GM Uses LEGOs for Visual Management Tool. I thought this was a joke, but it appears GM really is using a "three-dimensional visualization system" called — wait for it — 3-D Visualization. It's meant as a generalized tool to track progress of systems, and they believe it could reduce time to make system changes, leading to fewer warranty claims, by 33 percent. 3-D Visualization builds on GM's Problem Resolution Tracking System. If a transmission case breaks on a durability test vehicle, a problem resolution report documents the problem, and its corresponding LEGO block goes on a LEGO board. The block color identifies the area on the vehicle and the block size denotes severity; the bigger the block, the bigger the problem.
Each block has an identification number and date of discovery, and the board shows its progress from root cause to solution to outcome. 3-D Visualization is applicable to any process that has volume and aging. [Thanks, Daniil] Where do These People Get Their (Unoriginal) Ideas? By Joel Spolsky Wednesday, April 19, 2000 Maybe I should call this article "why I should stop reading Upside Magazine". I really have been trying to stop, but they send it to me for free, and I really needed bathroom reading material, so I grabbed it and found one of the most wrong-headed articles I've seen in a long time.
Well, actually, there are wrong-headed articles all over Upside magazine, but this one was particularly irksome. It's an article by Stephen James called "Lessons in Survival". It includes lots of extremely useful advise that you would never figure out on your own, like, don't spend a lot of money on office space and try to find a neighborhood where you don't have to stand in line at the local restaurants. "Forget the free coffee and drinks. Hello? I guess Mr James lives in a funny la-la world where there are millions of programmers just dying to work at your startup. Meanwhile, "Build-outs are a bad idea," Stephen James tells us.
Guess what? Here's the trouble. Next: New View of How Humans Moved Away From Apes. How to Limit Visits to Time-Wasting Web Sites and Give Your Willpower a Break. Working Better: How to Take On a Passion Project When You Have a Job - Business. Every three months, GOOD releases our quarterly magazine, which examines a given theme through our unique lens. Recent editions have covered topics like the impending global water crisis, the future of transportation, and the amazing rebuilding of New Orleans. This quarter's issue is about work, and we'll be rolling out a variety of stories all month.
Yeah, it would be awesome if you could quit your job and dedicate yourself full time to that online museum you’ve been talking about for years, but realistically, you tell yourself, you need a steady paycheck. True, but that’s not a good reason not to do something you absolutely love and believe in. Whether it’s writing a book, starting a web site, building a shed, or growing that herb garden, you take on a passion project because you want to, for your own enjoyment—and that’s why it’s the first thing to go when time feels tight. For starters, reset your clock. Be good at your job. Remember that your side project isn’t a hobby. Study helps unlock key to long life.