E. Michael Gray
- Global head-of-quality executive at Silicon Valley technology companies, leveraging Japan manufacturing expertise to monetize quality and turn it into profit.
- Head-of-quality for $220m~$1b firms, leading up to 55 staff; regional roles at $2~14b firms.
- Leadership roles in quality at Symmetricom, Extreme Networks, Juniper Networks, Quantum Corporation, AlliedSignal, Bose Corporation.
- Saved employers millions of dollars in warranty/rework and tens of millions in retained at-risk accounts; added certifications which opened up new opportunities.
- All 7 Best Practices
- Pre-Meeting Discovery Process
- One-on-One Call with Expert
- Meeting Summary Report
- Post-Meeting Engagement
Quality - How to Make Your Tech Products Do the Right Things Right
Defined Terms
- Hidden factory
"The notion that much of the endeavor of the company that is not quality minded is directed inadvertently to creating waste and performing wasteful tasks – examples of wasteful activities [include] the production of non-conforming products and the holding of excessive stock. The hidden factory is the extra useful, positive output that would theoretically be possible if the energy directed at creating waste were released and directed instead at making good quality items."
Source: http://www.isixsigma.com/dictionary/hidden-factory-the/
- Lean
Lean refers to "a system of techniques and activities for running a manufacturing or service operation. The techniques and activities differ according to the application at hand but they have the same underlying principle: the elimination of all non-value-adding activities and waste from the business. Lean enterprise extends this concept through the entire value stream or supply chain: The leanest factory cannot achieve its full potential if it has to work with non-lean suppliers and subcontractors." Subsequently, the principles of Lean manufacturing have been applied to other areas such as product development.
Source: http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/lean/overview/overview.html
- Lean Six Sigma
"Lean Six Sigma is a process improvement program that combines two ideas: Lean – a collection of techniques for reducing the time needed to provide products or services, and Six Sigma – a collection of techniques for improving the quality of products and services, substantially contributing to increased customer satisfaction. By combining the two, Lean Six Sigma is a proven business management strategy that helps organizations operate more efficiently."
Source: http://www.peoplecert.org/en/Lean_Six_Sigma/what_is_lean_six_sigma/Pages/lean_six_sigma.aspx
- Quality Management System (QMS)
- A consistent, repeatable system that includes the policies, processes, procedures and data inputs and outputs that yield reliable results in the domain of quality and customer satisfaction.
- Six Sigma
"Six Sigma is a rigorous and a systematic methodology that utilizes information (management by facts) and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company’s operational performance, practices and systems by identifying and preventing defects in manufacturing and service-related processes in order to anticipate and exceed expectations of all stakeholders."
- Total Quality Management (TQM)
Total Quality Management "describes a management approach to long-term success through customer satisfaction. In a TQM effort, all members of an organization participate in improving processes, products, services, and the culture in which they work. The methods for implementing this approach come from the teachings of such quality leaders as Philip B. Crosby, W. Edwards Deming, Armand V. Feigenbaum, Kaoru Ishikawa, and Joseph M. Juran."
Source: http://asq.org/learn-about-quality/total-quality-management/overview/overview.html