QI Macros Blog by Jay Arthur

Improvement Insights Blog

Latest "QI Macros" Posts

Don’t Implement Six Sigma

20th Century Quality needed big Six Sigma implementations because you had to learn things that aren’t necessary any more. Take a 21st Century, Agile approach to Six Sigma to start getting results immediately.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Improvement Insights, QI Macros, Six Sigma.

Who Sets Your Specification Limits?

A QI Macros customer called to ask how he could figure out the specification limits to give him a Cp/Cpk of 1.33. What’s wrong with this question? The answer is obvious isn’t it?

Posted by Jay Arthur in Improvement Insights, QI Macros, Six Sigma.

Making Process Improvements Stick

The Nov-Dec 2018 HBR reports that Lean, Six Sigma and Agile “always work well initially, but often the gains fade quickly.”

  • 21% of improvement projects failed to yield any improvements
  • Only one-third of improvements continued to yield results after two years.

What’s needed to sustain improvements?

  • Consistent measurement and monitoring (i.e., control charts)
  • Leadership support and coaching
  • Avoid initiative fatigue caused by jumping from one improvement initiative to another.

Start monitoring your improvement projects using QI Macros control charts.
Download a free trial at https://www.qimacros.com.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Jay Arthur Blog, Lean, QI Macros, Six Sigma.

11/1/18 QI Macros Webinar

Over 50 people signed up for this webinar, with Jay Arthur demonstrating how to use some of the useful features of QI Macros, as well as some of the brand new features introduced just last month in the October 2018 version of the software.

Some attendees were familiar with the software and already use it, some had only begun to use it; all were interested in learning new ways that QI Macros can help them with their Agile Lean Six Sigma and Quality Improvement efforts. (You can hear him answering questions and comments typed in by webinar attendees.)



If you saw a feature demonstrated in the webinar that might have been added to QI Macros after the version you’re using (for instance, the “Find Tool” search feature or the automated Value Stream Map), you may need to purchase an upgrade to bring your QI Macros to the current version.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Data Mining, Excel, QI Macros, Webinar.

Every Day Should Be World Quality Day

Let’s create a Hassle Free America and a Hassle Free World

Posted by Jay Arthur in Improvement Insights, Lean, QI Macros, Six Sigma.

Have Your Processes Turned Into Frankenprocesses?

Here’s how to deal with the creature you’ve created.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Improvement Insights, Lean, QI Macros, Six Sigma.

Tell a Friend About QI Macros

If you appreciate how much QI Macros helps you, please tell a friend about the software! Why? Honestly, it’s because we we want to live in a world where more things are done right the FIRST time. Can you imagine:

  • … a world where you don’t have to check your takeout order at the restaurant because it’s correct every single time?
  • … a healthcare system where an incorrect diagnosis happens only once every 2,000,000 patients?
  • … buying a car and knowing that the chance of any defect on the car in the first 10 years is one in 5,000,000?

That’s a world where Quality Improvement is embraced and celebrated.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Jay Arthur Blog, QI Macros.

10/9/18 QI Macros Webinar

Over 90 people signed up for this webinar, with Jay Arthur demonstrating how to use some of the useful features of QI Macros, as well as some of the brand new features introduced in the October 2018 version of the software.

Some attendees were familiar with the software and already use it, some had only begun to use it; all were interested in learning new ways that QI Macros can help them with their Agile Lean Six Sigma and Quality Improvement efforts. (You can hear him answering questions and comments typed in by webinar attendees.)



If you saw a feature demonstrated in the webinar that might have been added to QI Macros after the version you’re using (for instance, the “Find Tool” search feature or the automated Value Stream Map), you may need to purchase an upgrade to bring your QI Macros to the current version.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Data Mining, Excel, QI Macros, Webinar.

Run Charts vs Control Charts

Run charts used to be a bridge to control charts. You no longer need to build a bridge. Just start with Control Charts.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Improvement Insights, QI Macros, Six Sigma.

Excellence Imperative

20th Century quality was about manufacturing. (Old school)

21st Century quality is about services. (New school)

What we need now is a fresh approach to Lean Six Sigma for the 21st Century. I call it Agile Process Innovation.

Download my free Agile Process Innovation ebook from https://www.qimacros.com/pdf/Agile-Lean-Six-Sigma.pdf.

Posted by Jay Arthur in Improvement Insights, QI Macros, Six Sigma.