There have been varying reactions to the claim that Six Sigma stifles creativity and therefore hinders innovation. My stand remains that Six Sigma can actually propel innovation but only when the the company and its Six Sigma team know how to leverage Six Sigma to their advantage.
The latest organization that attests to the successful combination of Six Sigma and innovation is the Starwood Hotels. An article over at BusinessWeek Online, Starwood group claims that Six Sigma doesn’t have to stifle creativity, instead it helps them develop profitable new programs for guests.
The Starwood group started adopting Six Sigma in 2006 with the Westin Chicago River North hotel’s Unwind project for the upscale hotel chain. In a survey, Westin found out that 34% of frequent travelers feel lonely away from home. To address this finding, the hotel launched a program that would come up with a set of nightly activities that would draw guests out of their rooms and into the lobby where they could meet, mingle, and develop a greater loyalty to the hotel group.
The results were amazing. Six Sigma inspires more creativity to the famous hotel chain as concepts are quickly carried out. Now, if Starwood can do it, why can’t the others?
Source:
BusinessWeek Online, an iSixSigma featured link
