Link to strongly related documents

.gitignore

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
 .obsidian/*
+
+
+# Ignore Smart Connections folder because embeddings file is large and updated frequently
+.smart-connections

Definitions/5S.md

@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+---
+tags:
+  - CI
+---
+
 #intendedProcesses #lean
 
 5S is a five-step methodology for creating a more organized and productive workspace: **Sort, Straighten, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain**. 5S serves as a foundation for deploying more advanced lean production tools and processes. 5S goes hand in hand with [[STOW]]. 5S is geared towards optimizing the physical space in the work place to improve quality, safety, and efficiency.

Definitions/ALC.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+aliases:
+  - alternate lookup code
+---
+An ALC or alternate lookup code is a sticker we often assign to packages as a standard way to identify and work with them. It is a unique code for specifically that package, and it can be scanned in numerous tools to research or update things about a package and it's contents.

Definitions/Chaotic Storage.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Chaotic storage is like organized confusion. It’s an organic shelving system without permanent areas or sections. That means there is no area just for books, or a place just for televisions (like you might expect in a retail store layout). The product’s characteristics and attributes are mostly irrelevant. What’s important is the unique barcode associated with every product that enters the warehouse.
+
+Chaotic storage is often more effective than other storage systems because it makes the better use of smaller spaces.
+
+## Hybrid Chaotic Storage
+At LDR we use hybrid chaotic storage by utilizing a more detailed, granular system of bins and locations. See [[Location Naming]] for more details.
+
+## Relevant links
+
+https://www.waspbarcode.com/buzz/why-chaotic-storage-is-perhaps-the-best
+https://www.interlakemecalux.com/blog/chaotic-storage-advantages
+https://twistedsifter.com/2012/12/inside-amazons-chaotic-storage-warehouses/

Definitions/Craftsman Method.md

@@ -1,8 +1,12 @@
-A Craftsman Method refers to doing work in a way that one person does the whole process from start to finish, usually without any helpers.
+---
+aliases:
+  - craftsman process
+---
+A Craftsman Method refers to doing work in a way that one person does the whole process from start to finish, usually without any helpers. Any helpers involved typically assist by taking over surrounding tasks like cleaning so the primary worker can focus more of their time on their work.
 
-A Craftsman Method is often the way a new process or project is tested to figure out the basic way to do the job, especially if the work is complicated or involves a lot of critical thinking.
+A Craftsman Method is often the way a new process or project is tested to figure out the basic way to do the job, especially if the work is complicated, involves a lot of critical thinking, or requires a lot of trial and error to figure out how to do the job.
 
-If we decide to continue doing such a job longterm or scale up the project by bringing in more work, we try to move away from using a Craftsman Method because it is harder to scale and more error prone.
+If we decide to continue doing such a job long-term or scale up the project by bringing in more work, we try to move away from using a Craftsman Method because it is harder to scale and more error prone.
 
 Let's talk about some of the reasons we do that.
 
@@ -16,11 +20,6 @@ Another reason has to do with having a [[single point of failure]]. We are setti
 We place a high value on people who can use a Craftsman Method to explore a new process and then move on to a different problem. People who can do that are frequently promoted, given raises, bonuses, and other rewards. The key indicator of success is that either we quickly figured out the project doesn't make sense to keep doing or we figured out a more repeatable method because lots of people will pay for the same thing if it's more affordable.
 
 On the flip side, people who gravitate towards using the Craftsman Method for a single project long-term are usually a bad fit for our business model. Regardless of their work ethic, personality, or anything like that, such people don't usually thrive with us. They would be better off starting their own small business (and we think they should). The reason is more or less that we don't have the money and resources to gamble that they will eventually figure out how to scale the work and make significant money. However, if they're honest and forthright about their passion for the particular problem they're solving, we are very supportive of them branching out on their own to create their own company.
-
-At the time of writing, that is going on with [[Dorian McGruder]] in regards to computer repair. We have one customer who needs computer repair occassionally, and Dorian used a Craftsman Method to do it. The customer has been very happy with the results. However, we haven't seen a clear way to scale computer repair to other customers. Meanwhile, Dorian's attitude and critical thinking have high value on other projects in the business. He's working on launching a computer repair and custom PC business as a side gig while still working with us.
-
-#radicalTransparency 
-
 ## Why is a Craftsman Method more error prone?
 Mainly because people aren't perfect. As a person grows more tired their own ability to notice how tired they are degrades. With one expert doing the work start to finish without anyone to assist or catch mistakes, errors will *always* happen. That is less of an issue when the work's being done for a customer who has a burning desire for a solution.
 

Definitions/Double Handling.md

@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ Imagine you are unloading a truck and you stack the packages on the floor. Later
 ### Sorting SKUs by stacking items on the floor might be double handling
 Imagine you are opening several boxes of products to sort the contents by SKU and then repackage them into cases. If you do that by opening every box and stacking the items on the floor, you are probably double handling. As a more efficient alternative, you could instead open one box at a time on a table, sort each item, and put it into a box for that SKU.
 
-
-How to Identify Double Handling?
+#### How to Identify Double Handling?
 
 To identify double handling in your warehouse or production environment, look for any unnecessary movement of goods that may be occurring. Questions you can ask yourself include: 
 - Are there any areas where goods could be moved more efficiently? 
@@ -28,9 +27,3 @@ To identify double handling in your warehouse or production environment, look fo
 - Is the route that products take through the warehouse long and winding? 
 - Is there a lack of clear pathways between different parts of the facility? 
 - Are workers moving goods further than they need to before they reach their destination? 
-
-
-What Can Be Done About Double Handling?
-
-Once you have identified areas where double handling may be occurring, there are several steps you can take to reduce it: 
-- Streamline processes by finding ways to move

Definitions/Fulfillment.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-Fulfillment referers to picking, packing, and shipping products to be sent to another destination.
+Fulfillment refers to picking, packing, and shipping products to be sent to another destination.
 
 Included with fulfillment:
 - Packing products for safe shipping to their destination;
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ Included with fulfillment:
 - Applying up to 1 customer-provided paper insert;
 - Nothing that requires opening or modifying an actual product.
 
-For example, if a customer wants us to send out 100 coffee mugs, and each mug is already individually bubblewrapped or boxed, then it's Fulfillment. If they need us to perform the bubble wrapping or whatever *before* it can be shipped, then it is Prep. The reason for this is that customers are *supposed* to provide Prep instructions we're able to carry out during (or shorlty after) the receiving process. They are not supposed to wait until they want to ship the products.
+For example, if a customer wants us to send out 100 coffee mugs, and each mug is already individually bubble wrapped or boxed, then it's Fulfillment. If they need us to perform the bubble wrapping or whatever *before* it can be shipped, then it is Prep. The reason for this is that customers are *supposed* to provide Prep instructions we're able to carry out during (or shortly after) the receiving process. They are not supposed to wait until they want to ship the products.

Definitions/Iranian Satanism.md

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-Iranian Satanism is a term coined by Jason Thistlethwaite and Ty Steiman to describe self-sabotaging behavior that is conducted in a zealous or almost fanatical manner.
+Iranian Satanism is a term coined by [[Jason Thistlethwaite]] and [[Ty Steiman]] to describe self-sabotaging behavior that is conducted in a zealous or almost fanatical manner.
 
-It has to do with a niche of people in the Middle East who seek supernatural powers from demons, and they believe that attracting the demons requires debasing themselves. They do things like roll around in piles of feces or starve themselves, acrue major debt, or other things that are obviously not good ideas... and they do it anyway.
+It has to do with a niche of people in the Middle East who seek supernatural powers from demons, and they believe that attracting the demons requires debasing themselves. They do things like roll around in piles of feces or starve themselves, accrue major debt, or other things that are obviously not good ideas... because they believe doing that will cause demons to give them special powers or rewards.
 
-In our context at work, Iranian Satanism is a euphemism for when people are doing something that makes their own job more difficult for no apparent reason, especially if they keep doing it anyway after it's pointed out.
+In our context at work, Iranian Satanism is a euphemism for when people are doing something that makes their life or job more difficult for no apparent reason, especially when they almost religiously continue doing it after it's been pointed out.

Definitions/Toil.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+aliases:
+  - hamsterwheel work
+author: Jason Thistlethwaite
+---
+
+Toil is a form of hamsterwheel work which is repetitive, manual, could be automated, and produces no enduring value. The original reference comes from [[SRE|site reliability engineering]], a practice developed at Google.
+
+## Examples of toil
+
+- A water cooler leaks, so somebody has to avoid the puddle or clean it up every day.
+- Double checking every single piece of work that is completed instead of more effective ways to prevent mistakes.
+- Throwing trash on the floor instead of into a trash can.
+

Processes/3-Day.md

@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ aliases:
 authors: Jason Thistlethwaite, Will Saunders, Stephanie Neal
 tags:
   - intendedProcess
+lastRevised: 2024-02-01
+contributors: Michele Schroeder, Will Higgs
 ---
 "3-Day" is a nickname for a type of returns processing and inspection where returned products need to be inspected within 3 days of arrival so customers can make informed decisions about their returns. Generally speaking, this inspection includes:
 
@@ -14,6 +16,14 @@ tags:
 - Comparing or recording serial numbers;
 - Taking photographs showing the reason we chose the condition;
 - Taking photographs proving how the item arrived to us, including a picture of the full shipping label, what the box looks like, and any damage to the box.
+# Purpose of this document
+The actual QMS Process for 3-day can be found under [[QMS - Returns Triage and 3-day]], which covers all of the major steps involved, the goal of each step, and what the major problems are. **That document should be regularly reviewed by anyone doing this work.**
+
+This document is to serve as an FAQ or short-form cheat sheet about common questions or concerns that arise about the 3-day work.
+
+## Related documents
+- [[QMS - Returns Triage and 3-day]]: covers the overall workflow of this service, goals of each step, known ways the job can go wrong, and what is in place to prevent problems.
+- [[DMAIC Reports]]: covers a data-driven method for detecting when best-practices are not being followed for the work.
 
 ## FAQ
 Certain situations often come up with 3-days which employees ask us about. This section is here to answer the questions we here most often.
@@ -45,25 +55,64 @@ Here's what to do:
 2. Mark the item whatever condition you would choose based on those factors.
 3. In the item condition comments include a note that says "Defect needs testing"
 
-### Serial number on the item doesn't match the box or there isn't one on the box.
-1. Record the serial number that is on the actual item.
-2. Mention in the comment that it doesn't match what's on the box.
-3. Take a picture showing both.
-4. Mark the item "Customer Service Needed" with "wrong item" as the reason.
-
-## Item in front of me is not what the order says it should be, or I can't tell if it's the same thing.
+## UNEXPECTED ITEMS: Item in front of me is not what the order says it should be, or I can't tell if it's the same thing.
 
 If there is a UPC, ASIN, model number, or other identifying information you can try searching Amazon.com or Google to get a better idea what the item is.
 
 If you're confident the item in front of you is the right thing mark it Customer Service Needed and then explain in the comments that you can't identify whether the item is the correct product.
 
-### The item in front of my is definitely not the product expected in the order.
-For example, the order says you should have a laptop, but the item you received is a speaker. It's something totally different.
+### The item in front of me is definitely not the product expected in the order.
 
+There are two variations of this problem:
+
+1. **Junk Received:** item received is actually **junk**. It is not even something the customer could sell. Order said we should receive a hard drive, but we received an old shoe, an empty box, or something like that.
+2. **Different product received:** item is not what the order says to expect, but it is a product the customer would most likely be able to sell. For example, the order said to expect a roll bar kit, but we received some other kind of car parts. 
+
+These two situations are handled slightly differently.
+
+### Step 1: add "unexpected item"
 Use the Add Unexpected Item button, and in the following prompts that appear describe the item as well as you can. Try to include make, model, and product name.
+
+This step applies for both **Junk Received** and **Different product received**.
 ![[Pasted image 20230124121028.png]]
-Next, the item will appear as an item you can check in. Go ahead and do that, and then proceed with inspecting the item as normal to identify any reasons it couldn't be sold as New. Explain those reasons in the comments, and set the condition to "Customer Service Need" with the explanation "wrong item received".
+Next, the item will appear as an item you can check in.
+
 ![[Pasted image 20230124121247.png]]
+
+### Junk Received
+1. Take the minimum number of pictures necessary to prove the item(s) we received are just unsellable junk we weren't supposed to receive.
+2. Check the items in (give them an item number).
+3. Do the following:
+	1. Set the condition to "Customer Service Needed"
+	2. Check "Incorrect item"
+	3. Briefly explain in the comment that the item received is not even something the customer sells.
+### Different product received
+Perform the inspection steps as normal:
+
+1. Inspect the item as normal to determine it's condition (eg. New, Used, etc)
+2. Take pictures to prove what the item is and why the condition was chosen.
+3. Write your findings about the item in the condition notes, as well as wording like "This item was not expected in the order".
+4. Mark the "Incorrect Item" checkbox.
+5. Assign the proper condition based on the inspection results (eg. New, Used, etc)
+
+## Serial numbers do not match, but item is the correct product
+This refers to the following situation:
+
+1. The order says to expect a product like "Penda 12020BD Bed Cargo Divider"
+2. The item we received *is* a "Penda 12020BD Bed Cargo Divider"
+3. __However__, the serial number on the box is not the same as the serial number on the item.
+
+Here's what to do about this:
+
+1. Perform all aspects of the inspection like normal.
+2. Where the system asks for the serial number of the item, use the one on the item itself.
+3. In the condition notes, include the following:
+	1. "Serial numbers do not match"
+	2. The serial number that is on the outside of the box
+4. Make sure "Incorrect Item" is checked.
+5. Assign the item a condition like normal (eg: New, Used, etc)
+
+
 ## Factory seals and outer box issues
 
 ### Item contents are sealed but the box isn't.
@@ -82,7 +131,27 @@ If the product's OEM or Retail packaging is sealed but has shipping damage proce
 2. If the damage is holes or tears in the box, then take pictures of what the box  looked like, including the fact it's sealed, before opening the box. These pictures are to demonstrate why it was necessary to break the seal. Then, proceed with the inspection as normal.
 
 ## The main item is missing but the parts are included
-For example, the product is supposed to be a drone that comes with propellers, a battery, a remote and other accessories. However, the drone is missing, but everything else is incluced.
+For example, the product is supposed to be a drone that comes with propellers, a battery, a remote and other accessories. However, the drone is missing, but everything else is included.
 
-In this situation mark the product Customer Service Needed and explain the comment that the main unit is missing. Make sure to take a picture showing the parts that were included.
+See the section above about [[#Junk Received]]. The included parts do not need to be inspected. We can just take a picture to show the item itself was not included and then mark it Customer Service Needed.
 
+## Repacking at checkin vs. supplies during inspection
+
+![[Pasted image 20240201135834.png]]
+The "Repacking Needed" button refers to packages we received that are not even safe to have in the building because of issues like:
+
+- Broken glass
+- Leaking fluids or particulates
+- Fumes
+- Bugs
+
+This button is for indicating that sort of problem was found at checkin, and the shipment had to be repackaged or cleaned up in order to safely receive it.
+
+### Supplies -- the other sort of "repacking"
+A more common situation is we receive boxes that have holes, they're too large for the stuff inside, or the item needs some extra protection like bubble wrap or bags. That *is not* the "Repacking Needed" during checkin. Instead, that should be billed as the supplies used to protect the item.
+
+## Carton for Storage and dimensions
+![[Shipping Carton Traits.png]]
+These settings are described in more detail under [[Shipping Carton Toggles]]. This section just covers Carton for Storage and related dimensions as they apply to this process.
+
+Carton for Storage means we are keeping the box the product was shipped to us in as a way to store the items. This box should only be checked if that's what we're doing.

Processes/Combining Items.md

@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+---
+aliases:
+  - Customer Parts
+  - Replacement Parts
+---
+# Combining items and working with parts
+Sometimes a customer needs us to "combine" two items. That usually happens under two circumstances:
+
+1. They sent us a return that was missing pieces, and we have already checked it in. Later on, they send us the parts as a separate order.
+2. They have us keep a stock of replacement parts in the warehouse to fix units that are missing them.
+
+This document describes how to handle these situations.
+
+## Checkin and store the parts
+The parts the customer sent us should be sent in a [[Prep]] request. If they are, there are some extra steps you need to do that are explained later.
+
+The main things to do when checking in parts are as follows:
+
+1. Make sure the order is a Prep request.
+2. Open all boxes of parts, sort them by SKU/model.
+	1. Any parts that are messed up or broken should be set aside. Those should get item numbers and marked Defective.
+3. All other parts should be checked in as New, without an item number, and with the "parts" toggle set.
+![[Pasted image 20240201153552.png]]
+You can also mark inventory as parts using [[Bulk Update]]:
+
+![[Pasted image 20240201153636.png]]
+### Locations for parts we will store
+If we will be keeping the parts in storage to be used later, there are some extra steps you need to do.
+
+1. Determine the best sized bin or container for each type of part.
+2. Go back to the checkin page, and checkin an "INT" box to the order as follows:
+	1. Mark the box "Carton for Storage"
+	2. Measure the box.
+	3. Put an ALC on the box.
+	4. Put a label or sign on it that clearly says the SKU of what part is stored inside of it.
+3. Now, use bulk update to "move" all of the parts received into the new bin you have made.
+4. Finally, use the Presort Tool to update the location of the bin, and put it in a suitable location for longer term storage.
+
+### Order isn't a prep request
+If the customer used the wrong type of order, like an EZ request, just change the request type to Prep from inside the checkin page. This is so we can check the parts in as New without giving them item number or charging inspection fees.
+
+If the situation is that we harvested the parts from things already in stock, do this instead:
+
+1. Make a prep order on the customer's behalf
+2. Add the parts to the order. Use descriptive SKU that explain what they are parts for.
+3. Proceed as described above.
+
+## Using Parts / Combing Items
+Parts can leave the warehouse two different ways. They appear as Prep inventory to the customer, so they can ship them out as they would anything else.
+
+Also, the Refurb Page has a feature for browsing and using parts owned by the same customer who's item we're refurbishing, as shown below:
+
+![[Pasted image 20240201154302.png]]
+
+![[Pasted image 20240201154313.png]]
+![[Pasted image 20240201154321.png]]
+Following these steps will deduct the selected parts from the customer's inventory by marking them Disposed.
+
+## Other considerations about parts
+### Parts are not billed storage fees
+This is the reason it is very important to bin them as described during the checkin step.
+
+### Parts don't get item numbers unless they shouldn't be used as parts
+Parts should not get item numbers unless there is something wrong with the part that means we shouldn't use it. This is because, when we use parts from the refurb page, it just picks one at random from the database and consumes it.
+
+### Charging parts use and checkin
+Parts should be charged a $0.25/unit fee during check. This may not be configured for every customer. You will need to double check that and adjust the charges if needed.
+
+Using parts does not charge a fee. *However*, if the use of parts is not included in the customer's service plan, it should be charged as an "Insert" ($0.50). That is to cover the labor of determining what part is needed and picking it from storage. If multiple parts are used, multiple insert charges should be applied.

Processes/Communications/Angry Spirits/Koolaid Man.md

@@ -7,3 +7,13 @@ Tom and Jerry are on the phone with Bugs Bunny to talk about a business deal. Su
 Tom and Jerry are all interrupted and confused, and getting back on track is both time confusing and stressful.
 
 The Koolaid Man might even be upset or confused they react rudely to his behavior.
+
+## What causes the Koolaid Man, and how does it affect us?
+Most of the time someone who acts this way is just excited and thinks everyone else should be too. Most people don't barge into conversations and interrupt unless they think it's important. Because of that, we should think about a few aspects of this.
+
+### It could be misaligned priorities or a misunderstanding about whether someone's busy.
+The Koolaid Man really thinks they are being helpful, so reacting to them negatively can hurt their feelings or make them feel like their work's not appreciated.
+
+It's important to figure out the reason they thought interrupting was a good idea:
+
+1. Did they have good information, but they should have communicated it a different way

Processes/Communications/Angry Spirits/Monty Hall Project.md

@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 Such a huge number of resources are devoted to a project it actually derails or delays the project.
-
-## Narrative example
+## Narrative example 1
 Tom agrees to help Jerry change some light bulbs this weekend.
 
-Tom shows up with a van full of tools, several step ladders, safety equipment, and three helpers.
+Tom shows up with a van full of tools, several step ladders, safety equipment, and three helpers. Getting the situation under control and dividing the work takes longer than if Jerry had just done the work himself.
+## Narrative example 2
+Tom and Jerry plan a Super Bowl party and invite a few friends.
 
-Getting the situation under control and dividing the work takes longer than if Jerry had just done the work himself.
+For some reason, Tom *needs* this to be the ultimate Super Bowl party. He orders tons of decorations, new furniture, a bigger TV and sound system, and while he's at it he hires a catering company. Getting everything set up takes so much time and resources none of it's even ready by the time of the Super Bowl.

Processes/Communications/Angry Spirits/Worry Virus.md

@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-A possible bad event which becomes cyclicly talked about, but there are no actual solutions that are proposed.
+A possible bad event which becomes cyclically talked about, but there are no actual solutions that are proposed.
 
 ## Narrative example
-Tom is very worried about a comet hitting the planet and whiping out civilization. Each time he and Jerry have a conversation or try to plan anything, the conversation struggles to move forward because Tom makes everything about the comet.
+Tom is very worried about a comet hitting the planet and wiping out civilization. Each time he and Jerry have a conversation or try to plan anything, the conversation struggles to move forward because Tom makes everything about the comet.
+
+It's like a virus because the longer this goes on, more people will start to worry about it too. Either they'll get worried about the comet, or they worry about attending meetings with Tom since he won't stop talking about it.
+
+No matter what anyone does, it seems impossible to address Tom's concerns. Any solution that's proposed is immediately shot down or rejected.

Processes/Continuous Improvement/DMAIC/DMAIC Reports.md

@@ -0,0 +1,257 @@
+---
+tags:
+  - CI
+  - accountabilty
+  - QMS
+  - quality
+author: Jason Thistlethwaite
+aliases:
+  - Muninn Report
+---
+DMAIC reports such as provided by [[Muninn]] or the [[QC Sort Tool]] measure deviations from the expected workflow. Each time a step is done differently in the work and is noticed quickly, the customer is most likely perceiving 1.5x as many deviations from what they expected. This compounds as processes feed into each other.
+
+Taking the [[3-Day]] process as an example:
+
+1. The checkin person assigns a category to items.
+2. The next person performs the inspection.
+3. Somebody STOWS the item.
+4. Somebody pick/packs the item.
+
+Each time one of those steps is done differently than normal, the following is also true:
+
+- Differences occur 1.5x more often than we notice
+- The differences compound, adding more deviations to each step afterwards
+
+[[Six Sigma Done Wrong and Described Badly]] may serve as a succinct way to understand the basic purpose of these reports.
+
+### Example of compounding nature
+|   |   |   |   |
+|---|---|---|---|
+|**Step**|**Base Deviation Rate**|**Base Perceived Rate**|**Example deviation**|
+|Presort|1.00%|1.50%|1% of the time, package gets sent to wrong place|
+|Checkin|5.00%|7.50%|5% of the time category is not set the right away|
+|Inspection|5.00%|7.50%|5% of the time, we don’t take the right pictures|
+|STOW|5.00%|7.50%|5% of the time, the package gets put in a weird spot|
+|Pick/Pack|1.00%|1.50%|1% of the time, the package is shipped late.|
+||**Total perceived deviation:**|38.25%||
+The chart above is just an example of how deviations compound, the numbers used are not accurate.
+
+In the above chart, we're modeling that we notice a 1% deviation in Presort, which means deviations probably happen 1.5% of the time. We just don't notice or catch the extra .5%
+
+That sounds very small, but when you total up all the deviations across the service line, it can result in something like the customer getting a different result than expected 38.25% of the time.
+
+## How to understand the QC Sort Report
+The service covered by [[3-Day]] and [[QMS - Returns Triage and 3-day]] has a dedicated tool for catching the most common deviations after the work is completed. This section applies the DMAIC concepts to that report.
+
+![[QC Sort Report.png]]
+The report above shows a 10.16% deviation rate between January 29, 2024 and February 2nd. That means that even though we detected 10.6% of the work was performed differently than expected, most likely a total of 15.89% was actually done differently.
+
+This report works by checking for very straightforward indicators something in the intended work process was not done the intended way.
+
+| Flag | Explanation |
+| :--- | :--- |
+| billingIssues | The total fees charged to the item don't match what the model of the work expects, indicating some variation in the process led to the workers adjusting a charge, overcharging, charging for something unusual, etc. |
+| missingConditionCheckbox | The workers forgot to check 1 of 4 boxes indicating who probably caused the condition of the item. |
+| nonFinal | Work leaving the area was not actually finished. |
+| expectedCSN | The proper way to mark an item we received was actually something different wasn't (or couldn't) be followed. |
+| picturesNeeded | We either didn't take pictures or we forgot to upload them. |
+| dimensionsNeeded | Some deviation in the process caused us not to record dimensions properly. |
+| badOrMissingComment | Every item we inspect, except New ones, should have a 30+ character comment explaining why we selected the condition. This flag indicates some deviation in the workflow caused us not to do that. |
+| fatFingerDims | Any dimension of a product or box we measured was recorded as longer than 99 inches. This flags because it's not normal for us to work on items that large. |
+| itemNumberIssue | We scanned a barcode as an item number, but it was either something else or the item number we scanned was not activated. |
+Each of the things measured above are highly straightforward steps in the work that are done repeatedly every day by the workers. When we detect any flag about these things, it indicates the overall process is probably deviating from what's intended more than we realize.
+
+### Example: applying this to the DMAIC above
+|   |   |   |   |
+|---|---|---|---|
+|**Flag**|**Count**|**Percent of Total**|**Customer Perceived Rate**|
+|total|315|100.00%||
+|failed|32|10.16%||
+|pictureSpam|28|8.89%|13.34%|
+|billingIssues|22|6.98%|10.47%|
+|unexpectedCount|10|3.17%|4.76%|
+|missingConditionCheckbox|7|2.22%|3.33%|
+|nonFinal|6|1.90%|2.85%|
+|expectedCSN|5|1.59%|2.39%|
+|picturesNeeded|3|0.95%|1.43%|
+|dimensionsNeeded|3|0.95%|1.43%|
+|badOrMissingComment|2|0.63%|0.95%|
+|fatFingerDims|1|0.32%|0.48%|
+|itemNumberIssue|1|0.32%|0.48%|
+|||**Total:**|62.82%|
+By applying this to the actual rate of detected deviations from the week shown above, we can see that the actual deviation rate the customer perceives is probably closer to 62.82%. Meaning, that over the half the time we finished the Inspection step of that process, the results are not what the customer was expecting.
+
+That actually seems about right, since about 65% of the emails we received from the customer during the 1st half of January were complaints.
+
+#### Are deviations necessarily complaints?
+No, not always. There are several cases where deviations don't necessarily cause a complaint, such as:
+
+- The problem created only effects people who work here, so the customer doesn't notice it, or the complaint we get seems unrelated:
+	- Eg: something done different during Inspection causes minor annoyance or confusion during Picking.
+	- Eg: something different happened during STOW, which caused orders for a different customer to become delayed.
+- The result is beneficial for the customer, but harmful to us.
+	- Eg: we undercharged for services.
+- The customer starts to think it's normal because they've mentioned it several times before and it hasn't improved.
+	- Eg: We take more pictures than they want, and we keep doing that, so they just start to think complaining won't help.
+
+## Muninn DMAIC
+The Muninn DMAIC system is more of a business-wide DMAIC implementation which monitors several different deviations across the business.
+
+### itemCheckin
+Muninn monitors the following things about items that are checked in:
+
+#### skipped item numbers and regressions
+Item numbers are intended to be used sequentially during checkin.
+
+Muninn will flag when either:
+1. A worker skipped numbers, like going 1, 2, 5.
+2. A worker used numbers in reverse order
+
+Muninn flags this because there is no beneficial, known reason for a worker to do either of those things.
+
+For instance, if we see that Muninn has a 3.7% warn rate about this over the past 24 hours, it most likely means item checkin, in general, is deviating from what's expected about 5.6% of the time.
+
+### boxCheckin
+Muninn monitors the following things about packages we checkin.
+
+#### unexpected
+Muninn will warn when the percentage of unexpected items received in the same package is above a certain threshold, depending on the type of order that was sent to us:
+
+| Order Type     | Threshold     |
+|:-----|:-----|
+| EZ     | 20%     |
+| FBA     | 40%     |
+| PREP     | 10%     |
+At the time of writing, it is debatable how useful this warning is. It is fairly normal to receive unexpected items with returns or removal orders.
+
+#### no items (not autorequest or forward)
+Muninn warns if a box was checked in without any contents being recorded. This warning does not trigger for autorequests or forwarding orders.
+
+### inspectionPictures
+
+#### Missing Pictures
+Muninn considers that a returns inspection order should have a minimum number of pictures associated with each package, as follows:
+
+| Situation     | Number     |      |
+|:-----|:-----|:-----|
+| Box     | +2     |      |
+| Item     | +1     |      |
+| Ridiculous Package     | +1     |      |
+So for example, if a single package was received and had one item inside, Muninn would expect 3 pictures minimum of that box.
+
+### autorequestPictures
+
+#### no pictures or way too many
+Muninn trips this warning if an autorequest has less than 2 pictures or more than 8.
+
+There isn't any known reason to take fewer than 2 pictures or more than 8 for any such package, so this flag tripping means something very unusual is going on with the work.
+
+### refurbInspect
+This applies to situation where we are refurbishing or inspecting items. Muninn monitors the billings applied to such items and it flags in the following situations:
+
+#### refurbPricingUnexpected
+The total Inspection or Refurbishment charges applied to an item don't match the price for it's category.
+
+Since these charges are applied automatically as long as the correct category was set for an item, this should never flag unless something unusual has happened.
+
+#### refurbishPrep
+Items received in a Prep order should rarely receive any Inspection or Refurbishment charges. This flag trips if they do.
+
+#### suspiciousFeeTypes
+This flag trips whenever an item we inspected or refurbished is charged any of the following types of fees (directly to the item):
+
+- Pick/pack
+- Repacking
+- Take Picture
+- Depot Fee, Depot Shipping, or Depot Pick/Pack
+- Shipping
+- Relabel
+- Additional Service
+- Professional Subscription
+- Storage
+- Disposal
+- Consignment
+- Prep Charges
+
+This is because these fees should rarely be billed directly to any item under the normal work we do, except in very usual situations that should probably involve a manager anyway.
+
+#### nonFinalInspectFees
+This flags when an item has Inspection or Refurbishment charges applied to it, but the item is not in a condition indicating completion.
+
+| **condition_name**      | **is_final** |
+|-------------------------|--------------|
+| Refurb Pending          | 0            |
+| Refurb Approved         | 0            |
+| Refurb In Process       | 0            |
+| Repair Pending          | 0            |
+| Repair Approved         | 0            |
+| Repair In Process       | 0            |
+| Depot Pending           | 0            |
+| Depot Approved          | 0            |
+| Depot In Process        | 0            |
+| Disposal Pending        | 0            |
+| Disposal Approved       | 0            |
+| Disposed                | 1            |
+| Used - Like New         | 1            |
+| Used - Very Good        | 1            |
+| Used - Acceptable       | 1            |
+| New                     | 1            |
+| Used - Good             | 1            |
+| Service Declined        | 1            |
+| Defective or Damaged    | 1            |
+| Customer Service Needed | 0            |
+| Certified Refurbished   | 1            |
+### picklistReport
+
+#### slowPick
+Flags when a picklist is taking longer than 30 seconds per item on average.
+
+#### incomplete
+Flags picklists that are not finished.
+
+#### lateStart
+Flags picklists that were started more than 24 hours after they were created.
+
+### categoryChangeReport
+Flags when any product we've previously set a billing category for has it's category changed for some reason.
+
+There are very few cases we've identified that's actually *supposed* to happen. It nearly always indicates some sort of mistake. In most cases it means:
+
+- The person who originally set the category chose the wrong one
+- The person made a mistake, and is fixing it
+- The person is changing the category for unofficial or unauthorized reasons
+
+### presortReport
+
+#### noOrderAfterDeadline
+
+A package that cleared [[Presort]] is still not associated with any order after 3 days.
+
+#### returnedOutbound
+A package we previously shipped out has been scanned in Presort.
+
+#### lateOrders
+Muninn flags when orders that cleared presort still haven't reached the checkin step after so many days. The threshold depends on order type:
+
+| Order Type     | Threshold     |
+|:-----|:-----|
+| EZ     | 3 days     |
+| PREP     | 2 days     |
+| FORWARD     | same day     |
+
+### carrierPickupReport
+
+#### noTracker
+The package was scanned in Carrier Pickup, but it's tracking number is still the default value for a new box. This indicates the package might have been handed to a carrier without the new shipping labels being applied to it.
+
+#### missedPickup
+An order marked OUTGOING contains packages that were never scanned in Carrier Pickup.
+
+#### badPickup
+A box is recorded in Carrier Pickup, but the status of the order is not OUTGOING.
+
+#### noPackLocation
+A package in an outbound order that has a status other than PENDING, has no location set for the package.
+
+
+

Processes/Continuous Improvement/Six Sigma Done Wrong and Described Badly.md

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+Six Sigma is a continuous improvement methodology partly focused on quality. It observes the situation that short-term process output is not a good indicator of long term performance. Six Sigma’s approach to quality is to reduce process output variation so that on a long term basis (which is the customer’s aggregate experience with our process over time), there will be no more than 3.4 defect parts per million opportunities (DPMO).
+
+What that means is that out of 1 million chances for a process to be skipped or done differently than is standard, it only happens 3.4 times.
+
+So let’s look at one of the deviations from the past week: out of 173 times we should have taken 3-day pictures, something was different about it 14 times (or 8.1% of the time). Six Sigma teaches that a process capacity measured over a short period of time is at least 1.5x different than what customers perceive. So if we’re having an 8.1% deviation rate about pictures over the course of a week, our customer is likely experiencing about a 12.1% deviation rate.
+
+Let’s put that into the context of McDonald’s. Let’s say Bobby is supposed to check if the fries are fresh every 15 minutes, but he fails to do that 10% of the time. That means we probably receive unexpected fries 15% of the time from McDonalds. Now let’s say that John is supposed to ask customers if they want salt, but he forgets to do it 5% of the time. Six Sigma shows us that (roughly) the customer-experience deviation rate is probably 22.5%. Meaning 22.5% of the time we order fries they’re different than we expected (in some way). What we’re doing right now is a process called DMAIC, which is a data-driven approach to rapidly improve process output.
+
+  
+![](https://lh7-us.googleusercontent.com/0ATDYSy2PhGWdyFL7xdCkA38Ek9bo90oD1f6RSwUzLlgrXCyl_Y7k6iN1jqMy1UGIa-r2GUFgqQW7hOdQFObMu8Alvk5nHEAFGGJPQ_Y_Ivxy4RAUsJ7Aq9AlLUyBkI13_x8chqOQffAlEox_Z_YGcY)
+
+Define tasks and duties in a way that Muninn can understand them. Then have Muninn Measure aspects of the task for unexpected results. Analyze those results to determine what is causing the unexpected output. We then Improve by implementing a verifiable solution or improvement to the process. We Control by putting measures in place to make sure the Improvement stays in place, most likely by repeating DMAIC to identify how it can be automatically measured.
+
+For instance, let’s say we identify that one key problem with autorequests is untrained people doing them. We may create a list of authorized people which Muninn can access somehow. The test is then modified to specifically flag when unauthorized people are doing autorequests, thus controlling that the change stays in place. We might still observe that similar problems still happen, as well as unauthorized people doing them. However, we’ll be able to detect that and act on it quickly, rather than waiting for complaints.

Processes/Opinions and Examples/Things you see in a warehouse.md

@@ -1,3 +1,12 @@
+---
+tags:
+  - stow
+  - storage
+  - safety
+  - bookOfDont
+  - chaoticStorage
+---
+
 This article serves as a visual guide to storage and labeling methods that tend to cause problems. Most of these things are impossible to completely avoid, but they should be avoided when it's possible and fixed when we see them.
 
 ## Why this stuff matters
@@ -56,6 +65,12 @@ This is head injury waiting to happen. Most people enjoy having their head pelte
 
 ## Labeling issues
 ![[item number defeated.jpg]]
+This is a problem because items with different conditions are apparently being stored in the same box. That can create extra room for confusion when picking orders.
+
 ![[this should be a bin.jpg]]
 ![[this should be a bin 2.jpg]]
 ![[stacking the saga continues.jpg]]
+
+## What causes this stuff? Why do people do it?
+First and foremost, this is a symptom of using [[Chaotic Storage]] without proper communication and controls in place. In traditional warehousing everything has a defined spot that's decided ahead of time, so this problem is less likely to happen. With chaotic storage, there isn't necessarily a defined place people should put things, so unless there are controls in place people will tend to put things wherever is most convenient for them.
+