A spaghetti diagram is a tool that is used to map out all the pathways and steps taken when completing a particular task. Image 1 below is a fictional example of a manufacturing process. Putting together a spaghetti diagram begins with drawing out the work stations and floor plan involved…

Automation has been all the hype for over a decade now. Millions of jobs are predicted to be automated away thanks to advanced robotics, more capable software, and more computing power becoming available every minute. Automation, though, is not a solution to every problem. There are downsides to it that…

If your business can educate customers (and potential customers) for free, you’ll build better relationships and funnel in more customers. If ACME services and installs new HVAC equipment, they should give out free maintenance advice on caring for heating, AC or air handler units. Sharing information is easy with social…

Excerpt from The Pocket Guide to Making Stuff Better When an organization gets large, it often, by necessity, becomes bogged down by the requirements to keep itself moving. Too much red tape, too many people to talk to, or too many layers of control slow down the progress that could…

Why focus on resumes? The short answer is that we all need a resume at some point in our careers to get into a new role. The long answer is that companies don’t just go around handing out job offers. Businesses have lengthy recruiting and hiring processes and a resume…

“Too often, we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought” — John F. Kennedy. JFK made the above comment during a 1962 commencement speech to the graduating class at Yale. The point he was trying to make is that fitting in and having friends is easier to…

It’s totally appropriate to challenge someone’s thinking. It’s not appropriate to call people names or get violent because of a disagreement. Religion, politics and race have a special tendency to spark confrontation. We can’t just ignore these topics or people we disagree with, though. So, how do we go about…

We all know that we want the good stuff. We want stuff to be higher quality. We don’t choose products or restaurants because they’re terrible, right? Explaining exactly what quality means is not an easy task. When given two items to compare side by side, we can generally feel or…

It’s said that 10% of life is what happens, 90% is how we react to it. Yet there is very little time dedicated to teaching students how to react differently. Our default reactions stem from whatever neural pathways are the strongest in our mind. The things we do most are…