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A former colleague recently wrote to tell me about his new position as a Lean leader at a global company. He is excited because his time in his new role will be broken into 70 percent change leadership and management systems work, and 30 percent as tools implementation. A few years ago the distribution of accountabilities […]

Two common questions for people new to the Lean Six Sigma community are: “What is Kaizen?” and “Why would you run a Kaizen event as part of a Lean Six Sigma project?” This article describes what a Kaizen event is and addresses how to run successful Kaizen events. In “A Plan for a Five-day Kaizen” the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Kevin Madden (888) 744-6295 Toronto (August 28, 2012) – SigmaXL Inc., a leading provider of user friendly Excel Add-ins, announces the release of DiscoverSim Version 1 for Monte Carlo Simulation and Global Optimization. DiscoverSim enables you to quantify your risk through Monte Carlo simulation and minimize your risk with global […]

Return on investment (ROI) measures/evaluates an investment. It can be thought of in general terms as: (gain from investment) (cost of investment) / cost of investment The specifics of a calculation will vary depending upon the type of investment being assessed. The best ROI references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Ask […]

One of the most popular search terms on iSixSigma.com is SIPOC (suppliers, inputs, process, output and customers), a process mapping tool. The reverse of SIPOC, COPIS (customer, output, process, input, supplier) is also a frequently searched tool. The best SIPOC/COPIS references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Better Involvement/Requirements with LURE and […]

A Series of Articles on VOC Advances This article is one of a series on advances in obtaining and applying voice of the customer (VOC) information. The other articles in the series are VOC Advances: Complementary Innovation for Growth and VOC Advances: Helping Make Better Design Decisions. The series was written by Anthony E. Curtis […]

I’m sure most of you have seen infomercials for get-fit-quick gimmicks. There’s a man on the TV who excitedly tells you of a way to lose weight and get fit in seven days. We fall for these gimmicks time after time with the same result … a new contraption that sits unused, except as a place to […]

Is leadership from the bottom-up better than top-down? How can employees convince and excite their leaders about the opportunities waiting for them with a Lean Six Sigma deployment? The best leadership references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Ask the Expert: The Topic – Six Sigma and Employees Developing Change Leadership by […]

I’ve had more than one colleague accuse me of being overly focused on the data when making business decisions. Clearly I’m not the only one. Who else feels like this kid some days?

This three-part article reviews three approaches to explaining Six Sigma that the author has seen backfire, along with an alternative. Part 1 sets the stage. Part 2 looks at Traps 1 and 2. Below is the third of three approaches to explaining Six Sigma that I’ve seen backfire, along with an alternative. I don’t want […]

This three-part article reviews three approaches to explaining Six Sigma that the author has seen backfire, along with an alternative. Part 1 sets the stage. Part 3 looks at the third trap. Below, I’ve listed three approaches to explaining Six Sigma that I’ve seen backfire, along with an alternative. I don’t want to put words […]

Do I need to be certified? Which company or organization should certify me? Is there a single certification standard? Does experience outweigh a need for certification? These are questions that have been asked and answered for years across iSixSigma.com. The best certification references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Is there a difference between […]

While Six Sigma improvement projects have many potential benefits to a company, their financial impact often gets the most attention. Business leaders want to know that they are getting a return on their investment in Black Belts. In our most recent research study, we look at Black Belt project pay-offs, where companies are targeting their […]

To be competitive, organizations need continuous improvement efforts working internally and throughout their supply chains. How can this type of system be created so that it is both immediately beneficial and able to maintain its integrity through inevitable leadership and organizational changes? It is critically important to develop a clear mechanism for selecting improvement projects […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE San Antonio, TX (July 19, 2012) – San Antonio-based blow molder Tejas Plastics Inc. is marking its fifth anniversary with an open house on July 20. The company took over former blow molder Lido Inc. in 2007. The 30,000-square-foot facility has five blow molding lines in operation – two with a 35-pound head and […]

Collecting data – be it voice of the customer or otherwise – requires a plan. Details of the plan should include what data to collect, how to get the information, where the information will come from and so on. Before any of these details are defined, however, the first step is to identify what a […]

Ever heard the phrase “What gets measured gets done?” It gets tossed around when someone is trying to convince you of adding a metric to your project or scorecard. It sounds good, doesn’t it? If we can measure X, then we will achieve the performance we want. It is not that easy. Simply measuring something […]

Implementing the Lean methodology in small teams can have enormous benefit, in one case increasing team effectiveness, as measured by throughput, by 200 percent to 300 percent. Other benefits include better communication (both internally and to the entire organization), improved employee moral, improved work output and increased customer satisfaction. Jim Benson describes how, through the […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2012 – The world financial crisis continues. Economists say that a completely new economic reality with new rules of play is inevitable. Economic unpredictability is currently beyond any reasonable limits. In these conditions, while new economic relationships are being established, it is essential to be ready for any scenario of further […]

Editor’s note: In a previous article, author Lindquist describes what a gemba walk is. Here he presents three examples of gemba walks. Gemba walks at Fairbanks Morse Engine demonstrate the importance of the sometimes-overlooked basics of process improvement. Case Study One Single Process – Pama Machining Center Observation: The objective of a series of events […]

Editor’s note: A follow-up article features three specific examples of gemba walks. With so many tools available to a continuous improvement professional, it is easy to get overwhelmed and consequently focus on a narrow grouping of tools. Experience expands the practitioner’s toolbox, but sometimes it is just as important to return to the foundations to […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Michelle Matschke [email protected] (203) 267-3445 Southbury, CT (June 18, 2012) – Juran Institute is pleased to announce that Brian Swayne has joined our team as an Executive Vice President of Business Development and Executive Coach.  Mr. Swayne will lead the business development process, including marketing and sales, as well […]

ZPI Inc. has partnered with Operational Excellence® experts Global Productivity Solutions (GPS) to provide customers with a truly guaranteed performance improvement solution. Global Productivity Solutions (GPS) are experts in achieving performance breakthrough. GPS consultants have industry-leading experience in data analytics that help companies in their pursuit of Operational Excellence. The ZPI Enterprise Manufacturing Diagnostic suite helps […]

Most people know what it means to improve a process, but which improvement methodology is best for your organization: Lean, Six Sigma, theory of constraints (TOC), PDCA (plan, do, check, act) or another framework? Joe De Feo, CEO of the Juran Institute, has worked with thousands of organizations to implement every process improvement methodology from […]

Nobody knows what the future holds, but a shared uncertainty about tomorrow creates a forward-leaning opportunity for reinvention. Future-ready reengineering helps companies move from doing what is most effective today to meeting tomorrow’s challenges.

Hello iSixSigma readers! We are working on an article about gage R&R and need your help with data collection for analysis. What we need: Raw data itself (either 5-part or 10-part analyses including operators, parts, trials and measurements) The tolerance spread Is this one- or two-sided tolerance What we would like: Gage family information (e.g., […]

The following question has been posed on many Internet discussion forums: Has anyone poka-yoked a computer-aided design (CAD) system? The goal of poka-yoke, or mistake-proofing, is to design a process or mechanism that prevents an error from occurring. In the world of machine and industrial design, CAD systems are one of the best forms of […]

The following are selected highlights of a corporate leadership profile of H.C. Starck. The complete article – with more details about method and project selection, and the program’s growth beyond the manufacturing floor – is available for purchase on the iSixSigma Marketplace. The almost 100-year-old H.C. Starck knows a thing or two about achieving the right […]

Internet betting exchange Betfair invests heavily in different marketing activities, and one of the most effective marketing channels is outbound calling. The outbound marketing team employs a number of different campaigns. Its main focus, however, is to reach out to customers who have registered online, but not yet placed money in their betting account. The […]

In 2005 iSixSigma published its first original research on Black Belt return on investment. The project explored the return on investment companies achieve through Black Belt improvement projects.   Seven years later, iSixSigma is revisiting this topic and I hope that you will participate today – https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FBCWQW7. Help us learn what’s changed and what’s stayed the […]

Self-help books abound for those who are looking to improve themselves, either personally or professionally. What these books fail to address, however, is the personalization that most people need to make lasting change. Ron McMillan is one of the authors of the book Change Anything, which introduces a framework to help you achieve any of […]

Hypothesis testing is a powerful way to analyze data. But to make the most progress, a Six Sigma team must not only be able to perform a hypothesis test, it must also be aware of the test’s limits of practical significance. Two groups of stakeholders are involved with the results of statistical analysis. The team’s need […]

The following are selected highlights of the 9th Annual iSixSigma Global Salary Survey. The complete report, with more analysis and extended findings (including results for Black Belts (BBs), Master Black Belts (MBBs), Deployment Leaders (DLs), Champions, Quality Professionals (QPs), Quality Executives (QEs) and Business Professionals (BPs); regional highlights; bonuses; how education and experience affect compensation; […]

The process capability indices Pp and Cp describe how closely a process can operate within its specification limits. Many articles describe the difference between Pp and Cp simply: one is short term, one is long term. Moving beyond such a description, this article focuses on the untapped power of capability analysis and shows you how […]

The interviewer asked me: “What is your proudest project accomplishment?” I’m sure she wanted to hear about traditional success measures like millions of dollars saved, cycle time decreased or customer satisfaction increased. I blurted out – my preschool! While it most likely cost me the interview, that moment reminded me of other important problems we solve. Like […]

Statistical process control (SPC), despite sounding esoteric, is a subject that every process owner and worker should – and can – understand, at least at a high level. Knowing whether a process is in control and stable is paramount to producing a product or service that meets customer needs. In this hour-long Minitab training course […]

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) teams focus on the statistical analysis of metrics when identifying opportunities for improvement. The strong focus on data-driven evaluation, however, can overshadow the human element that exists behind the data collection plan. Despite its importance, the impact of human interaction is not easily visible or quantified, buried under reams of data. […]

The following is Part Two of a two-part article. Part One follows the first three steps of a DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) project at Kahiki Foods. Part Two follows the completion of the DMAIC project – the Improve and Control steps. Improve The enhanced choke-point analysis completed in Analyze verified the chicken processing […]

The International Six Sigma Institute and Secret Society for Imperious Professionals of Process Improvement (ISSISSIPPI) today announced its new Less-Than-Free MBB, a breakthrough online certification program for the process improvement marketplace.

MoreSteam.com Sponsors Process Improvement Gathering on April 18, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Kathy Miller (262) 241.1082 [email protected] Columbus, OH (March 29, 2012) – On Wednesday, April 18, 2012, MoreSteam.com, the leading global provider of online Lean Six Sigma training and Blended Learning technology, will sponsor a one-day continuous improvement conference in […]

Training and Advisory Services will instruct on The Shingo Model of Operational Excellence FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: UL Lisa Stern +1.847.664.2634 [email protected] The Shingo Prize Chelsee Niebergall +1.435.797.0771 [email protected] Northbrook, IL (March 26, 2012) – Today UL, a leader in global safety science, announces its new educational partnership with The Shingo Prize for […]

The following is Part One of a two-part article. Part One follows the first three steps of a DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) project at Kahiki Foods. Part Two follows the completion of the DMAIC project – the Improve and Control steps. Kahiki Foods is an expanding, family-run Asian foods manufacturer with about 200 […]

I enjoyed taking the Washington State Ferry across Puget Sound from Bainbridge Island today, then driving to Kirkland (East Seattle) to attend Minitab‘s statistics training session. As advertised, Minitab delivered: [div4 class=”approved2″ class2=”module-icon”]Learn to use Minitab Statistical Software to analyze your project data by attending Minitab Training in Seattle, WA March 19-23, 2012. The hands-on […]

Starting a Lean or Six Sigma initiative at your organization is no easy task. The task is easier, however, when you build a comprehensive deployment plan. In this video, you will learn everything you need to know about a successful Lean or Six Sigma deployment plan, including: What is a deployment plan and why is […]

If you’re looking for Lean Six Sigma training but you want to go through it online (in Lean Six Sigma e-learning course), then this is the comprehensive resource that you’ve been looking for.

Tower Automotive has practiced Lean manufacturing and had a continuous improvement department in one form or another since the late 1990s. Through these continuous improvement efforts, Tower was able to eliminate waste and reduce overall operational costs, helping the company survive when many other automotive suppliers fell by the wayside. Even with all of the […]

Gold’s recent run on Wall Street made me think about what makes businesses valuable. Gold represents an investment; business invests its capital into tools, equipment and facilities. Conjuring up thoughts of gold I imagined someone grabbing a cloth and physically shining up some jewelry or a gold bar. I chuckled. Who shines a gold bar? But who […]

In order to achieve maximum and consistent returns with Lean Six Sigma, combine LSS with systems thinking and TOC into a single continuous improvement approach.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Michelle Matschke [email protected] (203) 267-3445 Southbury, CT (February 29, 2012) – Juran Institute is excited to announce their attendance at this year’s 24th Annual Quest for Excellence Conference, also known as the “Official Conference for the Baldrige Award,” being held in Washington, DC.  In addition, Juran’s President and CEO, […]

Kanban is a Japanese word that translates into “signboard” or “billboard,” and is a tool developed in Lean manufacturing but applied to any process. It is a visual scheduling system that allows a team – for any process – to know what needs to be done, what is being done and what has been done. Kanban can […]