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Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 19, 2025 • 0sec
What's So Hard About Planning
What’s So Hard About Planning
Abstract
Carl and Fred discuss a subject that some people find difficult. How to plan for reliability.
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Sep 15, 2025 • 0sec
Office Hours, Plus
Soft Skills Plus
Abstract
Carl and Fred discuss the wide range of soft skills that reliability engineers need to learn, in order to be fully successful in their jobs.
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Sep 12, 2025 • 0sec
Overcoming Product Protections for HALT
Overcoming Product Protections for HALT
Abstract
Kirk and Fred discuss turning off the built-in over-temperature production circuits to perform thermal HALT.
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Sep 8, 2025 • 0sec
HALT Late in the Program
HALT Late in the Program
Abstract
Kirk and Fred discuss using HALT for a product that has been in the field and has many documented reliability issues from the initial warranty returns
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Sep 5, 2025 • 0sec
The Trouble with Interfaces
The Trouble with Interfaces
Abstract
Carl and Dianna discuss the topic of interfaces, in reliability engineering and FMEA.
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Sep 1, 2025 • 0sec
Team Creativity Techniques
Team Creativity Techniques
Abstract
Dianna and Carl discuss team creativity techniques, especially relating to FMEA.
Key Points
Join Dianna and Carl as they discuss team creativity techniques.
Topics include:
Boost team creativity: engage all engineers.
Silent brainstorming and visuals yield diverse ideas.
Socratic questioning builds thoughtful participation.
Minimize distractions and manage power for creativity.
Focused brainstorming solves complex problems.
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
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Show Notes
This episode of Speaking of Reliability explores fostering creativity within engineering teams, noting that many engineers are introverted and require specific approaches to balance technical and creative skills.
Knowing and effectively utilizing facilitation tools prevents disruptions.
A key technique is silent brainstorming, where individuals independently write down their ideas, often using yellow sticky notes, before sharing. This creates a safe environment for introverts to contribute without immediate judgment, while also managing extroverts, leading to a wider array of ideas.
The Socratic method is a powerful tool to encourage active participation and critical thinking, helping all team members, especially introverts, gain momentum and engagement over multi-day sessions.
It’s also vital to manage power dynamics, such as encouraging managers to attend meetings as participants rather than supervisors, ensuring comfort in speaking freely.
Share your experiences, success stories, and techniques for cultivating creativity within teams! Leave us a comment.
The post SOR 1101 Team Creativity Techniques appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Aug 29, 2025 • 0sec
How do We do 'Reliability Allocation'?
How Do we Set Reliability Requirements?
Abstract
Chris and Carl discuss a listener question on FMEA RPN and connection to reliability requirements.
Key Points
Join Chris and Carl as they discuss RPN is not a reliability metric and there are better ways to do allocation to set requirements.
Topics include:
Multiplying severity, occurrence, and detection does not provide a valid risk value.
A misunderstanding of critical analysis and the use of failure rates, which are not required
Reliability requirements should precede FMEA based on customer and business needs and expectations.
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
Download Audio RSS
Show Notes
The post SOR 1100 How Do we Set Reliability Requirements? appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Aug 25, 2025 • 0sec
How do We do 'Reliability Allocation'?
Pitfalls of Reliability Allocation
Abstract
Carl and Chris discuss the broad subject of reliability allocation. What is it, when is it used, and what are the primary pitfalls to success?
Key Points
Join Carl and Chris as they discuss setting and allocating reliability requirements. Topics include:
What are primary pitfalls to doing reliability allocation?
What are the characteristics of good reliability requirements?
Engineering reliability into products
Wrong assumptions
Consider adding a margin, in system reliability modeling, for errors or things not thought of
Goals versus requirements
Including reliability requirements in technical specifications
Why interfaces need to be included in system reliability modeling
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
Download Audio RSS
Show Notes
The post SOR 1099 How do We do Reliability Allocation'? appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Aug 22, 2025 • 0sec
Special Characteristics
Special Characteristics
Abstract
Carl and Dianna discuss two of the least understood and potentially powerful FMEA data elements: Special Product Characteristics for Design FMEAs, and Special Process Characteristics for Process FMEAs.
Key Points
Join Carl and Dianna as they discuss the application of Special Characteristics in FMEAs. Topics include:
What are some other names for Special Characteristics?
What is definition of characteristic, product characteristic, and process characteristic?
How can special characteristic be used in FMEAs?
Do special characteristics require extra controls in the Process Control Plan?
Who defines special characteristics?
What are some examples of special characteristics?
What is the process to identify special characteristics?
How can an FMEA identify candidate special characteristics?
The Cause description of a Design FMEA can be used to identify a candidate special product characteristics
What happens when too many items are designated as special characteristics?
Why is it important to identify only the vital few special characteristics?
How can severity and occurrence ratings in an FMEA support designating special characteristics?
Why should a company have a defined process to assign special characteristics?
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
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Show Notes
The post SOR 1098 Special Characteristics appeared first on Accendo Reliability.

Aug 18, 2025 • 0sec
How HA and FMEA Relate
How HA and FMEA Relate
Abstract
Dianna and Carl discuss the relationship between Hazard Analysis (HA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA).
Key Points
Join Dianna and Carl as they discuss the how HA and FMEA relate and how they can work in synergy to create safer products.
Topics include:
Fundamental differences and similarities
How HA can effectively quantify risk by calculating the probability of harm, a dimension often missing from FMEA
Practical techniques for identification and collective ownership of ideas
Early HA and FMEA in a project can drive design decisions, prioritize testing, and improve overall risk management
Enjoy an episode of Speaking of Reliability. Where you can join friends as they discuss reliability topics. Join us as we discuss topics ranging from design for reliability techniques to field data analysis approaches.
Download Audio RSS
Show Notes
Hosts Carl Carlson and Dianna Deeney delve into the often-misunderstood interface between Hazard Analysis (HA) and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and how HA and FMEA relate. While often seen as separate activities, they discuss how these two crucial processes can be integrated to enhance product safety and efficiency. Effective risk management planning, starting at the beginning of a project, is key to successfully aligning HA and FMEA.
FMEA typically begins with item identification, followed by describing functions and then failure modes. In contrast, Hazard Analysis often starts by listing high-level hazards such as electrical or physical risks, taking a top-down, system-level view that considers the product’s environment and users. Although a hazard itself can sometimes function as an effect in an FMEA, a significant difference lies in their outputs: HA can lead to a quantifiable probability of harm by combining the likelihood of a hazardous situation with the likelihood of harm given that situation. FMEA, on the other hand, provides a qualitative severity assessment and the likelihood of occurrence of a failure mode and its associated cause, but not the overall likelihood of harm.
HA and FMEA can complement each other; for instance, a hazard analysis can inform an FMEA to ensure no critical hazards are missed, or high-severity FMEA findings can prompt a thorough HA. Ultimately, integrating these analyses helps teams prioritize design activities and testing efforts based on a clearer understanding of potential risks.
The post SOR 1097 How HA and FMEA Relate appeared first on Accendo Reliability.