PQ Systems eLine

October 2003

Vol. 5, No. 10

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:

DATAjogger: Your ‘electronic whiteboard’ is now available.
Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor ClearyÑand last month's winners!
Data in everyday life: How do food costs today compare to those of 1929?
Six Sigma and more: "If you can’t say something nice..."
Bytes and pieces: Technology and patient safety
FYI: Software releases updated: Do you have the most current release?

DATAjogger: Your 'electronic whiteboard' is now available DATAjogger, a new software program from PQ Systems, Inc., provides an “electronic whiteboard” for improvement projects on the shop floor, in the classroom, or for the examining room. It is so easy to use that anyone can start creating diagrams, recording brainstorms, or charting process flow without any preparation—just as if these are being created on a whiteboard. To learn more, go to http://www.datajogger.com

Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor ClearyÑand last month's winners!
Winners of last month's quiz (and a copy of Quality Gamebox) are Patti Autenrieth (EPT/McGill Manufacturing); George Duke (Mack Molding); Matthew Krause (Winland Electronics); Ray Lee (Gates Rubber Company (NSW) Pty Ltd); Dave McCready (Mount Carmel Health System); Mary Woerner (US Postal Service). Congratulations! For October’s quiz question, and a chance to win a copy of this fun, interactive teaching tool, go to Quality_Quiz.htm

Data in everyday life: In and out: Trends in amount spent on food and how often we eat out
This CHARTrunner chart reflects these trends from 1929 to 1997, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Go to chartsyoucanuse.htm

Six Sigma and More: "If you can't say something nice..."
David Schwinn offers ways to deal with those who are driving you nuts, by having conversations related to differences in understanding. Go to sixsigmaandmore.htm

Bytes and pieces: Information you can use:

New technologies make health care information, including prescription drug descriptions, available for patients. See how this service can enhance patient safety. http://www.qualityhealthcare.org/QHC/Topics/PatientSafety/MedicationSystems/
Literature/NewInformationTechnologyCanHelpKeepPatientsSafer.htm
For this month's article in Quality Digest's series about Baldrige award winners, go to http://www.qualitydigest.com/currentmag/articles/05_article.shtml
Register now for the National Quality in Education Conference (NQEC) that will take place November 6-9 in Albuquerque, NM. Sally Duncan of PQ Systems is among the featured presenters at the conference, whose theme is “Doorways to Performance Excellence—Standards, Assessment, and Accountability.” For more information, visit http://nqec.asq.org/index.html

FYI: Current software releases: Do you have the most current release?

SQCpack 4.6.76
CHARTrunner 1.6.74
GAGEpack 5.5.08
DOEpack 3.0.21
PORTspy 4.6.8
MEASUREspy 4.6.8

To check current version numbers, go to http://www.pqsystems.com/support/Maintenance_release_downloads.htm