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Problem Solving

Six Sigma Red X

Red X and Six Sigma – A Powerful Partnership for Problem-Solving Excellence

Problem Solving /

Combining the Speed of Red X with the Optimization of Six Sigma In today’s competitive manufacturing environment, efficiency and accuracy in solving problems can make the difference between success and failure. Red X® and Six Sigma are two methodologies that have earned their place in the problem-solving toolbox.   While often viewed as separate methods, […]

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Refining the art of asking why - 5 Why's

Refining the Art of Asking Why – How to get the right answers from 5 Why’s

Problem Solving /

In the current manufacturing and engineering environment, companies have complex problems triggering issues like scrap, non-scheduled overtime, poor product performance, and warranty claims, resulting in heavy losses and impacting bottom lines. Companies may try to solve these complex problems with traditional Root Cause Analysis methodologies, but often the expected results fall short. The most critical

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What is TransaXional Problem Solving?

What is TransaXional Problem Solving?

Leadership, Problem Solving /

If your business is struggling with any issue that is not an engineering problem, TransaXional can help. Necessity Dictates Adaptation TransaXional is Shainin’s approach to solving and preventing business process problems. Dorian Shainin discovered that Pareto’s principle applied to the contributions of different root causes to the overall variation observed in the output of a

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What is Red X Problem Solving?

What is Red X Problem Solving?

Leadership, Problem Solving /

In the current manufacturing and engineering environment, companies have complex problems triggering issues like scrap, non-scheduled overtime, poor product performance, and warranty claims, resulting in heavy losses and impacting bottom lines. Companies may try to solve these complex problems with traditional Root Cause Analysis methodologies, but often the expected results fall short. The most critical

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Trouble-Free Launches with Resilient Engineering

About Shainin, Problem Solving /

Modernizing Product Development The tools that helped us improve product designs and manufacturing processes since the 1970s are holding us back from reaching the expectations of today.   Traditional techniques, like Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), have become outdated. While FMEA has significantly contributed to quality improvements – transforming defect measurement from defects per hundred

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Improve Problem Solving Skills to Grow Continuous Improvement

1 Comment / Problem Solving /

Improving your problem-solving skills is essential to Continuous Improvement Now that you’re familiar with the Six Key Elements of Problem-Solving Methods, it’s a good time to consider why improving your problem-solving skill is important for continuous improvement.   The market demands that businesses continually innovate to stay competitive. Innovation brings changes to products and processes

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Six Key Elements of Effective Problem-Solving Methods 

Problem Solving /

There have been many articles written about the important steps in a problem-solving method: Clearly define the problem, Evaluate the measurement system, etc. Because of this, nearly every problem-solving framework you come across will contain these same steps. And when there are such similarities, it can often be difficult to distinguish what makes one method

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Maximizing Your Problem-Solving Potential: Embracing Versatility in Problem Solving Methods

Leadership, Problem Solving /

Not every problem solving methodology is right for every problem. And as we continue our series on Problem Solving, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of aligning problem-solving projects with company goals, and learning which problem-solving methodologies are best in certain situations or for certain groups.   In our previous articles (which you can see

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Title Slide for Drive Continuous Improvement by Tying Projects to Company Goals

Drive Continuous Improvement by Tying Projects to Company Goals

Leadership, Problem Solving /

Continuous improvement is a cornerstone of success for any organization wanting to stay competitive in today’s dynamic world. To achieve sustained growth and efficiency, companies need to develop a culture of continuous improvement in all areas of their operations. A key strategy to drive a continuous improvement culture is aligning team projects with company goals.

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Dorian Awards Criteria

Team Project Awards

TRANSAXIONAL® BUSINESS
PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Business processes deliver critical functions. But sometimes processes break, and the root cause is not clear. TransaXional® Business Projects focus on what must go right in a process for it to deliver the desired result every time.  The  TransaXional® Business Project of the Year Award recognizes projects that focus on process-based problems. Projects that win this award will demonstrate:

  • The impact of the problem on the company and the team. 
  • The use of the DETAIL™ project format.
  • Creative & effective use of the Shainin TransaXional® tools.
  • The timeline of resolution from initial discovery through project closure.
  • Explanation of how to leverage and implement project results.

Dorian Awards Criteria

Team Project Awards

RESILIENT ENGINEERING®
PROJECT OF THE YEAR

The goal in a new product or process development is a trouble-free launch. Resilient Engineering® focuses on the critical factors that must go right in the product design and manufacturing process. The Resilient Engineering® Project of the Year Award recognizes projects that focus on what must go right to ensure a successful launch. Projects that win this award will demonstrate:  

  • Critical factor identification in the design phase.
  • Prioritization of the high-risk functions to focus on.
  • Development of function models linking the high-risk functions to critical input features, properties, and parameters.
  • Potential or perceived impact for the customer, the company, and the production line.
  • Effective use of the Shainin Resilient Engineering® tools to identify, prioritize, design, test, and control the critical factors.
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John Abrahamian

Executive VP - Problem Solving

John Abrahamian is a highly respected problem solver as well as an expert in the field of Lean manufacturing, with a career spanning over three decades. Throughout his career, John has become renowned for his innovative approach to problem-solving and his unwavering dedication to customer satisfaction. 
  
After receiving his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Connecticut in 1985, John began his career as a design and development engineer at Pratt & Whitney. It was during this time that his interest in problem-solving first emerged. By 1994, John had become a Continuous Improvement Manager at the company. During his tenure, John led Pratt & Whitney’s efforts in Lean manufacturing and Value Engineering. 
  
In 1990, John began pursuing his MBA in Operations Management, where he was first introduced to the concept of Lean manufacturing, and this influenced the direction of his career. In 1996, he was encouraged by his Pratt & Whitney team to take Shainin Red X training, building on his Lean manufacturing efforts. This training proved to be a turning point in John’s career, igniting his passion for problem-solving and setting him on a path to becoming one of the industry’s most respected experts. 
  
In 1998, John joined Shainin, where he has spent the last 25 years pursuing his passion for problem-solving. During his time here, John has developed innovative approaches to problem-solving, having received a US Patent for a problem-solving method. He also integrated function analysis into Shainin methods, seeding what would ultimately become Resilient Engineering.  
  
Despite his busy schedule, John still finds time to pursue his hobbies, which include golfing, stand-up paddleboarding, and skeet shooting. He especially enjoys traveling with his wife and spending time with family, including his three grandsons. 
  
Having the opportunity to work in a wide variety of industries, experiencing different cultures and meeting new and interesting people gives John the kind of job satisfaction that makes him grateful to be in this field of work. He truly enjoys creating meaningful relationships with his customers and inspiring ordinary engineers to become extraordinary problem solvers. 

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Dorian Awards Criteria

Team Project Awards

This category of awards is for project teams who have demonstrated outstanding application of Shainin methodologies in solving complex problems within their company.

To be considered for this award, the submission must meet the following criteria:

  • Speed and efficiency of the problem solved
  • Technical difficulty and complexity of the problem solved
  • Project impact and leverage across the organization
  • Creative use of Shainin technologies
  • Clarity of the project documentation