Steve Zagarola

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Founding Partner of Northwest Center for Performance Excellence and Executive Master Six Sigma Black Belt

““Difference Process Improvement Protocols – that Aren’t Really that Different””

Session Description:

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Improvement gurus all love their acronyms – PDCA, PDSA, RCQI, DMAIC, DMAVD, IDOV, 8D, A3, TQM, LSS, 5S, SIPOC, VSM, and --- on, and on, and on. Some of the acronyms refer to tools, others to methodologies, others to protocols. In this presentation you will learn about four acronyms representing four “different” process improvement protocols -- PDCA, PDSA, RCQI, DMAIC. The presentation brings perspective to the protocol and its role, explains each and their strengths and weakness, compares them to each other and to the “Scientific Method”.  

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Take-away: 

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At the end of the presentation conference participants will understand the role of the process improvement protocol and how to use it. Plus, they will have the information to draw their own conclusions – 

• Are they really different? 

• Which is best? 

• When do I apply which or is that really an important question? 

• What are the pitfalls? 

• How to ensure any process improvement protocol is effective?

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Speaker Bio:

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Steve is a Six Sigma Executive Master Black Belt personally certified by Mikel Harry, the co-founder of the Six Sigma methodology. Steve is a founder and the Managing Partner for the Northwest Center for Performance Excellence (NWCPE.) He is also a founder and instructor for Lean and Six Sigma for Professional Education programs at PSU and OSU in Portland and The Universidad de San Francisco de Quito’s in Quito, Ecuador. He served as a technical editor for the latest edition of “Six Sigma for Dummies” book and has published hundreds of articles and papers in trade journals and newsletters. 

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He has more than 30 years’ experience in the practical application of statistical and modern structured approaches to the optimization of manufacturing and transactional processes, quality systems and R&D. Prior the founding of NWCPE, Steve served as the Director of Quality for Cascade Microtech (now, Form Factor) – a provider of test probes and probe stations for the development of advanced semi-conductor devices, for Vestas Wind Systems as Quality and Six Sigma Program Manager, and a Senior Manufacturing Manager for The Coca-Cola Company.

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He has provided training and consulting for industries ranging from advanced semi-conductors, food and beverage, plastics molding, and wind energy on six continents and in English, Spanish, Italian and German. 

Janet Carlson
Ph.D., Former Marion County Commissioner and State Legislator

““Performance Improvement Across Levels of Government and Non-Profit Organizations””

Session Description

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Governments oversee significant resources targeted to improve our lives – through health care, social services, education, and parks, to name just a few. Yet, when delegating funds and authority from federal to state to regional and local government levels – and then to nonprofit organizations under government contract – performance isn’t guaranteed. This session will engage participants in exploring how performance can be made more likely to succeed by paying attention to system design, capacity, and leadership issues.

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Take-away: 

At the end of the discussion, conference participants will better understand the interrelated roles of governments and service providers at all levels. Warning: the discussion may raise even more questions that will require additional pondering! 

Speaker Bio

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Janet Carlson, PhD, is a consultant and board administrator for the Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance, the Marion-Polk region’s Continuum of Care. From 2003-2019, she served as an elected Marion County Commissioner, and as an Oregon state representative from 2001-03.  Janet earned a BA in political science (summa cum laude) at Willamette University, an MA in political science at Brigham Young University, and a PhD at the University Oregon in special education and community resources.  Since 1991, her involvement with Oregon’s children and families system has included serving in policy, administrative, consultant, and evaluator roles.

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Janet is a past president of the Association of Oregon Counties, chaired the Willamette Valley Community Health board of directors, Marion County Public Safety Coordinating Council, Mid-Valley Behavioral Care Network board of directors, Local Government Advisory Committee to the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Department of Human Services, and actively served on many other task forces and councils focused on workforce development, community corrections, education, health care, and housing.

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Janet began her career as a junior high teacher and later taught courses at Oregon State University, Western Oregon University, Willamette University, and Portland State University.