Welcome to Quality eLine, a monthly newsletter from PQ Systems, Inc., developers of software products and training services that help organizations improve their processes and products and achieve compliance to standards. This newsletter gives you industry news, case studies, and information about product enhancements and tips to enhance your software use. In this issue you will find: British firm's products reflect quality focus Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary--and last month’s winners! Plus, watch for video to support quiz response. Six Sigma and more: Just say yes, David Schwinn advises Data in everyday life: If you are a blood donor, you're on this chart Bytes and pieces: Feigenbaum to speak; monitoring drug safety; airline quality award FYI: How to check current version numbers and maintenance releases.

British firm's products reflect quality focus If you drive a car or do a multitude of other everyday activities, you are no doubt using products developed by Chemical Innovations, Ltd. (CIL), a British firm that specializes in chemical bonding products. Using PQ Systems software to support its quality focus, the firm offers a quiet model of consistent product quality. For full story go to http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/04/chemical.htm

Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary--and last month’s winners! Winners of last month's quiz and a copy of Volume 1 and Volume 2 of Practical Tools for Continuous Improvement by Jackie Graham, Ph.D., and Michael J. Cleary, Ph.D: Bob Barringer (Power Integrations); Tim Bumgarner (UPS); Karen Patch (Iowa Foundation for Medical Care); Bruce Platt (Smiths Medical); and Gwen Young (Weyerhaeuser). Congratulations. For this month’s quiz, and a chance to win these useful reference sources, go to http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/04/Quality_Quiz.htm.

Data in everyday life: If you are a blood donor, you're on this chart Data from the American Red Cross suggest that blood donations have gone up. This Chartrunner chart confirms it. http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/04/chartsyoucanuse.htm.

• Distinguished statistician Armand V. Feigenbaum, Ph.D. will kick off a joint session of the American Society for Quality and the International Academy for Quality at World Conference on Quality and Improvement (formerly known as the Annual Quality Congress) May 16-18 in Seattle. For more information, go to http://wcqi.asq.org/conference/keynote.html

• Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) will initiate an effort to overhaul the way the FDA monitors the safety of the nation’s prescription drug supply. Grassley’s bill will set up an independent drug safety office with powers to police drugs. http://www.webmdhealth.com/nl/nl.aspx?id=30027915&s=30433&p=art032805

• JetBlue Airways ranked highest in overall airline customer satisfaction among major U.S. air carriers, according to a study released by J.D. Power and Associates. Southwest Airlines was second. The Powers survey included 2,600 passengers who flew between May and October 2004. http://www.americanquality.com/artman/publish/article_600.shtml

Current versions of software: To determine the most recent version of PQ Systems' primary software products, check Help/PQ on the web/check for updates on your program (for SQCpack, GAGEpack, and CHARTrunner). To review current maintenance downloads and version numbers for all PQ Systems software, go to: http://www.pqsystems.com/support/SoftwareUpdates.php

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