Quality Time With MoreSteam

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout welcomes Eric Olsen, Professor of Industrial Technology at Cal Poly State University. Eric spent 20 years in industry with companies like Caterpillar and Hewlett Packard before jumping into academia. Dan started the interview with a bunch of questions about Lean, but the conversation took a sharp turn into artificial intelligence t...

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout hosts two-time Shingo Prize winner Drew Locher. Their conversation covers lean-driven process improvement and team leadership. Drew believes that 80% of continuous improvement is behavioral. So, have you created a safe environment for your team? Do you avoid blame-and-shame language? And because change must be directional and done with...

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout welcomes Michael Hathaway to the show. Michael is MoreSteam's eLearning Content Manager. Before joining MoreSteam, Michael taught at charter schools in Houston and Columbus. Now, Michael uses the lessons he learned as a professional educator to develop eLearning for continuous improvement professionals. Some educational concepts are uni...

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout sits down with Dr. Mary Reich Cooper and Michael Anderson from the Jefferson College of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University. The conversation explores how Lean Six Sigma and operational excellence are put to work in healthcare settings. Michael is a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. Mary brings experience as a physicia...

What's better than one Lean Six Sigma Black Belt? Two! On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout welcomes Lean Six Sigma Black Belts Raquel Chase-Kelly and James Perry to the show. Raquel and James work for Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center and Clinics and use process modeling to streamline hospital operations and improve patient care. Process modeling lets you rapidly si...

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout welcomes Dr. Larry Inks to the show. Larry is a Professor of Management and Human Resources at The Ohio State University who previously ran talent management for Cardinal Health. Dan and Larry discuss why one clear goal keeps a team focused. They also explore change management, including the emotional aspects of change, and the differen...

Step onto the field with host Dan Swartwout as he explores a new playbook for improvement. In this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan tells the story of the fictional Columbus Tigers, a football team that turns around its losing streak using Lean Six Sigma. (There actually was a Columbus Tigers pro football team about a century ago!) Football is familiar territory for many, and this episo...

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dr. Jim Cole joins the podcast to share how process improvement has guided his work in both military and healthcare settings. Dr. Cole introduces tools like the Marine Corps Planning Process, OODA loops, and operational risk management. Jim shares how these military methods helped him tackle challenges in civilian healthcare. To that end, Dr. Cole re...

On this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout talks with Mark Reich. Mark is Senior Lean Coach at the Lean Enterprise Institute and author of the new book, Managing On Purpose . Mark's book is a practical guide to Hoshin Kanri, a strategy deployment system that combines long-term vision with day-to-day execution. Managing On Purpose features step-by-step tools and a detailed c...

In this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Dan Swartwout chats with Kim Koning, Aurorium's Global Director of Operational Excellence and a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt. Kim shares his journey from wrestling mats in Indiana to leading global process improvement initiatives. He also reflects on how lessons from his early career as a plant manager and his MBA in finance shaped his approach t...

We're throwing a party for the big 2-5! MoreSteam is turning 25, and what better way to celebrate than with the 25th episode of  Quality Time with MoreSteam ! This special episode takes you on a journey through 25 standout moments from the podcast. Host Dan Swartwout revisits some of the most interesting, surprising, and entertaining highlights from past episodes. From creative uses of Lean Six Si...

MoreSteam is celebrating 25 years of process improvement! In this episode, MoreSteam founder and CEO Bill Hathaway joins the show to talk about all the milestones, mistakes, and defining moments. Bill shares stories from his early days in manufacturing, including a memorable encounter with instrument panels that didn't quite fit (spoiler: kicking them wasn't the best solution). He also talks about...

Chris Spranger's Lean Six Sigma journey began unexpectedly during a co-op at a firetruck manufacturer. Initially uninterested in quality work, he soon became fascinated by tracking production data and solving shop-floor problems. A mouse pad from his boss featuring 'ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt' and a Christmas gift request for Lean Six Sigma by Michael George sealed the deal—Chris was hooke...

In this episode of  Quality Time with MoreSteam , Thomas Paider joins the show. Tom is the co-author of  The Lean IT Field Guide: A Roadmap for Your Transformation . He is also the Vice President for Technology Infrastructure and Computing at Nationwide and a member of the Board of Directors of the Lean Enterprise Institute. This is a phenomenal conversation. According to our host Dan Swartwout, t...

In this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Ryan C. Weiss joins the program. Ryan is an author, entrepreneur, and president of Effective Performance Strategies. He also tells one of the best stories about continuous improvement. That story involves tools, skills, mindset, and an orangutan. (Yes, an orangutan.) You won't want to miss it. In addition to that great story, Ryan and host Dan Swartw...

This isn't your typical Quality Time with MoreSteam! To celebrate the season, we're bringing you a festive treat — a Lean Six Sigma-inspired version of  'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Packed with value streams, Gemba walks, and continuous improvement cheer, this playful adaptation blends holiday magic with the principles of operational excellence. Pause for a moment to recharge, reflect, and e...

In this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, Meredith Brody from Constellation joins the show to discuss the successful implementation of a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt program. Constellation has a winning program called the Embedded Lean Practitioner Program. As a LSS Black Belt and Principal Project Manager at Constellation, Meredith shares firsthand experiences and practical advice on how to d...

In this episode of Quality Time with MoreSteam, we are honored to have Peter Ward join the show. Peter is Chair of the Lean Enterprise Institute, Professor Emeritus of Operations Management at The Ohio State University, and a Shingo prize winner. During this episode, we explore Peter's incredible journey in Lean and Six Sigma. Peter shares how he helped bring Lean and Six Sigma into the business s...

In this episode of  Quality Time with MoreSteam , host Dan Swartwout strikes a chord with Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Kevin Keller. It's a dynamic deep dive into the world of process improvement! Kevin hits all the right notes as he shares insights from his corporate career and his encore as a consultant, teacher, and coach. As a frequent headliner at MoreSteam's monthly webinars, Kevin cover...

Walt Disney once said, "We don't make movies to make money. We make money to make more movies." We think Dino Tripodis would agree with that. On this episode of Quality Time With MoreSteam, Dino joins the show to discuss the making of DOWN TO THE FELT, the largest independent film ever produced in Columbus, Ohio. Michael Weston, Michael Stahl-David, and Scottie Thompson have starring roles in DOWN...

On this episode of Quality Time With MoreSteam, we serve up a delightful blend of culinary creativity and cutting-edge efficiency! MoreSteam eLearning project manager Brian Bross joins the show. Brian is a software engineer with a flavorful past as an executive chef in some of the most notable restaurants and organizations. Brian and Dan will whisk you away on a journey through the bustling world...

MoreSteam recently presented its 22nd Best Practices For Operational Excellence Conference. Practitioners and thought leaders from various industries attended the conference to discuss the latest strategies and tools for enhancing operational excellence. MoreSteam Peg Pennington is one of those industry leaders. Although not an industry leader, Quality Time With MoreSteam host Dan Swartwout attend...

Explore Generative AI and its impact on process improvement! On August 13, 2024, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Ken Robinette delivered a presentation to the ASQ Columbus Section titled "Revolutionizing Process Improvement with the Power of Generative AI and Large Language Models." In this episode of Quality Time With MoreSteam, host Dan Swartwout brings you some highlights from Ken's presentati...

In this episode of Quality Time With MoreSteam, Lean Six Sigma Maser Black Belt Maria Fry joins the podcast to discuss all things Mast Black Belt. Maybe you're curious about what a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt does. Maybe you're interested in earning your Master Black Belt. Maria talks about all this and more. As both a teacher and consultant, Maria performs at the highest levels of continuous...

Have you ever had Tikka Masala Ice Cream? Karina Dubé has. In fact, she made it! Whether it's ice cream or continuous improvement, Karina understands the importance of experimentation. As Director of Product - EngineRoom® for MoreSteam, Karina also understands the importance of statistics in continuous improvement. "You have measurements that you want to make and metrics you want to hit," Karina n...