Terms Explained

V Formation Benefits

Geese flying in V formation


Appreciative Inquiry

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is the search for the best in people, their organizations and the strengths-filled, opportunity-rich world around them. When most models tend to take a deficit approach, the AI methodology attempts to create a fundamental shift in the overall perspective taken throughout the entire change process. It inquires into the organizations strengths, possibilities and successes. AI is a powerful tool for shifting the focus of an organization to something greater than its bottom line.

Source: The Appreciative Inquiry Commons


Lean Six Sigma

Lean helps identify steps in a process that don’t add value and provides tools to eliminate them.  It focuses on reducing waste and increasing process speed.

Six Sigma improves the capability of steps in a process that do add value.  Using a statistical approach, it focuses on reducing unwanted variation and improving the process capability of the value-added steps by spotlighting customer CTQ (critical to quality) requirements.

Source: Xerox Lean Six Sigma


PEM & TRIZ

TRIZ – Theory of Inventive Problem Solving

Inventive Solutions to Hard Problems Using Basic TRIZ and Psychological & Emotional Methods (PEM).

PEM (i.e. Psychological Bias)

TRIZ (i.e. Functional Modeling)

Source: Air Academy Associates, LLC