My company will be holding a quality week next month and I was trying to generate some fun ideas to help get the quality message out to the production floor. Anyone have anything fun? We have a jeopardy game that we will be playing, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank!:confused:

Any ideas or things anyone may have done in the past would be a great help!

Thanks,

Moriah

My company will be holding a quality week next month and I was trying to generate some fun ideas to help get the quality message out to the production floor. Anyone have anything fun? We have a jeopardy game that we will be playing, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank!:confused:

Any ideas or things anyone may have done in the past would be a great help!

Thanks,

Moriah

Moriah,

If you haven't already, why not check out the Post Attachments List (green bar at the top of this page) for some fun ideas? I'm sure there are some really neat exercisess there that would be applicable.

This just hit me, so it may be a stupid idea, or not be applicable to your situation, but....

There are lists around that start with something like "if a quality level of one in a million is good enough, then..."

and there's a list of how many plane crashes would happen each day, how many new babies would be dropped, etc.

For the 31st (Holloween) why not encourage each employee to pick one of the bad occurrances and dress up as one of the victims? They could have a name tag that explains which mishap befell them, and you could even have prizes for the most creative.

I know, kinda dumb, but it might be fun, too.

For the 31st (Holloween) why not encourage each employee to pick one of the bad occurrances and dress up as one of the victims? They could have a name tag that explains which mishap befell them, and you could even have prizes for the most creative.



That's a great idea Craig, I hope you don't mind if steal that idea. The idea will be referenced and cited as yours of course. :agree1:

Wayne

That's a great idea Craig, I hope you don't mind if steal that idea. The idea will be referenced and cited as yours of course. :agree1:

Wayne

Steal away. I only ask for an account of how it goes. Pictures would be a hoot!

My company will be holding a quality week next month and I was trying to generate some fun ideas to help get the quality message out to the production floor. Anyone have anything fun? We have a jeopardy game that we will be playing, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank!:confused:

Any ideas or things anyone may have done in the past would be a great help!

Thanks,

Moriah

Designating one 7-day period as "quality week" means that there are 51 that aren't quality weeks. :cool::D

Designating one 7-day period as "quality week" means that there are 51 that aren't quality weeks. :cool::D

That's like saying that training for quality assurance for a week leaves 51 weeks where quality assurance is not important. IF the week is done correctly, that will simply not be the case. The one in a million idea should stick in folks minds for more than just a week, don't you think? Heck, its been a year or so since I last saw one of those lists, and I remembered it.

Its an opportunity to do an advertising blitz where the message is less likely to get lost in the noise. It is also an opportunity for Q Pros to be seen as something other than sticks-in-the-mud.

For some of us, anyway.:notme:

That's like saying that training for quality assurance for a week leaves 51 weeks where quality assurance is not important. IF the week is done correctly, that will simply not be the case. The one in a million idea should stick in folks minds for more than just a week, don't you think? Heck, its been a year or so since I last saw one of those lists, and I remembered it.

Its an opportunity to do an advertising blitz where the message is less likely to get lost in the noise. It is also an opportunity for Q Pros to be seen as something other than sticks-in-the-mud.

For some of us, anyway.:notme:

If you have to have a lot of hoopla, game playing and horn tooting in order to get people to think about quality, there's something fundamentally wrong that horn tooting won't help. I remember what Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas said in all of the commotion prior to the 1971 Super Bowl: "If this is the ultimate game, why is there another one next year?" When the idea of producing quality products is firmly embedded in the culture, there's no need to shoot off fireworks to get people to do the right things.

If you have to have a lot of hoopla, game playing and horn tooting in order to get people to think about quality, there's something fundamentally wrong that horn tooting won't help. I remember what Dallas Cowboys running back Duane Thomas said in all of the commotion prior to the 1971 Super Bowl: "If this is the ultimate game, why is there another one next year?" When the idea of producing quality products is firmly embedded in the culture, there's no need to shoot off fireworks to get people to do the right things.

Jim, we are coming at this from 2 different directions. You are looking at the "fun and hoopla" aspect and I am looking at the "training retention" aspect. Do we absolutely need an event? Well, no.

If we do have such an event, and have upper management's participation, with them peppering their conversations with the quality successes and challenges, then as long as their interest in quality is consistent for the other 51 weeks the event will help to develop and/or reinforce a quality mindset.

Of course if their commitment is not there, this type of event can do more harm then good.

My opinion, of course.

Jim, I respect your knowledge and all the help that you have given us for a long time, but in this case I feel that your pessimistic side has taken over and overshadowed your ability to see a positive view. I remember we went through some of the same negativism last year when I was casting about for help with the same type of information - "what if 99.9% were good enough?"

Sure, it can be hokey...But 'round these parts it is considered to be an honor to be a Hokey. Sure, it is only one week out of the year. But, the important part is to celebrate "quality" as something special for one week, or even for one day, or an hour, to the exclusion of all else. Show people that it is so special that everyone is willing to set aside a special time to mull over its place in the culture of your company. And, that is what it all comes down to. Culture. If your company operates with quality as part of its culture, having a quality week, day, or even 15 minutes, is a celebration of purpose, not just a nod to a flash and boom.

There is nothing wrong with setting off the occaisional fireworks display to celebrate something we believe in. A lot of us do it every year, either on Independence Day, or the New Year. It's a cultural thing, celebrate it, embrace it, wrap your arms around it and call it yours.:2cents:

Jim, I respect your knowledge and all the help that you have given us for a long time, but in this case I feel that your pessimistic side has taken over and overshadowed your ability to see a positive view. information - "what if 99.9% were good enough?"I'm not a pessimist, I'm a cynic. There's a difference. :D

Sure, it can be hokey...But 'round these parts it is considered to be an honor to be a Hokey. What??? A Tarheel maybe, but never a a Hokie (http://www.hokiesports.com/)! (I was born in NC.)

I'm not a pessimist, I'm a cynic. There's a difference. :D

What??? A Tarheel maybe, but never a a Hokie (http://www.hokiesports.com/)! (I was born in NC.)

Ah, but were you born on the border? Lots of Hokies in my neighborhood.

:lmao:

As for the cynic vs. pessimist, hmmmm, looks like hair splitting in this case.;) Either way, as you would say, I am ever the rose colored glasses wearing, optimistic cheerleader.:cool:

Jim, I respect your knowledge and all the help that you have given us for a long time, but in this case I feel that your pessimistic side has taken over and overshadowed your ability to see a positive view. I resemble that remark. :rolleyes:

Here's the thing. Employees can't do well until the company does well first.

There. Now that I've stated the obvious, how about if we make it obvious?

1. Find some posititve quality happening for each of the past 52 weeks.
2. Find who was involved and make a slide for each one.
3. Print out the slides.
4. Have top management throw the people a lunch party and review those 52 slides; they would describe how the 52 happenings helped the company, and don't forget how they improved people's workplace lives.
5. Do it again, preferrably not waiting a year.

Facts are, good things should be rewarded. While we like tangible rewards (people often do like a spot bonus, and the more so if they have low wages) there should be a direct link between the award and its source. Management should become directly, personally involved in the praise and recognition of things going well. That takes effort. Years can go by without noticing that we have missed a thosand chances to promote good work, and each of those thousand misses chances can take a little chip out of morale.

And so I suggest the party get started--but make it have a solid point, and management should make that point so a sense of "We're in this together" might thrive.

There's my :2cents:

... I was casting about for help with the same type of information - "what if 99.9% were good enough?"




:topic:


So it wasn't one in a million? sheesh

What if my memory was good enough?

Thank you for some great ideas! I see what we can work in. :thanx:

Now to address the off topic discussion:

I work in food manufacturing...Quality is required every day! I also have the added benefit of the majority of the employees care about the quality of their work everyday. That wasn't so at the last job. So having a quality week is more of a way to address the required annual training for all employees and to have a little fun and games to make awareness a little more enjoyable.

This year, quality week is falling right before our annual corporate audit so we are raising awareness there as well. Instead of sounding preach-y I was hoping this vast community would have experience in ways to help QA not seem so uptight.

So again, thanks for the wonderful ideas so far and if you have more, I'd love to see them!!

BTW...I'm originally from Florida, so Go Gators! It's been fun living on the NC/VA border. :lol:

I sensed two different viewpoints on this topic, and personally I feel that both of them are valid. Below are my opinions:

1. Do consider doing things to break the monotony. I do believe there is enough evidence that a fresh approach to something can elicit some novel attention. That may be enough to increase awareness and interest in a few people. Like Jim suggests, you have a whole rest of the year past that week. How much steam will you gain?

2. Do consider the audience and put in the plan-time. There's nothing that turns me off more than when someone insults my intelligence or rolls out an ill-planned/ ill-conceived/ woefully underfunded initiative. Whatever you do, make sure it's appropriate and professional.

Also my opinion-What kind of budget do you have? You could have some contests. One for people to bring you the best example of a successful quality plan. Maybe a contest for the best quality improvement at your organization.

I think it's OK to perform initiatives for different activities. However, I think it does more harm than good if it's not well thought out and organized.

Designating one 7-day period as "quality week" means that there are 51 that aren't quality weeks. :cool::D

:topic:I have 364 very, merry "un-birthdays" that I celebrate.:lol:

My company will be holding a quality week next month and I was trying to generate some fun ideas to help get the quality message out to the production floor. Anyone have anything fun? We have a jeopardy game that we will be playing, but other than that, I'm drawing a blank!:confused:

Any ideas or things anyone may have done in the past would be a great help!

Thanks,

Moriah

Hello moriah,

In the past, I have used books such as "Games Trainers Play" to help me generate ideas for quality awareness activities. Look here for locations to acquire these books if you wish: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=games+trainers+play&btnG=Google+Search Nothing wrong to have some fun, celebrate, and learn at the same time. For example, sports teams do this all the time.

Stijloor.

I'm not a pessimist, I'm a cynic. There's a difference. :D

What??? A Tarheel maybe, but never a a Hokie (http://www.hokiesports.com/)! (I was born in NC.)

Hokie Hokie Hokie High
Tech, Tech VPI
Solarex, Solarah
Polytech Virginia
Ray, rah team!

On a more serious note - I am a strong believer in Dr. Deming's Red Bead Experiment for these events. Just did the experiment this week in Seattle for an ergonomics conference. I have now put over 2,500 people through the Red Beads.

- Virginia Tech - Civil Engineering 1981
Highty Tighties, Corps of Cadets.

Ah, but were you born on the border? Lots of Hokies in my neighborhood.

:lmao:

As for the cynic vs. pessimist, hmmmm, looks like hair splitting in this case.;) Either way, as you would say, I am ever the rose colored glasses wearing, optimistic cheerleader.:cool:

I should point out that I'm all in favor of management taking time out to show workers that they're appreciated, and have nothing whatsoever against occasionally stopping the show for it. There are all kinds of morale-building (and reinforcing) things that can be done. I used to work for a privately-owned company of around 200 people where the owner would regularly be seen on the production floor, not only chit-chatting but actually pitching in and helping out when extra hands were needed. He would also randomly show up in the middle of the plant in the middle of the day with lots of food and drink (even a keg of beer on occasion:mg:), stop production and just let people enjoy themselves for a while. He created an atmosphere where people wanted to do a good job, and made sure he missed no opportunity to sincerely thank them for it.

It's that sort of thing that helps people to do a better job--making sure that they know what's expected of them, and actually helping them to accomplish it. Simply stringing up banners, creating inane games and shouting QUALITY all over the place once a year is not a substitute for building a real quality system. If it's not an integral part of the business, exhortations and drum-beating aren't going to help. In fact, those types of things often have the opposite effect, because people see through them and wind up feeling like they're being gamed.

What is the annual date for Quality Week every year? I assume this is a US thing?

Hi..

Just want to input some ideas.. From my previous company, we also have a quality week. We allocate some budget for this. We conduct contests like Poster-making, slogan-making, photo contest, and quality quiz to promote participation among employees. Those pieces won on the contest will be used as our campaign materials to promote quality and be posted on the whole plant.