To avoid confusion, I will begin with a clarification.  The full name of the document to which we refer generally as a FMEA (“fee-mah”) is Potential Failure Modes and Effects Analysis.  This is not the ‘P’ to which I refer, however.
     The title, “P” is for “Process,” is intended, first, to differentiate between a PFMEA (Process FMEA) and a DFMEA (Design FMEA).  This differentiation refers specifically to product design and manufacture, as the distinction between them blurs when discussing service delivery systems.
     Second, and the focal point of this post, is to differentiate between process and product.  Many manufacturing organizations develop product FMEAs, mistakenly identifying them as process FMEAs.

     Browsing The Third Degree blog, it is easy to detect my predilection for analogy.  Previous posts have been loaded with analogies aimed at making the subject matter more palatable – more interesting, more entertaining, more relatable, and more memorable.
     Analogies and other literary devices are useful aids to learning.  For example, an understanding of hydraulic systems can be applied to troubleshooting an electrical circuit, or vice versa, through analogy:  pressure ≈ voltage, flow ≈ current, pump ≈ battery, valve ≈ switch, and so on.  While not always perfect, analogies can provide foundational understanding of a topic, or help clear a mental block occurring in a specific area.  Once the subject matter can be grasped at a fundamental level, a student can begin to build on this knowledge base, pursuing more advanced material.

     Though the term emotional intelligence (EQ or EI) has appeared in academic articles since the 1960s, it was Daniel Goleman’s 1995 book, Emotional Intelligence, that popularized the concept.  Since that time, it has been widely discussed as a critical element of leadership.
     Compelling arguments for the development of EQ in leaders have been put forth.  Much less attention has been paid to the application of EQ by all others.  Followers of the leaders often discussed, as well as those engaged in interactions where there is no leader/follower relationship or authority differential, can also benefit from a basic understanding and application of EQ.

     On this date, in 1944, Allied forces launched the campaign that would ultimately liberate northern Europe from Nazi occupation.  A great deal has been written about the military efforts to storm the beaches of France and advance inland.  Much of this has been intended, at least ostensibly, to honor the soldiers that endured the hardships of war and the commanders that led them to victory.  Some of it also commends civilians for their labor and sacrifice in support of the war effort.
     Despite all of this, questions remain:  Have we truly honored the “Greatest Generation?”  What about the previous generations – those that sent their children and grandchildren to war, while food and other supplies were rationed at home?
     To truly honor them, we must learn and embody the lessons they have to teach us about fortitude, resilience, and character.  Opportunities to hear from them directly are vanishing rapidly.  The youngest of this generation are in their 90s, and it is estimated that we lose 372 of them each day.