SUO: RE: SUOP Topic :> Definition Of Principle
Dear Jon,
The principles of the Procedures Manual are those of Quality Management.
We have our own internal documents on QM but looking at Amazon I see that
Managing Quality, edited by Barrie G. Dale
Seems to be a standard text (though I have not read it).
To summarise QM: for a product, quality is about being "fit for purpose".
A feature that prevents the product from being fit for purpose is a
defect. Improving quality is therefore about identifying and eliminating
defects.
My experience with using this approach is that it tends to produce more
constructive and structured discussions. Instead of getting statements
like "I think we should do X", you get something like "The A feature
prevents us from doing B. If we did X this would enable us to do B"
I have seen this turn around projects that were going in circles to enable
them to gain traction, and remove personal conflict that often arises in
opinion based debate.
Matthew West
Principal Consultant
Shell Information Technology International Limited
Shell Centre, London SE1 7NA, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7934 4490 Other Tel: +44 7796 336538
Email: matthew.west@shell.com
Internet: http://www.shell.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Awbrey [mailto:jawbrey@att.net]
> Sent: 20 November 2003 06:05
> To: SUO; West, Matthew R SITI-ITPSIE
> Subject: Re: SUOP Topic :> Definition Of Principle
>
>
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> SUOPT :> Principle. Note 2
>
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> JA = Jon Awbrey
> MW = Matthew West
>
> Cf. SUOP Topic Outline. http://suo.ieee.org/email/thrd1.html#11635
>
> Cf. SUOPT :> Principle 01. http://suo.ieee.org/email/msg11641.html
>
> Copied here:
>
> JA: 1. What is a principle?
>
> AKA: axiom, canon, guideline, law,
> maxim, norm, regulation, rule, etc.
>
> JA: 2. What are our principles?
>
> MW replied:
>
> MW: A guiding truth, but note that you should neve let
> your principles prevent you from doing what's right.
>
> Matthew,
>
> I have been asking about the broader principles of procedure
> that the details of implementation are meant to flesh out,
> since the nuts and bolts are irrelevant if the big ideas
> fail to be realized, and we lose sight of these guiding
> lights at the peril of the whole enterprise, indeed,
> of its due place within the larger human picture.
>
> Can you give the foremost examples of principles, either in the
> sense of "guiding truths", or in any other sense of the word,
> that you would have embodied in the Procedure specification,
> and by virtue of its utility in the SUO Group, to become
> embodied in the procedures themselves of this Group?
>
> Jon Awbrey
>
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