Tag Archives: Continuous Improvement

SIG Meeting – August 2025

SIG, , , ,

On August 14th, 10 of us gathered at Frontier RTP – Building 800, to “talk quality” in an informal atmosphere over beer and wine provided by Frontier’s Thursday OOO event.

ASQ Raleigh Section SIG meeting
We had an engaging discussion at the August 2025 SIG meeting of the Raleigh Section of ASQ

We didn’t have a specific topic to discuss, but it turned out that one of us lost their job due to their company’s bankruptcy. Another didn’t have a temporary contract renewed. We talked for a while about the current job market, which is a struggle for those of us in the quality field. It is commonly the case that who you know is important to finding your next job, and there was some feeling that this may be more true here than in other areas of the country.

We had a lively discussion about defect reduction in the medical device and pharma industries. This is a complex topic, as a single defect can be a critical issue for a customer. The discussion was on the dual problems of eliminating and controlling issues in production, and also how to prevent single defect escapes. We discussed visual inspection and supplier management. In particular, how can we work with suppliers to improve performance and get them to tighten specs and expectations?

We had a short discussion about topics for future meetings. There was interest in benchmarking, centers of quality, and the impact of AI on Quality. 

The next SIG meeting at Frontier RTP will be on September 11th, 2025.

Tim Whetten

Photo of ASQ Raleigh SIG meeting attendees

SIG Meeting — May 2025

Event, SIG, ,

On May 8th, nine people gathered at Frontier RTP for our monthly Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting. Again, we had some regular attendees and welcomed new ones, including a non-member.

The attendees represented mostly the life sciences industry but shared prior experience in other industries, such as automotive. It’s always interesting to hear the similarities and differences between industries in terms of quality management practices, challenges, and terminology used.

One discussion point was related to customer complaints — how do we handle them effectively, who are responsible, what actions do they trigger, etc.? Having the right or sufficient information from the end users is critical but often lacking, making understanding the symptoms and identifying root causes difficult.

One attendee was looking for a job in Quality and received many helpful suggestions from the others, including the type of jobs to start with, e.g. Quality Control, and the ASQ certifications available. The in-person events like this really help people connect and build a network. If you are interested in or new to the profession, please join us and learn more from people who have worked in Quality for decades!

The next SIG meeting at Frontier RTP will be on June 12, 2025.

Photo of ASQ Raleigh SIG meeting attendees

SIG Meeting — April 2025

Event, SIG, ,

On Thursday, April 10th, eight people attended the Raleigh Section of ASQ Special Interest Group (SIG) meeting and had a lively discussion, led by Tim Whetten.

Tim gave a brief introduction to CAPA (Corrective and Preventive Action) which was followed by discussion of experiences and frustrations with the process. Frustrations tended to be around bureaucracies that tend to create too many CAPA projects and that keep CAPA projects open for a long time.

It was pointed out that an organization can perform an investigation for each nonconformance and only launch CAPA projects when the organization determines that the impact and likelihood of recurrence justifies it. Focusing on a few CAPA projects allows an organization to provide attention and resources to those improvement projects that are needed.

In addition, the discussion inevitably touched on various problem-solving tools and factors influencing a Continuous Improvement culture, for example, the roles and responsibilities of CAPA owners, coordinator, and review board. Participants also pointed out common mistakes and misunderstanding in CAPA concepts and practices. For example, a correction is not the same as a corrective action.

The next SIG meeting at Frontier RTP will be on Thursday, May 8, 2025.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — December 11, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Registration information will be available about 4 weeks prior to the event.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — November 13, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Registration information will be available about 4 weeks prior to the event.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — October 9, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Registration information will be available about 4 weeks prior to the event.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — September 11, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Register here.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — August 14, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Register here.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — July 10, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Register here.

ASQ Raleigh Special Interest Group Meeting — June 12, 2025

,

The SIG event is participant-driven — we will have open discussion around topics related to the quality profession. We may have a theme but no formal speakers or agenda. Everyone is encouraged to participate in the discussion. So bring your questions and ideas to share with other participants.

This event is free and open to anyone who is interested in the quality profession. No ASQ membership is required. ASQ members will receive RU credit for participation.

We will meet at Frontier RTP (first floor) at 4:30pm or whenever you can join us. It will be during Frontier RTP’s weekly Out of Office event. It’s a great opportunity to connect with people in the triangle community. More information will be provided to the registered attendees before the event.

Register here.