Using Algorithms to Understand the Biases in Your Organization

Using Algorithms to Understand the Biases in Your Organization

Algorithms have taken a lot of heat recently for producing biased decisions. People are outraged over a recruiting algorithm Amazon developed that overlooked female job applicants. Likewise, they are outraged over predictive policing and predictive sentencing that disproportionately penalize people of color. Importantly, race and gender were not included as inputs into any of these algorithms. Should we be outraged…

The promise and challenge of the age of artificial intelligence

The promise and challenge of the age of artificial intelligence

McKinsey & Co means that embracing AI promises considerable benefits for businesses and economies through its contributions to productivity growth and innovation. At the same time, AI’s impact on work is likely to be profound. Some occupations as well as demand for some skills will decline, while others grow and many change as people work…

Artificial Intelligence; The Next “Undiscovered Country”

Artificial Intelligence; The Next “Undiscovered Country”

In William Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark” (usually referred to simply as “Hamlet”), the main character, Hamlet, uses the phrase “undiscovered country” to refer to what lies beyond the grave – the afterlife – and our lack of knowledge of it, and our fear of it.  As it is with death, so…

The Outliers Inn; Hemp, Cannabis, Maintenance, OpEx, Chemistry and Beer

The Outliers Inn; Hemp, Cannabis, Maintenance, OpEx, Chemistry and Beer

Topic: An eclectic bunch of visitors visited The Outliers Inn sharing a myriad of challenges. It was another successful Open Mic Night at The Outliers Inn.  Word is spreading of the new format of having random call-in guests is taking hold with the guests being greater in number and in energy. We start with Antlerboy and…

Reading is fundamental, but comprehension is important too

Reading is fundamental, but comprehension is important too

The art of debate has devolved.  No longer is it used as a tool of discovery, understanding, reconciliation, and progress.  Today, it is a tool used to beat one another into submission – with the wholesale surrender of the beliefs and values held by one party over the other being the goal. What’s worse, the…

Batch Plant Performance Improvement in Chemical and Life Science Manufacturing

Batch Plant Performance Improvement in Chemical and Life Science Manufacturing

In the process industry, three things can impact your productivity; machine downtime, variations in batch cycle times and losing a batch because it is out of specification. In either case and simply put, when your equipment is down or it’s not reliably producing product, you risk missing production targets – in every case – are…