Mom's Wringer Washing Machine

Improvement Insights Blog

Mom’s Wringer Washing Machine

Are you still using last century tools in the 21st Century?

“Hi, I’m Jay Arthur, author of “Lean Six Sigma For Hospitals” and QI Macros [software].

“When I was a kid growing up in in the 60s, my mom had this old wringer washing machine. Back in the day, there was a washing machine where you washed all your clothes and there was a wringer on top. You would take the clothes out and you’d feed it in the wringer, which would squish all the water out of it. There weren’t any electric dryers… I’m sorry. She would wring her washing and then she would go out and hang it on a clothes line where it would dry in the Tucson sun, and then she’d bring them in fold them and whatever.

“I continue to see that kind of behavior amongst Quality Improvement people: They’re still using old line and bar charts to demonstrate their process. They’re not using control charts, Pareto charts, histograms… Control charts have been around for hundred years. Why aren’t we using them? I think because people think it’s too hard. It’s not. With QI Macros you can draw charts like that – it’s just so simple.

“So are you going to stick with your old wringer washing machine (line and bar charts), or are you going to come into this century and get automated A.I. powered Control Chart Wizards and Stat Wizards and things that will help you get things done in a hurry. It’ll make you look like a superstar.

“That’s my Improvement Insight. Let’s move up into this century. Let’s improve something this week.”

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