Here's this month's issue of Quality eLine, a newsletter from PQ Systems, Inc. that provides industry news, case studies, quality tips, and information about software products and training services.

In this issue, you will find:

• Practical Tools: New 2-volume book expands tool possibilities
• Join the party: Consortium offers Six Sigma to small- and mid-size organizations
• Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor ClearyÑand last month's winners!
• Six Sigma and more: David Schwinn looks at a system of fear and waste
• On the firing line: Matt Savage responds to Cpk questions
• Charts you can use: Merchants count on this spike in their data

Practical Tools: New 2-volume book expands tool possibilities A new approach to understanding critical tools now offers seven management tools, application examples, and 15 data collection and analysis approaches. For more, go to practicaltools.htm. Join the party: Consortium offers Six Sigma to small- and mid-size organizations Companies who implement Six Sigma programs are all giant, multi-site or multi-national organizations, right?

Not necessarily, according to Stanley A. Marash, Ph.D., chairman and CEO of STAT-A-MATRIX, Inc. STAT-A-MATRIX is partnering with PQ Systems to form "consortiums" of smaller companies who want to jump into Six Sigma training and launch their own efforts. STAT-A-MATRIX can provide high-level training and consulting, and PQ Systems can offer software to support Six Sigma at every level. To learn more, go to consortium_offers_six_ sigma.htm.

Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor ClearyÑand last month's winners! Winners of last month's quiz (and a copy of Quality Gamebox) are: John Bielaczyc (Preferred Tool & Die); Gail Boes (Tech Development, Inc.); Don Cripe (Sargento Foods, Inc.); Tom Foster (National Copper and Smelting); Carolyn M. Hallas (H-P Products, Inc.); Nancy Horger (Labor Ready, Inc.); Greg Levande (Jagemann Stamping); Rachele Plencner (Philips Products, Inc.); Bulent Simsek (Bricmont, Inc.); and Roger Wyatt (Lear Corporation). Congratulations!

And now for our December question. After you have read the question, click on the response that you think is correct. As in previous quizzes, if you answer correctly, you can register to win a free copy of Quality Gamebox.

Although it may be difficult to imagine, a presidential election in the U.S. ended in a deadlock because, while one candidate won the popular vote, the other seemed to have secured the number of electoral college votes required to be certified as winner. However, there were some discrepancies in the counting process, and voters as well as candidates were calling for recounts, revotes, and reconsideration of the chad on the ballot room floor.

Since the southern state in which such a hard-to-believe situation occurred did not have funds for complete recounting, the secretary of state decided that a sample recount would verify the validity of the first count, without the expense of a total count. In order to assure the statistical veracity of such an approach, which of the following would have to be true?

1. one out of every two votes would have to be retabulated;
2. a random selection of ballots could be recounted from each precinct;
3. 20 out of the 400 precincts could be recounted;
4. no sampling method would be valid, since no sample plan had been in place prior to the election;
5. no sampling method would be valid, since every vote counts, according to the Constitution (and that means every vote recounts as well).

Six Sigma and more: David Schwinn looks at a system of fear and waste When organizations operate with production people who are afraid of their bosses' harsh criticism and blame, and when departments are rivals rather than team members, trouble ensues. Learn what questions to ask before launching Six Sigma. See David's comments at sixsigmaandmore.htm.

On the firing line: Matt Savage answers questions about Cpk What's a person to do, when Ppk is higher than Cpk? This and other questions about Cpk are often put to our technical support staff. Matt Savage shares a couple of these, as well as his responses to them, with the hope that these may strike a chord in other customer lives. Go to techtips.htm.

Charts in everyday life: Merchants count on this spike in their data Data spikes can mean a variety of things, positive and negative. These charts show a spike that you might like to be a part of this month. Click on a chart for a zoom view.

PQ Systems produces a printed newsletter, Quality Line, which is mailed to customers each quarter. If you would like a free 2-year subscription to this publication, e-mail sales@pqsystems.com and your name will be added to the list.

Copyright 2000 by PQ Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.