Pragmatic Six Sigma

When you sell a product you know what you are producing but running a customer service based business is not nearly as clear cut as all that. After all, unlike in a manufacturing based business what you are producing is not tangible and from that standpoint it can offer some unique challenges.

There are only limited ways to assess the function of a customer service based business and when you are doing so you need to assess not only the customer's experience but you also must assess and evaluate the level of service being provided in accordance with what you believe it should be. One way that companies have found to truly assess the customer service experience is to offer independent evaluations of said experiences from a customer's perspective. Most companies do this in the form of secret shopping where and independent assessor will pose as a customer for the sole purpose of assessing their experience and letting the company know exactly what it was like to be in a customer's shoes.

When setting goals for a customer service based company it is best to make sure that you find out as much information as you can from your customers. Most companies use customer surveys and even reward customers for filling them out. Doing so provides customers with an incentive to provide the valuable feedback that a company needs in order to make the positive changes it needs to in order to improve customer experience.

There are of course many opportunities to assess customer experience. You can ask customers for feedback verbally, ask them to fill out phone surveys, or even provide them with a written questionaire. It is of course important that you make it as easy as possible for customers to provide feedback and therefore you will want to select customer inquiry forms that only require the customers to provide number answers or check boxes. This will provide the customer with just a brief inquiry that won't take them much time to get through. After all, you don't want to have your customers encumbered by a survey that is defeating the purpose.

Customer service based industries are a little more complicated to track then manufacturing based ones but understanding how your company is doing especially in the eyes of the customer will provide you with the information you need to ensure that you are meeting your goals. A company is only as successful as its customers are happy. And that is really something you can take to the bank.

Categories: Questions and Answers

What is Six Sigma, first of all?

Six sigma derives from a mathematical model with practically no room for error. A sigma, which is also called a standard deviation, describes in detail the approximate fault rate. under normal circumstances, your error rate will be less than 5% with two sigma and 0.3% with three sigma. Business models, however, always accomodate for up to 1.5 sigma variation of the mean. So six sigma, with the variation, allows for an accuracy rate of approximately 99.99966%, or 3.4 defects per 1,000,000 items produced.

So what does it do with the business?

Six sigma basically works to reduce process variations and make sure that when you create a product, it's to a standard that any piece used can be safely installed without fear of defects.

It also determines that anyone who has a business process or a manufacturing process has some characteristic that either can be improved, measured or controlled.

Six Sigma states that a person can always improve the product, but this improvement needs to come from all levels, including top management. This is known in Japan as kaizen, or "continuous improvement".

So why would this be important?

When you include the six sigma training in your business plan, you are taking the initiative in saying that your products will be of such high quality and your employees will be well enough trained to identify when a problem arises and prevent it from occurring at all. Whether you use the DMAIC method for existing products or the DMADV method for new products, you are showing that you have a commitment to quality and defect free products.

Six Sigma training is best suited for companies with over 500 employees to show that they are serious about producing the best quality of items. It should be implemented in any company who considers management leadership and support of paramount importance.

In conclusion, a Six Sigma certification is used by huge companies like 3M, Amazon and Boeing in order to reduce customer service costs and the cost of redoing it by simply doing it right, right off the bat. In short, six sigma means business. And if you mean business, your company will benefit from six sigma training.

Categories: Questions and Answers

can mean the long term success or failure of a company. Regardless of the product quality, there are going to be a certain level of expectation from the end customers surrounding a company’s product. It must be delivered to the customer and be reliable and consistent for the end user. This holds true regardless of how many times the unit is used or whether another unit is substituted. Although there are different levels of quality among products in a given market, the consistency of a company’s product will be what determines customer satisfaction. But equally important, is the cost savings that is realized by implementing a successful Six Sigma program. Large companies can save the dollar equivalent of two to three percent of their sales. These percentages can translate into millions of dollars for a company over several years.

Six Sigma is the path to this cost savings from a quality process. The process of identifying problems and eliminating them while decreasing the amount of variability in the production process. Although Six Sigma has been shown to be very effective in improving quality, there are certain factors that are necessary for a business to achieve success when it is first implemented. How well a company succeeds at this will be determined by several factors from the beginning of its implementation.

The first factor is the top level management of a company must be one hundred percent behind its implementation. This is necessary because in order for Six Sigma to work, the entire culture of the company must be changed to the point where it is not only embraced, but becomes a part of the daily operation of the firm. Everyone is on board and is working to help the quality control program succeed.

Six sigma is driven by data and statistical analysis. But it is the gathering of pertinent and accurate data in a timely fashion, that is the key to success. This only happens when workers from top to bottom in the company understand the importance of this data and are cooperative in helping to gather and record this information accurately.

Communication is the next most important factor. All workers in all departments must understand what is being done and what is expected of them. Quality control managers working within a Six Sigma program must be able to communicate the ideas of this quality program to others not versed in the specific terminology. Everyone needs to be able communicate with each others about issues over the process, to make sure it is being implemented correctly.

Categories: Questions and Answers

In 1986 Motorola developed a business a novel management strategy called six sigma and as of 2010 it is one of the most widely used in the world of industry and business. Six sigma works by minimizing variability in manufacturing and therefore minimizing unpredictable outcomes. In other words, it improves the quality and dependability of outputs by finding and removing causes of errors and defects in the manufacturing business process. does this by using quality management methods which include everything from statistics and specific employee organizations. These employee organizations are made of specialized groups of people, nicknames after karate belts (black, green etc). These specialized groups of people are experts in certain methods of six sigma and follow specific steps to reach defined goals. The individual work of these specialized groups is designed ultimately to work as whole in order to improve industry output.

As mentioned earlier, each group of people have specific roles and responsibilities in which they are extensively trained. They are able to analyze specific problems and address only certain types of issues. For example, there is an individual who is a leader, or an overseer and implementer. He or she is the person who puts six sigma into action within the business. The champion sponsors a specific sigma project and allots resources as they are necessary. Following the champion are five other groups within the six sigma each with their own specific responsibilities. The black belt is the first of these. The individuals in black belt are full time employees who dedicate themselves to leading the six sigma projects and ensuring that every other sub-division works as it should. This requires over a month of training and within some companies, certification. The master black belt group is a group of individuals with much experience in running six sigma projects. Their job is to coach, mentor and supervise the black belt group. The green belt group is made of part time employees who supervise smaller projects and work in support of the larger six sigma project. Team members are individuals who are able to bring relevant experience and expertise to the six sigma project from past experiences with the process. No formal training is required for individuals in this sub-group. Finally, the process owner is an individual who is responsible for the entire process and goal of the six sigma project.

The six sigma business structure has proven to be incredibly effective in minimizing defect in many types of business and manufacturing processes.

Categories: Questions and Answers

Developed at Motorola in the 1980s, Six Sigma is a revolutionary system of reducing waste that is now being adopted across many industries. Although most practical for managers, Six Sigma education can be quite fruitful for employees at every organizational level of a business. Six Sigma is the science of paring down business activities to the barest essentials. As such, even self-employed businesspeople with no employees can benefit from a firm grounding in Six Sigma principles. As we move forward into the future, there is no telling when a given bear market will begin or end. Therefore, it makes sense for businesses to prioritize cost-cutting and waste reduction right now, regardless of the economic outlook.

Waste reduction can be a painful process. For example, cutting hours and staff positions can be an important part of any waste reducing agenda. Few want to be in the position of handing out pink slips. Nevertheless, by encouraging businesspeople to stick to scientific, tried-and-true principles, Six Sigma enables us to cut through the miasma of emotionalism that can drive businesses into the ground. There is a place in business for kindness and sympathy, but these human virtues shouldn't be used as a mask for inefficiency and waste.

If all companies were to adopt Six Sigma, we would see a tremendous reduction of unemployment in our society. This may seem paradoxical to some, but it's actually quite simple to explain. Although many companies would be forced to reduce wasteful man hours, other lean thinking companies would be able to expand profitably, requiring more staff. Those who don't understand business think that lay-offs are always heartless or cruel acts. In fact, laying off an employee can give them the opportunity to find a new company where they are best suited to work in a lean and profitable manner. In other words, rational and lean hiring and firing procedures funnel workers into areas where their talents can unfold.

Human resources is just one of many areas where Six Sigma principles lead to happier, more confident employees. Although many have reported on the way that Six Sigma can increase revenues, there has been less coverage on the way that lean businesses are more positive, friendly workplaces. Workers have often reported feeling lost or frustrated when working in a opaque, confused company environment. By creating an environment where expectations are clear and well-defined, adopting Six Sigma can lead to much improve employee morale.

Categories: Questions and Answers

One of the primary goals of Six Sigma is to reduce defects, which means that it is natural for the goals of Six Sigma and data certification programs to align with one another. While the principles of Six Sigma have been applied in many different areas to achieve very positive results, few companies apply these same principles to the quality of their data.

To understand why Six Sigma is helpful to data certification, it is important to understand what it really is. In short, it is about minimizing defects to one part in 3.4 million. That is the strict definition, although most companies are referring to the processes used to reach that goal, more than the goal itself, when they talk about Six Sigma. The goal itself is relatively arbitrary, and can be adjusted to fit client needs and reality's limitations.

Of course, it is also important to arrive at a definition of "certified data" in order to usefully apply these principles. Essentially, it is data that has been reviewed using a set quality assurance program so that it meets the needs of the end user. In other words, the data must adhere to certain standards.

It is for this reason that Six Sigma is a good fit, since it is all about using measurable standards as a guide to improve quality and efficiency. There are two ways in which the process is typically laid out: DMADV and DMAIC. DMADV stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design and Verify, which is the process used for creating a new process. DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control, which is the process used for improving an existing process. In both cases, feedback is used in order to continually improve the process.

It should be clear simply from looking at these steps that measurement is an important part of the process. Figuring out how to measure defects in a process is crucial for the process to work. Factors that can be measured include data accuracy and precision, reliability, completeness, availability, consistency, uniqueness and freshness. It's important to define exactly what constitutes as a defect, and how to detect them. This can be especially problematic when trying to measure accuracy.

Another issue that companies face when trying to employ Six Sigma for data certification is in trying to determine the cause of a defect. This is why feedback is an important part of the process, where changes can be made one variable at a time in order to determine if the result achieves the desired effect.

Categories: Questions and Answers

You would think something as big as Six Sigma would have gotten kudos right from the very beginning. It’s origin in the Motorola Corporation was a great kick off but still the process came to be in the 80’s during a time when companies were feeling pretty good about where they were heading. After all, they were functioning during a time of wealth and power, one that most companies didn’t forsee ending quite as abruptly as it did.

Even though it was a time of great success for many companies, including the Motorola Corporation, this didn’t mean it was a time to sleep. As a matter of fact it was this company’s desire to find a better way of doing business that lead to the development of 6 Sigma and the program that is being used on a worldwide basis today.

As time went on, Motorola tried to plug 6 Sigma and share it with the biggest of companies in the business world to no avail. It wasn’t until businesses began to crumble under the heat of a lesser economy that many other companies began to listen to more information about Six Sigma methodologies and how they could work for businesses in a variety of different settings.

Necessity is definitely the mother of invention and while Six Sigma was created at a time where change was not necessary, as soon as changes were needed Motorola was right there holding this amazing bag of tricks to help benefit companies around the world. Today Six Sigma is one of the leading business management resources available and offers many opportunities for businesses to improve not only the overall function of their businesses but also the bottom line as well.

It is a plan that accounts for the entire running of a business and looks not only at the running of the business but at the individual customer experience as well. A systematic way of progressively making improvements in a way that fosters teamwork and encourages constant assessment and reassessment of goals, Six Sigma produces results over and over again in a variety of different settings and offers new hope to businesses struggling to survive.

This is a plan for success that is much needed and utilized in the current business world and with the struggling world economy many more businesses than in the past two decades are turning to Six Sigma for assistance. It holds the key to success for many struggling businesses.

Categories: Questions and Answers

Six Sigma stemmed from the Motorola Corporation back in the middle 1980’s as a result of their many years of trying to improve the manufacturing portion of their business. The process is designed to offer refined results by eliminating process defects. A defect of course, being any aspect of the manufacturing design that does not meet up to a customer’s expectations. The process itself works under the belief that factors such as quality can be specifically controlled to meet exact specifications.

Six sigma puts emphasis on those individuals at the very top of the process and these are those employees who are the green belts, black belts, master black belts, and champions. Since it is these individuals who hold the reigns when it comes to implementation they are also the go to people when it comes to finding out why something isn’t working. Of course, 6 Sigma is considered to be a team effort but those on the top rungs of the business are also those on top of the Six Sigma projects making them the most accountable employees for correct implementation.

And as has been seen in cases like at the Home Depot when Six Sigma implementation doesn’t go well it is usually do to the person who is heading up the process within that company. For instance it was not 6 Sigma that failed the company but the incorrect implementation and after removing the CEO in charge and putting in place someone new the company still continued using Six Sigma achieving better results.

Six Sigma implementation is only as good as those who are in charge of the implementation process and it is for this reason that it is important to put in place coaches to help get the process off on the right foot. Having several different project managers can also help to combat some of the problems with the implementation process.

Many, many companies have achieved success with Six Sigma. It must be noted that 6 Sigma is always effective when used and implemented correctly within a company. It is a process that can be adapted to fit into just about any business and will work well when used properly. It can bring you the results you have desired for a long time but thought that you would never be able to attain. If at first six sigma is not achieving the results you desire be assured that it is not the program but perhaps the level of understanding of your management staff as to how to implement it most effectively.

Categories: Questions and Answers

So many people are looking to blame the economy for their lack of success in business and while the economy may be factoring in there are also many other factors about a business that contribute to its success or failure. A failing economy and decreasing demand provides many challenges for a business but it also provides it with a boatload of opportunities to revise what is currently being done and to restructure and cut back.

Most companies first hear this and panic. They realize that cutbacks can mean scaling back staff and cutting costs and they scream…”we just won’t take this lying down!” The most amazing part about it is that those businesses that scream the loudest when it comes to cutbacks and scale downs are usually those companies that are way over budget with spending that is out of control. The reason they don’t want the cutbacks is that they already know that they are dipping into the company well and drawing out more than their share.

The thing about a successful company is that it needs to stay on budget and on track in order to remain successful and at least half of the profits that are being made need to be reinvested in the company and while it may be tempting to skim more than your share off the top or to spend a little more during a successful venture it is extremely important to be vigilant in cutting down expenses across the board as much as possible. And it is amazing that the companies that are most resistant to this usually find that they wind up saving quite a bit of money across the board when they get creative and knock off a few employees who aren’t making the mark and begin to look for cost effective ways to run a leaner business.

A tough economy may create a few more challenges for running a successful business but with determination and drive any business can find its niche and continue to be prosperous no matter how much money people have. If you offer a fair price, a good product and one that people need, and do so with employees that your customers can respect you will find that cutting costs and reinventing yourself will be just enough to get an edge above and beyond your competitors. The only limits for your business are those that you are creating by justifying your failure by using the poor economy as an excuse.

Categories: Questions and Answers

Initially established as a strategy for business management, Six Sigma seeks to create more homogenous operations, managing the quality of a business and pinpointing causes of deficiencies and errors. By uncovering what provokes defects and problems in a business reveals how to resolves such errors, resulting in greater customer satisfaction and reduction in waste.

Vital Players of the Six Sigma Strategy

Within the Six Sigma strategies lie the vital roles of employees within a business. These key roles include:

Green Belt Employees

These employees apply Six Sigma strategies while maintaining responsibility for accustomed jobs and tasks in other aspects of the company.

Black Belts

All a Black Belt's time is devoted to Six Sigma endeavors, which include implementation and enforcement of the key components.

Master Black Belts

Master Black belts work closely with Black Belts and Green belts to insure proper implementation of Six Sigma functions in a diverse array of departments within a business. Like Black belts, Master Black belts spend all of their time on Six Sigma tasks and application.

Champions

Serve as advisors for lower level players after being selected by CEO's. Champions work closely with the different belt employees to insure goals are met and Six Sigma is properly applied to business practices and operations.

Executive Leadership

These high level CEO's are the visionaries of Six Sigma, establishing goals and overseeing the various responsibilities of other major players within the organization in relation to the process.

Key Components of Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a proven process for reducing waste, increasing customer satisfaction and improving quality within a business with defined measurements and reduction of deviation that can sometime result in variable quality and operation. The key components of Six Sigma include:

Customer Satisfaction

Customers can provide important feedback regarding the quality of a good or service. The price, product, service and financial expectations that consumers have can reveal vital information that can aid businesses to meet their needs without wasting time, effort and money on aspects that are meaningless or lacking value to consumers.

Defined and Measurable Processes

Taking a defined look at the various processes included within a business and providing measurable goals and metrics can help employees and leaders gain accountability and easily identify where improvements and changes must be made.

Employee Engagement and Management

Using employees from a variety of departments and levels throughout a business can help create a whole environment focused on similar goals and improvements. Without the aid of all employees, a disconnect may result, prevent progress in every avenue of a business. While all employees can aid Six Sigma efforts, it is necessary to insure all roles are distinguished and each player understands their roles and expectations.

Categories: Questions and Answers

Despite some setbacks in recent years, banks and lending agencies have proven themselves to be quite capable of weathering most fiscal crises. Often, these businesses have been unfairly stigmatized as “predatory lenders,” simply for extending a helpful hand to those in need of a loan. In spite of this trend, trustworthy lenders will ultimately win the P.R battle. Recent years have also seen improvements in technology that have increased lender efficiency. Although the number of overall loans may have decreased, overall competition remains stiff. As in any other field, lenders that use lean thinking have reported dramatic improvements in loan repayments.

Although Six Sigma was originally created for manufacturers, the system is adaptable enough to be of use to any business manager. This adaptability is nowhere more evident than in the lending field. For millennia, lenders have had to rely almost solely on their gut instinct to choose loan recipients. While this method has worked well enough for some, for others it can lead to poor decisions and financial disaster. Six Sigma is a process management system that uses data-driven decision making. In other words, although your gut instinct can never be fully replaced, lean thinking gives you the tools you need to make thoughtful decisions that are informed by the facts. Being less than thirty years old,

Six Sigma is still considered to be relatively new. And yet it is old enough to have gained accolades and good reviews across a broad spectrum of industries. This is mainly due to the fact that Six Sigma can produce concrete results relatively quickly--even in the early stages of integrating Six Sigma into your business practices. For those involved in the lending process, Six Sigma gives an understanding of what the customer wants, but also helps to balance these customer desires with financial reality. In lending, it has been estimated that a fully integrated Six Sigma program can benefit a major lending agency to the tune of $1 million per year per certified 6 Sigma Black Belt. Although approachable, learning Six Sigma does entail a certain amount of mental effort. This is only natural, considering the depth and breadth of the potential cost benefits. Lean lending involves the use of statistical analysis, although you certainly don’t have to be a mathematical wizard to master the discipline. Finally, we’ll reiterate the benefits that Six Sigma can have for lenders. With Six Sigma, you can stop “betting” on loan recipients, and start making informed decisions.

Categories: Questions and Answers

Human resource personnel face a tough job in today's workforce. They must find the people with the right skills and retain them while improving their performance and increasing the company's cash flow. An excellent tool for someone in HR is the Six Sigma program whose goal is to eliminate anything which leads to customer dissatisfaction and improve business processes for a successful outcome, in particular a higher cash flow. For every dollar spent on Six Sigma projects, four dollars come back into the company.

HR personnel who have undergone Six Sigma training are an indispensable asset to their company. They have the ability to find and hone necessary skills in current workers as well as create specific jobs for new hires. Through the use of scorecards, HR personnel can easily evaluate an employee's strengths as well as provide specific goals and suggestions for improvement. Since the HR personnel work with people at all levels of the company they are some of the best employees for motivating the rest of the company to work toward a common goal.

When included in Six Sigma projects, human resource personnel can maximize benefit and analysis of the project where the rest of the employees are concerned because they excel in people analysis and project management. This strength allows them to suggest the best people for the job requested. They can motivate the staff to reduce safety violations and overtime while improving employee satisfaction. An employee who feels listened to, who feels that they are working for the same goal as the company, is more likely to perform more consistently which creates less variation in the product. A more consistent product costs less to produce and generates more cash flow through the customers who return for excellence.

Another facet in which the human resource personnel benefit from Six Sigma, and the company from them, is in the reduction of time HR spends responding to internal inquiries regarding bonuses, raises, promotions, fairness and forms of leave.

Since the Human Resource personnel have so many aspects of their jobs that can be measured, analyzed, controlled and improved on, they benefit very much from the Six Sigma program training and certification.

Categories: Questions and Answers

In 1986, Motorola invented a revolutionary quality control methodology called Six Sigma. This orderly system uses quantitative data-gathering and statistical analysis to dramatically improve product quality. Motorola won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988 for improving the quality of its cell phones. Today, Six Sigma is used worldwide by over two million companies.

Six Sigma works by quantitatively defining the occurrence of defects. A defect occurs when a product fails to meet customer requirements in any way, shape or form. Defects are further situated within the context of what Six Sigma calls opportunities.

An opportunity is the total number of chances for a defect to occur with a specific product. The number of opportunities is calculated by multiplying the number of defects by the number of the places on a part where the defects can occur. Finally, the resulting number is multiplied by every step in the production process that could result in those defects.

To identify and deal with defects, Six Sigma utilizes two processes. The more popular one is known as Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (DMAIC). DMAIC is designed to improve the performance of a particular business process involved in the production of a product. Each of the steps are as follows.

Define Opportunity

Six Sigma starts by isolating a specific problem that is carefully defined and understood. The broader the definition, the less effective Six Sigma can be. The problem must be stated in quantitative terms in order for DMAIC to be successful.

Measure Performance

This part of takes the most time. After defining the problem, a large volume of data must be gathered and analyzed. The specific characteristics and variables that influence the production process must be identified. Collecting the data that results from taking specific measurements is an essential step.

Analyze Opportunity

Using analytical and statistical tools reveals patterns within the data. Defects result from variations and deviations from a normal performance. Understanding these deviations quantitatively is how Six Sigma determines the best way to prevent variations and defects from occurring.

Improve Performance

Deviations that prove to be non-random occurrences are carefully isolated. Solutions must be identified and tested against other variables. The best solutions result in the lowest number of deviations.

Control Performance

After identifying the deviations and applying the solutions, the final phase is continuous. Performance must be tested and re-tested on a regular schedule. Efficiency is maintained and high quality standards enforced.

Categories: Questions and Answers

Six Sigma is an advanced system improves the business dramatically by eliminating unnecessary processes, enhancing the quality of the products and resolving issues. Six Sigma training is long and extensive. It is not enough that the people know what the system is all about. The results can only be seen with proper implementation. This is where Six Sigma leadership is important.

 The Six Sigma leader overlooks the entire technical and organizational processes. He coaches the other belts. He can provide expert advices to company owners and the different teams of the system. He is the visionary that propels the company to success.

Six Sigma leadership practices can spell the difference between success and failure of the system. That is why, this aspect is critical and needs to be considered with great care.

Six Sigma programs that generate the highest impacts have applied, whether in an implied or explicit manner, a huge range of leadership principles to empower, direct and motivate the members.

The success of the system requires three important leadership interventions that include 1. determining and improving competencies, 2. learning the leadership skills in Six Sigma methodologies and 3. sustainable practices and creation of strategies in imparting learning to sustain the system.

A competency-based leadership is vital in introducing changes in the operations. In developing Six Sigma leadership competencies it is important for leaders to do three things: 1. develop new leadership competencies particularly in the alignment of business strategies, networking and training, 2. perfect new competencies and 3. leaders must develop different competencies to be able to support the organization. This is because what is successful at the lower level may not necessarily work in the higher levels.

Learning these leadership competencies may take a long time possibly several years. In order to support learning, Six Sigma programs must include training formally, focusing on vital development experiences and providing tools to help develop the successful practices.

Sustainability of the workable practices of Six Sigma is important for the continuous improvement of the business. Leaders should instill the Six Sigma culture into the organization. It should be incorporated in the current company practices. This transformational thrust can only be attained with effective leadership.

In using the Six Sigma practices to develop leadership, the teams learn to be accountable for their actions. The use of the Six Sigma techniques in leadership helps reduce errors, speed up the development of leaders and make learning more efficient.

Categories: Questions and Answers

There are millions of business management systems out there to choose from but companies that choose to train their employees in the 6 Sigma principles find that this program provides them with much more than just improving the profitability of their business. It is a way of building a business, of revamping a business to make it stronger and cultivating a team of individuals who are working toward a common goal.

One of the best ways to describe Six Sigma is that it is like having eyes and ears everywhere. Using this type of business management system helps to employ all of a company’s resources and pool everyone together towards a common goal.

Unlike many other management systems that utilize only upper level employees in the task of running the business and implementing the changes that come down from the higher ups, this program offers an opportunity for everyone to pitch in and this creates a feeling of unity but it also allows those in higher management positions to get feedback from those employees in the trenches and those on the front line. These employees are those that actually see first hand the customers and the products and services as they are being passed along. They hear what the customers say and see what the customers see and from this perspective their take on your business is invaluable.

Many businesses choose to only look at and listen to those people who make the big bucks and those that hold the prestigious positions in a company and this is a big mistake. Any company that overlooks the lower level employees and their observations about the company structure and customer experiences is doing themselves a great disservice. If anything these individuals know more about the day to day running of your business and the ways in which to improve it than any one else in the corporate structure. It is for this reason that Six Sigma is hands down one of the most thoughtful and effective management systems of our time.

Categories: Case Studies, Questions and Answers

Getting your employees trained in Six Sigma can definitely be a challenge especially in a larger business and you may be wondering how it is that you will succeed in accomplishing such a task. Quite honestly, however, Six Sigma training is a very flexible program that can be done in the classroom or even online. This is of great assistance to companies who have a great number of employees to take through the process.

When looking to train your entire staff, begin first by getting those in upper management trained first. Since they will be your Six Sigma leaders they will need the best possible training and it is usually advisable to send these people to a class on Six Sigma. The classroom provides them with the opportunity to fully explore their questions and to get solid answers they can work with. And an additional benefit of the classroom setting is that it allows for them to hear questions that are posed by others in the class.

As your upper rung of the Six Sigma implementation you want to make sure that they have a keen understanding of the principles and the implementing of such principles throughout the structure of your business. The classroom setting will help them to explore the answers to the many questions they may have as Six Sigma Master Black Belts and Black Belts.

Those who fall lower on the Six Sigma tiers may be just as effectively trained through an interactive online program, preferably sponsored by the same group and the upper management employees are being trained by. Using the same training program will help ensure continuity and while your lower level employees train online they can always refer back to the more senior employees in the company for any questions they have or any guidance that they need as they work through the training program.

Six Sigma training can take a little time and may delay implementation but once you have employees who are well trained in the principles of Six Sigma you will find that you are ready to move full steam ahead. The better trained your staff is the better your initial results will be.

Categories: Questions and Answers, Six Sigma

One of the biggest keys to Six Sigma is the implementation and facilitation of the process and strategies and the great news is that it is your employees that will help to make this process successful throughout your business. The following are some of the main Six Sigma roles that you will need to fill in your company to make implementation as successful as possible.

EXECUTIVE LEADERS – Those members of your top management are those who are responsible for outlining the Six Sigma plan and guidelines for implementation. They will help to put in place the leaders on all levels of the company.

CHAMPIONS – Selection of these individuals is done by the Executive Leaders. These individuals are usually high ranking in the company and are responsible for putting the Executive Leaders’ vision into action. They are responsible for training those beneath them as well.

MASTER BLACK BELTS – These individuals lead those beneath them in the Six Sigma principles throughout the business process. They serve as coordinator between those in upper management and those directly beneath them.

BLACK BELTS – The Black Belts lead those beneath them and are completely trained by the Master Black Belts. This group of individuals helps to execute the plans passed down to them and make sure that Six Sigma implementation goes off without a hitch. They essentially are responsible for the running of Six Sigma at the lower levels of the business.

GREEN AND YELLOW BELTS – These are the lowest tiers of the business and are essentially the work force that works to make the changes that have been passed down. Even the lower level employees need to be trained and the 6 Sigma Black Belts see to it that they fully understand their role and the Six Sigma principles. These are the people who will put Six Sigma into action and are a very critical part of the process.

Six Sigma is something that works throughout your business and helps to unite employees towards a common goal which is ultimately a more successful business. Training on all levels is essential to Six Sigma implementation.

Categories: Questions and Answers, Six Sigma

So you are a business owner or CEO and you are looking for a way to move your business to the head of the class? You have tried everything imaginable and yet feel like there is something missing from your business? Well, you are not alone as many business owners who have come before you have felt exactly the same way. So what makes one business fail while others are succeeding? Or better yet what makes one succeed while the rest are falling by the wayside?

Well, many companies large and small have found that Six Sigma is the right program for them. Now you may be wondering if it is the right program for you. In order to determine this you need to decide what you want from your business. Do you want your business to succeed and begin turning a larger profit in the coming year? Do you wish to improve your ROI and have happier customers and a better overall product?

If you answered yes to these questions then you are looking in the right place. Six Sigma has been the answer for many different businesses and could be the answer for your business as well. One of the best things about Six Sigma is that it is a group effort that maximizes your business to true perfection allowing you to do better business than your competitors and improve your business with each new assessment. It is a process by which you will be able to breakdown not only your goals but also your results to be able to pinpoint and make changes that will result in a better overall product for your company.

Many companies like Bank of America, Microsoft, and Motorola have used these methods to ultimate success and although there have been a few companies like Home Depot for instance that have struggled with the implementation of the program it is one built on a solid foundation that has been tested time and time again. Even Home Depot showed an increased bottom line due to their Six Sigma implementation but the person in charge of the implementation went a bit overboard to the point where employees were becoming dissatisfied with the changes being made and this is why choosing the right MBB’s for your program can make all the difference.

Categories: Business, Questions and Answers

If you have decided to use Six Sigma to help you bring your company to a level of perfection then you are definitely on the right track. Using this type of strategy will help to improve your profits and improve your customer satisfaction but when it comes to 6 Sigma you are not only training employees you are building a team and that is one way that Six Sigma really ties things together for your business. In order to get everyone involved Six Sigma works in levels which are known as belts and these belts help to get everyone involved in Six Sigma throughout the different areas of your business.

The three primary levels of Six Sigma are the Green, Black, and Master Black Belts although some Six Sigma Programs add a few other level to ensure that all employees are included equally in the implementation process. Each level has its own training and certification program.

GREEN BELTS – This is usually the initial level for most people in training and a Green Belt Certification can usually be accomplished within about 2 weeks of training. These employees will work under Black Belts and will be assisted by them in applying the principles they have learned.

BLACK BELTS – These employees usually undergo a more extensive four week program which includes everything that Green Belts have learned plus includes a more detailed understanding of the statistical end of 6 Sigma as well. This is a more advanced level of Six Sigma and so more training is required to obtain a Black Belt Certification.

MASTER BLACK BELTS – These are the most highly trained individuals in the Six Sigma structure and they of course learn everything that is included in the Green Belt and Black Belt training and more. These are the individuals in charge of the projects for the entire company. MBB training is much more complex and difficult and it is therefore designated for only the top people in the organization. Being a Master Black Belt is responsible for proper employee placement and overseeing problems and solutions this is an area of Six Sigma must be assigned to the most well trained and competent employees available. Having the right Master Black Belts in place can truly make or break your Six Sigma implementation.

Categories: Questions and Answers, Six Sigma

Most methodologies have an inherient doctrine. Newcomers to six sigma often take a while to become acclimated to it. In this post I will explore Six Sigma's doctrine.

The Six Sigma doctrine is made up of a set of standards. All of which are based on the presumption that by using the methods outlined in the Doctrine of Six Sigma, businesses could improve the process of manufacturing and eliminate any defects that came down the line. In relation to Six Sigma, the definition of a defect means any output by the manufacturing or other output processes that the clients do not like, or does not meet the clients’ or customers’ needs in some way.

The basic terms of the Six Sigma Doctrine include some basic principles that are used in the methodology that all involved in the business and manufacturing process must follow:

• In order to achieve success in business, it is important to strive to continue to build a way to effectively predict and achieve results without variation of the whole.
• In order to ensure success, every part of the company or organization must be involved in some way and show their commitment to the success of that organization to gain control over improvement in quality, included in this statement are the CEO and other top-level management teams.
• No mater what the business aspects are, they will all have measurable characteristics of which can be improved upon.
• Additionally, the Six Sigma doctrine included a specific set of features from which they were set apart from other organizations. These included:
• The ability and passion to make decisions based on analytical fact instead of assumptions and conjecture
• Focus on a Six Sigma project in order to achieve financial goals on ROI
• Management should have the ability to be passionate about their leadership and show commitment to all involved
• A tiered approach to the levels of leadership within the Six Sigma organizations

These last four features set Six Sigma apart from any previous quality control initiatives. The leadership tiers to which one could attain included Black Belts and Green belts in addition to others and they serve to set certain leaders apart from others so that those in need of guidance and structure have someone in which they can confide in and receive help from. These “Belts’ show the Six Sigma community who the experts are in production management and the quality control initiatives.

A black Belt is governed by a “Master Black Belt,” and guides all those below him. With the ability to complete various projects every year, a Six Sigma Black belt can save an organization up to $230,000 on each project. At about six projects or more every year, that equals no less than $1.5 million saved by using the Six Sigma methodology and their Master Black belts.

The combined use and deployment of the Doctrine and the Belt levels allows the company, which is in the process of a Six Sigma deployment, to achieve their overall goals in the production of product, reduction of defects and the management of the business as a whole in relation to customer satisfaction. The overall success factor of which Six Sigma eventually brings to a business and its management/production/manufacturing style is one which has been proven over and over with the success of Fortune 500 companies everywhere.

Categories: Methodologies, Questions and Answers