Creative Slump? Try Something, Anything New

/ Susan Hendrich / 3 Comments

Creative Slump? Try Something, Anything New

The Slump

As Spring 2010 settled in, I found myself in a creative rut. Not that I wasn’t coming up with some pretty good instructional design solutions. I just didn’t have the sparkly “kick” in my design step.

My first instinct in considering how to clear the innovation fog was to focus on learning something new about instructional design. “Surely there is some new technique or method out there that will inspire me back into my creative groove,” I told myself. Four hours of semi-conscious web surfing for articles on social networking, blogging, graphic design, and adult learning later, I was in no better creative place than when I first started this aimless journey.

“A good night’s sleep will do the trick,” I murmured to myself in lieu of clicking the Facebook link one last time before throwing the creative towel. Another half hour passed, and while I now was up to speed on my Facebook friends’ opinions on skirt lengths, parasailing, potty training, and bar hopping, I was no closer to sleep than to a creative revelation.

Defeated, I dragged myself to bed.

The Surge

Disarmed of my intellectual shortcomings by the start of my semi-conscious snooze, it came to me…

“Cake Pops!”

No, this was not some animated .gif I would create for a PowerPoint presentation. Nor was it a racy idea for an attention grabber at the beginning of a module. I had realized that my creative sparkle could be restored through an age-old domestic act. Baking.

I recalled seeing some Martha Stewart-y web article on “Cake Pops,” which showed fun bite-sized cake creatures perched firmly on a lollipop stick. “I’ll try it! Should be a piece of cake,” I chuckled to no one in particular, mildly amused by the metaphoric ease of my belief that the creation of these mini-masterpieces could be mastered in a single shot.

So, 67 dollars and one maddening pre-Easter Michael’s trip later, I had everything I needed to make cake pops. Or at least that’s what the “easy cake pop instructions” recipe at Bakerella.com promised. What then ensued can only be described as a tortuous 12 hours of mixing, scraping, baking, shaping, smooshing, poking, and re-attaching nightmare. I kind of loved it, even though at one point I threw an unfrosted cake ball (a pre-cake pop iteration) against my refrigerator in disgust.

My first cake pops were disasterously, unmanageably bad. Think of ABC gum smashed under an old shoe, then jammed with two jelly beans and told to stand up straight and look presentable. Yuck.

Two batches later, the sugared semi-orbs actually started to look like they were intended to look – bunnies and chicks. I was getting my groove now. The bunnies were pink with googly eyes and the beaks of the chicks looked as cute as they did real. Almost unnoticeably, I began putting my own twist on the not-nearly-as-easy-as-they-promised recipe instructions.

Here’s a view of the final products:

Hendrich's Cake Pops

After the final bunny was built and the last chick was cast, I was both mentally exhausted and creatively invigorated. After saran wrapping the last of the munchable art, I flopped into bed and was asleep in seconds.

Getting out of my comfort zone for those 12 hours initiated a creative flow over the next week at work that shocked me. I was in the groove, coming up with innovative and simpler ways of training my customers. But what perhaps is even more exciting is the fact that I had a renewed verve for life in general. An extra spring in my step. And an almost constant feeling that I was just about to conjure another cool idea. Not because I’d attended a webinar in my field of study. Not because I’d read a book to enhance my expertise. But because I tried something utterly new.

Moral of the story: Getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new initiated a creative flow in all areas of my life, both personal and professional. The simple (okay, not exactly simple) act of learning to do something I had never done before restored my curiosity, my creative inspiration, and even my confidence. And the learning was not in my area of expertise. In fact, prior to that day, I would not call myself a baker of any kind.

 Perhaps the old saying is true…

You can create your cake and eat it, too.

Six Sigma 101

/ Susan Hendrich / 2 Comments

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is the most effective methodology available for improving the performance of any organization by minimizing the defects in its products or services. Every error committed has a cost associated to it in form of losing customers, redoing a task, replacing a part, waste time/material or losing efficiency.

Understanding the Sigma Scale: The Sigma scale is a universal measure of the performance of any business or organization. Sigma (σ) is a statistical term to represent standard deviation which is a measure of variation in a dataset. Higher sigma score indicates better performance or more precise results. In other words, if the output is defective sixty-nine percent of the time, it implies that the performance is One Sigma compliant. On the other hand if it is defective thirty-one percent of the time, it means that the performance is demonstrating Two Sigma compliance.

Table: The Sigma Scale
Sigma Percent Defective Defects per Million
1 69% 691,462
2 31% 308,538
3 6.70% 66,807
4 0.62% 6,210
Six Sigma

5

 0.02% 233
6 0.00% 3.4
7 0.00% 0.019

 

As mentioned in the table above, Six Sigma implies almost perfect output resulting in only 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO).

DPMO: The term ‘defect’ can be explained as the non-conformities present in the output that falls beyond the satisfactory customer limits. The number of defects present per million opportunities (DPMO) is used to determine as to which Sigma scale a particular process corresponds to. Most of the organizations around the world deliver results in the Three to Four Sigma band, which implies that they are losing around a quarter of total revenue due to the presence of defects in their organizations.

Six Sigma Programs

There are several levels of Six Sigma programs and numerous private institutes offer them. Motorola University is one of the best institutes providing versatile Six Sigma programs to the aspiring management professionals.

Basic features of Six Sigma programs:

First of all, the Six Sigma program educates the professionals about the basics of Six Sigma which includes all tools, applications and statistical approaches. The general Six Sigma program includes:

  • Basic mathematical concepts of probability, factorial and exponential terms.
  • The details of various diagrams used in Six Sigma like Ishikawa diagrams, fishbone diagrams, Pareto charts, histograms etc.
  • The methods of analysis like root-cause analysis, Kano model etc.
  • Practical applications of the statistical tools in problem situations.

 

DMAIC Model

The DMAIC model stands for Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve and Control. These are subsequent steps which allow an organization to reach the ultimate goals without failing any of the quality parameters. After identifying the problem areas of a company the objectives are defined. Then the scopes and existing problems are measured skillfully and the probable output of the strategies analyzed. Finally it is all about improving and controlling the process until the desired results are obtained. Here’s how it works:

  • Define the goals for process improvement in coherence with the customer’s demand and the organization’s strategies. Includes scope, the available resources, the possible expectations and the timelines.
  • Measure the current performance and amass relevant data for future. This part of the approach applies a heavy use of advanced mathematical and statistical methods, and actually quantifies the customer’s need and requirements, the company’s goals and objectives, and the present stand of the project. 
  • Analyze the current setting and observe the relationship between key parameters and performance. Involves breaking down the process into details and analyzing it thoroughly to get into the root causes of the problems that may arise.
  • Improve the process based on the analysis to further optimize the process. This is the phase where after understanding the root causes of the problems or defects in the system, the search for the most innovative and fruitful solution is carried out.
  • Control the parameters before they affect the outcome. This is the one of the most important parts and the last one of the approach. It makes sure that the improvement generated is consistent, and sets a new standard for the future.

Selecting A Project for Six Sigma
This is an important part of the whole process. The right project should be chosen for the maximum benefits in the long run. For this reason, it is best to do some research on the current market practices and policies. But such research may not always bring out clear cut guiding rules and tips to choosing a project. So, the Six Sigma Project Selection Criteria Matrix was brought out by the Supply Chain that provides an approximate idea of the project that is supposed to fetch highest gains in the future. It comprises of five selection criteria and on the basis of these criteria, each project is measured and a rough estimate of the highest promising project is drawn. Some of the general tips to remember before selecting a project are as follows:

  • Don’t just think about monetary gains while selecting a project because certain projects are indirectly related to the other processes running in the company and application of the six sigma tactics might not directly result in monetary gains. It can affect the motivation and efficiency of the human labor, the reputation of the company in the market, better functional basis for other processes or such, resulting in better performance of the company in the future.
  • A careful concern is required for the organization and functioning of the six sigma consultants for the project. It is very important how to use the resources properly for the effective application of the six sigma strategy, which results in highest long term investment returns of the company.
  • A project should always be divided into different phases like operational, tactical, and strategic, that will utilize the available tools and methodologies of six sigma program, and will bring a better coordination in the company.

A good six sigma project should have three characteristics:

  • The project must be positively related to the company’s policies and objectives. It must achieve the goals and expectations of the company. It can be either the project itself that brings maximum profits for the company or related to other projects so that its improvement in turn causes significant improvement in the other dependant processes.
  • The project must meet the customer’s needs and requirements. It should aid in the improvement of the processes so that ultimately, it comes out profitable to both the organization and the customers or the consumers. After all, a competent company depends on its level of customer satisfaction.
  • The project must contribute significantly to the Bottom Line, by reducing the expenditure, reallocation of assets to higher value-added projects, strengthening the company’s base for utilizing the market opportunities that might come up in the future.

Once the project is selected, it is the time for the senior management to create a project charter. A project charter is a typical brief but detailed description of the company’s goals and objectives regarding the project. It analyses the project and lists down all the scopes of the project. It lists down all the needs of the project and its effect on the other prospective projects as well. It charts down the trends in the market, the customer’s variable needs and requirements and draws a model of how the project should be. In other words, it chalks out a strict guidance and direction for the six sigma team to work at. These are the basics of a six sigma project which are very important for consultants to know.

Shake it off and step up

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Shake it off and step up 

Below is one of my favorite stories with the simplest of messages. Thank you Joseph Sica for this elegant lesson…

Once upon a time there was a farmer who had an old mule. The mule fell into a deep dry well and began to cry loudly. Hearing his mule cry, the farmer came over and assessed the situation. The well was deep and the mule was heavy. He knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to lift the animal out.

Because the mule was old and the well was dry, the farmer decided to bury the animal in the well. In this way he could solve two problems: put the old mule out of his misery and have his well filled.

He called upon his neighbors to help him and they agreed to help. To work they went. Shovel full of dirt after shovel full of dirt began to fall on the mule’s back. He became hysterical. Then all of a sudden an idea came to the mule. Each time they would throw a shovel full of dirt on his back he could shake it off and step up. Shovel full after shovel full, the mule would shake it off and step up. Now exhausted and dirty, but quite alive, the mule stepped over the top of the well and walked through the crowd.

A great attitude. A great way to approach life. Shake it off and step up. Too often we hold on to what has happened to us.

We hold on to it for a week, a month, even years. We cannot shake it loose from our memory. It eats away at us and steals our joy, happiness and peace of mind. The past hurt can create feelings of bitterness, resentment, anger and revenge.

We keep allowing these emotions to be thrown on our backs and if we do nothing, we will be buried deep in the well. Walls will be built in our relationships. We will avoid each other and the cold war begins.

 But, we have a choice: keep it inside and embrace the hurt or shake it off and step up. Give it a try. Shake it off and step up. Words that have been said or actions that have been done, shake it off and step up. Let it go. Whatever it is: a rude comment, a past mistake, being ignored, we can stew over it all week. It occupies us all the time.

Too often we nurse hurts, we keep them alive inside and go over them time and time again; not only stewing from them, but now chewing them over and over until it gets us sick. Too often we rehearse hurts, tell everyone what has happened to us.

The cure is to accept what has happened, try to make sense out of it, learn from it, then shake it off and step up. When you let it go you feel free and you are no longer buried in the well. Once you are on your feet again you can take some action. You decide where you want to grow in life, the direction you want your life to take. You decide whether you will allow the hurt to make you a bitter or a better person. Learn from it. Emerge stronger.

THAT’S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to panic, bitterness, or self-pity…The adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to benefit and bless us.

Training goes organic

/ Susan Hendrich / 1 Comment

Virtual Whiteboarding

Lately you’ve probably seen an increase in the use of hand-drawn “white boarding” in media and learning spots. Think about the long-haired UPS white board guy…   

…or the ever-endearing “Simon’s Cat” series on YouTube…

Now it’s your turn!

LectureScribe is a program for easily producing animated “whiteboard lectures” from a tablet PC or electronic whiteboard. LectureScribe is written by Brian C. Dean, an assistant professor of computer science at Clemson Univeristy.

On Brian’s website, you can find:

  • The LectureScribe program. To install, download this file and place it on any Windows machine. There is no complicated setup required — just double-click the file to start LectureScribe.
  • An example of output of LectureScribe
  • An animated set of instructions on using LectureScribe. This is slightly out of date (for example, image import is now possible, and magnification mode is now turned off by default). A new version will be posted soon.
  • Brian’s article in the Faculty Directions newsletter describing LectureScribe.

LectureScribe

Never say never

/ Susan Hendrich / 2 Comments

Never say never

Next time you doubt yourself, think about a few of these doomsday statements that turned out to be gloriously, wonderfully, wrong:

“This ‘telephone’ has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us.” – Western Union internal memo, 1876.

“The wireless music box has no imaginable commercial value. Who would pay for a message sent to nobody in particular?” – David Sarnoff’s associates in response to his urgings for investment in the radio in the 1920’s.

“The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.” – A Yale University management professor, in response to Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. Smith went on to found Federal Express Corporation.

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” – H.M. Warner, Warner Brothers, 1927.

“I’m just clad it’ll be Clark Gable who’s falling on his face and not Gary Cooper.” – Gary Cooper on his decision not to take the leading role in “Gone With the Wind.”

“A cookie store is a bad idea. Besides, the market research reports say America likes crispy cookies, not soft and chewy cookies like you make.” – Response to Debbie Fields’ idea of starting Mrs. Fields’ Cookies.

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.” – Decca Recording Company rejecting the Beatles, 1962.

“Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible.” – Lord Kelvin, president, Royal Society, 1895.

“If I had thought about it, I wouldn’t have done the experiment. The literature was full of examples that said you can’t do this.” – Spencer Silver on the work that led to the unique adhesives for 3-M “Post-It” Notepads.

“So we went to Atari and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got this amazing thing, even built with some of your parts, and what do you think about funding us? Or we’ll give it to you. We just want to do it. Pay our salary, we’ll come work for you.’ And they said, ‘No.’ So then we went to Hewlett-Packard, and they said, ‘Hey, we don’t need you. You haven’t got through college yet.” – Apple Computer, Inc. founder Steve Jobs on attempts to get Atari and Hewlett-Packard interested in his and Steve Wozniak’s personal computer.

“Professor Goddard does not know the relation between action and reaction and the need to have something better than a vacuum against which to react. He seems to lack the basic knowledge ladled out daily in high schools.” – 1921 New York Times editorial about Robert Goddard’s revolutionary rocket work.

“You want to have consistent and uniform muscle development across all of your muscles? It can’t be done. It’s just a fact of life. You just have to accept inconsistent muscle development as an unalterable condition of weight training.” – Response to Arthur Jones, who solved the “unsolvable” problem by inventing Nautilus.

“Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You’re crazy.” – Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859.

“I think there’s a world market for about five computers.” – Thomas J. Watson, Chairman of the Board, IBM.

“The bomb will never go off. I speak as an expert in explosives.” – Admiral William Leahy, U.S. Atomic Bomb Project.

“This fellow, Charles Lindbergh, will never make it. He’s doomed.” – Harry Guggenheim, millionaire aviation enthusiast.

“Stocks have reached what looks like a permanently high plateau.” – Irving Fisher, Professor of Economics, Yale University, 1929.

“Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value.” – Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

“Everything that can be invented has been invented.” – Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.

“Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances.” – Dr. Lee De Forest, inventor of the vacuum tube and father of television.