6 Sigma Online

Ever since Motorola Oil developed its "six sigma" program in 1986, businesses from all different areas, including General Electric and Honeywell, have been applying it. Its two objectives are (1) to pinpoint the causes of errors, and (2) to maximize consistency in business and manufacturing procedures. The six sigma methodology is abbreviated as DMAIC, which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control; it will be examined below. (There is another form of six sigma methodology, abbreviated as DMADV or DFSS, but it will not be discussed here.)

This article is concerned most specifically with VOC (voice of the customer) as it pertains to the six sigma program. VOC refers to the process of figuring out why customers respond as they do, and adjusting one's business best practices accordingly. Thus, the five elements of its methodology can be elaborated as follows:

• - Define the problem from the customer's perspective.
• - Measure the amount of customer satisfaction.
• - Analyze what the customer requires.
• - Improve the required areas, selecting and prioritizing them.
• - Control company performance so as to improve customer response.

VOC involves a number of practices, some of which are stated in company policy forms, and others unstated. Companies conduct customer surveys, interview them, hold discussions with them, conduct "focus groups," study and analyze customer histories, and even note their tones of voice when they make phone calls. And in recent years, the rise of the weblog has provided a new outlet for VOC operations: Employees and customers communicate their opinions with each other online by means of them.

As an example of a success story, Honeywell recently shifted from six sigma to VOC over a period of three years; they have even set up their own VOC/VOM (Voice of Market) system that supports "company- wide learning" and coordinates business actions from start to finish.

VOC is an invaluable method of studying and responding to customer behavior. By applying its principles, companies can increase the likelihood that a given customer will come back for more— and possibly even recommend the business to friends, resulting in an even larger clientele and more revenue. It is therefore imperative that businesses adopt it as part of their methods of operation, for, as the old adage goes, "The customer is always right."

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Many have been told that they can’t manage a business if they don’t have an MBA hanging on the wall but many, actually most, businesses actually pay little mind to the degree that their managers’ hold. There are many different reasons for this but for the most part it is because all the degrees in the world don’t teach a person common sense and this by far is one of the most essential aspects of business management.

While there are many methodologies, training classes, and even universities that can teach the ins and outs of management, even the largest of companies have found that those who don’t hold a degree can be just as, if not even more effective managers, than those who hold a four year business management degree. The hands on learning is only a small portion of what a good manager needs to know.

A good manager is one that can first and foremost relate to people. He is a person who can get along well with others and that easily commands respect. A manager is not usually bossy because a bossy employee is not usually one that commands respect. Leaders are born, not made, as the saying goes and those who know how to lead just know how. They don’t need excessive training or know how they just need to have an innate sense of dealing with people and a fair dose of common sense about how to do their job and run a business.

Once these skills are attained an individual can run just about any business. Business management is very broad and this can help a person change companies or industries without too many difficulties, because essentially running a business is something that is pretty standard across the board.

Most businesses these days will say that they require a business degree, however, they usually will be more than happy to move up an employee who is hard working and respected by their co-workers into a managerial position. This is mostly because they already have a proven track record that someone off the street, degree in hand, simply doesn’t.

With or without a degree or even any formalized training, those who make the best managers are those who are willing to do what it takes to get the job done. They are the best employees who not only understand the company’s goals but the plight of the common employee as well.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

There are a lot of differences between six sigma and TMQ techniques. The first difference is what each technique focuses on. The Six Sigma technique focuses on the goals of the company and figures that in with the cost and schedule. The TQM Technique focuses on the quality of the products. The second difference is what motivates the company when they are using these techniques. While using the Six Sigma technique , the company will be motivated by their stockholders. Then with the TQM technique, the company will be motivated by the quality of the products that they are selling.

The third difference is what the company will make their biggest emphasis on. In the Six Sigma technique, the company will be emphasizes on all of the latest developments in technology. With the TQM technique, the company will emphasis on everything that they need to do to get a problem solved. The fourth difference is the company's performance levels. When a company is using the Six Sigma technique, they will be a world class performance company. This means there is no room for errors for the company. Then when they are using the TQM technique, they will be a standard performance company.

The fifth difference is placement of a job. This means that if a company is using the Six Sigma technique within the business, then the job that someone gets will only be temporary. But there is a big chance of them moving up to a better job. Then with the TQM technique, all of the jobs will be full time and permanent. The sixth difference is who sets the goals for the company. With the Six Sigma technique, the customers and lead managers will make the goals for the company. With the TQM technique, the quality development makes the goals.

The seventh difference is who actually develops the techniques. With the Six Sigma technique, they CEO's are the people that decide what techniques the company will and will not use. With the TQM technique, the technical personnel decides what techniques will work the best for the company. The eighth difference is the results of the techniques. When the company is using the Six Sigma techniques, they will look at both the short term and long term results of the techniques. And with the TQM techniques, the company only wants to focus on the long term results of the techniques.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Once a company really begins to understand 6 Sigma and the impact that it can have on a company’s bottom line they will be on board. Once the decision has been made to train the staff in the Six Sigma methodology and to get everyone certified this is usually the point at which many questions begin to surface. One of the biggest questions that usually arises is one about the best way to get employees trained while still keeping a business in tact.

Many companies like the idea of classroom training and certification because it allows employees to take a hands on approach to their learning and also allows for an exchange and questions to be presented and answered throughout the sessions. This hands on setting allows for a lot more brainstorming and seems to get a lot more flowing by way of problem solving, questioning, and thinking. Sending your entire staff to classroom sessions may not be possible however and for this reason many companies select online training in 6 Sigma.

Online training offers flexibility that in classroom training can’t. It allows companies to have their employees train in their free time or during a down period of the business but yet still remain present to allow them to be called to work quickly and easily.

Many companies don’t feel that online training across the board is very effective and it is for this reason that most universities that offer this type of in house training also offer an online component. The best way for most companies to get their entire staff trained and certified is very simply to have upper level individuals in the company take the classroom sessions while lower level employees do their work online instead. This method tends to prove most effective in both understanding and cohesion as well. Some companies even choose a few top employees on each level to go to the in class training program with the upper level managers to help further create the level of knowledge they need employees to have across the board for the greatest amount of success.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Innovation killers that prevent companies from moving further in their industries are just the problem areas that six sigma has been created to improve. Six sigma is a way of increasing a company’s productivity and discovering new products. Therefore, a company that hasn’t been highly innovative would benefit from implementing six sigma principles.

The current culture of a company can mean the death of innovation, which would make it difficult for a business to implement new six sigma strategies. A business that hasn’t been in the habit of fostering new ideas has discouraged its employees from offering new suggestions. When it comes time to bring in someone who will begin a six sigma strategy, the entire culture of the business is going to need to become one that can support innovative policies and ideas.

When a company’s managers don’t fully accept new ideas and implement them whole-heartedly, these new ideas can fall apart and die. It’s for this reason that the management team needs to be in full agreement if a new six sigma approach is to be successful. These are the people who are going to need to guide everyone who works underneath them and keep those above them in upper management up to date with how the new six sigma projects are going. They will be unable to do this if they don’t fully believe in the new six sigma projects.

Innovation doesn’t have a chance to succeed when the company is enthusiastic about the new project in the beginning but doesn’t follow through with the entire process. This happens when a company introduces a new project and trains everyone on the new concept for a couple of days. Within a few weeks of neglecting the method, upper management discovers the new process has stalled. Six sigma has been created to be a long term system of implementing changes and checking on how well those changes aid the business, so it’s a strategy that would help companies such as these.

Refusing to allocate time and money toward innovation is another reason that companies fail when it comes time to create something new. A company that wants to become a six sigma organization would need to send some of its employees to receive training in six sigma or it would need to hire someone to come into the offices and transform the company into a six sigma business. Both these options require time and money, which means that patience is a must. If the upper management isn’t willing to do this, they will remain stagnant as they are today.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Lean thinking is a philosophy many companies use to minimize waste. Lean thinking focuses on customer value and the processes a company uses to increase it. This philosophy attempts to give customers perfect value; while using processes that create zero amount of waste. Lean thinking is useful for almost every type of business, in every industry and with all types of processes, but is most commonly known in the manufacturing industry. To create a company that focuses on lean thinking, the management must develop certain types of attitudes towards the improvement of the company. This philosophy is more of a mindset than a set of procedures.

Lean thinking is made up of five principles; which are all designed to increase value to customers and to eliminate waste in all business processes. These principles are to identify customers and specify value, identify and map the value stream, create flow by eliminating waste, respond to customer pull and pursue perfection. Each principle, within this system, is designed to improve the processes a company uses.

One main key goal of lean thinking is eliminating waste. Any process, a company uses, that provides zero value is considered waste. If no value comes from a process, the company must eliminate the process, or change the process so that value is created from it. Another goal is to empower workers to gain their loyalty. Let the workers know that their opinions, thoughts and suggestions are valuable.

Listen to employees when they offer suggestions; after all, they are the ones performing the actual processes. When employees are given power, they may be more likely to take their jobs seriously, and feel a sense of ownership. This feeling can cause improvements in the company. Lean thinking also focuses on employee placement. This involves assigning duties to employees who are best-suited for all of the particular job positions in the company. This also includes cross-training employees so they are able to perform multiple jobs, if needed.

Ultimately, lean thinking tries to provide perfect value to customers. For this to happen, companies must operate with lean principles. This means that companies must focus on eliminating waste, and ultimately, try to provide customers with the best product, for the best value, in the shortest amount of time possible, without sacrificing quality.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Many people believe that in order to be an effective manager that they need to go to school and get a MBA and that will teach them everything they need to know about managing a business. When it comes to business management the best students are not those who spent years in school but those with a bit of knowledge and common sense and the ability to lead others.

It is for this reason that managers are born and not made. When it comes to teaching and training new members of management start by picking those employees who not only excel at their jobs but that go above and beyond as well as get along well with others. There are probably only a handful of employees that fit this criterion. Next you must decide what type of formalized training you want these individuals to have keeping in mind that attending a four year university in order to obtain an MBA is not necessarily something that is necessary or even remotely practical.

Hands on 6 sigma management training courses and even business management seminars can go a long way in helping to get managers the information they need to help run a successful business but to do so in a format that allows them to received condensed information that is specifically on topic for them and the role they will play. Every company can and should hand select the information that new managers are getting during their training process as this will help to guide them directly towards the specific needs and goals of the company.

Many companies deliberately select members of management that have already received training in a specific school of thought and this method can work well when you are selecting employees in a new hire situation but doing so will require full disclosure from your potential employees to let you know the different management training programs they have experienced. Some companies even go so far as to make a certain level of training or certification a requirement for applicants and with training programs such as Six Sigma for instance hiring employees that have already received the training program and have become certified can help to save both time and money. Of course, if you are hiring from within then you will likely have to have that new member of management trained in the Six Sigma methodologies and practices that can help to make for more successful managers. .

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Six Sigma is a rigorous quantitative and analytical methodology designed to increase profits by standardizing production processes and eliminating errors or waste. The knowledge contained within the Six Sigma corpus is passed on to employees and managers in a given company through the use of a belt system. Six Sigma belts, similar to belts in martial arts disciplines such as karate, organize practitioners of Six Sigma and give them focus with specific responsibilities. The lowest belt is the yellow belt, and it is conferred to a beginning student of the Six Sigma philosophy upon completion of his first quality project.

Yellow belts work on other quality projects but they do not lead them. The basic statistical knowledge involved in Six Sigma, such as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control), are required of yellow belts. Yellow belts also are expected to be familiar with Pareto statistics in addition to creating cause and effect diagrams. After achieving the yellow belt, a Six Sigma student can move up the chain to the next belt. In Six Sigma, this is the green belt level.

A green belt is often the minimum required belt for would-be employees seeking to be hired at a Six Sigma-based company or a company with a significant Six Sigma team presence. Green belts do not limit themselves to Six Sigma projects exclusively, but they can and do participate fully, including taking leadership roles. Green belts can implement the Six Sigma methodology on any project within their company. Aside from their presumed detailed knowledge of DMAIC procedures, green belts use statistical analysis, value stream mapping or flow and pull systems. Green belts also use certain types of control charts.

After achieving green belt status, the student may move on to the coveted black belt. This belt is awarded to professionals who complete a four-week training course, which also includes material from the green belt curriculum. Black belts are the senior leaders in Six Sigma projects and work full-time on them. Black belts lead and train new Six Sigma teams. They implement the Six Sigma methodology at all levels of their company.

The final Six Sigma level is the Master Black Belt. This level may be thought of as the "black belt of black belts," who train black belts and oversee Six Sigma operations for an entire company. Master black belts are the best of the best in Six Sigma.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Quality and Standardization has been around for quite sometime so much so that consumers have been trained to look for certification marks on products and services. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) has been a pioneer in Quality and Standardization. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, ISO was established in 1947. It is an international body which comprises of representatives from standards bodies of various nations.

ISO has 162 international members who contribute to the organization's intellectual base and collateral. Recently however, the participation in ISO 9000 annual conference has decreased but the attendance at the Six Sigma annual conference is on the rise. Six Sigma seems to be overtaking ISO standardization. Six Sigma is a business management strategy that originated at Motorola in 1986 and later on was promoted by General Electric in 1998 when they saved $350 millions by Six Sigma application. It is now widely used in various industries for business process improvement.

One reason for the industries embracing Six Sigma is that it is more business driven to start with having its roots in an organization such as Motorola. Six Sigma focuses on business problems and means and ways of addressing, solving and containing those business problems. With ISO being a standardized body, lot of focus was given on standardization and certification and somehow the business problem aspect of it ended up being neglected.

In addition to focusing on business problems, Six Sigma provides a very efficient strategy to address the problem. Its DMAIC methodology is very effective in not only root causing the problem but also improving the process and controlling it such that root cause is eliminated for good. In Short, DMAIC asks you to Define the problem, Measure the current state, Analyze the problem, Improve the current state and use the measurement to actually see the improvement. Last but not the least, you need to Control the process such that problem doesn't reoccur. All of these phases are very important aspects and should not be skipped for the best results. While applying this methodology Six Sigma ensures that the business impact is on top of the mind.

A number of large organizations have adopted Six Sigma methodology and apply it to different business processes for cost reduction, business efficiency and profitability.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

As labor and production costs rise, companies are constantly looking for ways to make processes more efficient and increase profit margins. It is important for such companies to understand why Six Sigma Black Belts make better leaders.

Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology which eliminates waste and improves quality. Six Sigma Black Belts are certified in this project method, and use a set of tools to define, measure, analyze, improve and control any process. This article presents five reasons why those who use these methods make better project and department leaders.

1. Organized improvement. Often, business leaders note a problem, listen to subject matter experts who provide possible solutions, and then make changes according to those solutions. The problem with this is that solutions were not tested, and no plan was put in place to ensure the solutions actually bring about real change.

2. Leadership without bias. A Six Sigma Black Belt has no bias toward a problem or any possible solution before data is analyzed. This is because the Black Belt knows first thoughts on improvement may not always be correct. Just because one thing always happens directly after another does not mean there is a cause and effect relationship, and the Six Sigma expert knows only careful measurement will be able to show that type of relationship.

3. Data driven decisions. All decisions made by a Black Belt are driven by data. A leader employing this method works with facts, not opinions, and is able to forecast results with excellent accuracy. Often times, estimated results fall within a 5% margin of error when compared to actual results!

4. Root cause analysis. The entire DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) process is set up in order to identify root causes of issues. Only by locating the root cause of a production or quality problem can a team effectively produce solutions. Implementing solutions without knowing the true cause of the problem will only mask issues.

5. Perpetual improvement. Once a Six Sigma project is completed, a Black Belt's work is not done. Hardly any process ever reaches true perfection, but a Black Belt is always on the look out for additional efficiencies and better profits.

There are many reasons why Six Sigma Black Belts make better leaders, but the bottom line is that they can drive processes toward increased efficiencies and better profits.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

With costs rising and companies experiencing periods of slumps and hardship during a period of a slowing economy, companies have begun to look for ways to become more efficient, reducing costs and boosting sales. Six Sigma principles have emerged as a way for struggling businesses and corporations to improve their efficiency and gain customer loyalty. During a slumping economy improving efficiency and cutting waste has become an imperative method that companies are using to stay afloat and increase customer satisfaction.

Improvement With Six Sigma

With companies across the globe struggling alongside a mired economy, waste has become a painful reality that many corporations cannot afford to ignore any long. Grasping any savings possible is vital to the continued operation and existence of many companies. Revealing areas which are experiencing waste and addressing them in a systematic process is continuing to gain popularity as struggling and competitive businesses look for ways to cut costs and improve efficiency.

Six Sigma has emerged within a struggling economy as a method companies can grasp in order to improve:

• Customer Satisfaction
• Productivity
• Profitability
• Process Development

A Customer Centered Economy

During an economic down turn, gaining the attention and loyalty of consumers can be tricky and increasingly difficult. Customers who used to be loyal become increasingly finicking with their resources, expecting great things for low, competitive prices. Six Sigma gives companies struggling to gain the attention and loyalty of finicky consumers a leg up, decreasing waste that can be costly to a company while centering improvements and changes on the desires and needs of customer feedback.

Leadership Vitality

Strong leaders are an imperative part of Six Sigma, promoting improvement and highlighting the importance of customer satisfaction across a corporation or business. Six Sigma leaders can clearly define improvements necessary while communicating effectively with other employees, making efforts much more efficient and conveying the importance of customer centered business and business enhancements. Leaders can improve employee interaction and communication by stressing the importance of reducing waste in order to preserve positions vital to company operations.

By pinpointing customer provoked improvements, companies struggling during a poor economy can become increasingly focused on the aspects of their product, service or overall business, listening to the specific needs of consumers and eliminating previous focus on unimportant or unnecessary aspects that are undesirable to target audience members. Six Sigma offers businesses a calculated measurable method of improving customer relations, reducing waste and becoming more efficient so that consumers can be reached and desires met in a more defined way, thus reducing unnecessary efforts.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Process management is quickly coming into focus as an important field of study for managers and executives across many industries. Although the term is new, the concept is old. Process management is a continuous process of improving and streamlining your business. Six Sigma is the most rigorous process management system that we have today, and it works by reducing errors and defective products. Businesses can often simply run on auto-pilot, reusing the same tired strategies, no matter how many times they may have failed in the past. The Six Sigma philosophy teaches managers to sharpen each process and project for maximum efficiency. And while all managers keep an eye on their workers, those trained in Six Sigma are given the specific analytical tools that they need to make judgements about employee performance.

We've watched Six Sigma grow from a limited, manufacturing based approach to a philosophy that has the potential to change business management as we know it. In both the short and long term, Six Sigma training can lead to concrete improvements in your bottom line. In spite of some common misconceptions, Six Sigma is not a system that only shows results over a prolonged period of time. Nor is it a process that produces illusory benefits that only exist in abstract measurements. Within weeks and months of implementing Six Sigma, you'll begin to see a decrease in the amount of defective products, a drop in the amount of customer returns, and the elimination of useless inventory. The Internet provides many before and after case studies of real businesses that have benefitted from process management.

Some managers are leery of Six Sigma, because they wonder at the learning curve and difficulty of implementation. These fears are almost always unfounded. While Six Sigma requires a certain amount of discipline and leadership, you don't have to be an ascetic to master the system. Instead of requiring new skills, Six Sigma is a powerful way of organizing the institutional strengths that you already possess. Close scrutiny of the process chain is not a new concept, but Six Sigma is a codified system that makes the process of scrutiny much more clear and concrete.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

One of the best ways to increase the efficiency within a company is to document all of the processes and ensure that the work that is being done is being done to the best ability of the people who are doing that work. The best way to create this efficiency gap is to implement a six sigma strategy within your company. This is a very effective way of realizing the goal of increasing efficiency because it is very easy for a company to bring in a trained six sigma black belt or to have their own employees train to be six sigma leaders.

Six Sigma is by definition, a set of procedures that look at and document every process that an employee does within a company. This could mean a number of different things but chiefly, it means that the person who is doing the six sigma training will ensure that a manufacturing facility is working at its highest level. When Six Sigma was first created by Motorola, they wanted Six Sigma to be a standard of error free manufactured items. This means that when a company reaches six sigma, they would have reached Motorola's desired efficiency level. This same concept still applies to six sigma today, when though it can now be applied to much broader spectrum.

If your company wants to be very successful at implementing Six Sigma and creating a leaner process then your company should use the concept generated within Six Sigma to analyze every process that your company does and figure out exactly how to make this more efficient. Efficiency within six sigma is measured by concrete numbers or levels. For example, if six sigma efficiency means that your company will produce a certain number of error free products, then that is the level that you should set as your standard. If Six Sigma means that your employees should have a certain number of injury free work days, then that is your six sigma standard. By understanding all of the goals that need to be achieved through Six Sigma, there is a much better chance that a company can encourage and motivate their employees to work towards those goals. This also means that a company will need to communicate the work and the analysis being down through Six Sigma. if the employees of a company have no idea what is expected of them then they will never be able to implement any changes and they will never understand if they are doing a good job or not. This allows for a company to set standards and benchmarks for their employees and also to motivate their employees to do a better job in their daily tasks.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

What does it really take to be a successful six sigma manager? You may think that it requires a knowledge of as many different management techniques as possible or taking as many classes in management as you can. In general, these things can do very little to propel someone to be a successful manager. As a matter of fact there are many individuals who are successful managers and have had little formalized training and you may not even realize it.

A successful manager is someone who has good common sense and communication skills. A person who knows the business they are in and has gained the respect of the employees that they lead very simply because they know what to do and are willing to work hard themselves to get the job done. Most employees don’t want to look up at a manager who is hiding behind their desk but one who is in the trenches and a part of the team. For the most part this will give them more authority with their employees then any title will. It is easy to impress employees with knowledge and a good work ethic and the extra knowledge although useful will not be what creates or destroys a manager.

Managers can not be made but are better of discovered over time. You will find that employees float to the surface that will make good managers and most companies will hire from within because of this. There are usually just some employees who are more outstanding and already have built in leadership qualities.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with training these employees using different seminars and classes but it is important to realize that all the training in the world will not create a manager but will merely help them to attain new heights in their management abilities. A manager is a respected employee who has worked hard to excel with the company and as a result anyone who naturally has good communication skills and a good work ethic should be able to succeed in a management position with just about any company they choose.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Six Sigma has a lot to offer both individuals and businesses but although many have heard the name and think they understand the concept there are many aspects of this program that many people remain unaware of. It is a business process, a management process that helps you to manage your employees and improve your results.

The philosophy is one that is based on quality. Quality is the key to success and improving the quality of whatever your produce is what 6 Sigma is really all about. It is not just about improving the quality in one aspect but in consistently improving and refining the process for better and better results.

Many companies and individuals worry about the cost of this six sigma training and certification program; however when you come right down to it how much is the inferior quality of your products costing your business right now? Probably a lot more than you realize. You see shortcomings are expensive in the work place and probably are costing you a lot more than training your employees to a better way would.

And seeing as these techniques can improve your bottom line and improve customer satisfaction it can take just a little while to earn back your investment in this program and start experiencing more success in business then you ever dreamed possible. With just a few simple changes and some team building exercises you will find that you can turn your business around in no time.

So what will Six Sigma do for your business? Well, it will help you to identify the problems that exist in your process and come up with real solutions. By controlling the process you will be able to control the end product and thus enhance customer experience. Team work and problem solving when combined with statistical analysis of results can provide your business with an improved bottom line which is why Six Sigma is by far one of the best business management tools of our time.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Six Sigma is something to work towards not only in business but in life. Improving the way in which you are doing things to increase results and produce better outcomes is not only a good business philosophy but a good life philosophy as well.

Six Sigma challenges businesses to analyze their process and determine what changes they need to make in the process to improve their results. By narrowing down the pieces of the process that are not working effectively and changing and adapting them businesses attain measurable results. The same is true on a personal level as well. By looking more carefully at the process by which you are living your life you will find that you are able to pick it apart and come up with the places that the process is failing you.

And while you may not be stringently measuring these results you can experience results in your own life by honing in on the process of your life and picking apart those areas that are not working for you. By determining those things that are getting in the way of you achieving goals and getting better results in your own life process you can use changes in the process to change the overall results you are getting.

And the truth is that the basic principles of Six Sigma are very easy to implement and do produce results. While many people are initially overwhelmed by the Six Sigma process and terminology the principles are actually very basic.

It makes such simple sense that this process that has been proven so effective in helping businesses to achieve the results that they are seeking, will also work to help you pin down the problems in your personal life to help you achieve those results that you have only dreamed possible. Whether you are in a business that is looking for results or are seeking a change in your personal life, you can find everything that you want merely by applying the Six Sigma principles to your life.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies, Six Sigma

Six Sigma by far one of the best processes around but many people still fail to realize the significance of this process to their business or very simply think that it is too complicated for them to grasp. Six Sigma is a concept unlike many others and some feel that Six Sigma implementation is just too difficult but when they see it broken down into simple steps they are enlightened to the fact that this is something that every business can benefit from.

1. IDENTIFY WHAT YOU CREATE – In order to assess what you need to accomplish first you must identify what you produce. Whatever you provide to others is your product. Whether you provide a product or a service you must start by determining what your product is to help you improve your customers’ experience.

2. IDENTIFY YOUR CUSTOMERS – Who are the individuals that benefit from what you produce? Identifying the group of people who use what you produce will help you to improve their overall experience.

3. WHAT YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS – In order to improve customer experience you must determine those things that you need in order to provide the best product for your customers. These could be more manpower or even a larger variety many times if you perform customer feedback surveys you will be best able to figure out what issues your customers have with your business.

4. DEFINE YOUR PROCESS – There may be flaws in the process you are using to get the products to the customer, looking more closely at the process by which you not only produce but deliver the products to your customers will help you to find these flaws. Remember, if your customers are not 100% satisfied then there is probably a problem somewhere.

5. REFINE YOUR PROCESS – Working to make the process error free will help you to make the most of your business. Making changes will help you to refine the process to near perfection over time. Eliminating waste is just one way to refine the process.

6. CONTINUAL GROWTH – The purpose of Six Sigma is not just to run through these steps once but to analyze and continually assess the process to come up with leaner results as you go. This process requires constant measurement of results and adaptations to the process.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies, Six Sigma Success Stories

There are many reasons that human resource employees hire certain personality types for certain positions but in most companies you will find that more of the hiring process has to do with a gut feeling than with an actual measurable fact. This is just human nature.

When you are hiring employees to work in a team environment more care needs to be taken to ensure that the different individuals you are placing together are not all the same personality type, as this could actually be a disaster. And while there may be a personality type that you find more appealing this does not mean that 5 employees with the same type of personality will work well on a team together.

Some human resources employees think that they can size people up to fit onto a team while others struggle with this task. It is a more methodical way to place employees in the appropriate positions and on the correct teams by assessing their personal strengths and weaknesses on a personality profile test. This type of test offers employers the opportunity to get to know their employees on a more intimate level understanding not only what they say and do tell about themselves but also all the things that they cover up.

Being able to assess employees on a more core level will allow you to mix and match employees to create the best and most effective teams possible. No more guess work just a good test with results that should let you know the different personalities, strengths, and weaknesses of those employees that you have hired. A better understanding of your employees will also help you to better understand and choose the management style that will be most effective for each employee.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies

Six Sigma projects may employ various methodologies in order to achieve its high standards. One such project methodology is called the Deming’s Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle. The cycle consists of five phases that are described by the acronyms DMAIC and DMADV. The first acronym stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. Each aspect of this methodology will be described below in detail:

• Define: In this step, the problem and the goals are defined, and the customer’s voice is established.
• Measure: Individuals measure the instrumental aspects of the process and all relevant data is collected.
• Analyze: Experts in the Six Sigma process analyze the data to investigate the cause-and-effect relationship. The individuals determine the type of relationships that have emerged. Any defects are examined to determine what caused the defect and how they can be eliminated in future processes.
• Improve: In this step, experts seek to examine the current processes to determine how to improve the techniques of the process. Experts may change the design of certain experiments or design a pilot to determine how to optimize the process to avoid defects and improve the process.
• Control: Controls are put in place in order to ensure that no deviations occur. Deviations result in defects. Statistical process controls, visual workplaces, and production boards are each control systems that may be implemented.

The second acronym mentioned is DMADV. Individuals in the industry also refer to this process as Design for Six Sigma or DFSS. Each letter of the acronym will be explained below:

• Define: Each goal is defined in this phase to meet the customer demands and other strategies of the company.
• Measure: This phase is used to measure the product’s capabilities, the capability of the production process and any other features that are critical to quality.
• Analyze: During this phase, each process is analyzed to develop design alternatives. Experts select the best design to yield the least defects and the highest quality.
• Design: Designs are optimized in this phase. Simulations are used to determine how to minimize defects and plan the best design.
• Verify: The design is verified in this phase by implementing test pilot runs. The production process will be implemented and then passed along to the process owners.

Quality Management Tools used in Six Sigma

The Six Sigma quality management process consists several methods that may be used to achieve Six Sigma quality. Some are listed below:

• 5 Whys
• Analysis of Variance
• ANOVA Gauge R&R
• Axiomatic Design
• Business Process Mapping
• Histograms
• Homoscedasticity
• Quality Function Deployment
• Pareto Chart
• Regression Analysis
• Process Capability
• Run Charts
• Root Cause Analysis
• Run Charts
• Taguchi Methods
• Cost Benefit Analysis
• General Linear Model
• Chi-square Test
• Control Chart

Each of these management processes is instrumental in achieving Six Sigma quality in all of the company’s processes. Six Sigma is literally described by the symbol, “sigma” that is designated on a normal distribution graph. The farther the sigma value away from the mean, the less likely that a specific action will occur. Processes that are “six sigma” or six standard deviations away from the mean are not likely to occur. Therefore, defects are least likely to occur at this point from the mean. Companies who achieve Six Sigma will have the least defects and will meet the customer’s expectations. The more the sigma moves towards the mean, the more likely there will be defects or items outside the customer’s specifications. The desirable 3.4 defects per million may actually be achieved at 4.5 sigma from the mean with a deviation of 1.5 sigma. However, it is widely accepted that 6 sigma is the desired number to achieve 3.4 defects or less per million.

Categories: Processes and Methodologies