What is Product Data Management? Part 1.

Product data management (PDM) is the use of software tools to track and control data related to a particular product. The data tracked usually involves the technical specifications of the product, specifications for manufacture and development, and the types of materials that will be required to produce the good.
History:
PDM was an offshoot of the engineering design activities that created product drawings, schematics and specification using CAD tools and paper drawings/documents.
Capabilities:
The need to control documentation evolved into key capabilities including the following core requirements.
(1) version control:
the ability to clearly distinguish changes as engineer’s progress through the design.
(2) Access control:
The ability to lock down components, assemblies, documents based on rights and rules defined by management. For example, component libraries should be maintained by the administrator or component librarian to ensure that standards are maintained.
(3) Collaboration:
The ability to have multiple users work on the same product structure. Most PDM systems have check-in / check-out capability which locks the objects to prevent loss of work and inadvertent over-writes.
(4) Product Structure
The product structure provides a hierarchical classification of the items which form a product. With the product structure, the understanding of the components which compose a product as well as their attributes, can be represented. The product structure shows the material, component parts subassemblies and other items in a hierarchical structure that represents the grouping of items on an assembly drawing or the grouping of items that come together at a stage in the manufacturing process.


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What is Data Management?

There are two popular definitions:
One from DAMA
“Data Resource Management is the development and execution of architectures, policies, practices and procedures that properly manage the full data lifecycle needs of an enterprise”
Another from DMBOK
“Data management is the development, execution and supervision of plans, policies, programs and practices that control, protect, deliver and enhance the value of data and information assets.”
Companies of all size have to manage their data in order to meet their customer’s requirements in a timely manner.

Industry specific definitions

In the medical and pharmaceutical communities, Data Management is a term generally used to describe analysis of database information which has been collected during clinical trials. It also is used to define how data is identified, collected, and analyzed to establish clear evidence of outcomes.
In the modeling and simulation world, Data Management is described as "model-based", and is defined as planning organizing, and managing of data by defining and using rules, methods, tools, and respective resources to identify, clarify, define, and standardize the meaning of data as pertains to relationships.
In the information technology arena, DM is defined as a type of client/server computing where some portion of the application data is executed on two or more computers. It is also described in its IT application as control of data handling operations – such as acquisition, analysis, translation, coding, storage, retrieval, and distribution of data – but not necessarily the generation and use of data.

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Data vs Information

Data are plain facts. The word “data” is plural for “datum.” When data are processed, organized, structured or presented in a given context so as to make them useful, they are called Information.
It is not enough to have data (such as statistics on the economy). Data themselves are fairly useless. But when these data are interpreted and processed to determine its true meaning, they becomes useful and can be called Information.
Example:
Data is what you collect, for example you may collect a sample of heights, ages, genders within a given geographic area.
Information is what you extract from that, i.e.: average height by age, or average age by postcode.

Data Management is a critical part of business strategy as it is responsible for the transformation process of data into information. Information is the lifeblood of a business; its health is vital to an organization and is fundamental to your success and competitive edge. Good information reduces uncertainty surrounding decision making, and contributes to aspects such as improved productivity, compliance, and more focused marketing and customer loyalty.

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Problem solving 101, Part 3.

Cause and Effect Diagrams were developed by Kauro Ishikawa of Tokyo University in 1943. Cause-and-effect diagrams or fish bone are used to list the many and varied causes that can be attributed to a problem. These diagrams can help identify the reasons why a process is not performing as intended or hoped.
Cause and Effect Diagrams help you to think through causes of a problem thoroughly. Cause and Effect Diagrams are also known as fish bone Diagrams, because a completed diagram can look like the skeleton of a fish.
How to Use the Tool:
Follow these steps to solve a problem with a Cause and Effect Diagram:
Identify the problem:
Write down the exact problem you face in detail. Where appropriate identify who is involved, what the problem is, and when and where it occurs. Write the problem in a box on the left hand side of a large sheet of paper. Draw a line across the paper horizontally from the box. This arrangement, looking like the head and spine of a fish, gives you space to develop ideas.
Work out the major factors involved:
Next identify the factors that may contribute to the problem. Draw lines off the spine for each factor, and label it. These may be people involved with the problem, systems, equipment, materials, external forces, etc. Try to draw out as many possible factors as possible. If you are trying to solve the problem as part of a group, then this may be a good time for some brainstorming. Using the ‘Fish bone’ analogy, the factors you find can be thought of as the bones of the fish.
Identify possible causes:
For each of the factors you considered in stage 2, brainstorm possible causes of the problem that may be related to the factor. Show these as smaller lines coming off the ‘bones’ of the fish. Where a cause is large or complex, then it may be best to break the it down into sub-causes. Show these as lines coming off each cause line.
Analyze your diagram:
By this stage you should have a diagram showing all the possible causes of your problem that you can think of. Depending on the complexity and importance of the problem, you can now investigate the most likely causes further. This may involve setting up investigations, carrying out surveys, etc. These will be designed to test whether your assessments are correct.
Strengths
Rigorous analysis which overlooks no possible problem source
creates an easy to understand visual representation of the causes, categories of causes, and the problem statement
Weakness
The simplicity of a fishbone diagram can be both its strength and its weakness. As a weakness, the simplicity of the fishbone diagram may make it difficult to represent the truly interrelated nature of problems and causes in some very complex situations.

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Leading Change. Part 1

First step in becoming a successful change leader is to fully understanding your organization and matching the initiative to your organization’s real needs. This means not just adopting the latest management fad or implementing solutions for the sake of implementing new and emerging technologies.

Recognize that bringing about useful and meaningful change is fundamentally about changing people’s behavior. It is not primarily about installing a new system or business process. If people in the end do not behave and work differently, then the money and time spent in “doing stuff” is wasted.

How do you go about becoming a change leader?

(1) Focus on needs of the business. Understand the business (environment, business processes, business strategy, business needs (current and long term). Don’t assume anything, especially when considering technological solutions.
a. Is your proposed change important to the organization?
b. Why is it important?
c. How does it support the strategy?
d. What are the benefits? ROI
e. What is the cost impact? From an implementation perspective as well as from impact to resources, training, time to come up to speed and execution to previous levels
Help the business to succeed

(2) Focus on alignment: Competing messages from the people at the top is the kiss of death for a change initiative. Important change initiatives will always cross the boundaries of groups, departments, and divisions. Creating and sustaining agreement among key leaders may be one of the most important factors for successful change
Help the leaders manage their business, ensure that they are successful

(3) Focus on stakeholders. The stakeholders are the resources who will have to adopt and execute the change.
Don’t underestimate stakeholder management! Socialize the idea first, gain their acceptance and then engage them throughout your project from requirements gathering, design of business process/systems, get ideas on how they could make your change better, training needs, method for delivering training etc. this engagement will ensure that they feel that they are the customer and that this change will indeed help improve their day to day functions.
Help the organization (resources) to succeed

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Problem solving 101, Part 2.

In early 1990’s Ford Motor Company introduced a standardized set of steps to be followed in solving problems by quality improvement teams within the company. These eight step process of problem solving is known as 8D (Eight disciplines). It is the basis for all subsequent problem solving technique developments such as 6D, 7D, 9D and 10d.
The 8D is a methodology for product and process improvement, with an emphasis on team synergy.
The 8 steps are
D1. Establish the Team. Assemble a cross-functional team that has the knowledge, time, authority and skill to solve the problem and implement corrective actions. And set the structure, goals, roles, procedures and relationships to establish an effective team.
D2. Describe the Problem. Define the problem in measurable terms. Specify the internal or external customer problem by describing it in specific, quantifiable terms: Who, What, When, Where, Why, How, How many.
D3. Implement Containment Actions. Define and implement those intermediate actions that will protect any customer from the problem until permanent corrective action is implemented. Verify the effectiveness of the containment actions with data.
D4. Identify and Verify Root Causes. Identify all potential causes that could explain why the problem occurred. Test each potential cause against the problem description and data.
D5. Choose and Verify Corrective Actions. Confirm that the selected corrective actions will resolve the problem for the customer and will not cause undesirable side effects.
D6. Implement and Validate Permanent Corrective Actions. Choose ongoing controls to ensure the root cause is eliminated.
D7. Prevent Recurrence. Identify and implement steps that need to be taken to prevent the same or a similar problem from occurring in the future:
D8. Congratulate the Team. Recognize the collective efforts of your team. Publicize your achievement. Share your knowledge and learning throughout the organization
Strengths
• Effective approach at finding a root cause, developing proper actions to eliminate root causes, and implementing the permanent corrective action.
Weakness
• 8D training can be time consuming and difficult to develop.
Usage
• Major non-conformances
• Customer complaints
• Reoccurring issues

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Problem solving 101, Part 1.

The first step in problem solving is to understand the symptoms and then try to identify the root cause. There are many methodologies widely used. The “5 Whys” method is a simple method and can be effective in most cases.

For most problems, we can get to the root cause by drilling into proposed explanations by repeatedly asking "Why?" The 5 Whys method was developed by the Toyota Motor Corporation. It is based on the observation that five iterations of asking "Why?" is usually enough to get to the root cause of most real world problems.
Example
The following example demonstrates the basic process: My car will not start. (the problem)
Why? - The battery is dead. (first why)
Why? - The alternator is not functioning. (second why)
Why? - The alternator belt has broken. (third why)
Why? - The alternator belt was well beyond its useful service life and has never been replaced. (fourth why)
Why? - I have not been maintaining my car according to the recommended service schedule. (fifth why, root cause)

Strengths
1. It helps to quickly determine the root cause of a problem
2. It is easy to learn and apply

Weakness
1. The results are not repeatable. We may well end up with different results depending on who runs the exercise.
2. Inability to go beyond the investigator's current knowledge - can't find causes that they don't already know

Getting to the true root cause can be tricky to a beginner! but continued practice of this exercise help. Don't stop at the first or second simple answer, or be blinded by the symptoms or settle for the first ‘apparent’ cause. The first ‘cause’ offered is almost never the real root cause.

Even though this method was popularized by Toyota, this method of inquiry has been around for ages. I remember a poem/song my wife sings to our son.

For want of a nail a shoe was lost,
for want of a shoe a horse was lost,
for want of a horse a rider was lost,
for want of a rider an army was lost,
for want of an army a battle was lost,
for want of a battle the war was lost,
for want of the war the kingdom was lost,

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Debate: Six Sigma vs. Innovation

I recently came across an article on business week about the debate over if six sigma stifles innovation.

The key takeaways for me from this article was
(1) Six Sigma is designed to inject more efficiency and productivity into a company's systems
(2) Disruptive innovation is going to be more entrepreneurial.
(3) smart companies separate the efforts at innovation from ongoing efforts at continuous improvement
(4) if managed properly, Six Sigma and innovation can go hand in hand

This got me thinking about my past experience, when I played an active role in facilitating product development and worked very closely with engineering. We had established processes for products which were in beta or production life cycle stage. Process adherence was essential as the tools and systems were shipped to customers when they reached this level of maturity.

By impeding new product introduction with rules did increase cycle times and caused endless frustration. So we came up with a solution, to allow engineering more freedom and flexibility in creating parts and bill of material structure with minimal requirements. We did ensure that certain checks and balances were in place so as to ensure proper procurement using revision control. Fast track changes with minimal approval cycles were also of great value.

In an organizational development activity, we studied profiles of leaders and managers. A similar issue was raised about leadership without management.

We should allow flexibility to encourage an entrepreneurial spirit with minimal guidelines!

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Continuous improvement Vs Continual improvement

"Continuous improvement" and "Continual improvement" are used interchangeably and shouldn't be used in that manner!. There is a difference. Let us start by analyzing the semantics of these words.

Continuous indicates duration without interruption.
Continual indicates duration that continues over a long period of time, but with intervals of interruption.

Continuous improvement means that organizations are in a constant state of driving process improvements. This involves a focus on linear and incremental improvement within existing processes.
Continual improvements means that organizations go through process improvements in stages and these stages are separated by a period of time. This period of time might be necessary to understand if the improvements did actually help the bottom line! In some cases, the results might take a while to come to fruition.

After researching this, I have found that the usage of these terms is very loose and interchangeably…A number of authors have recently published their opinions indicating that continual improvement is of a broader scope than continuous improvement.
I agree with their sentiment and in my opinion, it is best to focus on continual improvement and ensure that learning is captured through effective knowledge management.

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Process Improvement Methodologies.

From my research into methodologies I have found that the two most popular methods are (1) PDCA and (2) DMAIC.

PDCA ("Plan-Do-Check-Act") is an iterative four-step problem-solving process typically used in business process improvement. PDCA was made popular by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, who is considered by many to be the father of modern quality control;
Plan – What are you going to do?
Do – Based on analysis, decide on solution.
Check – Verify the solution worked.
Act – Standardize and decide on next PDCA step.
When you are done with PDCA, you do it again. Or, in other words, you are never done because you must practice continuous quality improvements.

DMAIC ("Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control")is a five step process involving the following steps. DMAIC is one of the two key method used in Six Sigma (business management strategy, initially implemented by Motorola).
Define high-level project goals and the current process.
Measure key aspects of the current process and collect relevant data.
Analyze the data to verify cause-and-effect relationships. Determine what the relationships are, and attempt to ensure that all factors have been considered.
Improve or optimize the process based upon data analysis using techniques like Design of experiments.
Control to ensure that any deviations from target are corrected before they result in defects.

PDCA and DMAIC are very similar, but have some differences. PDCA emphasizes more the need to repeat the steps, while DMAIC adds the Control step lacking in PDCA.

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Metrics!

What is a metric?
A metric is essentially a clear, quantitative, objective measure to assess performance or progress towards a goal.

Metrics can identify important events and trends in the organization and can help guide the organization toward informed decisions.

Every metric will affect actions and decisions.


Guidelines for developing metrics: Metrics and measurements should indicate the ability to meet established business goals (customer satisfaction, cost reduction, improved quality, productivity and cycle time)
1. Ensure that the metrics are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time bound)
2. Ensure that the metrics are relevant to the business goals
3. Ensure that the metrics are clearly grouped together to indicate the value for e.g. performance to business goals
4. Include past performance to indicate how today compares to the past
5. Keep it simple
6. The metrics should be able to tell the story!

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Metrics: Effectivess Versus Efficiency

Before you go through improving processes, try and understand how the process is working today.

How do you know if the process is working? Try and get to know how the process is measured and analyzed. What are the metrics? Are these metrics related to Effectiveness or are they related to Efficiency?

Are they these the same? No

Effectiveness means that the job was done correctly. Whereas, efficiency means that the job was accomplished on time.

Another way to look at it...you hire a data entry person who has to enter data into multiple spreadsheets/data systems. How do you know if this person is working properly and is doing the job you hired them for?

(1) Did you have to correct the data? If yes how many times did you do so? Effectiveness.
(2) Did the person complete the activity within the time allocated? Efficiency.

Each and every process should ideally have measurement of effectiveness and efficiency. If these metrics don’t exist; Work with management, key stakeholders, process owners and the worker bees to define these.

Don’t stop here, having measurements/metrics doesn't mean everyone will adhere to these. In order to ensure adherence to standards, you will need a governance/accountability system.

"Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are my own only and in no way represent the views, positions or opinions - expressed or implied - of my employer (present and past) "
"Please post your comments - Swati Ranganathan"