt wanted to analyze the specific timing of events in shop floor process and had tons of data from the process instrumentation that had times down to the fraction of a second.  After lengthy analysis, they found a significant difference between two shifts and forced the lesser shift to adopt the sequence of the more uniform shift.  After introducing costly production problems and actually hurting the overall process, the sensors were found to be faulty and the overall process subject to human manipulation to generate the ‘pretty charts’ that everyone expected.

b.      Office areas are not immune.  Something as simple as a checksheet to gather data to analyze when a particular computer error occurred can be in question, especially when the clerk fills in the times at the end of the shift from memory rather than logging the event as it occurs.

3.       Good data in bad spreadsheets.  Even if you get good data, having an inexperienced person setting up the spreadsheet can cause problems.  It is analogous to a person using a word processing software and making a table using spaces and tabs.  It looks like a great table until you have to manipulate it.  Then it falls apart.  Problems like merged cells, subtotals, random formula inserted in cells, etc. can make a Belt weep and cause significant errors in the resulting analyses.

4.       Useless manipulation.  Often a big issue is that management wants data sliced a certain way for no good reason.  This sometimes leads to the proliferation of additional spreadsheets or databases that needlessly add to complexity.  (Note: If you have an ERP system like Oracle or SAP, USE IT!  They are designed to house data and protect its integrity.  Plus the data entry screens typically allow for better and more accurate entry.  Few things are more wasteful than entering everything in the ERP system then re-entering it into a spreadsheet to appease a manager’s inability to adapt and change.)

 

What are some tactics for resolving these issues?

1.       On a macro level, start ensuring that the data that your company is collecting is sound data as part of the preparation for a Six Sigma launch, or a part of plain old good business.  Bad data slows down or stops a Six Sigma project dead in its tracks, changing it from getting something done to fixing the data. 

a.       Know catalog your data databases, including the extra ones (Excel, Access) that are usually relied upon but undocumented.

b.      Prioritize the data sources by synchronizing them with your Six Sigma launch sequencing. 

c.       Sample the data to insure its usefulness.  If it is bad, fix it.  This will give teams better data to start off with and will allow time for that data to accumulate for analysis.

2.       For specific projects, conduct a Measurement System Analysis (MSA) on you data sources (This tool is often used in the Measure phase of the DMAIC model).  We often think of MSA’s when it comes to physical measurements.  It is just as critical in the ‘softer’ data. 

a.       Pull the correct sample size.  In StatTools, under  Statistical Inference there is a Sample Size Selection tool that can be used to pull the correct amount of data needed for the analysis.

b.      Pull your data randomly and follow the trail to the actual entry point.  That may mean watching how individuals enter data, probing for special circumstances, etc.

c.       In your analysis, look for random factors such as vacation fill-ins.  Both Eric and I both had several experiences where one person was filling in for someone who is out sick or on vacation and, usually do to inadequate training, varies from the expected process.

3.       Pivot Tables are our friends.  Start today upgrading the skill sets of the people that do the actual data entry and first level analysis.  Train them in how to use tools like Picot Tables that slice the data but leave the actual spreadsheet intact.  The fewer merged cells, etc. that we fight with, the better.

4.       Managers – Trust your Belt.  If they say the data is bad, it probably is.  No matter how much you want an answer today, you may not be able to get one.  The good news is that some processes can be modeled using @RISK to begin improvement that is directionally correct while waiting for the data to compile.  Then the better data can be used to either update or replace the early model.

5.       Go hunting.  Find extraneous datasets and merge them / kill them.  The fewer that are out there, the more likely you will be able to ensure the integrity of those that remain.

 

Remember that data analysis is a funnel.  Tons of data leads to bunches of information which then can help us make some decisions.  Throwing bad data into the system is similar to throwing bad tomatoes into the food distribution system.  The end results can be pretty messy and difficult to clean up. 

 

Also, don’t miss Ed Biernat’s free live webcast DMAIC and Using a Non-Intuition Approach, Thursday, 11AM Eastern Time.

 

Sign up here:

https://palisade.webex.com/palisade/onstage/g.php?d=719996370&t=a

 

 

BIO:

 

Edward Biernat is the president of Consulting With Impact, Ltd., a training, coaching, and consultancy located in Canandaigua, NY that he founded in 1998.

Another take on the BP Oil Spill

Friday, May 28, 2010 by Steve Hunt

We are pleased to introduce you to consultant and trainer Sandi Claudell, today’s featured guest blogger. Sandi is CEO of MindSpring Coaching, and has been a valued Palisade Six Sigma Partner for quite some time. She is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt (Motorola), and is a Lean Master (Toyota Motors - Japan) among other notable achievements.

--Steve Hunt


Part 1: The Platform Disaster

Much has been said about the disastrous BP oil spill in New Orleans. If we use the theory of probability and reliability then have too many different companies responsible for a very complex construction and operation added to the chance of failure.

 

There is probably a cultural issue at work where each entity wanted to give the other what they wanted to hear rather than the truth. (For historic and recent examples: NASA Challenger and recent Toyota Prius problems). When we lose sight of quality and reliability of parts, construction, maintenance, testing under ALL conditions rather than the obvious few, etc. then we run high risks of failure. When you build 100+ wells and avoided disasters  . . . perhaps people fool themselves into thinking there never WILL be a disaster. They don’t look at a model that demonstrates the longer you go without such an event (given the input factors of how each element can and will fail) the closer you come to the event we all want to avoid.

 

They may or may not have used an integrated Systems Design  . . . not simply an engineering system but the system on how individuals work together, communicate with each other, act as a conforming unit or a more self-directed autonomous unit looking for and generating solutions outside the box. A team that is innovative and willing to look at all the possibilities and create a breakthrough design that was / is more mistake proof.

 

If they had used DFSS (Design for Six Sigma) then their designs would be more robust taking into consideration all the necessary safety precautions for human life as well as immediate response to a potential failure. As part of DFSS we use a statistical tool call Design of Experiments (Strategy of Formulations, Central Composites, etc.) where we can try very complex interactions (factors) with minimal effort / cost and maximum statistical accuracy. DoE creates prediction equations that allow us to model and ask questions of what would happen under different conditions. More importantly we can look at many different quality metrics (responses, outcomes, etc.) with the same experimental trial. If we replicate the test then we can even forecast what elements cause variation (very hard to detect in highly complex systems without the use of statistics).

 

If they had used an FMEA (Failure Mode Effect Analysis  . . . a tool used in Six Sigma) then they could have anticipated failures and put error proofing devices in place to detect and/or respond to potential faults BEFORE it is irreversible. If we add a Monte Carlo simulation to potential working conditions then the model forecasts probability plots and identifies key factors that will be critical to success or failure.

 

Perhaps they did indeed use a Monte Carlo using Crystal Ball. It is a good product but if they used Palisade’s @RISK and added some of the other tools provided by Palisade such as RISK Optimizer, Neural Tools, etc. then they could have analyzed the system in other dimensions besides a simple Monte Carlo, thus uncovering weaknesses BEFORE designing and/or building the platform and well.

 

Part 2: Capping the well head

 

In Lean there is a whole discipline called “Error Proofing Devices”. As part of the design effort we need to create first and foremost safety and other devices that prevent the error from occurring in the first place. If that line of defense fails then there should be devices built into the process designed to cap the well if your error proofing fails. If that line of defense fails then there should be a disaster response plan created and practiced and tested to ensure that the spill is repaired immediately.

 

Part 3: Treating the resulting spill

 

Again, Design of Experiments could test different materials, chemicals and methods to find the right combination to contain or otherwise manage the resulting oil spill. Trying one chemical only may be the age old definition of madness . . . trying the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Again, a robust design of experiments could aid in the process of finding a solution that is most effective and with multiple tests on the same samples ensure that is it the most safe for the environment and the population most directly in the path of the oil spill. These tests are ideally run years before such a spill however, doing something now is better than simply standing by and watching it happen.

 

Last but not least:

 

Management (Executives down to line managers) should have coaches. Coaches who can speak to the culture, the systems design, the tools and methods used in Lean Six Sigma and who can verify data analysis and help with the accurate interpretation of the data. These coaches should be independent . . . not a full time employee of the corporation as they are more likely to speak the truth and highlight risks as well as opportunities.

 

Now BP and all the other entities may have done some of what I mentioned above. But I would assume they must have left out one or more of the listed items or we wouldn’t be looking at the oil traveling into the wetlands around New Orleans right now. Hindsight is always brilliant but we can learn from our mistakes. We can create better cultures, systems, error proofing devices, Experimental Designs etc.

 

 

BIO:  

 

Sandi Claudell is CEO of MindSpring Coaching. She is a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma, a Lean Master and has worked as a consultant for many companies to initiate worldwide improvements. For more information or to contact Sandi please visit http://www.mindspringcoaching.com/.

Oops! Didn’t see that coming!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010 by Steve Hunt

We are pleased to introduce you to consultant and trainer David Roy, our first guest blogger in my blog. Dave comes to us from SSPI, Six Sigma Professionals, Inc., and taught Jack Welch and his entire staff their Six Sigma Green Belt training. David’s blog will be the first in a series, and this initial entry also has a quick survey at the end for your input on structuring DFSS training.

--Steve Hunt

 
 

Oops! Didn’t see that coming!

 

How often do we hear these words after we have made a change to product, service or process?

 

We frequently solve one problem only to discover a new problem; or the solution we selected didn’t really resolve the problem.

 

There are many reasons for these surprises. Problem Solving sometimes addresses the symptoms and not the root cause. Useful solutions often have compromising harmful effects that we did not consider.

 

You may now be thinking; “Wow, if everything we do is going to turn out bad let’s not change anything.”   The reality is that change is inevitable. Whether driven by rising customer expectations, innovative new technologies or even variation in inputs over time; change will occur.

 

Managing the design and implementation of these changes requires a more formal methodology than the prominent “Launch and Learn” method.

 

The sophistication of the methodology will vary depending on the magnitude of the risks associated with the change. If we are problem solving for variation in a standard process and trying to regain control simple tools such as Cause and Effect diagram and Failure Mode Effects Analysis and Standard Work may be all that is required.

 

When we start to explore reducing variation or introducing new technologies or process then we need to bring on a Design For Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology which incorporates elements such as Change Management, Robust Design, Reliability, Modeling & Simulation and Piloting & Prototyping.

 

Over the next 4 blogs we will cover the four phases of a DFSS project under the framework of I-dentify, C-onceptualize, O-ptimize, and V-erify or ICOV for short.

We will give a high level look at the steps within these phases and the tools used to reduce the risk of the change and un-intended consequences.

 

On another note, if you are able, we’d like to ask for your guidance by completing a short marketing survey to help SSPI structure our training in a way that is most useful to our community. This 8 question survey should take less than 5 minutes, and is anonymous. Your opinions are greatly appreciated.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=2aQk8QF1eLB5MFQJC1pUXA_3d_3d

 

BIO:

 

David Roy is an integral part of the Six Sigma community. He taught GE’s Jack Welch and entire staff Six Sigma, as well as served as Senior Vice President of Textron Six Sigma. He is a Certified GE Master Black Belt, was instrumental in developing GE’s DMADV (DFSS) methodology, and has taught 3 waves of DFSS Black Belts. Dave’s experience includes Product and Transactional so his examples are of interest to all. David holds an BS in Mechanical Engineering from The University of New Hampshire. He is also the co-author “Services Design for Six Sigma – A Roadmap for Excellence”

 

June 2010 - Worldwide Training Schedule

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
Palisade Training services show you how to apply @RISK and the DecisionTools Suite to real-life problems, maximizing your software investment. All seminars include free step-by-step books and multimedia training CDs that include dozens of example models.

North America
London
Brasil
Latin-America
Asia-Pacific

20 Questions in a New Orbit

Thursday, April 15, 2010 by Holly Bailey
An Ottawa toy developer is trying to make a jet-propelled leap from an online game to space travel. His vehicle? A neural network designed as the back end system for a game of 20 questions. Twelve years ago Robin Burgener wrote a neural net program to train on the sequences of player responses to questions--beginning with Animal? Vegetable? Mineral?--posed by the neural network,              
 
 
The game is does more than pose simple yes-or-no answers to lead you to a conclusion. The neural network algorithm is able to pose different questions in different orders, and it gets the right answer about 80 percent of the time.                                                         , 
 
Now, apparently, the sky's the limit for Burgener's neural network.  He was scheduled to make a presentation late last month at the Goddard Space Flight Centre explaining the potential uses for a neural networked 20 questions on board a space craft. These uses center broadly on troubleshooting technical and equipment problems and subsequently anticipating future problems.  
 
If, as he claims is true, his neural net guessing program can work around responses that are misleading or downright lies, what that would mean for space travelers, he concludes, is that  "if a sensor fails, you're able to see past it."
 
I know what he means, I think, but I myself don't tend to look past sensors.        

Robust Risk Analysis for the Time/Expertise Poor – Part 1

Tuesday, April 13, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
I have recently spoken to several clients whom have all came to the same conclusion about the risk analysis solution they think is most appropriate. They don’t want to do it, and I have no problem with that!

Of course that’s not precisely true. The benefits of Monte Carlo techniques in risk analysis are quite well understood and there is plenty of buy-in from businesses in the Australasian region. The trouble these businesses face (particularly in the realm of project cost estimation) is that the specific process of quantifying their risks for stochastic analysis and the ensuing simulation is not well understood and the means to ameliorate this appears to be beyond their reach. The modelling and simulation components of the project risk management process are not given adequate resources to be performed well, and certainly not to the extent that they provide the most useful information.

It is the case that many companies do not employ dedicated quantitative analysts. This means they have to rely upon some (maybe one) person in the team who has a non-zero quantity of experience and possibly training with risk simulation software to create a valid and credible stochastic model. This person is also not likely to be given enough time to do said task, thus the model inevitably suffers. It is my experience that most models – and all project cost estimation models – can be improved or actually need to be fixed.

So the corporate mind is willing, but the flesh is weak. How can this be addressed? No amount of additional training will suddenly allow you to overcome your time and resource constraints. Perhaps you can’t get the budget for training anyway or don’t want to master risk analysis software when it’s not really core to your role? The solution is one that I personally endorse (and provide!) as a risk analysis consultant – custom Excel programming.

VBA for Excel is a fairly simple language to learn, yet very powerful tool for automating repetitive or sometimes complex spreadsheet tasks. A customised solution involves writing VBA code to perform the tasks we’d rather not do ourselves in the risk analysis model. The “we” here refers to companies that find themselves in the situations previously described whereby they are incapable of creating and operating these models, not necessarily though any fault of their own. In my next blog I’ll examine some modelling problems/requirements and how they might be dealt with effectively using customisation.

Rishi Prabhakar
Trainer/Consultant

The Paradox of Knowledge

Wednesday, April 7, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
Modeling from empirical data takes observed information and attempts to replicate that information in a set of calculations. There are a number of relationships to account for when incorporating those data in a model. These relationships include dependencies and/or correlations. Correlations are often omitted for a variety of reasons, which can lead to critical errors in your results. Some knowledge of the situation leads to a more credible representation of the relationships in the data. Added knowledge, perhaps from subject matter experts, or other sources, aids the refinement of the conclusions one can draw from the data. Whether the correlations are direct or aggregate, involving simple mathematics or greater complexities, ultimately the model is likely to be used in some form of analysis for projecting future outcomes. The knowledge brought to the model and the analysis with embedded correlations improves knowledge about inherent uncertainty in a given problem.

Correlation is a principal relational element  which describes relationships between variables in datasets. There may be general tendencies and patterns which drive the input risks to move together or differently from each other. It is these relationships between variables which need to be expressed in a model to bolster its usefulness, which is accomplished with correlation. It is important to remember there may be observed correlation between variables but it is not necessarily a causal relationship; it may be only a general tendency of paired behavior.

One significant aspect to note: positive correlations appear to increase uncertainty. Wait, you say, how is that possible? Knowledge is supposed to reduce uncertainty. Doesn’t knowing counteract unknowing? Think about it for a moment. In effect, the correlations included in the model reduce the uncertainty about reality while increasing the range of predicted values, adding uncertainty. What may seem illogical on the outset really is quite logical. If two (or more) risks are positively correlated, their aggregation will produce a larger range as a consequence of Monte Carlo sampling. In fact, failing to account for correlations that really are there reduces the validity of the analysis.

Correlations are easily incorporated in models set up for Monte Carlo simulation. MCS, as a technique, generates many ‘random’ samples allowing the modeler to study a variety of scenarios and their impact on decisions. A correlation matrix defines the sampling relationship between any pair of input variables in the model. Using a tool such as Palisade’s @RISK facilitates matrix construction. Once the correlations are in place, running the MCS will produce results and scenarios that are more credible. We want decisions to be based on the best information available and the correlations lend a hand to the knowledge we already incorporate into the process.

Thompson Terry
Senior Training Consultant

April 2010 - Worldwide Training Schedule

Thursday, April 1, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
Palisade Training services show you how to apply @RISK and the DecisionTools Suite to real-life problems, maximizing your software investment. All seminars include free step-by-step books and multimedia training CDs that include dozens of example models.

North America

London

Brasil

Latin-America

Asia-Pacific

New Approaches to Risk and Decision Analysis

Wednesday, March 17, 2010 by DMUU Training Team


Risk analysis and decision-making tools are relevant to most organisations, in most industries around the world.  This is demonstrated by the speaker line-up at this year's European User Conference, an event at which we believe it is important to bring together customers from a wide range of market sectors.

We are holding 'New Approaches to Risk and Decision Analysis' at the Institute of Directors in central London on 14th and 15th April 2010.  As with previous years, the programme aims to provide everyone attending with practical advice to enhance the decision-making capabilities of their organisation.  Customer presentations, which offer insight into a wide variety of  business applications of risk and decision analysis, include:
  • CapGemini: Faldo's folly or Monty's Carlo – The Ryder Cup and Monte Carlo simulation
  • DTU Transport: New approaches to transport project assessment; reference scenario forecasting and quantitative risk analysis
  • Georg-August University Research: Benefits from weather derivatives in agriculture: a portfolio optimisation using RISKOptimizer
  • Graz University of Technology: Calculation of construction costs for building projects – application of the Monte Carlo method
  • Halcrow: Risk-based water distribution rehabilitation planning – impact modelling and estimation
  • Pricewaterhouse Coopers: PricewaterhouseCoopers and Palisade: an overview
  • Noven: Use of Monte Carlo simulations for risk management in pharmaceuticals
  • SLR Consulting: Risk sharing in waste management projects - @RISK and sensitivity analysis
  • Statoil: Put more science into cost risk analysis
  • Unilever: Succeeding in DecisionTools Suite 5 rollout – Unilever's story
We will also look at the recently-launched language versions of @RISK and DecisionTools Suite, which are now available in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese.  Software training sessions will provide delegates with practical knowledge to ensure they can optimise their use of the tools and implement business best practise and methodologies.

With over 100 delegates from around the world attending, the event is also a good opportunity to network and knowledge-share with risk professionals from around the world.

» Complete programme schedule, more information on each presentation,
   and registration details



Making Optimal Choices, or Just Making Choices? Part 1

Tuesday, March 16, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
Something has troubled me for some time regarding the choices being made in risk land. I train and work with many clients whom have adopted Monte Carlo simulation techniques (via @RISK for Excel) into the day-to-day running of their businesses. By doing so they (hopefully) now have a good understanding of the exposure they are facing be it in project cost estimation, discounted cash flow analysis or, well, anything really. But this is only one facet of risk and decision assessment, specifically dealing with the descriptive statistical output from a simulation. What of the decision evaluation component? Why aren’t more of my customers analysing the decisions they make, or better yet actually optimising them? I have a few ideas why.

If you’re in business you have to make decisions. Big ones, little ones, yes/no, multiple state and continuous value decisions. Decisions that impact other decisions in simple or complex dependency structures. But are you making the best decisions possible? I’m sure important decisions aren’t being made completely randomly (I hope!) but I see many companies who rely completely upon qualitative techniques for their decision making (experience, gut feel, etc.) which of course means optimality is no more than a hoped for outcome rather than something that is actually being worked towards.
Firstly the decision model must be identified and then quantified, and this can be a difficult task. There is a level of modelling aptitude necessary for effective modelling that goes beyond merely knowing Excel and its functions, and into the construction of logical mathematical descriptions of possibly complicated processes. Relevant decisions need to be identified and the impact of those decisions combined into a formula that can be mathematically optimised. A critical component to all this is the knowledge that spreadsheet models can actually be optimised, and that in cases where Excel’s Solver fails there are Palisade products (Evolver and RISKOptimzer) that can perform optimisations under virtually any circumstance.

I too used to focus on Monte Carlo simulation rather than decision evaluation, and this was mainly a product of the clients I was dealing with almost exclusively when I first worked for Palisade. In my next blog I’ll tell you why that changed and also get a little more into the nuts and bolts of optimisation.

Rishi Prabhakar
Trainer/Consultant

Palisade is proud to announce our first Health Risk Analysis Forum in San Diego on March 31st 2010

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 by DMUU Training Team



Why attend?

This one-day forum is a great way to find out how others in the Healthcare Industry are using our software, as well as to learn new approaches to the problems Healthcare professionals face every day. We will have six software training sessions, and six real-world case studies presented by industry experts covering risk and decision analysis from all angles specific to the Healthcare sector.

You will also see how new versions of @RISK, PrecisionTree, RISKOptimizer, TopRank, NeuralTools, StatTools, and other Palisade software tools work together to give you the most complete picture possible in your situation.

Who should attend?


Professionals in risk and financial analysis in: Care Equipment & Services, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences, Hospital Care & Management, or related services

How much?


For a limited time, the cost for attending the Health Risk Analysis Forum is has been discounted $100.

$295 covers all sessions, continental breakfast, lunch and a cocktail networking reception. Attendees will also receive a welcome package that includes a 15% discount on their next software purchase.

Please contact Jameson Romeo-Hall at jromeo-hall@palisade.com if you are interested in attending.

Location
The Westin Gaslamp Quarter
910 Broadway Circle
San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 239-2200

Book your room at a discounted rate (subject to availability.)


What Should You Get From a Simulation? Part 1

Thursday, February 25, 2010 by DMUU Training Team
I read an interesting article on the causes of the Global Financial Crisis by John B. Taylor. Although the topic is interesting enough already, especially for a member of a risk analysis-specialising company, something else caught my eye. I have observed in training workshops, onsite consulting and now academic papers a phenomenon regarding probabilistic modelling. Many of those using the methods don’t understand what they should actually be getting from the methodology. There is an intellectual leap from the deterministic to the probabilistic that sometimes does not get made. This limits the usefulness of Monte Carlo simulation, and the value of performing such statistical analyses.

Back to the article which spurred me to write this blog in the first place. Or rather, the graph. Yes a single graph of housing starts vs. time (and its brief description) leapt out at me. One of the lines on the graph was claimed to show model simulations of housing starts using the actual interest rate, compared to the interest rate ‘predicted’ by the Taylor Rule and a third line showing actual data.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is that simulation techniques should not be used to create a single value. The single ‘simulation’ line implies a single modelled/returned value for each time period. This is deterministic modelling. There may be a particular scenario that has been modelled, but it certainly isn’t a simulation that is being represented by that single line. Simulations produce thousands of data, observed values and their associated percentiles as well central moments (mean, variance etc.). Not just one value (sorry Value at Risk – that includes you too) that can be plotted as a single line. I would guess that if a simulation were run as I understand the term then the line in the chart was probably constructed using the simulated means. But I shouldn’t be guessing.

This is far from the only time I’ve seen simulation results reduced to a single entity. I have heard from clients in the past “the simulation gave $X” with little to no context around it, and this is supposed to both mean something to me and to their customers and help to make better decisions under uncertainty…

In the next blog I will explore this idea further and discuss the sorts of results that should be gleaned from a simulation. In particular, why narrowing simulation results down to a single number is counterproductive to healthy business practices.


Rishi Prabhakar
Trainer/Consultant