article-one:
Five Easy Pieces
"The
strongest human instinct is to impart information, the second strongest is to resist
it."
— Kenneth Grahame (1859 - 1932) Scottish author
Sometimes I feel like the proverbial turkey in the
rain - an animal so dumb he drowns during a shower because he can't look down and shut his
mouth. This is how it is for all of us and the hurricane of data that blows in by email,
buries you in paper, and swirls like a din in your head. If you have even read this far
into this newsletter, I am either appreciative that you find TCP a valuable use of your
time, or curious why you don't have something more important to do.
The following list is a humble attempt to point you in the direction
of five information resources that aren't complete wastes of time (how's that for a
ringing endorsement?). The chosen selections are diverse things that I've found to be
reliable, informative, thought-provoking, entertaining and mostly outside the mainstream -
things you may not have seen before. You may agree or you may disagree on their worth or
relevance to your life and occupation, but remember, you get what you pay for.
1. Automotive Design & Production Magazine
http://www.autofieldguide.com/
Some years ago I was responsible for tracking
industry trade publications and along the way became partial to certain rags whose
editorial style was the opposite of dry and unengaging. Among my favorites was Machine
Design (thanks to editors Ron Kohl and Lee Teschler), and the now defunct publications,
CAE Magazine and Modern Machine Shop* (does anyone else remember the late columnist,
"From the Pen of Ken" Gettleman?). However, I've always had a special fondness
for Automotive Design and Production Magazine.
If you work in automotive then ADPM is hardly news to you. There are
plenty of auto industry trades, so what makes this one special? Like everything on this
list, the quality is driven up considerably by the editorial, which in the case of ADPM is
led by editor-in-chief Gary Vasilash, who brings an entertainingly wry sense of humor to
the magazine's perspective. The publication is a strong mix of provocative columns,
technical information, manufacturing trends, and the requisite pictures of cool cars. As
an added plus, the graphical look and layout of the magazine has always impressed me as an
ideal of form+function in paper-based communication.
*
Editor's Note: On September 25, 2003, I received an email from Melissa Skavlern
informing me that Modern Machine Shop is, in fact, NOT defunct as I had reported in error.
You can still find this fine publication at http://www.mmsonline.com
.
2. upFront.eZine
http://www.upfrontezine.com
I stumbled upon this free e-mail newsletter by
accident - it just showed up in my inbox one day. I almost did what most people probably
do with TCP, I reached for the delete key, but then decided to read further as I noticed
the subject line wasn't promising to make me rich, or enlarge anything, or make me rich by
helping me enlarge other people's things while working from home. I read on and it was the
right decision.
Upfront is written by veteran CAD journalist Ralph Grabowski, who
recently passed the 300 issue mark for this weekly publication he claims is the equivalent
of a 22-page magazine (suddenly I feel a little inadequate). I really like this
newsletter, even though it mostly reports stuff on deep CAD technology and industry
movements that are often above my head or outside my main interests. What keeps me reading
is Ralph's stubborn integrity for objectivity in a heavily vendor-driven market, the sense
of humor he imparts to a dry subject, and an overall feeling of logic and rational thought
that is sorely missing in everyday journalism. Upfront is an essential resource for CAD
professionals with a penchant for sober thinking and an aversion to horse manure.
3. This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow
http://dir.salon.com/topics/tom_tomorrow/index.html
It's okay to admit it: you like comics. Well,
"This Modern World" is a comic strip, but it's not your grampa's Beetle Bailey.
TMW is editorial cartooning at it's most acerbic level - and does a brilliant job of
satirizing the inherent hypocrisy and illogic of modern geopolitics. Staunch conservatives
will bristle at its edgy criticisms and even liberals may wince at the blunt stabs it
regularly takes at our president and leadership. You may have seen this on salon.com or
somewhere else, but if not, you should take a look, but be prepared to re-read strips a
second or third time to fully absorb it's message as they don't have your normal kind of
punchlines.
What does this have to do with product development? Well, this strip
comes close: http://www.salon.com/comics/tomo/2002/09/23/tomo/index.html
4. AIR - Annals of Improbable Research
http://www.ignobel.com/
This "scientific" journal is best known for
their "IgNobel Awards" that recognize research projects that sound preposterous,
but demonstrate thought-provoking science. This year's awards include prizes for studies
of bellybutton lint and how beer froth obeys mathematical principles. Of course, there are
numerous examples in the magazine and the awards that show why the publication title
contains the words "improbable research" such as with another winner's project,
"The Effects of Pre-Existing Inappropriate Highlighting on Reading
Comprehension." A couple more examples from the journal:
"Does It Rain More Often on the Weekends?"
http://www.improb.com/airchives/paperair/volume4/v4i2/rainmore.htm
"Apples and Oranges: A Comparison"
http://www.improb.com/airchives/paperair/volume1/v1i3/air-1-3-apples.html
5. Slashdot
http://slashdot.org
This news site seems to best suit anyone who has ever
boasted "first post" on a message board. Self-labeled as "news for
nerds," the articles posted here are chock full of high-octane geek community
attitude focusing primarily on programming, hardware, security and gaming. All you need to
know about the site is in its name. The founders came up with the name
"slashdot" in an attempt to make a url that was unpronounceable. Try it. Say the
url above out loud as if you were telling it to someone on the phone. If you find that
funny, then this site is for you.
We share reader reactions to TCP
articles on our website.
Please send any feedback to gregg@roundtable.com
article-two:
On the Web: Failure
In a bad economy, negativity sometimes becomes
politically incorrect, even though we all know there is no better teacher than a bad
experience -- a failure. But most people don't like to bring up failure, especially if it
is their own. We believe that failure is as deserving of celebration as success, but it's
a little harder to find. Here's what we were able to dig up:
Know a website we should review?
Send the url to gregg@roundtable.com
 R&D
Metrics Indicator
A new, free, e-newsletter from Management Roundtable. Read the July 2002 Issue featuring
articles on real-time NPD metrics, survey results on co-development practices and more. [More Info]
article-three:
Top Ten Things Dumb Guys Think Six
Sigma Means
...from the MRT satellite office in
Boynton Beach, FL
| 10. |
That MIT frat
suspended for giving alcohol to minors |
9. |
The brand of
martial arts used in those Steven Seagal movies |
8. |
Code name for
the Buffalo Bill's new west coast offense |
| 7. |
That German
shrink who hated his mother |
| 6. |
The number of
sigmas that separate you from Kevin Bacon |
| 5. |
How you feel
after being exposed to biological weapons |
| 4. |
Coach of the
Duke Blue Devils basketball team |
| 3. |
The thing that
goes between five and seven sigma |
| 2. |
The number of
sigmas you need for a "squorum" |
...and the No. 1
thing dumb guys think six sigma means |
| 1. |
A sex
position from that Indian funny-book, the Comic Sutra |
Send
me your Top Ten List suggestions - gregg@roundtable.com
Interested in
sponsoring this newsletter?
For a list of terms and rates, send an e-mail to gregg@roundtable.com or
click here.
article-four:
MRT NewsBriefs
- ACHIEVING THE CODEV PROMISE
-
There are several new updates to report on CoDev 2003, the second joint program by MRT and
the PDMA on co-developing products. Details are now available on industry case studies,
keynote presentations, workshops, networking opportunities and more. Early-bird and group
discounts are available. [More Info] [Download Brochure]
- R&D METRICS INDICATOR NEWSLETTER
-
Articles appearing in the current issue of MRT's new free
e-newsletter:
- "Setting the Bar for Innovation Metrics" by Tony Davila
- "Study Identifies Top Product Concept Selection Metrics"
- "An Interview with National Semiconductor's John Cordes"
- "Transgendered Fish and the Shrinking Frog"
[More Info]
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Management Roundtable, Inc.
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