Strategy Meeting
Sunday, August 8, 1999

Attendees: Geoff Vining, Lisa Custer, Lonnie Vance, Ramon Leon, David Moore (Past ASA President), Veronica Czitron, Thomas Boardman, Dan McCarville, Jose Ramirez, Steve Zayek, Terry Gardinar, Marcus Jobes, Leroy Franklin, Eric Langergren, Thomas Ryan, Fred Faltin, Alan Zaslavsky, Cheryl Jennings

Council of Sections - Lonnie Vance - A discussion of how to involve the non-winning of the two candidates who runs for an office. What do the other section do? Are there committee posts available for the chairman or chairman-elect can appoint?

Current frustration of publishing process of proceedings? Can we go electronic? To be discussed at concurrent meeting of Council of Sections.

Do we Q & P want to support a prize to the "best section"? We would like to know what the best practices are from each section. These best practices are shared in the AMSTAT news. Are there processes that we can share, or get from the other sections.

Draft Vision Statement Comments -

"Be the world class volunteer organization devoted to statistical thinking and the proper application of quality and productivity principles."

Accepted by committee attendees

Statistical Thinking - Brainstorming Phase

Plan and apply models to data analysis

Numerical interpretation

Variation - reducing and understanding

Data driven decision making

Data beat anecdotes

Understand how variations affects decisions

Though process which includes the concepts of variation and how information was obtained

Exploratory data analysis - limits and relations to definition of hypothesis

Scientific reasoning and understanding that incorporates inherent variation and uncertainty

Recognition that variation usually has several sources

Systems thinking/component

Decision accuracy

Structure for systematic data collection

Statistical vs practical significance

Do questions you ask influence the answers you get

Problem formulation and modeling

Thought process which includes dimension of time and space

Samples and population differences

Multivariate relationships and influences

Recognition that decisions are made at the risk of being wrong

Conclusions are uncertain

Consideration of risk

Interaction of forces

Importance of the survey forms and wording

Where the data come from matters

Processes are dynamic; think analytically

Dimension Reduction - Main Concepts

Collection and Use of (meta)data

Understanding variation

Decision making

Dynamic System (a collection of processes) thinking or multivariate relationships

Uncertainty and risk

Time and Space

PDSA (Plan Do Study Act Deming Cycle) - Scientific Method

Tentative Strategic Plan (Communication and Education and Application and Recognition of Qualified Practitioners)

Increase ability to communicate via web, search engines, email, etc..
Consistently offer short courses on topics consistent with our mission at the joint statistical meetings and Q & P research conference.
Consistently offer short courses in venues other than the forma meetings.
Make the transition to electronic proceedings.
To promote introduction of Quality and Productivity concepts and tools in courses, seminars and workshops.
To promote the proper use of Quality of Productivity concepts and tools to improve courses, seminars and workshops.
To promote the application and proper use of Q&P concepts and tools to improve processes.
Promote an improved exchange of ideas and problems between quality and productivity researchers and practitioners.
Use the leverage Q&P has with other organizations to achieve our strategic goals.
To develop criteria characteristics for statistical engineer or industrial statistician or statistical scientist or Quality and Productivity Statistician.
To make the term industrial statistician (statistical engineer, statistical scientist or Quality and Productivity Statistican) a recognized term and understanding of the term by the customer base.
Define and implement a strategy for the use of the Mary Natrella fund.

Definition: Communication: Dissemination, advocacy beyond section community and within community

Discussion topic of the title of Statistical Engineer. Why are people not called Statisticians? Where are the statisticians - engineering, training, academia, support groups, consultants,

To develop criteria characteristics for statistical engineer or industrial statistician or statistical scientist. ASA Planning committee is starting gingerly consider this.

Review of the Strategic Plan - Tactical Activities

1. A.) Require program and publicity chair to start web pages for activities add to as activity develops. B.) Use email to reach members via newsletter. C.) Ramon to contact ASA webmasters to see what the different sections are doing with respect to electronic communications. Define the obstacles at the webmaster level. D.) Session at JSM2000 : What are the electronic needs of the sections? E.) Session at JSM2000 on needs of isolated Q&P statisticians.

Steve will get input at the Officer's meeting on August 9. Expand Continuing Education to a committee to make sure we have courses next year. How can we make financial compensation more attractive to instructors.
Ramon to appoint a committee to define criteria. Q&P membership: how do you fall into any of this categories. Would you benefit from any of these "titles or certifications" in your current position. Define the categories.

FYI: There is a place to look: www.amstat.org/comm to look for the definitions for the committees and sections.

Financial discussion on the Q & P Conference

New Business - Action Items

Would be nice to have a one-pager on best practices for the Web.

Sub committee to work at looking at Lynne Hare's statement and incorporate your ideas. Everyone to email ideas to Tom. Tom to take ideas then propose a strawman proposal for further discussion.

Should suggest to ASA the certification process (our criteria) for statistician. Q&P section should be a positive voice in this discussion.

Mary Leitnaker to get with Jeff Hooper to get the proceedings from JSM, Q&PRC, etc… archived electronically.

Publications officer and Newsletter editor to get with the ASA office to propose that within one year that we should try to go to an electronically published newsletter.

Geoff and CE chair to appoint a committee on short courses at the Q&P and JSM.

Veronica to chair the Mary Natrella Fund committee. Committee to propose ways to utilize the Mary Natrella fund and report the Executive Committee. See if the Q&P conference will match funds or scholarships to the Q&P conference for student participation.

What are the practical issues to build a repository of information (and possibly charge for the information, nominally, to increase the value to the Q&P section)? Tom and Geoff to investigate the legal issues.

Strategy Meeting Sunday, August 8, 1999