Problem solving is hard

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Problem solving is rarely simple. It’s very rare that you can look at a problem and know the exact adjustments to the system that need to be made to forevermore solve the problem.

More often, you need to assemble a team of people to explore the problem and search for a solution that will prevent the problem from ever occurring again. This team needs to follow a problem-solving process that will include collecting and analyzing data and interpreting the results.

What if you don’t have a team of people skilled in problem solving that can speak the same language, and use the same tools?

We have created something to help.

The Statistical Thinking for Industrial Problem Solving course will walk you from problem definition to data exploration, analysis, and modeling, so you can be confident that you’re making good decisions from your data.

The course uses JMP software, and the participants in the course can access JMP through the course, even if they don’t already own a copy of the software.

Because the course is online, you can watch it anywhere you have an internet-capable device. Imagine watching the videos on the train on the way to work (assuming you have internet on the train).

The course includes many questions and practices along the way to check for your comprehension of the material. You can choose to take a quiz at the end of each module to measure your mastery of the concepts, and if/when you pass the quiz, you can get a digital badge to share that you passed the module.

The point is to learn what you need to be successful on your job. You can take all the modules, or just the parts that you need – when you need them.

What are modules are available?

When the course is completed, there will be seven modules. Four modules are available now: Exploratory Data Analysis, Quality Methods, Decision Making with Data, and Correlation and Regression. The grayed-out topics below are still to come.

Each module contains short instructional videos, JMP demonstration videos, questions and practices. The videos are short, most are from one to five minutes long. You can start and stop, and the system will remember the last video you watched and let you resume where you left off.

How can I use this at my large company?

You could assign sections of the course to a group of people, and then schedule an in-house meeting to discuss the lessons, and practice on your company’s data and problems.

What if I have team members who don’t read/speak English?

We are starting a translation of the material to Chinese (simplified), Japanese, and Korean. The translations should be available by the fall of 2019.

I’m not sure I can learn this way...

People learn in many ways, and some prefer a face-to-face instructor. This course has a face – and her name is Minnie. Minnie will help teach the course and keep the videos interesting. Minnie summarizes and questions, and keeps the course moving.

How do I get started?

Go to www.jmp.com/statisticalthinking to register for the course. You will need to create a SAS profile if you don’t already have one. You’ll get instructions on using JMP and navigating the course, and details on the contents of each module.

When will it be finished?

We are working as fast as we can to complete the content and publish the final modules. But you can start now and will get an update when the last chapters are complete.

Saving the best for last: How much does it cost?

Nothing! This is a free course.

Try it – what have you got to lose? You might learn something. I know I learn something new in JMP every time I use it, and I have been using it for 20 years.