JD Solomon — Active Contributor

Author of Communicating with FINESSE articles.

This author's archive lists contributions of articles and episodes.

About JD Solomon

JD Solomon, PE, CRE, CMRP provides facilitation, business case evaluation, root cause analysis, and risk management. His roles as a senior leader in two Fortune 500 companies, as a town manager, and as chairman of a state regulatory board provide him with a first-hand perspective of how senior decision-makers think. His technical expertise in systems engineering and risk & uncertainty analysis using Monte Carlo simulation provides him practical perspectives on the strengths and limitations of advanced technical approaches. In practice, JD works with front-line staff and executive leaders to create workable solutions for facilities, infrastructure, and business processes.

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Systems Thinking Improves Reliability and Dependability (15 ways to do it)

Organizations can systematically enhance reliability and dependability by integrating key approaches into the development, deployment, and maintenance processes of their products and systems. Systems thinking rules! Despite subtle differences in terminology, regular assessments and updates should be conducted to address emerging challenges and technological advancements. This article provides a brief description and demonstration of several key approaches for enhancing reliability and dependability.

Reliability and Dependability Are Often Used Interchangeably

When it comes to choosing the right word to describe a product or service, the terms “reliability” and “dependability” are often used interchangeably. However, there are subtle differences between the two that can impact how they are perceived in practice and by consumers.

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Why Fix Your Asset Management Program When Replacement Asset Values Are Missing

Asset management for facilities and infrastructure has fallen into the leadership realm of gearheads and data managers. The result is asset management programs that are years (or decades) and hundreds of thousands (or millions) of dollars into their programs and still cannot produce realistic replacement values for their assets.

Too Much Time in the Wrong Places?

Does it matter that we have spent most of our attention on asset management systems, GIS integrations, condition assessments, and preventive maintenance programs? You bet it does. And you may have put too much time in the wrong places. [Read more…]

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How to Choose Performance Indicators That Actually Drive Success

The idea of anything worth doing is worth measuring is a persistent one. The persistent problem is that measuring performance becomes much more difficult as we move into the realms of strategic plans, management systems, and reliability programs. In many cases, choosing performance indicators and measures is less about choosing new ones and more about realignment and refinement of old ones. However, in some cases, it’s simply better to retool. These are a few considerations for getting started. [Read more…]

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Six Powerful Communication Resources for Reliability Engineers

Reliability professionals need clear communication when presenting to senior leaders. Yet as technical experts, most of us haven’t been trained for these high-stakes moments. We know our material inside and out, but struggle to make it resonate with executives who think differently. The Tackle Shop at JD Solomon Solutions offers practical resources, tools, and guidance to help bridge the communication gap and ensure your message captures the attention of senior leaders. [Read more…]

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A Practical Path to Better Asset Prioritization and Critical Assets

You will quickly run out of time, budget, and patience if your organization treats every asset as if it were the center of the universe. The Solomon-Oldach Asset Prioritization (SOAP) method offers a practical, facilitation-friendly approach for identifying which assets matter most. SOAP was developed as a streamlined alternative to the exhaustive (and exhausting) criticality assessments that often bog down teams. SOAP delivers a defensible, operationally relevant ranking of critical assets and systems with a fraction of the effort involved in traditional processes. [Read more…]

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The Origins and Power of the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram for Reliability Engineers

You get a few raised eyebrows when you claim to be Communicating with FINESSE. Well, at least you do if the person on the other end does not understand that FINESSE stands for something. Or if they do not understand what a fishbone diagram is. Here’s a short review of the origins of FINESSE and how the FINESSE fishbone diagram powers the communication of reliability engineers.

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Three Solutions for Reliability Professionals Making Big Presentations

Communicating effectively is essential when big decisions are at hand, especially for reliability professionals presenting to senior management or boards. However, most of us do not receive formal training or have tailored strategies for big, high-stakes presentations. This guide offers three practical solutions to enhance your presentation skills.

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How Reliability Professionals Can Overcome the 3 Barriers to Effective Communication

As reliability professionals, we’ve all had moments where our message falls flat, a misunderstanding occurs, or a simple conversation gets bogged down. It’s usually due to one of the big three barriers to effective communication: language, accessibility, and generational differences. The seven cause-and-effect factors (the “bones” of FINESSE) are designed to overcome all three barriers. However, it’s important to understand the context of each of the three barriers. Here’s a quick look at each one.

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How the Tail Fin of the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram Improves Big Decisions

It takes months or years of presentations to make a big decision. The relationships of interacting parts and people will change. Some uncertainties will become more certain, while others will emerge. Ethics are the way we make decisions and, therefore, are the one thing that propels us through our journey. The FINESSE fishbone diagram provides the seven essential elements for effective communication for big decisions. Playing on the theme of a fish, a fish’s tail fin provides it with propulsion. Let’s explore the tail fin of the FINESSE fishbone diagram.

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How the Bottom Fin of the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram Improves Big Decisions

Communicating related to big decisions is a long game. Many presentations involving uncertainties and changing information will be made over months if not years. The FINESSE fishbone diagram provides the seven essential elements for effective communication for big decisions. Playing on the theme of a fish, a fish’s bottom fin provides it with stability. Let’s explore the bottom fin of the FINESSE fishbone diagram.

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How the Top Fin of the FINESSE Fishbone Diagram Improves Big Decisions

Big decisions require months or years to make, which makes communication associated with them a long game. The FINESSE fishbone diagram provides the seven essential elements for effective communication for big decisions. Playing on the theme of a fish, a fish’s top fin provides it with direction. Let’s explore the top fin of the FINESSE fishbone diagram.

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Technical Facilitators: Helpful Tips and Insights on How to Ask Better Questions

The four-part series of communication tips on “How to Ask Better Questions.” The primary audience is technical professionals who serve as facilitators of team collaboration. However, the approaches and techniques apply to just about anyone. This series summary of helpful tips and insight, including a brief description and a link to each article.

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Collaboration & Questions: Remember Facilitating Reliability is a Long Game

Asking questions as a technical facilitator is a nuanced and deliberate process. All facilitators guide participants through solutions that are created, understood, and accepted by all. The “by all” part makes the role especially challenging and one that transcends a single session. Asking questions as a reliability facilitator contrasts with persuasion or manipulation, where narratives and emotions carry the day. The long game approach requires empathy, patience, consistency, and an in-depth understanding of context.

“Being a great facilitator requires commitment to your participants.”

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How Technical Facilitators Can Avoid Provoking Others When Asking Questions

Technical facilitators should avoid provoking others when asking questions to maintain respect, productive effective communication, and create professional relationships. However, there are situations where provocative questions can be effective. For technically trained professionals, the balance lies in knowing when to use respectful inquiry to foster collaboration and when to employ pointed questions to drive necessary change and innovation. The bottom line is to ask powerful questions. This article discusses how to avoid provoking others when asking questions.

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Facilitation & Collaboration: 10 Proven Tips For Asking Great Questions

“I can’t believe you asked him if he married a trophy wife,” my colleague stated. “Even more, I can’t believe he answered it without getting mad. Or that he told you so much about his first marriage and himself.”

“Well, the key was that I kept the questions short and followed where he took the conversation,” I replied. “On its own, the trophy wife is a bit over the top. But in the larger context, it flowed with everything he described and his comfort in discussing it with me.”

10 Tips for Better Questions in Business Environments

Effective communication is important in all relationships. The opening story was among business colleagues after a professional association meeting. While it is a bit personal, it reminds us that asking good questions – including in business environments – is personal.

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