Innovation in Action

Democratizing Innovation: New Quality Tools for Every Worker with Mark Alarik

How do you make quality and continuous improvement part of everyone's job, not just the quality department's?  In this episode, we sit down with Mark Alarik, a continuous improvement project strategist and ASQ-certified LSSGB (Lean Six Sigma Green Belt) with over 20 years of experience driving transformation across manufacturing, tech, healthcare, and more. Mark breaks down how to make quality everyone's job, not just a single department's. We dive into the power of systems thinking, "driving out fear" to create psychological safety, and why frontline worker insights are critical for innovation. Mark also shares a practical vision for replacing static SOPs with a dynamic "Quality Operating Procedures" (QOP) platform to embed continuous improvement directly into the daily workflow. Join us for a masterclass (change to an insightful conversation) on turning continuous improvement from a siloed function into an everyday reality for every single worker.

Innovative Onboarding: Quality Tools and Strategies for Hiring Managers with Tracy Owens

In this episode, Tracy Owens, Lean Six Sigma and innovation expert at Ohio State, shares how hiring managers can use quality tools to accelerate onboarding and foster early innovation. He discusses balancing structured training with flexibility, adopting impactful onboarding tools, measuring success, and applying human-centered design to enhance the new hire experience. Tracy also highlights strategies for inclusivity and building cross-functional collaboration to nurture a systems-thinking mindset from day one. Practical insights for leaders aiming to create agile, engaged, and innovative teams.

Systems Thinking for Innovation with Mark Alarik

In this episode, Mark Alarik, Continuous Improvement Project Strategist and Manager at GM Alarik, talks about the concept of systems thinking for driving innovation. Mark shares the foundational principles of systems thinking and explains how understanding the whole system—not just individual parts—can lead to more effective, future-ready solutions. He discusses how organizations can identify hidden constraints, unlock untapped value, and leverage cross-departmental collaboration for innovation. Mark also addresses the leadership mindset needed to remove systemic barriers and embrace transformation, especially during times of crisis. Drawing on over 20 years of experience across multiple industries, he highlights real-world examples and offers strategies for leaders to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Innovation in the Legal Sector with Jackie Jolly

In this episode, Jackie Jolly, Senior Manager of E-Discovery Technology and Quality Management at Fox Rothschild LLP and Chair-Elect of the ASQ Innovation Division, dives into innovation in the legal sector. Jackie unpacks the critical differences between the practice of law and the business of law, discusses the current challenges facing the legal industry, and explores how innovation management principles can help address these issues. She also shares valuable insights about her experience working in the legal industry as an innovation professional and highlights opportunities for driving meaningful change.

Artificial Intelligence and Innovation with Ron Young

Leading international Knowledge Management expert, Ron Young, joins us again for a stimulating conversation about Artificial Intelligence and the intersect with Innovation and Knowledge Management. We break down the differences between knowledge, intelligence, and learning in humans and machines, and hear Ron's perspective about the future implications of AI. Ron also provides insights on recent developments with ISO standards on AI and Knowledge Management, and shares about the EU AI Act of 2024.