Why Disney FAILED to be the Happiest Place on Earth

Credit: laughingplace.com

I was recently down in Anaheim for the ATX West trade show. I took the opportunity to bring my husband along and go to Disneyland. It had been decades for both of us since we last visited and he had been bugging me to go for a while, so I figured it made good sense to take advantage of us being in the area.

Prior to going, I spoke with several friends with kids who tried to teach me how to maximize my Disneyland experience.  I purchased my tickets online. Disney is great at collecting data and tries every way possible to get you to stay multiple days and “upgrade” your experience. Of course, all these options cost you more. In preparation, I loaded the apps and waited with anticipation for the big day.

On the morning of our visit, during breakfast, my phone came alive. The Disney app fired up welcoming me to the park and helping us get prepared for our visit. WOW! I thought, that's pretty impressive. Great use of customer data. Score one for Disney!

We then boarded the shuttle to the park with great anticipation. Upon reaching the security entrance, we were greeted with a handmade sign listing all of the rides closed for the day. Huh? More than half of these attractions were FastPass rides (the most popular rides). I was now not so happy that I ponied up $125 per person for an incomplete experience. I had bought my park tickets only days before our visit. I find it hard to believe that Disney had no knowledge that they would be servicing some of these rides. I would have appreciated that knowledge at the time of purchase. Maybe Disney could have adjusted the price of park tickets for the day? Sounds fair to me.

Once inside the park, we looked at the app then headed into California Adventure for Soarin' Over California. We stood in line (what you do more of than anything else in Disneyland) and after a 20 minute wait, enjoyed our 4 minute and 51 second experience. Well OK, glad I didn't wait any longer for that experience.

We soon learned it is all about collecting FastPass tickets. Unfortunately, Disney provides little education as to how this system works. While you may think these passes would be handed out at the ride, no, you are wrong. Kiosks are located at random locations, usually in another area of the park.

We strolled through the park and took in the special show for Chinese Lunar New Year. It was a nice added touch and I tweeted it out. Minutes later, I got a response back from Disney. Ah… so the Disney team is listening. Good to know.

My trusty app showed the wait time for the Cars ride – Radiator Springs Racers was growing quickly. We decided to bite the bullet and stand in line. When we got to the entrance, the sign stated it was a 45 minute wait. The app stated it was a 75 minute wait. I asked the attendant if the posted wait time was correct. He promptly chided me that Disneyland wait times are extremely accurate. So, being a fool, I believed him and we headed into the line for the ride.

Tick tock, we waited, 45 minutes passed, and the ride was still nowhere in sight. Now 75 minutes passed and yup, you got it, we are still waiting. It was interesting that as I watched everyone else waiting, the vast majority were praying to their mobile devices. Wow, I thought, Disney has a captive audience, bored, waiting in line and yet they don’t do anything with that opportunity. Now 90 minutes passed; we can at least kinda sort of see the end of the line. So Disney’s accuracy in wait time isn't really all that accurate after all. But why isn't it? Many apps predict accurate traffic times, why isn't Disney using that same technology to keep the masses informed and happy?

Then what every Disney visitor dreads… the Cars ride broke down. Does Disney provide any actual data? Nope. Instead, the information provided is as vague as possible, making the decision to stay in line or leave a total gamble on the visitor's part. So, like idiots, we waited another 30 minutes. Finally, I had had enough and I pushed up to the front of the line to speak with another not so happy attendant.

“So can you give me a ballpark estimate of when the ride will resume?” With complete disdain the attendant replied, “Ma’am, I cannot give out any information.” I felt like I was on a jury stand. “Sir, I can neither deny nor confirm that statement.” Oh come on!

After pleading I would never ever hold him accountable for any information that would pass from his lips to my ears, I finally got him to admit that the current riders had not even been “evacuated” from the ride and that maintenance had yet to show up. Plus, once maintenance did show up, it took at least 45 minutes "on average" to get a ride going again. Gotcha! So Disney does have data. Liars, liars pants on fire!

Meanwhile, back in Twitterland, my tweet asking for information must have drifted into a black hole. Silence was my only response. Oh yeah, I asked the attendant if Disney provided passes for those who had waited (now more than two hours) to get priority once the ride was back up. I was informed that was not a Disney policy. Hum, I am now REALLY not happy with my $125 ticket per person. So then, crazy me asks, “Do you tweet or at least post to your app when the ride is fixed?” Blank stare, chirping crickets, and he then says, “Ma’am, we don’t do that here.”

Needless to say, the rest of our day did not go much better. Several more rides broke down and it was not often reflected on their app, and several were rides we were on (which stopped working repeatedly). It was not a happy experience and I have to say I will most likely never return.

Companies cannot use BI/BD (business intelligence/big data) to only get more money. Especially if you are in the business of providing an experience that is labeled as being, “The happiest place on earth."  Whether Disney will actually respond to this blog is doubtful but they should. They have the opportunity to lead the world in their use of BI/BD and the creation of a world-class experience. Yet instead their viewpoint is myopic and self-centered. Disney, you just created an epic FAIL of an experience in my book.

Why America Needs More STEAM Power

Infographic: Bishop-Wisecarver

I must admit it has been exciting to see manufacturing making headlines so much of late. The topic of manufacturing appears to be a current darling of the political talking heads. Much has been discussed about the role of manufacturing in the U.S. economy and how manufacturing will be the engine to power us out of this sluggish economy.

When you look at the data it is evident that manufacturing has all the right stats to power growth in our economy. The higher wages paid versus service sector jobs ($17k per year) and the number of companies supported in the supply chain for every manufacturer (multiplier effect of a $1.50 per $1 spent) just to name just a few.

On the flip side of all this positive talk about how manufacturing will drive our economic recovery is another reality — the vast skills gap facing all manufacturers in America.

For manufacturing to exist in this country it has to be highly automated and on the cutting-edge of technology. These changes are driving the need for a manufacturing worker that is different from decades past. While much is written about the need for a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) based education, school districts and states are not hearing the message.

In February of this year, The State Board of Education decided California eighth-graders will no longer be required to take Algebra 1... This is taking our children’s education in the wrong direction! We're losing focus on STEM, but is it the silver bullet we hope it is? Many people are coming forward now saying that advanced manufacturing needs more than just STEM focused lessons. What's missing? Art.

STEAM (science, technology, engineering, ARTS, and mathematics) may seem to be an unlikely pairing but it is not as strange as you may think.

Innovation requires a creative mind and what better training ground than the arts to open up the realms of creativity? For example, 3D and additive technologies require the ability to create in multiple dimensions. But I caution how we build a STEAM based curriculum — it troubles me to see so many graduates earning degrees without practical application skills needed to make them employable.

America at one time had one of the best educational systems in the world. Even with the decline of the system, we're still leaders in innovation and the entrepreneurial spirit. We must find a way to bring STEAM based curriculum to our K-12 system, and it is critical that we make these programs engaging and hands-on. FIRST robotics is a great example. Together, we need to push our kids to think creatively and scientifically at an early age.

Then, we have to continue supplying the most current STEAM based knowledge to our universities and community college systems. We need to show the world how this can be done, and that it can be done. For if we can excel at solving this challenge, America will be able to STEAMroll the rest of the world.

What Were Your Keywords For 2012?

I recently heard Dr. Leslie Hewitt speak at my WPO (Women Presidents' Organization) retreat. She proposed an interesting concept: “What would be your SEO?” Since I’m a social technology junkie, she immediately had my attention. If Google’s algorithms were scanning my thoughts and actions for 2012, what would be my top key words? So here goes! A quick brainstorm of what I think my top keywords and phrases would be for 2012: 

• Sales 

  

  Credit: twitter.com/THEUNlVERSE

• Linear motion 
• Strategic Plan 
• Manufacturing 
• Technology 
• Social media 
• Skills gap 
• Technical education 
• Travel 
• Food 
• Wine (a girl has to have some fun) 
• NAM 
• CMTA 
• Strategic Coach 
• PTDA 
• AHTD 
• California 
• STEM 
• FIRST Robotics 
• Education 
• WPO 
• Dogs 
• Cats 

So then, I Googled myself. Here is how close I got (though some of this was for activity prior to 2012). Top terms from the first two pages:

• Bishop-Wisecarver (how could I forget this?!) 
• ATX West 
• Photos of food and wine 
• CMTA 
• Women’s Initiative 
• State Workforce Board 
• Manufacturing 
• California 
• AHTD 
• Science and engineering 
• Skills gap 

So, I wasn’t too far off. I think what is important is that you are putting thoughts and energy towards those things that you care most about into the world. It is another way to reflect on your impact in the world and the goals you have achieved.

I then thought about what our WPO facilitator, Allison Tabor, challenged us to do at the end of our retreat. She asked us to define our theme for the year (view Allison's outline of a simple process in her December newsletter). This makes perfect sense to me. I must define my theme in order to drive strategies and targets for my keywords. Thinking about the 2013 goals of my company, I know my theme has to have something to do with speed, innovation, growth, and leadership. I read a blog today that referenced the mantra of, “Move fast and break things” — that’s cool and I like that it implies taking risks and being willing to fail and learn. I am always a sucker for a good alliteration so the words fast and flexible came to mind right away.

Then I thought about the need to have a futuristic viewpoint. We need fresh ideas and that requires a failure-friendly culture. This all adds up to a rough draft of keywords: be fast, flexible, futuristic, fresh, and failure-friendly.

After defining these key words I then headed off to another retreat (my third in three weeks) for my WPO Platinum group. Guess what — our subject of discussion was creating our theme for 2013! I think the universe is trying to tell me something. I left my retreat with a really exciting theme - Pioneering the New Frontier of Manufacturing in America. I then broke this theme into two parts an internal focus that really impacts the strategic plan of my company and an external focus that is more about how I spend my time outside of the company involved in political, educational and manufacturing focused activities.

Looking at it all I am really excited. I think my keywords are supportive and vital to the success of my theme. It all appears to fit together. I’ll know if it was all successful come January 2014 when I am looking back over the year.

Also, I wonder if there is any value in wrapping this into the 360˚ review process? Would my team’s feedback align with my theme and keywords? I see them as my internal search engine.

I would love to hear about your “keywords” or “theme” for 2013. As I progress in the new year, I am definitely going to be much more conscious of my SEO, for as the saying goes, “Careful what you ask for, the universe usually delivers.”

Seriously? We Needed Research to Tell Us Kids Can Think?!

Credit: SF Chronicle

Sitting in seat 15C on United on my way to Chicago I scanned the November 27, 2012 issue of the San Francisco Chronicle during takeoff (thanks for the free paper, ParkSFO). My eyes were immediately drawn to the front page story headline, “Preschoolers are Junior Scientists – Analyzing Cues, TestingHypothesis” by Stephanie M. Lee. The article highlighted recent studies and research debunking the concept that “children roughly the ages of two through seven cannot understand concrete logic or other people’s perspectives”. Huh?

Okay, full disclosure, I do not have kids, but I do have six nieces and nephews and I have been a trustee of a school — have these researchers never been around kids before?! Anyone who has spent time around a two or three year old is very familiar with their incessant “why?” questions realizes that their sole goal is to understand the perspectives of others and the reality of what is happening around them.

This article then went on to state, sit down for this, that when kids were left to figure things out themselves, this is a real shocker, they actually did!  This held true even if the item in question was a mechanical challenge. WOW! So glad we spent money on that study. They then went on to state that when the solution was shown to the kids, they just mimicked the solution versus getting creative — another mind blowing result… seriously?!

This, in a nutshell, is the problem with our K-12 education. Our educational system actually believes it is best to lead students versus creating an environment that allows children to actually learn. It is sad to me that this experiment was a surprise to researchers, discovering that children are “able to ponder their own actions, are also capable or weighing the action of others.”

Isn’t the whole scientific process based on the ability to ponder and hypothesize? That’s what kids do every day — they wonder and they rationalize possibilities. Why are we NOT nurturing this in our children? Why would we not think that the human mind has this capacity from the start?

The organization FIRST gets it. For the last four years I have participated as a sponsor of the FIRST robotics competitions as a supplier to the kit of parts as well as sponsoring local high school teams. The success of the FIRST model is so great and has so much impact they now provide competitions for children starting in Kindergarten with the Junior FIRST Lego league. Yep, the same kids these researchers felt could not understand logic or other’s perspectives.

The best part of the article for me is when they admit to how inexpensive it was to create this type of environment in the classroom… I really hope this research is a wake up call to our all our educators.

Bridging the Manufacturing Skills Gap

I was very interested to see a recent opinion article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) written by Brad Smith who is an Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Microsoft. The piece ran on Friday October 19, 2012 and was entitled “How to Reduce America’s Talent Deficit”.

Credit: servicesphere.com

The article caught my attention for a couple of reasons. Those of you who follow me through social media and my blog know that I am very passionate about career technical education as well as Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education within the K-12 system. I have recently been appointed by Governor Brown to the California Workforce Investment Board (CWIB) and I am eager to help make a positive impact on the development of the workforce in my state of California. My attention was piqued at first due to the article being written by someone from Microsoft. Why? Because as a manufacturer of linear motion products located in the East Bay I am constantly competing for talent against the Silicon Valley. I was really shocked to read that many of my challenges in finding skilled employees are the same as those experienced by Microsoft.

Like Microsoft, we have had positions remain open for months and months. My assumption was that I was losing out on talent to the Silicon Valley, but now I see that the problem is far worse than I originally thought — it is a systemic failure of our current educational system.

How have we created such a disconnect between our educational institutions and the needs of business? I find it troubling that we are not graduating students with the skill sets that actually make them employable.  As Mr. Smith writes in his article, “Thus the economy faces a paradox. Too many Americans can’t find jobs, yet too many companies can’t fill open positions.”

Mr. Smith calls for a national “Race to the Future” that would provide funding and incentives for states to:

• Strengthen STEM in grade schools by recruiting and training teachers to the Common Core Standards and the Next Generation Science Standards.
• Broaden access to computer science in high schools. For manufacturing jobs this has to also include opportunities for hands on learning that reinforces a STEM education. Programs such as FIRST robotics need to be available in every school.
• Help colleges and universities raise their graduation rates. I think this does not address the fact that an alarming percentage of students never even make it to a four year college. In the state of California we now experience close to a 30% drop out rate from our high schools. We need to focus on graduating students from high school before we worry about college. There also needs to be strong financial support for our community colleges and acknowledge them for their role in training our workforce with technology specific skills. Career technical education is becoming more and more advanced each day in parallel with the increase in technology and automation that is occurring in today’s manufacturing facilities.
• Expand the capacity of our colleges to produce more STEM focused degrees.

I couldn't agree more! But one big issue that Mr. Smith is not addressing in the last bullet point is that you can only offer STEM related degrees when there are enough people interested in those programs. When being an engineer is not highly valued in our country and it is a struggle to get students to enroll in a class with the word "manufacturing" in it (see my blog from October 29, 2012), no wonder we can’t produce enough degreed and skilled workers to satisfy our industry needs.

I would love to get your feedback on this subject. I feel this is a true crisis facing our country and the state of California. As I fulfill my duties on the CWIB and as chair of the California Manufacturer’s and Technology Association (CMTA) I want to make sure I'm championing for efforts with the most direct impact on the needs of industry that will get the most people employed.

When Did Manufacturing Become a Dirty Word?

I was recently asked to join a regional panel at the RFI (Request For Information) Workshop on Building the National Network for Manufacturing Innovation at the Beckman Center at UC Irvine. Don Norman, member if the National Academy of Engineering, co-founder of the Nielsen Norman Group, and author of “The Design of Everyday Things” gave one of the welcoming talks at the start of the workshop. One of the stories he shared with the group was particularly troubling and it deeply saddened me.

Norman told us that Northwestern University had a graduate program titled, “Master of Management and Manufacturing”.  If you were to search for this program now you would only find it listed as MMM. In fact, finding the word manufacturing on their website is difficult. At MIT they took similar action, changing a joint program with the Sloan Business School now known as LGO (Leaders for Global Operations). In both scenarios the enrollment for these programs INCREASED after the word manufacturing was dropped from the program name. The word manufacturing has such negative connotations that it is avoided in marketing educational programs.

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Infographic, 5 Myths Debunked

What has happened in our country to make our next generation so turned off by the word manufacturing?

1. Its Dirty. Too many kids and their parents still see manufacturing as a “dirty” job.  This is far from true, especially in the state of California. Environmental, health and safety laws have created clean and safe work environments. Our facilities lead the world.  The rise of lean and continuous improvement cultures have made many manufacturing facilities almost clean enough to eat off the floor (I say this with the five-second rule in mind).
2. It’s Dumb. Wrong! Manufacturing drives the majority of innovation and R&D investment in our country. Manufactures are leading the way in new technologies and the design and development of products that improve our daily lives and the welfare of people around the world. If you want to be on the cutting edge, then you want a job in manufacturing.
3. It’s Boring. Images of the Henry Ford assembly line still exist in many minds. We have come a long way, baby! In fact, manufacturers like myself now have trouble finding the skilled workforce needed to run the type of state-of-the-art technology machines we now have on our production floors. Making chips fly takes brains and skill.
4. It’s Cheap. Wrong again! Manufacturing jobs on average pay 20K higher than service sector jobs. Manufacturing jobs are the back bone of a strong middle class.
5. It’s Dead. Excuse me? When is the world going to stop consuming? Why do we think manufacturing is a thing of the past when we as a nation are the largest consumer of goods in the world? The face of manufacturing may be changing in the US but it is far from dead. Just look at the DYI craze and the rise of the Maker Faire phenomena. Just thinking about the impact that additive manufacturing will have over the next decade is mind blowing.

I am happy to see that both presidential candidates are at least uttering the “M” word. But in my book, neither has really given manufacturing the credit it deserves for the role it plays in a strong US economy.

The Impact of Uncertainty

League of Women Voters

I dread presidential elections. It’s not just the endless chatter of political talking heads making news out of nothing that drives me crazy, it’s the impact it has on my business at Bishop-Wisecarver.

Every four years about this time, I start to hear the same story over and over from my sales team: Customers hesitate to place orders because of “uncertainty” in the market.

I get the fact that businesses don't like uncertainty, but I struggle to really reconcile why not knowing who the president will be prevents people from conducting business.

I often wonder if we tend to create our own reality around this concept. Are there so many messages in the media about uncertainty and fear that people overreact?

Do you see this type of “uncertainty” affecting your company? If you're a job seeker, has this been used as a reason to not hire at this time? How “uncertain” is the current state of affairs in your industry? Will getting past the November elections make a difference for your business? Tell me what you think in the comment box.