PQ Systems eLine

July 2005

www.pqsystems.com

Vol. 7, No. 07

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:

Ten ways to know which software program is right for you
Quality Quiz: Another quiz from Professor Cleary--and last month’s winners! Plus, watch for video to support quiz response.
Six Sigma and more: Sustainability is among your quality options
Data in everyday life: Congressional representation charted--and your input requested
Bytes and pieces: Service quality; Processing hazardous materials; Healthcare quality academy
FYI: How to check current version numbers and maintenance releases.

Ten ways to know which software program is right for you
Both SQCpack and CHARTrunner--released in new versions this month--offer solutions to your data analysis requirements. Each has features that will enhance your quality improvement efforts. So which is it for you? http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/07/software.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: Michael Cocoli (Moeller Manufacturing); Mike Gardner (St. Agnes Medical Center); Debbie Meeks (Sentara Healthcare); Matthew Redman (Capital One); and Connie Rodgers (Cambridge Stampings, Inc.). Congratulations! For this month’s quiz, and a chance to win these useful reference sources, go to http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/07/Quality_Quiz.htm.

Six Sigma and More: Sustainability is among your quality options
David Schwinn suggests that sustainability--and not just the economic kind--is among your quality options. See his comments at http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/07/sixsigmaandmore.htm.

Data in everyday life: Congressional representation charted--and your input requested.
With the current partisan politics making news, it may be interesting to look at the division of Congress by party over the past 50+ years. Here’s a CHARTrunner chart showing trends. http://www.pqsystems.com/eline/2005/07/chartsyoucanuse.htm.

For next month's issue of Quality eLine, we need your help: Click here to answer the following question, and we'll chart your responses:

Bytes and pieces:

Service quality conference: Learn how to succeed in service business at this conference sponsored by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) October 17-18. More information.
Hazardous materials process management: This conference will provide executives, managers, designers, implementers, quality professionals and assessors with an understanding of the EIA/ECCB-954 Electrical and Electronic Component & Product Hazardous Substance Free (EEC&P HSF) standards requirements and how it demonstrates your compliance with RoHS, WEEE and California SB-50 requirements. More information.
Executive quality academy: The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) sponsors this comprehensive program that aims to energize and enable executives to lead the health care system of the future. More information.

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