Training the workforce is a critical responsibility of an organization’s management.  Constant effort is required to ensure that all members are operating according to the latest information and techniques.  Whether training is developed and delivered by internal resources or third-party trainers, more efficacious techniques are always sought.
     Learning games, as we know them, have existed for decades (perhaps even longer than we realize), but are gaining popularity in the 21st century.  Younger generations’ affinity for technology and games, including role-playing games, makes them particularly receptive to this type of training exercise.  Learning games need not be purely digital, however.  In fact, games that employ physical artifacts have significant advantages of their own.

     Many organizations adopt the “Safety First!” mantra, but what does it mean?  The answer, of course, differs from one organization, person, or situation to another.  If an organization’s leaders truly live the mantra, its meaning will be consistent across time, situations, and parties involved.  It will also be well-documented, widely and regularly communicated, and supported by action.
     In short, the “Safety First!” mantra implies that an organization has developed a safety culture.  However, many fall far short of this ideal; often it is because leaders believe that adopting the mantra will spur the development of safety culture.  In fact, the reverse is required; only in a culture of safety can the “Safety First!” mantra convey a coherent message or be meaningful to members of the organization.

     Choosing effective strategies for waging war against error in manufacturing and service operations requires an understanding of “the enemy.”  The types of error to be combatted, the sources of these errors, and the amount of error that will be tolerated are important components of a functional definition (see Vol. I for an introduction).
     The traditional view is that the amount of error to be accepted is defined by the specification limits of each characteristic of interest.  Exceeding the specified tolerance of any characteristic immediately transforms the process output from “good” to “bad.”  This is a very restrictive and misleading point of view.  Much greater insight is provided regarding product performance and customer satisfaction by loss functions.