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What
They Are Saying
A Complete Performance
Solution
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"Decision Focus Tools have been
effective tools for us in a sense that we can get everyone
on the same page. The tools are very effective in keeping
people focused and they help teams in identifying what other
questions need to be asked or what information needs to
be sought out to help make a good decision. We have utilized
the tools with customers and suppliers with positive results.
If fact, we have had customers and suppliers request training
on the tools. In addition to the tools being effective,
the software is very user friendly and less expensive than
the competitor.”
Director of Operations
Molex Inc. Lincoln Nebraska
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What
They Are Saying
Increasing Technical
Operation's Effectiveness
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"There was a requirement to enhance
the problem solving and decision making skills in the technical
organization by using a systematic and consistent approach.
Decision Focus was chosen initially because of the reputation
that the company had developed within Beckman Coulter. Ultimately,
the combination of easy to use materials, software and learning
approach were what tipped the balance.
"Focus Performance Systems is very impressive in its
approach to business. What continues to impress me was that
the application of the materials and the resultant organizational
learning were as important to the principals of the company
as the business itself. It was not a "one off"
affair. I felt that Mary (the primary consultant on this
project) was almost part of the company with her continual
feedback and follow-up.
"On a personal note, I use Decision Focus continually
in my role in Carlsbad. I used it recently to select suppliers
to oversee a major program on site."
Director of Worldwide Technical
Operations
Beckman Coulter Inc.
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What
They Are Saying
Director discusses the
results gained
from Decision Focus
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"The Decision Focus Tools were selected
for our organization because they are easy to use, yet thorough.
Our organization was in
need of an objective means for decision making.
Too much emotion was involved in problem solving and decision
making."
"I have used the Decision Focus Tools on a number of
occasions when facilitating group problem-solving meetings.
For example, I was asked to facilitate a product group that
was struggling with a complex issue. During the meeting
I chose to use Situation Analysis to assist in sorting through
the many problems that were addressed. The group was amazed
at how well the tool helped them take a step back and really
determine what was causing the problems to occur. About
half of the members in the meeting had not attended a class
yet. They were all very impressed that such a simple tool
helped them clearly identify conclusions and develop resolutions."
Director, Human Resources
Chr Hansen
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What
They Are Saying
Professional Development
Manager
describes results gained
through Decision Focus
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"ATK and its predecessors have long considered formal
decision logic and problem analysis to be part of their
technological back-bone. Evaluating and choosing Focus Performance
Systems and their Decision Focus tools was an opportunity
to generate consistent language and methods across a fast-growing
enterprise in the Aerospace and Defense industry. With support
from executive leadership and under direction of the company's
Technology Council, several vendors were considered and
Decision Focus was selected based on its ability to deliver
the type and quality of training and tools that will best
help ATK professionals achieve the company's long-term business
strategy. Users of the Decision Focus software especially
find its user-friendliness and functionality to be a key
benefit of participation in the course.
"Most of the returns from this investment are obvious.
Several graduates have immediately taken the concepts they
learned in class and teamed-up with other subject-matter
experts who then begin solving critical problems and making
key decisions by applying the tools and software. For example,
plans to modernize plant facilities have been shored up
using Problem Prevention, choosing firms to partner long-term
with ATK has been aided by the Decision Analysis tools,
and critical production flaws have been investigated and
corrected by applying the Problem Analysis logic.
"Participants generally show immediate enthusiasm for
the processes and tools. Most importantly they take them
back to their jobs and apply them to business-critical issues.
They're working smarter and spending less time doing it.
There's no question that ATK or any company that integrates
the objective rules of Decision Focus tools into its day-to-day
practices will create a climate in which employees are more
collaborative and ultimately more successful in moving company
goals and programs forward."
Manager, Professional Development
ATK
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What
They Are Saying |
"Decision Focus has helped Starkey Laboratories establish
a common method of making decisions, analyzing situations
and solving problems. For many years now we have been able
to focus on the real issues instead of interpreting everyone's
unique methods. Decision Focus contains lasting tools. It
is one of the best investments you can make for your business."
Senior Vice President of
Operations
Starkey Laboratories, Inc.
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What
They Are Saying
Coordinator, Learning
Support & Performance Development
describes how Decision Focus
offered the solutions they required at a lower cost.
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"Our current supplier of problem solving and decision
making training had raised prices of their materials and
we were looking for a cost effective solution that still
gave us the knowledge component we required. We had the
opportunity to audit the Decision Focus course, and felt
that it offered the solutions we required at a lower cost.
Plus, Decision Focus
includes software for each participant
- our old supplier charged
extra for this. It also made the decision easier to know
that all sites were choosing the same option and that our
Calgary office could provide the training for our Edmonton
employees when the need arose.
"The Decision
Focus course and tools were a huge help when we were trying
to establish a new practice at Edmonton
with our decision making initiative. The tools were the
ones we wanted to use and have in our control rooms and
meeting rooms to stimulate the decision processes. We began
training all employees on the process and tools at an earlier
stage of their development in the hope that a common process
and understanding of the tools would improve reliability
and performance at the plant site.
"I have seen many of the students of the classes use
Decision Focus as part of their toolkits that travel with
them from meeting to meeting. We continue to give the Decision
Focus course as an element of development for all engineers,
operations, and maintenance personnel."
Coordinator, Learning Support &
Performance Development
Petro-Canada Edmonton Refinery
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What
They Are Saying
Manager, Corporate Quality
Assurance
describes how Decision Analysis
played a key role in a major improvement
project.
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"Donaldson recently initiated a project in which a
highly visible and successful product line was chosen for
a significant cost reduction project, to meet customer needs.
We realized that in order to penetrate specific markets
with this product line, our selling price (and therefore
our costs) must be more in line with what the marketplace
will accept. Thus, with target volumes of 1 million products
per year in this marketplace,
our goal
is to reduce
the costs by $10 per
unit, or an annual cost reduction of $10 million, while
maintaining or improving product quality.
The team chosen for the project included members from research,
applications, product development, manufacturing development,
quality, and plant engineering."
"I was asked to facilitate the team and utilize a methodology
to make this happen. I chose Decision
Analysis from
the Decision Focus tools because I felt confident the structured
nature of the tool was a good fit for this decision situation..."
Manager, Corporate Quality Assurance
Donaldson Company
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What
They Are Saying
Employee Relations
Director talks about
Decision Focus and Decision Focus Software
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"A couple of years ago, I was afforded
the opportunity to attend a Decision Focus workshop. The
workshop was great; it provided me with the background and
experience I needed to deploy and fully exploit the power
of the Decision Focus processes. I was so impressed with
the software that I bought my own personal copy.
"When I learned of the new Decision Focus Software,
I felt compelled to purchase the upgrade. While the processes
remain the same -- simple, direct, and effective, the new
import and export features are extremely user-friendly.
These features make it easy to share and clearly communicate
discussions, outcomes, and decisions. Most recently, I've
used Decision Analysis as a staffing selection tool -- it
helps me ensure that I select the right candidate for the
right reasons. I've also used Situation Analysis to revamp
our Peer-to-Peer and Mentoring programs. I've used Problem
Prevention to assist our development specialists when planning
fund raising events and other major programs.
"We're now also exploring how best to provide Decision
Focus training and software for our state-wide network of
executive directors."
Director of Employee Relations
American Cancer Society, Ohio Division
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What
They Are Saying
E&D Manager talks
about
two applications of the Focus Tools
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"Decision Focus has provided us with powerful additions
to our corporate toolkit that are practical, easy-to-use
and extremely effective. There are two applications of particular
note:
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Eighteen months ago, we used Problem
Analysis to identify the root cause of a critical
product quality problem. The success of the effort
helped minimize the impact of the problem in terms
of dollars and reputation. |
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Recently, Situation Analysis helped establish an
action plan for improving our performance in the area
of product development. This is an important focus
as we assume a new corporate mission. |
"In both cases, the tools provided us with a visible,
structured process that was of tremendous value in resolving
very challenging problem situations.
E&D Manager
Schneider Automation
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What
They Are Saying
VP Of Manufacturing describes
their use of Decision Focus and the benefits they see
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"We had a need to develop a consistent decision making
model for our employees to speed up the decision process
and have substance behind the decisions. We wanted to empower
all the employees to make good, solid decisions. The Decision
Focus model has a logical, engineering type approach and
we are a heavy engineering driven company.
"We've used Decision Focus to decide between several
strong candidates for key positions within the company,
for choosing between several competent core labs for our
clinical product testing and for deciding on the right contract
house for subcontracting. We have also used Decision Focus
to evaluate the factors impacting several business issues.
"The benefits of Decision Focus are quicker, unemotional
decisions which we felt had positive outcomes in reduced
time. Decisions are easier to sell to management because
all are familiar with the decision process and could walk
easily through the path used."
VP, Manufacturing Operations & Information Technology
Possis Medical, Inc.
www.possis.com
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What
They Are Saying
Director Of Quality
talks
about the role of Decision Focus
in company's growth
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"Several years ago,
Donaldson Engine
Group was
charged with developing a strategy to increase
sales and profits by creating an infrastructure
around the customer, our suppliers, and our employees. This
strategy included:
| 1. |
Obtaining ISO and
QS certification, |
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Managing our supply base with
the same stringent ISO/QS requirements imposed on
ourselves, |
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Maintaining customer certifications
and/or preferred supplier status, and |
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Developing a positive environment
for continuous improvement and employee satisfaction. |
Embedded in this strategy
was the need for employees to work together in team settings
that would result in meeting the objectives set by our management.
We chose Decision Focus as a key part of this strategy for
several reasons:
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Donaldson had success
with FPSI (the authors of Decision Focus) in the past
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FPSI had a solid train-the-trainer
process. Four Donaldson employees were chosen to become
trained trainers. Close to 100% of the Engine Group
was trained in these tools. |
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FPSI had a relationship with
companies who are also our customers. |
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FPSI is a local company and direct
access was very good. |
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Decision Focus tools were in
my opinion very simple to learn and apply, and powerful
in their results |
Decision Focus continues
to be used to achieve our strategic and tactical goals.
I am convinced that we have a more widespread understanding
of problem solving especially when it comes to continuous
improvement and cost reduction. Also, we in the quality
profession have written into our company's quality assurance
job profiles the need to understand, guide, and implement
problem solving in the context of the five Focus aspects
- team leadership and facilitation, problem identification,
problem solving, problem prevention, and making informed
decisions."
Director, Quality and Continuous Improvement
Donaldson Company
www.donaldson.com
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What
They Are Saying
Executive Vice President
talks
about his company's experiences
using Decision Focus
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"Decision
Focus is invaluable. We
use it in so many situations to insure the successful execution
of a project - Opening up a new store, meeting with a key
client on a sensitive issue, addressing a key issue with
a major vendor, or restructuring the organization are some
of the applications where we have used this tool.
Decision Analysis helps us in a wide range of decision situations,
from selecting which computers we are going to buy to which
candidates fit best with our organization
Many times we think we have the problem figured out only
to discover that Situation Analysis points us at the heart
of the issue.
The people at FPSI know their business when it comes to
problem solving. They take the decision tools and incorporate
them into their daily language and habits. It's amazing
to watch them informally take people in a meeting through
the process without the aid of the tools.
FPSI personnel have been extremely responsive to our needs.
Helping us out with advice, filling in with training requests
and most importantly treating us like a valued customer."
Executive Vice President
HR/IT/MKT
Holt Companies
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