One of our “side bar” challenges is developing software solutions (applications) for our clients.  Simple or complex, they all have one element in common, a Graphical User Interface or GUI. Imagine the surprise and disappointment on the faces of many beginning programmers and developers when they discover that powerful languages like Assembler, C, C++, and even Python start by teaching you how […]
Where’s the Graphics? Learning from our Roots (Tcl / Tk)
Method Matters and OEE
Tricks of the Trade Work smarter not harder! If we’re honest with ourselves, we realize that sometimes we have a tendency to make things more difficult than they need to be. A statistics guru once asked me why a sample size of five (5) is commonly used when plotting X-Bar / Range charts. I didn’t really know the answer but assumed […]
Flawed Execution: Performance Matters – Surface Pro 3
Softpedia recently published an article titled, “New Intel Drivers Boost Surface Pro 3 Performance by 30 Percent“.  According to the article: Intel says that the new drivers released for the HD 4400/5000 graphics used on the Core M processor range can improve performance by up to 30 percent, which means that the Surface Pro 3 can now reduce loading times and […]
On Target Tangents
Time Tangents Our world is full of distractions and we often find ourselves on a path that seems so distant from our original plan. We wonder where the time went and ask ourselves … “How Did We Get There From Here?” Are tangents disruptive impulses that take our eyes off of the goal, causing us to lose focus, and drain […]
Its not what you know …
It’s not what you know but what you understand that matters most. ~ Redge Discerning perceived knowledge from understanding is a challenge for many leaders. For example, it is possible for anyone to memorize facts and figures and to correctly answer related questions simply by recalling this same information from memory. Similarly, many of us “perform” simple multiplication from recall – without even thinking […]
Executable Python on Windows
We provide solutions to our clients in a variety of forms.  Customized software solutions is just one of them and knowing more than one programming language makes it possible to choose an effective and efficient platform accordingly. Python is a relatively simple yet powerful language. I was concerned that anyone wanting to use programs written in Python would also have to install Python on […]
Teaching with Analogies
Over the past few weeks we’ve been taking on the challenge of learning C++. We’ve made our way through the first of 7 books in the C++ All-In-One For Dummies 2nd Edition, by John Paul Mueller and Jeff Cogswell, and we’re working our way through chapter 6 of Sams Teach Yourself C++ in One Hour a Day Seventh Edition by Siddhartha […]
Back to Class with C++
What does C++ have to do with lean? The language itself may not do much for lean as we know it, however, learning a new language affords us the opportunity to become students once again. When we share and teach lean principles, it’s easy to forget what it’s like to be on the receiving end of all that information. In other words, we often […]
International Women’s Day
Today, March 8, is International Women’s Day and an opportunity to recognize the many contributions that women have made around the world. So many women have changed history and so few have received the recognition they deserve for doing so. Â This day also serves to remind us that so many more opportunities for women remain open. Celebrate and embrace International […]
The Pulse of Leadership
In theory, Employee Opinion Surveys provide a pulse of the workforce and the workplace in general.  In practice, they measure the performance of executive leadership and the management team. They serve as a tool to understand what is working and to identify opportunities for improvement. Unfortunately, collecting and compiling survey data is very time-consuming and only represents a snapshot in time. While […]