Explore every episode of the podcast Innovation in Action

How do you make quality and continuous improvement part of everyone's job, not just the quality department's? 

In this episode, we sit down with Mark Alarik, a continuous improvement project strategist and ASQ-certified LSSGB (Lean Six Sigma Green Belt) with over 20 years of experience driving transformation across manufacturing, tech, healthcare, and more. Mark breaks down how to make quality everyone's job, not just a single department's. We dive into the power of systems thinking, "driving out fear" to create psychological safety, and why frontline worker insights are critical for innovation. Mark also shares a practical vision for replacing static SOPs with a dynamic "Quality Operating Procedures" (QOP) platform to embed continuous improvement directly into the daily workflow.

Join us for a masterclass (change to an insightful conversation) on turning continuous improvement from a siloed function into an everyday reality for every single worker.

In this episode, Tracy Owens, Lean Six Sigma and innovation expert at Ohio State, shares how hiring managers can use quality tools to accelerate onboarding and foster early innovation. He discusses balancing structured training with flexibility, adopting impactful onboarding tools, measuring success, and applying human-centered design to enhance the new hire experience. Tracy also highlights strategies for inclusivity and building cross-functional collaboration to nurture a systems-thinking mindset from day one. Practical insights for leaders aiming to create agile, engaged, and innovative teams.

In this episode, Mark Alarik, Continuous Improvement Project Strategist and Manager at GM Alarik, talks about the concept of systems thinking for driving innovation. Mark shares the foundational principles of systems thinking and explains how understanding the whole system—not just individual parts—can lead to more effective, future-ready solutions. He discusses how organizations can identify hidden constraints, unlock untapped value, and leverage cross-departmental collaboration for innovation. Mark also addresses the leadership mindset needed to remove systemic barriers and embrace transformation, especially during times of crisis. Drawing on over 20 years of experience across multiple industries, he highlights real-world examples and offers strategies for leaders to foster a culture of collaboration and innovation.

In this episode, Jackie Jolly, Senior Manager of E-Discovery Technology and Quality Management at Fox Rothschild LLP and Chair-Elect of the ASQ Innovation Division, dives into innovation in the legal sector. Jackie unpacks the critical differences between the practice of law and the business of law, discusses the current challenges facing the legal industry, and explores how innovation management principles can help address these issues. She also shares valuable insights about her experience working in the legal industry as an innovation professional and highlights opportunities for driving meaningful change.

Leading international Knowledge Management expert, Ron Young, joins us again for a stimulating conversation about Artificial Intelligence and the intersect with Innovation and Knowledge Management. We break down the differences between knowledge, intelligence, and learning in humans and machines, and hear Ron's perspective about the future implications of AI. Ron also provides insights on recent developments with ISO standards on AI and Knowledge Management, and shares about the EU AI Act of 2024.

In this episode Peter Merrill, founding member of the ASQ Innovation TC and project lead on the Innovation Standard ISO 56001 shares an inside look into the Innovation Management Standard that is due to be published in September. Peter talks about the structure of the standard, its application for serial innovation, and the steps required to become certified. 

Lana Eilertson and Ashley Dickens, co-leads of the Innovation Network at the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), share about their unique process of organizing their teams for innovation. Listen in as they talk about fostering an innovation culture, encouraging a "how might we" mindset. Lana and Ashley provide insight into how they created collaborative cross-functional partnerships not only within TVA but also with external partners across industry and academia. Tune in to hear about their learnings and successes in engaging senior leaders in innovation activities.

In this episode Dan Jones, Quality Manager at BSH Home Appliances and past chair of the ASQ Innovation Division, talks about the concept of adjacent innovation, the idea of creating demand for innovation through breakthrough innovation. Dan provides insights into what current challenges we might be able to address that breakthrough innovation has brought with it, and shares how sustainability and Right First Time can help us deliver impactful adjacent innovations.

In this episode, Zac Jarrard, a gaming expert, shares insights on the business applications of gaming, including how it can improve businesses and bring communities together. We explore the concept of gamification and its potential to foster team building, innovation, and quality in the workplace. Zac also discusses the use of gaming applications for training and re-skilling workers to prepare for the future of work. Join us as we delve into the fascinating intersection of gaming, innovation, and the modern workplace.

Join us for a special episode where I speak with ASQ Innovation TC founding members and co-authors of the Innovation Body of Knowledge (IBoK). Hear firsthand about the journey from idea to publication, the valuable insights the IBoK offers to innovators, and what's next now that the work is published. Tune in to our podcast to catch this captivating conversation with Jane and Peter, and discover how the IBoK can help enhance your innovation journey.

What is the link between cybersecurity, innovation, and quality? In this episode, we chat with Larry Miller, a cybersecurity expert, thought leader, and past chair of the ASQ Innovation Division, to discuss the challenges and opportunities of managing cybersecurity using quality and innovation principles. Larry also shares about successes and failures in cybersecurity and the future of the internet. Join us for a thought-provoking conversation, and be sure to check out the resources Larry recommends for IT professionals looking to advance their knowledge and practice in cybersecurity.

Dr. John Timmerman, Chief Operating Officer of Sky Lakes Medical Center, shares how trauma, such as from Covid, global warming, war, supply chain disruptions, and social unrest, impair our ability to innovate. He talks about the concept of acuity and how it impacts our ability to quickly rebound from traumatic situations and sense of purpose and direction. John also shares with us the tools to build resilience to better respond to stressful situations. 

How do we become more effective at creating, sharing, transferring, and managing knowledge? Knowledge management expert Ron Young shares critical KM principles and the single best KM practice, explains the differences between tacit and explicit knowledge, and shares insights about the influence of technology and artificial intelligence on knowledge management.

In this episode Amanda Vargochik, co-founder and Vice President of Innovation at SinnovaTek shares insights about novel processing technologies, namely industrial microwave processing, and talks about how SinnovaTek enables entrepreneurs through these processes to innovate while addressing challenges of food waste and nutrient preservation.

What is strategy, and is it highly structured, or are there components that cannot be measured? What makes it innovative? Jim describes the process and tools for developing and refining an innovative strategy. 

What is culture, and what makes a culture innovative? Jane shares the benefits of building and fostering an innovative culture in an organization.

What is innovation and does it follow a process? Although innovation appears simple and lacking structure, Peter shares the fundamental steps of the innovation process.