Six Sigma Not the Be-all and End-all at 3M
Posted by: meikah | 19 November 2007 | 12:31 am
A few months back, there was some controversy over innovation and Six Sigma, and that some say never the twain shall meet. Some quarters say, Six Sigma stifle creativity or innovation, others say Six Sigma improves innovation.
Perhaps the company that is most associated with innovation and creativity is 3M. For years, too, we know that 3M has been an advocate of Six Sigma, until a new leadership says otherwise.
In my previoous post, I even hinted that 3M should not abandon Six Sigma at all in favor of innovation. Now, an article on Design News says that 3M will not be using Six Sigma on its R&D efforts, and probably for good measure.
The new chief at 3M, George Buckley is not an anti-Six Sigma guy. In fact, he’s a strong proponent of lean Six Sigma in manufacturing and supply chain. However, for 3M, he believes that Six Sigma will find better use for transactional activities rather than for research and development.
Further, 3M will still be using Six Sigma DOE routinely in basic research and 3M researchers still use elements of DMAIC toolset. In fact, 58,000 projects at 3M have used some element of DMAIC and more than 55,000 3M employees have achieved the minimum level “Green Belt” training since the year 2000.
Source:
Design News, a Six Sigma Zone featured link
*Photo from Stock.Xchng
Filed under: Manufacturing, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma Organizations, 3M, R&D, DMAIC, Innovation
2 Comments |
RealInnovation Speaks About Six Sigma and Innovation as Natural Partners
Posted by: meikah | 3 September 2007 | 11:42 pm
All the talk about Six Sigma and innovation, Real Innovation has the answer, too. The article emphasizes that innovation efforts should be incorporated into Six Sigma right at the beginning of any Six Sigma initiative.
How to do it?
While innovation is most visible at the point in a project when solution ideas are generated, the coupling with Six Sigma begins much earlier, at the fuzzy front end. Outlining roadmap connections and sharing some proven tips can help drive creativity Six Sigma projects.
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Deployment, Innovation
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Six Sigma Inspires Creativity at Starwood Hotels
Posted by: meikah | 2 September 2007 | 8:34 pm
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
Filed under: Benefits and Savings, Six Sigma Organizations, Deployment, iSixSigma, Innovation, Hotels, Starwood Hotels
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Innovation of the Week: Mind Mapping or “Personal Brain”
Posted by: meikah | 31 August 2007 | 1:25 am
Are you facing a complex task and you seem to be getting nowhere at organizing all your thoughts? Well, Mind Mapping, otherwise known as “Personal Brain” could be the answer.
According to TechNewsWorld Product Review, Mind Mapping software is hot!
Mind mapping, for the uninitiated, is a visual method for organizing ideas — a sort of project management tool for the mind. It often involves lots of thoughts in “bubbles” connected by lines.
The language used to describe the elements of a mind map — root idea, children, siblings, etc. — parallels that used by software outliners, except mind maps don’t have the rigid vertical form outlines have. Mind maps have an air of horizontal chaos about them.
Filed under: Tools/Toolkits, Innovation Update, Innovation, Project Management
1 Comment |
Peter Pande’s Take on Six Sigma and Innovation
Posted by: meikah | 29 August 2007 | 7:44 pm
If you hadn’t had enough of the Six Sigma vs. Innovation, you might want to listen to this podcast.
In this eight-minute podcast, Six Sigma leader and consultant Peter Pande responds to the ongoing debate on Six Sigma vs. Innovation. Pande explores how innovation and efforts to improve business processes can compliment one another.
Source:
PharmaManufacturing.com, a Six Sigma Zone featured link
Filed under: Six Sigma References, Innovation, Peter Pande
1 Comment |
Design for Six Sigma at Daimler-Chrysler
Posted by: meikah | 20 August 2007 | 9:14 pm
During a DaimlerChrysler Black Belt symposium, Harry Flotemersch, a certified DaimlerChrysler Master Black Belt and structured innovation leader, says that the company’s long-term project is to lead the integration of structured innovation methodologies into their DFSS, problem solving and transactional (business processes) programs.
To accomplish this, Flotemersch is doing the following:
- overseeing dual-level mapping innovation
- employs the following DFSS tools: quality function deployment, taguchi robust optimization, finite element analysis, FMEA, computer-aided engineering, axiomatic design, multigenerational product planning, and design verification and report
He further says, “As we all get better at making subsystems and components that are created with strong connection to the needs and wants of the customer, our focus will shift to the vehicle system as a whole. This “vehicle-centric” perspective is already emerging in our industry. New tools/methods that help us consider millions of aspects of the vehicle as a system, and still offer it in a timely fashion for our customers will be in demand.”
Source: 6 Sigma Quality in Manufacturing
Filed under: Manufacturing, Six Sigma Organizations, Deployment, Innovation, DFSS, Chrysler, Daimler-Chrysler
1 Comment |
Innovation of the Week: Nokia’s Global Design Sense
Posted by: meikah | 17 August 2007 | 4:01 am
Nokia’s global design sense has undoubtedly put the company in the lead.
In a nutshell, the global design is making cellular phones that customers can really use wherever or whoever they are.
BusinessWeek Online reports:
Nokia (NOK) is looking to add 2 billion new users by the end of the decade by reaching out to emerging markets, including China, Brazil, Indonesia, Africa, and India (see BusinessWeek.com, 8/6/07, “Nokia Wins with Wide-Angle Vision”).
Nokia operates nine satellite design studios located within targeted nations where researchers and designers work to customize its approach to each market, blending macro trends with micro insights. A new studio was just announced in Bangalore, India; others already operate within China and Brazil.
Filed under: Six Sigma Organizations, Software/Technology, Telecommunications, Innovation Update, Nokia, Innovation
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Six Sigma Fun and Games on SecondLife.com
Posted by: meikah | 2 August 2007 | 8:24 pm
Six Sigma comes to the phenomenal 3-D virtual world SecondLife.com.
Specializing in Lean Six Sigma instructional technology, MoreSteam.com launched a new 3-D virtual campus in Second Life. According to the news, the goal is to bring a new dimension to lean Six Sigma learning and collaboration.
The 3-D learning lab allows teams to meet within the virtual world to conduct live virtual experi ments. Team members attend More-Steam’s virtual campus by creating an avatar to represent their physical presence. The campus learning lab incorporates an “avapult,” a catapult used to hurl a designated team member at a sticky wall target while attempting to avoid hazards such as flames, thorn bushes, alligators, and giant dragonflies.
Participants in the virtual lab communicate via text messaging or conference calls. The virtual lab provides an opportunity to learn by doing — to practice design of experiments in a simulated environment, determine which inputs to the avapult are significant, and what the optimal settings are. This process represents the central Y = f(X) calculation found in Lean Six Sigma projects. Read more…
I have yet to check out the virtual campus, but my initial reaction is that this is indeed an interesting development. It puts e-learning, especially Six Sigma training, to a higher level.
Source:
Quality Digest, a Six Sigma Zone featured link.
Filed under: Lean Six Sigma, Training, Software/Technology, Innovation, MoreSteam.com
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Six Sigma and Innovation
Posted by: meikah | 15 July 2007 | 8:00 pm
There’s still much controversy about Six Sigma and innovation. Many companies, 3M being the most vocal and probably popular, are saying that Six Sigma and innovation counters each other out.
3M, which has been the most innovative company for years, allegedly stopped innovating when it adopted Six Sigma. I still could not fathom the reason for not being able to mix successfully Six Sigma and innovation.
Perhaps, those companies that have successfully implemented Six Sigma and and pursued innovation should speak up to end this debate once and for all.
The best venue for this kind of forum is IQPC’s Process for Innovation event on August 21-22, 2007 in The Gleacher Center, Chicago. The event will tackle this question and offers a structure for Innovation. This exclusive forum has been designed for leading Six Sigma and Innovation experts to discuss the practicalities of implementing Innovation across an organization alongside Six Sigma.
Check out the event and share with us what you have learned.
Related story:
How Six Sigma Improves Innovation
Filed under: Lean Six Sigma, Events/Announcements, Innovation Update, 3M, Innovation
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Innovation of the Week: Robotic Limbs Myomo e100
Posted by: meikah | 13 July 2007 | 12:22 am
We take a lot of things for granted. Perhaps one of those that we take for granted is our ability to move our body or flex our limbs. Some people are deprived of these though either by birth or some other stroke of mishap.
Mary O’Regan is one of them. She suffered a stroke after falling off a dirt bike, recovered from it, but never regained use of her left arm. Well, thanks to the latest in robotics, handicapped now has chances of being able to use their limbs.
New York Times Online - Health Section reports:
The Myomo e100 is designed to help stroke patients regain motion in their arms. The device, worn as an arm brace, works by sensing weak electrical activity in patients’ arm muscles and providing just enough assistance that they can complete simple exercises, like lifting boxes or flipping on light switches. By practicing such tasks, patients may begin to relearn how to extend and flex the arm, rebuilding and strengthening neurological pathways in the process.
