ASQ Phoenix April 9, 2026 Program Meeting – Virtual
6:00pm – 8:00pm Phoenix (UTC: -7)
AGENDA: All times are Phoenix (MST):
6:00 PM – Welcome
6:05 PM – Brief Announcements
6: 15 PM – Guest Speaker Presentation
7:15 PM – Q&A and Networking
7:45 PM – Phoenix Section Business
8:00 PM – Adjourn
TOPIC: Don't Panic, Pivot | Managing Critical Issues To Prevent Crisis
ABSTRACT: How organizations respond to problems is shaped by many factors, but the most critical is their commitment to continuous learning a growth mindset. This mindset drives the development of disciplined problem-solving practices, effective communication, centralized knowledge systems, and operational efficiency. It’s not just about reacting to problems; it’s about building the capacity to learn from them.
Broadly speaking, companies fall into three categories when it comes to issue resolution:
· Ad hoc responders: These companies address problems reactively, with little structure, minimal discipline, and inconsistent effort.
· Structured but inconsistent: These companies possess tools and knowledge for systematic problem-solving but lack the rigor and consistency in execution, resulting in mediocre outcomes.
· Disciplined problem solvers: These are the companies that combine structured methodologies with disciplined execution. They consistently deliver results because their systems are built on a foundation of quality, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Great companies aspire to be in the third category. They understand that excellence in issue management requires both the right skillset and the ability to execute with intent.
The objective of this presentation is to share a framework for critical issue management that integrates technical rigor with execution discipline. The closest analogy is that of a master chef. Having the finest ingredients means little without knowledge on how, when, and in what sequence to combine the ingredients to produce a culinary delight. Success lies not just in the ingredients or the tools, but in having a process that allows extracting maximum benefit from the ingredients using the existing tools.
Drawing on five decades of experience in the microelectronics industry, particularly in product development, manufacturing, reliability and crisis prevention, we’ve refined issue management approach that we present in our book, Don’t Panic, Pivot, as the structured 9-6TM framework. Following this framework in a consistent manner will help companies achieve cost avoidance, operational efficiency and brand name preservation.
We will share nine essential ingredients that underpin effective issue management, followed by a six-step execution model grounded in common sense and pragmatism. Any company that develops or manufactures products and wants their customers to love their products and brand, will benefit from the 9-6TM framework. We’re confident that the framework you will learn in this presentation will help you as individuals and organizations elevate your critical issue management approach and strengthen systems that prevent crises. The presentation will use relevant examples across different industries to illustrate these points, especially how a structured approach helps systematically solve problems, accelerates learning from past mistakes, and ultimately strengthens organizational resilience.
SPEAKERS: Shubhada Sahasrabudhe and Shalabh Tandon
QuRIuS Consulting: www.quriusllc.com
Book : DON'T PANIC, PIVOT: MANAGING CRITICAL ISSUES TO PREVENT CRISES: Tandon Ph.D., Shalabh, Sahasrabudhe, Shubhada: 9798266274617: Amazon.com: Books
BIO: Shubhada Sahasrabudhe is a dynamic and impact-driven senior technical leader with a distinguished career in the field of quality and reliability (Q&R). She is the co-founder of QuRIuS LLC focusing on enabling companies reach Q&R excellence through engineering and organizational leadership mentoring. Prior to this, she served as a Principal Engineer at Intel Corporation. In that role, she partnered with global cross-functional stakeholders, building teams to bring focus on customer satisfaction, structured problem-solving, and data-driven decisions that translate into quality excellence. She has received many awards including 2021 ASME Woman Engineer Award and Intel Achievement Award, Intel's highest internal recognition. She has 9 patents in semiconductor technology and over 30 publications. Beyond her corporate contributions, Shubhada is committed to talent development and thought leadership. She delivers professional courses at international conferences and universities.
She holds a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and has expertise in science-based reliability modeling, product quality testing methods and power-performance-reliability optimization methods. With over 25 years of experience in the semiconductor domain, she has been instrumental in shaping industry-wide quality frameworks, advancing technological innovation, and spearheading initiatives to strengthen customer engagements by aligning emerging technologies with adoption strategies.
BIO: Shalabh Tandon is a seasoned technical leader with expertise in microelectronics manufacturing, specializing in the quality and reliability (Q&R) of semiconductor products. Shalabh is the co-founder of QuRIuS LLC focusing on enabling companies achieve quality and reliability excellence through technical and leadership mentoring. Prior to this, he served as the Sr. Director at Intel Corporation in various roles related to product and platform qualification. Over nearly three decades at Intel, he held pivotal leadership roles to transform quality and reliability of products, and critical issue management consistently delivering engineering rigor aligned to meet strategic business imperatives.
His career is defined by leading organizations through complex technical challenges with far-reaching implications for product functionality, quality and security. Known for his ability to navigate ambiguity in high-pressure environments, Shalabh is a trusted advisor to senior executives and technical fellows alike. Earning a PhD in Polymer Science and Engineering, Shalabh has directed multidisciplinary teams to optimize polymers and composites in highly constrained geometries. Beyond his technical leadership, Shalabh is a problem solver, educator, and advocate for structured problem solving. His work has helped organizations evolve from reactive troubleshooting to proactive behaviors where quality is not just a deliverable, but a cultural cornerstone to make organizations resilient.
LOCATION: via Zoom
COST: Free. Open to all.
We will be using Zoom Meeting to broadcast the April 9, 2026, ASQ Phoenix monthly Program meeting. Register in advance for this meeting:
Zoom registration link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIod-qpqz8vEtFYBJ-Hb6hBB3gLupnqrlFg
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom containing the actual meeting link and information about joining the meeting, as well as the option to save the event details to your calendar. Save the confirmation email with the meeting JOIN button.