We have all heard that ‘Simpler is Better’ and a recent personal experience proves the point. Two members of my family flew to Thunder Bay – one went to write an exam and the other one went along for the ride. They were to return on Saturday after the exam. They arrived at the Thunder Bay airport for the return flight with time to spare and started waiting for the plane. At the other end of the flight (Toronto) I was watching the arrivals online so I would know when I had to go and pick them up from the airport.
The time for the flight to depart from Thunder Bay got closer and closer and then eventually passed with no sign of a plane. What was interesting was the following:
- The Departures Board still indicated the flight was leaving on time
- There was no one at the airline check-in desk to provide any updated information
- At the other end, I could see on the airline’s website that the flight was delayed
Eventually some of the passengers asked the security guard if he knew what had happened to the plane. He looked out the window at the gate and stated the obvious: No plane is here yet so it is late. Sometimes Simpler is Better when it comes to answering a question. They could have signed onto the airline’s site and would have seen the updated status but it is expected that would be reflected in the local information.
This same issue appears sometimes in Quality Assurance. Some people are under the impression that Quality Assurance is trying to make things harder. This is the exact opposite of what it is trying to do. Quality Assurance makes processes and work simpler and allows more time for the creative problem solving side. Processes or items that are standard are made into a process. Items that require on-going problem solving skills now have more available resources. Visit how Quality Assurance can make you more creative.
Leave a Reply