#362 – 5S WORKPLACES WHERE SAFETY AND QUALITY MEET – BILL POMFRET PH.D.

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The five in a 5S workplace organizational and housekeeping methodology refers to five steps – sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. Safety should be the honorary sixth “S.

Many manufacturing facilities have opted to follow the path towards a “5S” workplace organizational and housekeeping methodology as part of continuous improvement or lean manufacturing processes. The term refers to five steps – sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain – that are also sometimes known as the five pillars of a visual workplace. Continue reading

#361 – ENTERPRISE RISK MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISK – JAMES KLINE PH.D.

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In CERM Risk Insights #354 I discussed the risk management study of local governments in New Zealand. One of the cases in the study was Environment Canterbury Regional Council. The regional council’s focus and the increasing concerns about environmental risks by both the public and private sector represents a challenge to the common approach used by most of the New Zealand local governments, ISO 31000:2018 and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) more generally. This piece discusses this challenge to ISO 31000:2018 and its implications. Continue reading

#361 – PROJECT EMERGENCIES: RESPONSE OR REACTION – MALCOLM PEART

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In project management we can’t always be in control of the environment around us.  We can only forecast rather than predict risk and despite our ‘reasonable’ or even ‘best’ efforts to mitigate risk; shit happens and emergencies ensue!  It’s not just physical emergencies but also those related to time and cost; remember overbudget or late projects can create an emergency for shareholders and stakeholders alike. Continue reading

#361 – FIVE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION – FRED SCHENKELBERG

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I have found the best way to lose an audience is to focus on statistical derivation. While this is a fascinating subject for me, it just doesn’t seem to hold an audience’s attention.

Having something interesting and useful to say is key to maintaining an audience’s attention, yet at times how we present helps them become distracted.

So, given great content or proposal, how can you help your audience not quickly check their phone, yet again? Continue reading

#361 – YOUR SUPPLIERS CAN BE A RISK TO YOUR PROJECT – JOHN AYERS

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The majority of companies today outsource a major portion (up to 60-70%) of their work scope to subcontractors.  As a result, the subcontractors become a risk to your project because you have no direct control over them. For example, if they start to slip their schedule you cannot direct them to put more assets on the job to pull the schedule back. The other risk that is not obvious is that posed by your subcontractors major vendors or subcontractors. To illustrate this point, this article describes a story that I was personally involved in. Continue reading