Planning in uncertain times

Uncertainty should compel active dialogue between knowledgeable industrial engineers seeking consensus on societal risks associated with action or delay. It rarely does and that should change. Uncertainty has been an important social issue throughout recorded human history. Six Sigma is a quality control approach widely used in many U.S. industries. It is a term borrowed from statistics and used to ensure that work performed meets the highest quality assurance standards or is as close to perfect as possible. The impulse to seek perfection (absolute truth) often takes us in the wrong direction when dealing with more complex social issues not under our direct control. But while Six Sigma works extremely well in a manufacturing environment where critical factors are monitored and closely controlled, it does not work so well in a diverse and complex world where consensus generally replaces control as the driver to action. Accepting some risk may provide the only avenue to innovation. We need continual innovation in both product and process to achieve full and meaningful employment in the current fast-paced, globalized, and technological economy.