The Red Bead Experiment
Project Manager text is in yellow
Product Owner text is in purple
Instructions are in green
Preparation
Put the motivation posters and vacancies on the walls
2 clipboards and pens for the inspectors
Red bead kit, plastic bucket and tray on a table up the front
PC and projector
Excel spreadsheet with worker data, SPC chart and Burndown chart
Handouts – red bead lessons document, Deming 14 points – hand out at the end
Instructor 1 is the Project Manager
Instructor 2 is the Product Owner
The Experiment
Filling the positions
We need 6 willing workers, who would like to apply for the job?
This is an equal opportunities company
We believe in high quality. We need good people.
We now need 2 junior inspectors. Observant and able to count is important.
Who would like to apply?
Next we need a chief inspector.
Someone who is able to inspect others
Has a loud voice so they can announce the results and is trustworthy.
Who would like to apply?
We now need a customer.
The chief inspector will review the work output with the customer.
Pre-arrange with the customer to act like an irate customer when he gets different colored beads, etc.
We need a recorder.
Someone who will record the names of the team and their performance.
Ask the recorder to enter the names of the workers into the spreadsheet and show the burndown chart.
Once the positions are filled
You are not allowed to stand together – no collusion between employees
Workers near the beads
Inspectors on the other side and stand next to each other
Chief inspector stand behind them, looking over their shoulders to inspect their work.
Bunch the 6 workers up to the left of the stage
Pair the junior inspectors together. Give them their clip boards and pens.
Place the customer and chief inspector to the far right of the stage.
Ask the recorder to sit out the front with the computer
The recorder will update the spreadsheet with the errors from each of the workers which will total for each iteration.
They will also show the burn down of white beads.
Those of you in the audience can observe. We will discuss the experiment at the end.
The F Test
It may look like the inspection department is over staffed.
BUT
Inspection is a vital and difficult task.
Without accurate data how can the customer be protected and the workers be judged?
Run the F Test with the audience and the inspectors.
Training the workers
We have been given a order by the customer to make white beads
I need you all to do your best every day. Giving me 100%
Pay close attention!!!
We will explain the job
Explaining the job
Material comes in.
In the form of red and white beads.
The job is to make white beads, the customer wont pay for red.
Is that clear? White beads not red beads
A strict rigid procedure is defined in order to avoid variation.
We have standardized the work.
We are ISO certified, implemented ITIL and we achieved CMMI level 5.
Clearly with such well defined procedures, accreditation, and training, then any variation will be the workers fault.
Explaining the job
I have successfully delivered many projects before.
The work standard is 50 items of production per worker per iteration.
In order to meet this quota, I will provide you with a paddle with 50 depressions in it.
Each worker will take turns drawing a sample of 50 from the sampling device for each iteration.
Mixing
Before each worker performs their job the material will be mixed.
Take the wooden box of beads, poor them into the small container, from the corner, with a distance of no more than 8cm
Tip all beads from the box to the bucket
You understand gravity?
Don’t tilt the box or shake it – gravity will do the work
Tips the material back into the wooden box again, from the corner.
Distance of no more than 8cm
Tip all beads from the bucket to the box
The material is now mixed.
Making units of work
You will then produce 50 beads
We have work standards here – 50 per worker – 300 per iteration.
You have a paddle that will take 50 beads
You take the paddle, place at the front of the box, holding exactly a 44 degree angle.
Gently but firmly push the paddle into the beads, decreasing the angle as near as horizontal as the paddle will go.
Take great care!
Are you watching???
All 50 depressions will be covered in beads.
Now raise the paddle to 44 degrees, then retaining that angle draw out the beads.
There may be some surplus beads, gently shake them off into the box – not on the floor!
Remove the paddle at exactly 44 degrees, failure to do so will result in some beads on the floor. Material is expensive.
Having demonstrated then show the paddle to the workers.
Note the white beads
I have deliberately selected some red beads so you know what not to produce
Inspection
Once a sample is drawn its ready for inspection
Carry it to the inspector
Walk over to the inspectors
Inspector number 1 will count the red beads, and record the number
Then inspector number 2 will do the same
This high quality company has 2 levels of inspection
They will independently write down the number of red beads they counted – in silence.
Their job is to count defective items.
It should be easy to count.
If the workers are doing their jobs there should be a low number of red beads – if at all!
Chief inspector
They show their numbers to the chief inspector.
Ask them to do this
The chief inspector will compare the counts
If the two numbers are the same, then the chief inspector in a LOUD VOICE calls out the number
Then says DISMISSED
Its very easy to miscount – remember the F test.
If the numbers are incorrect then the chief inspector will announce INSPECTION FAILED – RECOUNT
I don’t expect a recount as you wouldn’t have applied for the job if you couldn’t count.
The chief inspector will then show the output from the worker to the customer
Once it has passed inspection the recorder will record the information on a data sheet.
This will generate a burndown chart for white beads produced
Ask the recorded to flick to the burndown chart
Once you hear DISMISSED the beads are returned to the sampling device by the worker.
Then mixed by the next worker and another sample is drawn
Words of encouragement
I will be managing by results. We are here to make money!
But as you are new to the job then you are allowed to have up to 5 defective units for the first calibration iteration.
Remember - the future of your jobs depends on your performance
There is a lot of competition for your jobs
The first iteration will be our calibration.
There will be no talking, back chat or questions, you know what to do.
There is a tried an trusted procedure in place.
Every week may be your last on the job – if you don’t perform you will be fired
Good luck!
Obviously the percent defective is a constant 20% but the actual percentage will vary with each sample due to sampling error and this is where the spoof begins.
As the experiment is carried out over the four days the instructor uses the results of the samples to make his points.
The exact order that the instructor will make the points will be dependent on the actual data develops in the experiment. However, after 24 samples you will have enough high and low readings along with increasing and decreasing trends to make all the points.
Start the experiment
First iteration - calibration
This is the first iteration – our calibration iteration
First worker, would you please make our first batch of white beads.
First worker draws the first sample
Watch for wrong angle, too jerky, too fast, too slow, not inserted far enough, tipping the paddle, shaking it up and down instead of side to side.
Remember what I told you. We have a well defined process for doing the work.
8cm!
No need to be all day about it!
And back again!
Quick leaner!
Take a glance at the paddle before if goes to the inspector to prepare your response.
Carry work to inspector number 1
Inspect and record the number in silence
Shows inspector 1
Then show inspector number 2
Inspect and record the number in silence
Shows inspector 2
Chief inspector responsible for the count
Check they are correct. Announce the count
And say dismissed.
Chief inspector announces that we have x red beads – dismissed.
Chief inspector show the output to the customer
And then shows it to the customer who reacts accordingly.
The product owner can then use the number announced to attach more blame to the worker
Red defects, you know they are the worst kind and most costly to repair.
A reduction in red beads is an improvement, an increase is the opposite, the same number is consistency (good or bad).
Watch out for trends either per worker or per iteration.
Reactions
First worker
<name> I've told you that the customer will only accept white beads, red beads are not acceptable.
Did you mix the material and hold the box completely flat like I told you?
Did you hold the sampling paddle at precisely 44 degrees?
Well you must not have been paying attention!
Next worker (2)
<name> can you please make us a batch of white beads?
Remember all that I've told you. Repeat the appropriate instructions again
Follow instructions!
If the next sample is better
Well <name> that is better than <name> BUT you must not have been paying attention either.
If the next sample is worse
Awful! You cant have been paying attention
Next worker (3)
Let me repeat the instructions once again. repeat the appropriate instructions
<name> its your turn to follow the process
Remember that the customer will only accept white beads.
Reactions for individuals
Whilst sampling
Don’t shake the box when pouring!
Don’t shake the paddle!
Follow instructions!
Whilst agitating the beads – no more!
If they stand in the wrong place is this where you belong? Get over here!
Wrong angle no gymnastics!
Excellent technique
8cm not 10cm!
If the target of 5 or less is met
If <name> can get down to x then anybody can do the same.
Its perfectly obvious
Follow procedure and anyone can do it!
If a high number is found
What happened? Disastrous!
Should we stop the line to find out what happened?
An improvement
Now you are taking the job seriously.
That’s what we need improvement!
A high performing worker
One of our best workers.
A good first iteration
You were all trying hard and wanting to make a good impression
You have listened and learnt the process
BUT
Your job is to make white beads not red ones
There seems to be a misunderstanding on what your job is.
A bad first iteration
I thought the job and the procedure was explained clearly?
Your job is to make white beads not red ones
There seems to be a misunderstanding on what your job is.
Look at the burndown
Ask the recorder to flick between the grid and the iteration burndown
How are we going to deliver with production levels like that?
Before second iteration
The calibration iteration is now over
You are now fully trained and understand the process.
No more than 5 red beads is acceptable
If you produce more than 5 red beads it will be recorded and go on your record
All you have to do is follow procedure
We have a merit system here for performance
A better second iteration
Obviously you have learned by experience.
BUT
Your job is to make white beads not red ones
Why don’t you understand?
A worse second iteration
You are getting complacent after your first weeks results.
Costs are overrunning revenue thus far
Try for better results or we may get shut down
Your job is to make white beads not red ones
Why don’t you understand?
Look at the burndown
Ask the recorder to flick between the grid and the iteration burndown
Terrible! Don’t you realize what I have committed to the customer?
Third iteration appraisals and stretch target
There seems to be a misunderstanding about what the job is
Its to make white beads, not red ones
Your yield is slow
Variation is incomprehensible
You are trained and procedures are rigid
There should be no variation
There will be appraisals at the end of this iteration based on the performance of the last 3 iterations.
Incentives
Anyone who can get 2 defects or less will get a £1
0 is acceptable, as is 1
We reward good performance
We penalize bad performance
Lay the money out on the table
If the team only makes 12 defects then we will have pizza and beer evening!
Third iteration good results
Call out the total iterations numbers