How to Choose and Begin a Six Sigma Project
Posted by: meikah | 29 March 2010 | 11:02 pm
In several Six Sigma workshops that I’ve been to, the most common question that participants ask during the open forum is how to begin a Six Sigma project.
Not many actually know how to begin despite the available mountain of info about DMAIC, statistical tools, among other things. So, I’m sharing here a first of a series of how-to’s. I stumbled upon this article on eHow.com. The article cites six ways to begin a Six Sigma project:
- Train the team. Train executives, champions, black belts and green belts. Training takes up to four months as a black belt and employees will often need to leave their daily duties.
- Define an opportunity. Decide what is most important for the customer. Collect any background information pertaining to the process.
- Collect data to measure the performance of the process. Use parameters set when the opportunity was defined.
- Use statistical tools to analyze the data. Use the procedures learned during Six Sigma training.
- Implement solutions. Use what was learned from data analysis. All levels of the team need to support the solutions and believe in them.
- Check the improvements. Don’t take anything for granted. Don’t get frustrated because progress is slow.
But the crucial part actually before beginning a Six Sigma project is choosing a project. This is often asked, too: how do we choose a project?
For that, I suggest the following:
- Evaluate your existing processes. Find out which of the process works, which slows down the whole system, or which process is repetitive. Those that don’t work is a good candidate for a Six Sigma project.
- Do a value stream mapping. The basic idea behind Value Stream Mapping is this: if the underlying process is right, the outcome will be reliable. To get the process right, you have to understand the sequence of activities that provide value to your customers. In other words, it tells you if you are reaching your customer and are satisfying them. After all, it’s the customer who is in the best position to tell you if you are successful or not in your business.
Filed under: Deployment, Six Sigma, Six Sigma References
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Six Sigma Review: A Fresh View of Six Sigma Data and Tools
Posted by: meikah | 2 December 2009 | 9:34 pm
David Hallowell, writing for iSixSigma, encourages Six Sigma practitioners to create a fresh view of Six Sigma data and tools.
David says that this fresh view will help practitioners get a broader understanding of Six Sigma and how it can be applied to processes, especially when you are dealing with new situations.
Read: Creating a Fresh View of Six Sigma Data and Tools
Filed under: Six Sigma, Six Sigma Jobs, Six Sigma Organizations, Six Sigma Professionals, Six Sigma References
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Six Sigma Forum: The Next Step to Transformation
Posted by: meikah | 28 September 2009 | 9:17 pm
Through this Leadership Circle, ISSSP and Software AG will provide a forum where senior leaders in Six Sigma, Lean, and Process, and IT can discuss transformation, along with critical issues and opportunities that face deployments today. Specifically, we will:
- Discuss and share ideas for leveraging the tools, techniques and methodologies of these disciplines for greater synergy
- Explore with peers and industry leaders how might craft a programmatic approach
- Discover best practices, anecdotes, and examples for achieving this leverage;
- Network with a special interest group
- Take away practical ideas that you can implement immediately
Filed under: IT, Lean, Six Sigma, Six Sigma Organizations, Six Sigma References
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Orica and Lean Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 18 August 2009 | 8:54 pm
Orica launched Lean Six Sigma and applied it to acquisition integration. Here’s a short presentation of how Lean Six Sigma supplied the focus, structure, and discipline to deliver the promised benefits of acquired businesses.
View it here.
Source:
Six Sigma Zone
Filed under: Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma, Six Sigma Organizations, Six Sigma References
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SixSig Reference Feature: The 5 Key Facets of Quality Leadership
Posted by: meikah | 29 June 2009 | 5:56 pm
You all know about quality methodologies, such as Six Sigma, and you try to use all of them or in combination to improve processes in our organizations.
However, you also notice that not all organizations are succeeding in their chosen quality methodologies. Perhaps, because a methodology can only do so much. It is still the people behind those methodologies who can make it work or not. That is why it’s crucial that you choose the good, if not the best, people to be on the team.
BNET shares a good article on the five key facets of quality leadership. And each quality spells F.A.C.E.T. 
- Focus
- Authenticity
- Courage
- Empathy
- Timing
*Photo from Stock.Xchng
Filed under: Leadership, Quality, Six Sigma References, Team Dynamics
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The Data Aspect in Six Sigma
Posted by: meikah | 25 June 2009 | 6:55 pm
Data is important to your Six Sigma initiative. Thus, if you are thinking of going into Six Sigma, you better learn how to gather and interpret data at the very least.
Oracle put out a white paper titled, Increasing Return on Investment with Data Services.
As the number of applications and platforms generating data increases, so does an organization’s need to give users access to that data through a unified, standard system compatible with multiple interfaces. Oracle Data Service Integrator is a powerful solution that allows organizations to build data services that unify business processes and data for easier use and improved customer service.
Filed under: Data, Data Analysis, Data Quality, Six Sigma, Six Sigma References
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SixSig Reference Feature: Case Study on Best Organization Achievement in Lean Enterprise Improvement by Avis Budget Group
Posted by: meikah | 1 June 2009 | 3:30 am
Avis Budget Group’s (ABG) operating divisions include the vehicle rental operations of Avis Rent A Car, Budget Rent A Car, and Budget Truck Rental. ABG operates these brands in the Americas, the Caribbean, Australia, and New Zealand. Total 2007 revenues were $6 billion, 78 percent of which comes from U.S. car operations. Avis Budget has an extended global reach that includes approximately 6,900 car and truck locations operating more than 425,000 vehicles. In 2007, the organization completed more than 28 million vehicle rental transactions worldwide.
Filed under: Avis, Lean, Six Sigma References
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Avis Budget Group: Winner of the Best Organizational Achievement in Lean Enterprise Improvement
Posted by: meikah | 26 April 2009 | 8:36 pm
This is a case history of how Avis Budget Group was on their way to realize $100 million saved in 2008 through Lean and Six Sigma.
In March, senior management approached David Myers, Vice President of Financial Planning and Analysis, to take on a new full-time responsibility and lead this effort as global deployment leader, and to bring in outside help to expedite process improvements using tools such as Lean and Six Sigma. The objective was to develop an implementation plan to improve company-wide profits by $100 to $150 million in two or three years while maintaining or improving the quality of ABG customer service.
Filed under: Lean, Lean Six Sigma, Six Sigma, Six Sigma Organizations, Six Sigma References
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Preparing for Six Sigma et al Certification Exams
Posted by: meikah | 21 April 2009 | 9:52 pm
I get emails and questions asking advice on how to prepare for certification exams, and if I know of books that could help them prepare.
Viola!
ASQ is releasing handbooks to help you and other quality professionals prepare for certification in 14 of ASQ’s existing certifications, including Quality Auditor, Quality Engineer, and Six Sigma Black Belt. A handbook for Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE) will be released this summer.
ASQ members can receive discounts on handbooks, which retail from $69 to $139, depending on the certification topic. Handbook pricing and order information can be found by contacting ASQ Customer Care at 1-800-248-1946. For a complete list of ASQ certifications, check THIS out.
Source:
Reliable Plant
Filed under: ASQ, Certification, Quality, Six Sigma, Six Sigma References
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SixSig Reference Feature: Manufacturers Satisfy Customers Through DMAIC
Posted by: meikah | 10 March 2009 | 9:47 pm
In a continuous process manufacturing facility, nearly 80 percent of downtime on high-speed packaging lines comes from minor stoppages which are generally caused by inconsistency of physical characteristics in the products being produced on the line. These minor stoppages can significantly affect product quality and negatively affect profit margin. By effectively following the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) process and Six Sigma tools, manufacturers can satisfy customers’ quality standards while boosting profitability targets with improved raw material utilization. In his article, Chong, advocates the use of both lean and six sigma tools to expedite the “define and measure” phase into one short week of focused activity. Learn about Chong’s approach and see how several companies are using the DMAIC process to take thousands of dollars back to the bottom line.
