Benchmark Testing with a Teardown Artist

Benchmark Testing with a Teardown Artist Benchmark Testing with a Teardown Artist Soon after Xerox came out with its first copy machine, a joke began to circulate within the companythat the first two machines were sold to IBM and Kodak. But theres only a crumb of humor in the joke, as all three companies certainly had a good look into their competitors machines as soon as humanly possible.For Dave Meeker this fact raises neither a conspiratorial eyebrow nor a suspicious one. The big copy machine companies werent just looking for an easy way to jump into the new market, they wanted to know exactly what their competitors were doing so they could improve their own designs and lower their costs. Taking things unbekannt for those purposes is how Meeker makes his living.From Coffee Grinders to ErasersAs a freelancer, Meeker has been hired to rip apart and cost products as diverse as medical pumps, insulin injectors, game systems, diver propulsion vehicles, coffee grinders, and retractable erasers.Meeker likes to make it clear that what he does is benchmark testing, not reverse engineering. According to Meeker, Reverse engineering is the disassembly of something with the sole purpose of replicating it, which nine times out of ten is against the law. What I try to do is to take something apart, glean as much as humanly possible from it, and use that to take several steps forward and innovate beyond that.Beyond staying abreast of the newest engineering technology in the field, Meeker says the real key to succeeding as a teardown man is what he calls good, old-fashioned detective work.Every job starts with Meeker scouting out the best price for whatever he might be hired to dissect. Then he carefully takes apart the packaging.One of the things you always do is look at the bottom of the boxto figure out where the corrugated was made. Boxes are seldom made far away from where the product is assembled. Sometimes he can decipher the entire supply chain just by looking at whe re the various components were put into the box.Playing Sherlock HolmesOnce inside the actual machine, the private-eye stuff gets trickier. Meeker often has to put a price tag on every screw, wire, and chip, and often times the data remains elusive.You find a symbol or a couple of letters on a particular subassembly. You start looking for a company logo, or a set of initialsmaybe JEB that happens to make fans. Then, you stumble across a fan company named JEB and you look for the model number and, lo and behold, you find it in a parts catalog. So now you know, A, who the vendor is, and B, the model number. Now you can go do things like get quotes and figure out what the costs were, he said.So how does a company protect itself from people with Meekers expertise - and contacts? Meeker says that there are few measures that companies can take that resist the prodding of a determined benchmark tester.Lots of times, people put in little traps and pitfalls in semiconductors to prevent you f rom disassembling them, Meeker said. But there are ways to very slowly and systematically take them apart, and try and restore them to get more information.Rather than spend money towards stopping the competition from copying them, Meeker says companies should use those funds for benchmark testing to know their sector in and out. Rare is the case when knowing how a competitors product works, how it was made, and how much it costs doesnt pay off.I have been to some places where people rip stuff apart and they say, We didnt learn anything we didnt already know. Were still the leaders and theyre not, Meeker said. And Im usually saying by that time you missed the boat. In any teardown, theres got to be a least a zillion things you can learn.Adapted from The Teardown Artist, by Michael Abrams, for Mechanical Engineering, August 2006.Rather than spend money towards stopping the competition from copying them, Meeker says companies should use those funds for benchmark testing to know their sector in and out.

Important Strategic Planning Skills for Workplace Success

Important Strategic Planning Skills for Workplace SuccessImportant Strategic Planning Skills for Workplace SuccessThe needs of customers and organizations (large and small) are changing at the speed of technology and increased diversity. More than ever, businesses need strategic thinkers. Strategic planning is an important skill for a number of jobs. While some people hold the specific job title of strategic planner (or strategic planning associate or strategic planning manager), there are other jobs that require strategic planning skills even though strategic may not be in the positions title. Basically, management consultants, business developers, corporate developers, strategic cost analysts, and operations analysts all need strong strategic planning skills. What Are Strategic Planning Skills? Strategic planning is the process of platzsetting a vision for a company and then realizing that vision through small, achievable goals. People who work in strategic planning help set go als, decide what actions need to be taken by employees, and help employees achieve those goals. Of course, each job will require different skills and experiences, so make sure you read the job description carefully and focus on the required skills listed by the employer. Types of Strategic Planning Skills Analytical People working in strategic planning need to be able toanalyzeand evaluate a companys business plan. They have to be skilled in market analysis, feasibilityanalysis, and more. Only through an analytical eye can strategic planners decide what steps a company needs to take. Attention to DetailCalculating Costs for ImplementationCritical ThinkingDefining Mechanisms for InputDefining Purpose of the Strategic Planning ProcessDeveloping a Plan for Implementing StrategiesLogical ThinkingInductive ReasoningDeductive ReasoningSystematic Thinking Communication A large part of a strategic planners job iscommunicatinga business plan to employers and employees. They hav e to explain (by both speaking and writing) the steps employees need to take to achieve company goals. Strategic planners also need to be activelisteners. They have to listen to the needs of the employers before devising a plan of action. They also need to listen to the concerns and ideas of their peers and subordinates. CollaborationFacilitating Group DiscussionCreating Mission/Vision StatementsHandling Constructive CriticismEngaging Reluctant Members in DiscussionsNegotiationPeople SkillsPersuasivenessPitchingPublic SpeakingMS PowerPointPresentationTactTeam BuildingTeamworkVerbal CommunicationWritten CommunicationActive Listening Decisiveness Strategic planning involves frequentdecision making. Strategic planners must select a course of action to help a company achieve its goals without constant doubts and overthought. They need to be able to examine all of the information available to them and then confidently make a thoughtful decision. DelegatingAssigning LeadersBuilding Co nsensusEstablishing Measurable Objectives for Goals/ProjectsCreating and Enforcing TimelinesPrioritizingGoal OrientedConfidence Leadership A strategic planner has to lead subordinates, peers, and supervisors towards a common goal. This takes strongleadershipskills. He or she has to inspire, motivate, and ensureall team members remain loyal to project goals. EnergeticEstablishing IncentivesCharismaFlexibilityInterpersonalManagementMotivationalRecognizing the Contributions of Key PlayersResourcefulness herausforderung Solving Often, strategic planners are there tosolve a problem. Perhaps a company is not meeting its financial goals, or its processes are running inefficiently. A strategic planner analyzes data related to the problemand then offers a solution. Aligning Business Practices with Emerging StrategyAssessmentBrainstormingCreativityEvaluationIdentifying ObstaclesProblem SensitivityMultitaskingStress Tolerance More Strategic Planning Skills Defining MilestonesProje ct ManagementAuditingRecruitingMemoryHuman ResourcesTalent ManagementSchedulingProcess ManagementOngoing ImprovementMarketingManufacturingSWOT AnalysisData AnalysisStatisticsResearchCustomer SegmentationRecognizing Industry TrendsIntentionalityMind Map SoftwareLong-term PlanningSustainabilityRestructuringRisk ManagementBenchmarkingCausal Relationships How to Make Your Skills Stand Out Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume You can use these skill words in yourresumeby including these keywords in descriptions throughoutyour work history.Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter In the body of your cover letter, try to mention one or two of these skills and givespecific examples of how you have demonstrated those skills in the workplace.Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview Make sure you have at least one example of a time you demonstrated each of the top skills listed above.

Brief Article Teaches You the Ins and Outs of Up to Work and What You Should Do Today

Brief Article Teaches You the Ins and Outs of Up to Work and What You Should Do Today Want to Know More About up to Work? Modern-day products are predicted to do a function, but theyre also predicted to engage the senses, often on multiple levels, and supply aesthetic and utilitarian appeal. Since the quantity of work is dependent upon the path, its possible that the work wont be equal to zero when a system completes a cycle. Multiple research studies have proven that stretching is a powerful way to cut back physical injury. You will be making small modifications to your system, therefore it turns into the best it can be. An important point to think about is that the issue might not be as easy as a drinking issue. If youre prepared to select the step toward pursuing a post-retirement career, the initial step is making sure that you have the computer skills youll need to be successful in the current workplace. In fact, its an outstanding region to unwind and relax. It is cruc ial to take time to work out. See whether you can negotiate flex-time, or possibly a part-time schedule in your position. The employee cannot work mora than ten hours each day without a 2nd 30-minute break, except if the workday isnt any more than 12 hours. Time that an employee must be at work or permitted to work for their employer is hours worked. Other individuals choose a previous day ahead of time to be able to have a break before their due date, or make arrangements to work from house in the last days. A Secret Weapon for up to Work A career that could make sure that you remain prosperous and happy at precisely the same time is well worth working for Once you locate the type of job which you wish to do, all you need to do is learn it. It is crucial to look ahead. Not everybody is perfectly suited for each and every work position. Know the Field If a work opportunity is truly one that youre passionate about pursuing, then its well worth a small pre-interview homewor k. Youre likely to get rejected for a lot of the jobs you believe youre great for and getting rejected sucks. Not every sort of job is qualified for overtime, however. If you want to present your idea, there are a few instructions you must follow so youll be capable of making it functional for your jobs. To support you in presenting your idea, you can think about the use of overhead projector thats really functional for your demands. When faced with a large quantity of information, the capability to detect problems and patterns, interpret data, and discover solutions is a far-reaching skill. At school youve got an outstanding chance to network with different men and women. With this kind of a high regard set on blogging, it is exceedingly essential for you as an individual, to produce an effective absatzwirtschaft and advertising plan to advertise yourself, your blog and your organization. Product designers work with engineers and advertising departments to bridge the demand s of form and function in nearly every product possible. Youre able to go to their site, and apply instantly. The good thing is that hardware and software designers have placed decades of work into developing intuitive tools that speak your language and make it simpler for you to reach your creative objectives. Up to Work Ideas If you have the ability to present the very best idea, you can ensure it is profitable for the business so that you must consider it for your demands. In case the item is a liability, it doesnt produce more wealth. Your customers are going to have diverse scope of needs and issues. Just about all product-related businesses utilize design in some facet of their operation, and several service providers do too. If a worker is discharged all wages are due the following business day. The employer must obey the laws that provide the greater standard for employees. If your personal employer is giving you comp time rather than paying you overtime, theyre lik ely breaking the law. An employer whos subject to more than 1 law must occur after the law that is quite generous to the employee. The Downside Risk of up to Work When getting the proper concept, its essential for you that its suitable with your company so that you can allow it to be well-applied for your demands. A body of work, on the flip side, is something which you own completely. Although you always need to find each job, sometimes its just a stepping stone for the next prospect. Possessing a network (a bunch of folks who know and will assist you) is valuable and will assist you in whatever job you decide on, from veterinarian to entrepreneur. You might have a dream you wish to pursue. Presenting an idea to a provider is a significant thing you ought to do especially if the concept is truly great. Tree house presented a different type of refreshment whereby practically nothing can ever replace that, though its your own house.