Improve your data collection process with a concise plan. Collecting data is a critical and important step in putting a project together. In experience reviewing projects, I have seen Black Belts often make mistakes in collecting data. This affects the overall result.

The food industry is taking a hands-off approach to improve safety and reduce production costs by using robots. With enhanced vision sensors, end-of-arm tools (EOAT) and wash-down capabilities, food manufacturers will increasingly be able to use lighter, more flexible robots for tasks previously reserved for manual labor.

Four decades ago, process improvement was in the doldrums. A global bright spot was Japan, which contributed an impressive menu of original, borrowed, and adapted concepts and practices to quality thinking.

Most organizations become more efficient after adopting an improvement method,1 but many fail to radically transform their competitive positions or significantly alter the way they engage their employees.