Taking a Prototype Personal Tech Product to The Next Step
Recently an entrepreneur had considered the possibility of taking a new type of jogging light, which would not need a battery from concept to market. The product made sense because everyone who walks or jogs at night would love to have one and it has applications for security professionals, neighborhood watch groups, space and probably even military. The entrepreneur was a salesman in a large corporation. He was determined to sell the product via TV Infomercial. Of course in reviewing this I had some comments;“. . .Sales experience is important indeed. So is your stated experience being involved in start-ups, but doing the whole thing and making it work when your own butt is on the line is something else in the current business climate in this country. Selling the idea to a military usage or that flashlight company with the “Shaking Flashlight” maybe worthy if you have something more to show them. They might even fund you and kick you down some patent rights with exclusives for a nominal percentage and assist you in your efforts or pay you outright for it? I think you should look into that with them and contact a few Universities that I mentioned too, to help you miniaturize your prototype as no jogger wants to lug around something as big and heavy as a flashlight.”So you see having sales experience is only one component of being an entrepreneur and those who think they can get rich just doing TV infomercials, well you might wish to check the statistics on that before you go falling in love with your product. Additionally I had the following advice for this entrepreneur;“Even at best case scenarios with your TV infomercial, it is not the safest start-up business in the world, but it is a viable one. Personally, if I had to choose, I would not do it only for the Consumer Market, if that were my only choice; I simply would not take the risk or my own time and money. It would need to be a more long-term thing with a long-term plan for all markets and new ones discovered along the way. There are so many uses for this, it could be a whole new sector of the LED

What is DFSS?
People often get confused when they hear someone say they are using Six Sigma. In fact, it is the methodology signified by DMAIC that they are referring to. The very reason for their choosing DMAIC is that they have some existing processes which need to be ratified because they are bleeding resources heavily. On the other hand, DFSS, the acronym for Design for Six Sigma, dwells on R & D and design of products, processes with a view to minimizing process defects and variations at the root itself. At the onset, one must accept that the credentials of DFSS are not universally acknowledged, with most of the companies deploying DFSS following their own steps and standards.Is DFSS A Stand Alone Methodology?This question has arisen following many differences in the deployment methodologies between Six Sigma, which is signified by DMAIC, and that of DFSS. However, DFSS can be called more as an approach owing to the fact that the version of implementation varies as the implementing team.The actual application necessity of DFSS comes up when it is necessary to design or redesign a product from scratch. And since DFSS gets to the business from the beginning, the expectation from it is at a level commensurate with its reputation. Thus the expected process Sigma level is at least 4.5 for a DFSS service or product, but depending on the product, you can always go for higher or up to 6 Sigma level. Producing such a high quality level with a markedly low defect level for service or product from ground up is not possible unless customer needs and expectations are completely understood prior to designing and implementation.Number Of Phases In DFSS ImplementationOf the several implementation procedures, as we discussed in the beginning of this article, the one which found most followers is DMADV. The acronym DMADV stands for its five phases of implementation.1. Define the goals of project and customer needs2. Measure different aspects of customer specifications and demands3. Analyze the options on hand for process to meet customer demandsJanet DiClaudio, who was charge of medical records at two large American hospitals, had an unusual problem.

But, the past master in finding creative solutions to work related problems that she was, she found an equally unusual solution.

Of course, proper record keeping is critically important in any hospital. Moreover, if it is run on a commercial basis, medical records will determine how and what the institution gets paid. On the other hand, filling out medical records is not the most exciting pastime in the world. It can be a big pain, in fact. Doctors would prefer to do other things with their time.

But records have to be completed, properly and promptly. So what do you do about it? Janet DiClaudio got down to work and developed a highly "sophisticated system" :)

Janet called her system "Tootsie Roll Pops". Every time a doctor completed a medical record on time, he or she was awarded a Tootsie Roll Pop - apparently a cheap candy you buy by the bagful - and his or her name went into a drawing for a magnum of champagne.

Now, you don't have to feel sorry for most of these worthy doctors, thanks very much. Some of them can afford to buy a Tootsie Roll Pop factory. Many have case loads of the best champagne in the world back home in their cellars.

Yet Janet's system worked like a charm. The "Tootsie Roll Pop" campaign led to a doubling in record-completion productivity at the General Hospital in Buffalo, New York, where Janet was working.

She then took a new position at a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, and found that her new institution had a backlog of about 300 medical records. No problem! In Savannah, she rewarded each doctor who completed a record from the backlog with a handful of animal crackers.

Two weeks later, the hospital had gone through twenty pounds of animal crackers, but the record backlog had been all but eliminated. As a result, the hospital was able to collect

ermine how and what the institution gets paid. On the other hand, filling out medical records is not the most exciting pastime in the world. It can be a big pain, in fact. Doctors would prefer to do other things with their time.

But records have to be completed, properly and promptly. So what do you do about it? Janet DiClaudio got down to work and developed a highly "sophisticated system" :)

Janet called her system "Tootsie Roll Pops". Every time a doctor completed a medical record on time, he or she was awarded a Tootsie Roll Pop - apparently a cheap candy you buy by the bagful - and his or her name went into a drawing for a magnum of champagne.

Now, you don't have to feel sorry for most of these worthy doctors, thanks very much. Some of them can afford to buy a Tootsie Roll Pop factory. Many have case loads of the best champagne in the world back home in their cellars.

Yet Janet's system worked like a charm. The "Tootsie Roll Pop" campaign led to a doubling in record-completion productivity at the General Hospital in Buffalo, New York, where Janet was working.

She then took a new position at a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, and found that her new institution had a backlog of about 300 medical records. No problem! In Savannah, she rewarded each doctor who completed a record from the backlog with a handful of animal crackers.

Two weeks later, the hospital had gone through twenty pounds of animal crackers, but the record backlog had been all but eliminated. As a result, the hospital was able to collec

ystem" :)

Janet called her system "Tootsie Roll Pops". Every time a doctor completed a medical record on time, he or she was awarded a Tootsie Roll Pop - apparently a cheap candy you buy by the bagful - and his or her name went into a drawing for a magnum of champagne.

Now, you don't have to feel sorry for most of these worthy doctors, thanks very much. Some of them can afford to buy a Tootsie Roll Pop factory. Many have case loads of the best champagne in the world back home in their cellars.

Yet Janet's system worked like a charm. The "Tootsie Roll Pop" campaign led to a doubling in record-completion productivity at the General Hospital in Buffalo, New York, where Janet was working.

She then took a new position at a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, and found that her new institution had a backlog of about 300 medical records. No problem! In Savannah, she rewarded each doctor who completed a record from the backlog with a handful of animal crackers.

Two weeks later, the hospital had gone through twenty pounds of animal crackers, but the record backlog had been all but eliminated. As a result, the hospital was able to collec

d to buy a Tootsie Roll Pop factory. Many have case loads of the best champagne in the world back home in their cellars.

Yet Janet's system worked like a charm. The "Tootsie Roll Pop" campaign led to a doubling in record-completion productivity at the General Hospital in Buffalo, New York, where Janet was working.

She then took a new position at a hospital in Savannah, Georgia, and found that her new institution had a backlog of about 300 medical records. No problem! In Savannah, she rewarded each doctor who completed a record from the backlog with a handful of animal crackers.

Two weeks later, the hospital had gone through twenty pounds of animal crackers, but the record backlog had been all but eliminated. As a result, the hospital was able to collec

gia, and found that her new institution had a backlog of about 300 medical records. No problem! In Savannah, she rewarded each doctor who completed a record from the backlog with a handful of animal crackers.

Two weeks later, the hospital had gone through twenty pounds of animal crackers, but the record backlog had been all but eliminated. As a result, the hospital was able to collect more than four million dollars. For that return, I hardly think the accounts department would have complained about the expenditure on the crackers!

Basic need that moves the most sophisticated..

Roger Firestien recounts this delightful medical saga in his Leading on the Creative Edge which I quoted in a previous article. What has it do with us?

Well, I bring it here not only because it is such a beautiful illustration of creativity in problem solving, but also - and this is what really concerns us - it forcefully demonstrates the power of praise and recognition.

After all, the doughty physicians in our story weren't children; it couldn't have been the handout of a few measly goodies that motivated them. There's a more basic need, however, that apparently doesn't fail to move even the most sophisticated amongst us.

In a landmark work In Search of Excellence researchers Tom Peters and Robert Waterman ask readers to imagine that they are sales assistants in a store who are being punished for failing to treat a customer well.

If you are in this situation, you might feel yourself to be in a frustrating dilemma, because you still don't know what to do to receive approval. In fact, you might well react by avoiding customers altogether, since you have come to associate customers with punishment.

Now, supposes a manager would tell you that a "mystery shopper" has complimented you on your outstanding courtesy and helpfulness. What would you do now?