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Six Sigma & Quality Article Archive
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Quality Spotlight Archive | Management Spotlight Archive | Tools Spotlight Archive Readers' Choice: View All Top-Rated Articles Archives by Year: 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 - Are You New To Six Sigma?
Find definitions, history, methodologies, answers, links and resources to all your basic Six Sigma questions. Read the full article. December 29, 2003
- Are You Sure Your Data Is Normal?
Most processes are not normally distributed. Most Six Sigma tools, however, assume normality. Choose the right tool for your next process analysis. Read the full article. December 22, 2003
- The Champion's Role In Successful Six Sigma Deployments
Champions have a much larger role in deploying Six Sigma or any other initiative than just removing roadblocks. Champions must be integrated into the business, select projects accurately, adjust the speed of the deployment as necessary, and take responsibility for implementation. Read the full article. December 15, 2003
- Calculating Process Efficiency in Transactional Projects
Principals of Lean Manufacturing are applicable to any business process. This article reviews some of the common problems seen in transactional projects and outlines an example where simple graphical methods are used to interpret cycle time data. Read the full article. December 8, 2003
- Choosing the Best Method for Listening to the Customer
Once you decide what you want to know, from whom you want to know it, and what you will do with the data, you must carefully consider what method is best suited for gathering customer information for your Six Sigma project. This article summarizes eight types of data collection methods. Read the full article. November 24, 2003
- Asking the Right Questions is the Key to Data Collection
In the Measure phase of the Six Sigma DMAIC improvement methodology, data is collected and analyzed to provide a performance baseline for the process under study. Asking questions is one of the primary ways of collecting data. How can you ensure that they are going to collect useful information? Read on... Read the full article. November 17, 2003
- Reducing Cycle Time for Six Sigma Projects
While Six Sigma continues to evolve, the most often cited complaint is long project cycle times. The obvious expense of eight to nine month (or longer) Black and Green Belt projects is opportunity lost. For example, a project that produces cost savings at a run rate of $30,000 per month leaves $150,000 on the table when it takes nine months versus four months to complete. This article discusses why projects are extended beyond expected timeframes, how better planning upfront can help, and how to generate faster quick wins with low hanging fruit and solutions deployment. Read the full article. November 10, 2003
- Six Sigma Belt Practice Test Beta
Are you preparing for a Six Sigma Black Belt certification test? Or perhaps you just want to test your knowledge of Black Belt material. Whatever your reason, you can now take iSixSigma's Belt Practice Test. We are pleased to announce the beta launch of our Practice Test. The beta version is limited to Black Belt test questions, but future options will include Green Belt and Master Black Belt tests. Try it today and let us know what you think. Read the full article. November 3, 2003
- Managing Six Sigma Change Resistance
A critical component of any successful Six Sigma project is overcoming resistance to change. The reason: Without user acceptance, any process improvement is doomed to fail. Therefore, proper anticipation and understanding the approaches to various resistance tactics is essential to success. Read the full article. October 27, 2003
- 101 Things A Green Belt Should Know
Green belts are employees of an organization who have been trained on the Six Sigma improvement methodology and will lead a process improvement team as part of their full time job. While Green Belts don't need to know as much as Black Belts or Master Black Belts, there are many things a Green Belt should know. This list will help. Read the full article. October 20, 2003
- To BB Or Not To BB?
Deciding whether to become a Six Sigma Black Belt (BB) is a major career decision, and you should carefully consider the pros and cons. Read the full article. October 13, 2003
- History Of The Six Sigma Black Belt Naming Convention
Who are these Six Sigma Black Belts that save companies millions of dollars, and where did the terminology originate? This article explores the history of the Black Belt naming convention, and how it has been modified recently. Read the full article. October 6, 2003
- Communication Strategies for Six Sigma Initiatives
Over 60% of change initiatives fail, due in part to the absence of organizational acceptance. Building Six Sigma acceptance begins with the development of solid communication strategies. Read the full article. September 29, 2003
- Variance Markers in Survey Design
The idea of bio-marking, a technique used to follow individual molecules around in the laboratory, can also be applied to survey design. By creating one item, which captures the overall meaning or 'bottom line' of a survey, we can examine its variance statistically as it interacts with other items and set the stage for leverage and resource allocation via multiple regression. Read the full article. September 22, 2003
- Remembering Bill Smith, Father Of Six Sigma
Bill Smith, the Father of Six Sigma, has influenced business students and corporate leaders worldwide with his innovative Six Sigma strategy. Read the full article. September 15, 2003
- Six Sigma Leadership And Innovation Using TRIZ
Many current Six Sigma roadblocks can be eliminated with the use of TRIZ and I-TRIZ, the Russian acronym for the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving. Integrating TRIZ and Six Sigma can lead to greater efficiency, effectiveness, avoided expense and incrased RTY. Read the full article. September 8, 2003
- Design For Six Sigma (DFSS) Versus DMAIC
Troubled with the acronyms of Six Sigma? We'll help you figure out new product design (DFSS) from existing process improvement (DMAIC). Learn the many methodologies of Design For Six Sigma, and see how they compare to DMAIC. Read the full article. September 1, 2003
- Why Don't More Leaders Get It? Explanations for Six Sigma
Why don't leaders of companies recognize the power of a Six Sigma quality program and the benefits to the company? You may be explaining it the wrong way. Read about three traps and how to avoid them during your next explanation. Read the full article. August 25, 2003
- The Cause and Effect (a.k.a. Fishbone) Diagram
The cause and effect (fishbone) diagram will help you visually display the many potential causes for a problem or effect. Don't be fooled by tool rules; Kerri Simon teaches you to modify the tool for your specific project and subject matter. Free templates are included so you can begin using this tool today. Read the full article. August 18, 2003
- 50% Sampling Savings With Sequential Test Method
Using Wald's Sequential Test Method for process capability decisions can result in 50% sampling savings. Sequential Testing can also be automated, enhanced and extended to the Binomial, Poisson and Reliability Test areas. Read the full article. August 11, 2003
- The Importance Of Statistical Thinking
Six Sigma is an effective way to implement statistical thinking, a philosophy of learning and action based on the following fundamental principles:- All work occurs in a system of interconnected processes
- Variation exists in all processes
- Understanding and reducing variation are the keys to success
This article displays two case studies that illustrate that there is no set rule to understanding variation based on the order of Six Sigma tools used. Six Sigma Black Belts need to understanding when to use each tool in business projects. Read the full article. August 4, 2003
- Integrating Lean and Six Sigma
The power of an integrated roadmap is yours for the taking. Both the Lean and Six Sigma methodologies have proven over the last twenty years that it is possible to achieve dramatic improvements in cost, quality, and time by focusing on process performance. Integrating Lean and Six Sigma can help to overcome the limitations of each approach applied exclusively, but you must overcome competing initiatives and camps. Read the full article. July 21, 2003
- Three Romeos And A Juliet - An Early Brush With DOE
Three young men, each being infatuated with the same woman, agree to conduct a Design of Experiment of love. Statistics and romance intertwine in this entertaining and educational real-life story. Which bachelor will end up with the young lady's hand? Will the Design of Experiment prove successful? Read on... Read the full article. July 14, 2003
- Continuous Vs. Breakthrough Improvement
Bharat Gears Limited, an Indian company, with the help of Toyota, is using a concept called "Step-Up" to meet the quality levels of the rest of the world. Read the full article. July 7, 2003
- Kano Analysis: A Little Something Extra Can Have Big Results
How often have you been truly delighted by a dining experience? Recently, Kathy Parker and a co-worker had the good fortune to have such an experience. This article provides an opportunity to examine the dining experience through the well-known Kano Model of customer satisfaction. The model, developed by Japanese quality expert Dr. Noriaki Kano, describes the complexities of customer needs and their relationship to customer satisfaction in an easy to understand visual format. Read the full article. June 30, 2003
- Strategies for Surveying Employees
Most companies can benefit from surveying their employees for the primary purpose of gauging morale. Improvements in morale generally indicate a more satisfied work force, which often translates into a more effective and efficient team that plays a critical role in the company's quality and bottom line. Read the full article. June 23, 2003
- Most Practical DOE Explained (Free Template!)
For purposes of learning, using, or teaching Design of Experiments (DOE), one can argue that an eight run array is the most practical and universally applicable array that can be chosen. There are several forms of and names given to the various types of these eight run arrays (e.g., 2^3 Full Factorial, Taguchi L8, 2^4-1 Half Fraction, Plackett-Burman 8-run, etc.), but they are all very similar. Read the full article. June 16, 2003
- Six Sigma Trends: Management Of Six Sigma Deployments
The arguments presented in this article lead to one conclusion: there is little or no chance to succeed with a Six Sigma deployment by doing it from the bottom-up, or by perceiving it as just another total quality management initiative. The quickest and most effective way to success is through business case management and project-based top-down training. Read the full article. June 9, 2003
- Actionable Information From Soft Data
Engineers, Six Sigma practitioners, and other researchers often work with "hard" data - discrete data that can be counted and legitimately expressed as ratios. But what of "soft" data, things like opinions, attitudes, satisfaction? Can statistical process controls (SPC) be applied here? Can process variation in customer satisfaction, for example, be measured and then reported to management in a meaningful way? Can we leverage "appeal", "responsiveness", or "value for money spent"? The process of turning soft data into information (assuming the data are valid) is two-fold: knowing what to extract and knowing how to display. Read the full article. June 2, 2003
- New iSixSigma Job Shop Launches!
Your perfect job is waiting. The new iSixSigma Job Shop provides advanced searching, resume posting, automated agents, saving jobs, comparison of salaries, and much more. Visit today to sign up. Read the full article. May 26, 2003
- Is Six Sigma Enough?
The speed and effectiveness of each partner in the total value chain determines the success of the overall stream as it competes against other value chains. Many organizations find that 70-95% of their product cost, lead time, design, supply chain planning, and manufacturing are influenced from outside. Integrating multiple improvement methodologies might be necessary to reach your efficiency goals and complete in today's economy. Read the full article. May 19, 2003
- Six Sigma Is Just A Fad
Most likely you've heard that Six Sigma is just a fad. But should we add Six Sigma to the list of growing management fads? Various people say yes, but those that truly understand and are comprehensively trained would argue otherwise: Six Sigma resurrected quality and, in fact, has taken it to a new level. This article presents both sides of the story. Read the full article. May 12, 2003
- Catalyzing Change: A Turnaround Success
Given a dire situation, a change management process is clearly required. A haphazard attack on many issues can exacerbate the problem. Kotter's Eight-Stage Process of Creating Change was used as the guide to induce the re-invention of a team and business processes in this real-world transformation that saved a company. Read the full article. May 5, 2003
- Three Simple Questions: How to Focus Your VOC Research
A lot of time can be saved in the planning stages of a survey or research project by simply answering three short questions. This article includes two real-world examples of how these three questions are essential to defining a Voice of the Customer (VOC) survey or research project. Read the full article. April 28, 2003
- Read-Rite Low FPY Manufacturing Case Study
This real-world Six Sigma manufacturing case study highlights how a low first pass yield (FPY) was defined, measured, analyzed, improved and controlled. It includes the story-board used by the team to document the DMAIC improvement process and project results. Read the full article. April 21, 2003
- The Role of Human Resources (HR) in Six Sigma
HR professionals with the right skills can contribute to a Six Sigma initiative at both strategic and tactical levels. This article describes the areas in which HR should play a role in Six Sigma and discusses how HR professionals can increase their chances of being included in Six Sigma decision-making and implementation. Read the full article. April 14, 2003
- Developing E-Learning The Six Sigma Way
Your E-Learning development program may well be in trouble, and applying the Six Sigma methodology might be the solution. In this real-world Six Sigma -- play-by-play -- case study about E-Learning development, you will learn from the Black Belt what tools were used throughout define, measure, analyze, improve and control phases of a project to reduce development time by 50% and save almost $300,000 per year. Read the full article. April 7, 2003
- What Keeps Six Sigma Practitioners Up At Night?
What causes Six Sigma projects to fail to produce desired results, and what would most help to improve Six Sigma project results? This article presents survey results from Six Sigma professionals and presents recommendations. Read the full article. March 24, 2003
- Top Ten Six Sigma Black Belt Candidate Qualities
What should you look for in a Black Belt candidate or how should you develop yourself for a Black Belt position? This article will address these questions. Read the full article. March 17, 2003
- No Projects In The Hopper?
Here are tens of ideas for identifying issues in your organization and function. These ideas can then be evaluated and formalized into project charters which will allow you to prioritize for implementation. Read the full article. March 10, 2003
- Three Deadly Sins In Strategic Planning
When clients aren't getting the results they expect from their strategic plans, there are usually three overlooked causes -— incomplete planning, inadequate links between strategy and action, and poor communications. Are you getting enough from your Six Sigma strategic plan? Read the full article. March 3, 2003
- Six Sigma for Small and Medium Sized Businesses
This article discusses an approach for successfully (and practically) implementing Six Sigma in small and medium-sized companies. Read the full article. February 24, 2003
- Avoid The Four Most Common Mistakes of Sales Process Mapping
This article describes the consequences of the four most common sales process mapping mistakes, as well as principles to follow in order to avoid them. Learn how process mapping brings the potential for creating breakthroughs in organizational sales performance. Read the full article. February 17, 2003
- How To Avoid Over-Committing On Six Sigma Projects
Too often commitments made today are, at best, hopes for success tomorrow. There are two elements at the foundation of this dangerously growing mentality, and this article provides 10 ways to make and meet commitments. After all, business comes down to planning and executing. We must plan well and execute well and both of these depend heavily on making commitments that are attainable and owned.
Read the full article. February 10, 2003
- Medical Transcription Six Sigma Case Study
This case study is an example of a Six Sigma breakthrough improvement in a Medical Transcription company in India. It unfolds in the same chronological sequence as in real life, pointing out the critical stages where employee mindsets changed, and how higher quality was achieved by using applicable Six Sigma tools. Read the full article. February 3, 2003
- Should You Use A Mean Or Individuals Control Chart?
To plot individual data or to group the data and plot the mean on a control chart, that is the question. This article helps you understand how to make the most of your data. Read the full article. January 27, 2003
- Understanding Process Variation
Conformance to customer CTQs can be measured in process variation and is important in the Six Sigma methodology, because the customer is always evaluating our services, products and processes to determine how well they are meeting their needs. Read the full article. January 20, 2003
- Understanding Scatter Diagrams and Correlation Analysis
Six Sigma scatter diagrams and their correlation analyses often debunk management myths. Many times executives assume that measures vary together when they do not or do not vary in concert with one another when they do. For better or worse, budget forecasts are based on these assumptions. Knowing which factors do and don't vary together improves forecasting accuracy. Improved forecasts can reduce decision risk. Read the full article. January 11, 2003
- Design Of Experiment For Software Testing
When DOE is used for software testing, there is a large amount of savings in testing time and cost. Use of orthogonal array based testing has demonstrated to produce superior test plans that improve testing productivity by a factor of 2. Read the full article. January 6, 2003
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