isixsigma.com

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 […]

The following are selected highlights of a 2011 research study. The complete report, with more analysis and extended findings, is available for purchase on the iSixSigma Marketplace. Even in today’s challenging economy, small companies continue to maintain their focus on Six Sigma and allocate resources to ensure that their deployments reach their goals. While the […]

Data collection is in full swing – be a part of the fun and create or update an iSixSigma Job Shop account today. In appreciation of your participation, everyone who creates or update a Job Shop account between Feb 13-Mar 2, 2012 will receive a free copy of the final report! Some interesting facts from past […]

Historically, Lean and Six Sigma were used to solve two different types of business problems. Today, Lean and Six Sigma are integrated into one methodology and toolset for solving any process problem in any type of organization, from Fortune 500 companies to small private businesses to nonprofit institutions. In this introductory video, you will learn […]

Every Six Sigma project and Lean event goes exactly as planned right? There are many reasons for detours during your project journey; unfortunately, many of these are unpredictable. As much as we try to avoid these pitfalls by following established methodologies or hiring experienced project management personnel, it remains clear that some of the best […]

If a coach were assembling a basketball team, what criteria would be used to select the players? If an academic team were being selected, what would the criteria be? If the selection of a process improvement team were the objective, what criteria would be used? It seems simple, but it is easy to make simple […]

It is time for iSixSigma’s 9th annual Global Six Sigma Salary Survey! Every year iSixSigma analyzes information in its Job Shop database to produce a Six Sigma-specific salary report.   Please note: Although the data is pulled from our Job Shop, it is only presented in aggregated or summarized format; no personally identifying information is […]

I was recently asked if I was aware of any research on the advantages of hiring people with a “Lean mindset” vs. those with specific industry experience. My response was, regretfully, that I did not know of any documented research. I was then asked, would I prefer that my company hire people with a “Lean […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tempe, Ariz. (Feb. 6, 2012) – Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering is offering a Master Black Belt certification program May 14-18, 2012, at Skysong in Scottsdale, Ariz. ASU’s program enables Six Sigma Black Belt managers, directors, engineers and others to  achieve the highest level of technical and organizational […]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact: Michelle Matschke [email protected] (203) 267-3445 Southbury, CT (February 7, 2012) – Juran is pleased to announce their introduction of the new Organization Health Check, attendance at HIMSS12 annual conference, latest workshop schedule, and the acquisition of Baldrige.com into their family of quality solutions and services. Click here for full […]

Through Lean Six Sigma projects and an arsenal of tools, Black Belts make change and manage change. But before Black Belts pat themselves on the back for a job well done, they should consider the following: How deep, pervasive and life altering are the initiated change? What mechanisms were put in place to make the […]

Everything seems to be available in 3-D these days – movies, magazines and even television – so why not DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control)? The idea may sound silly, but many opportunities go unnoticed because practitioners do not have the right tools in place to see them from different perspectives. The traditional DMAIC process […]

I was recently asked, “What is the most efficient way to communicate change throughout the value stream?” What I am about to propose does not need to take the place of other methods to communicate change. Historically, email, newsletters, video or updating policies all have had their place. I have had good experiences using a […]

To facilitate the development of its employees and better respond to the changing business environment, one department of a large financial-services company decided to revamp its existing performance management system through a Six Sigma project. A pre-project analysis revealed that a complete redesign of the system was required. As incremental improvement in the existing system […]

As a career operations professional, many of my friends understand that I see process flows in nearly everything I encounter. Some friends find this entertaining, others find it a bit annoying. But mostly they allow me to exercise (not exorcise) my craft. You see, I was born of operational parents. I’m not sure if it […]

A common metric many organizations use to assess the performance of their Lean Six Sigma program is project cycle time – the total time from the beginning to the end of a process improvement project, including total process time and all delays. If your organization’s project cycle time is running higher than your targeted rate, […]

Michael Cyger is on a roll with videos about the new iSixSigma.com – he’s posted a new one on how to use your iSixSigma profile. If you have any questions about how to upload your avatar (I needed help with the cropping feature), learn what’s contributing to your reputation, add your bio and more, this is […]

The path to Lean and Six Sigma is different for every company. Some begin a deployment as a means to increase productivity or profitability; others start with encouragement from a new leader. For DC Electronics, the journey stemmed from an unlikely combination of circumstances – unprecedented business growth and a bit of tough love from a […]

In this video, I walk you through the new iSixSigma.com website, how to use the site, the features, functionality and special areas you might want to investigate further.

Welcome to iSixSigma.com Version 4.0! I am excited to announce the launch of iSixSigma.com, Version 4.0, after purchasing back iSixSigma on November 7th. In this short video, I describe some of the new features and exciting updates we’ve made to this version of iSixSigma. Next Video: How to Use iSixSigma.com »

Readers will again have access to the best Six Sigma, Lean and operational excellence resources as well as more ways to share, learn and discover Bainbridge Island, Wash (PRWEB) November 08, 2011: iSixSigma.com, the leading online community and resource portal dedicated to Six Sigma, Lean and other operational excellence methodologies, is back under the ownership […]

The cookbook contains a succinct representation of various topics in probability theory and statistics. It provides a comprehensive reference reduced to the mathematical essence, rather than aiming for elaborate explanations. » Download the Probability and Statistics Cookbook Probability and Statistics Cookbook Screenshots

As I travel the country for Auburn University, assisting companies with lean implementations, one of the first signs of resistance occurs during the discussion of standards. Just last week, a supervisor said, “the operators feel like standards are painting them into a corner and don’t allow room for dealing with problems.” When I hear this […]

Greetings! This is my first blog for iSixSigma. By way of introduction, I’m on the outreach faculty of Auburn University where I support local industry with leadership coaching and lean implementation services. I look forward to sharing the common goal of continuous improvement and daily learning! As most of you know, Alabama was hit with […]

I was running outside in the back country on a beautiful morning. It reminded me of the summer days when I was training for marathons with groups of runners. Those were some most memorable days I ever had, a lot of hard work, sweat, pain, but also full of fun. What does it have to […]

The deployment of Lean Six Sigma techniques at the in the U.S. Army’s Adjutant General Corps in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, has resulted in the streamlined delivery of payments through the official mail system.

One week to go. That’s about all the time you have left to take part in the 2011 iSixSigma’s Best Places to Work™ for Six Sigma Professionals event. A week may seem like a lot of time, but we all know how fast these summer days can fly by. The deadline for submitting your nomination […]

Reducing wait times is a perennial challenge for the service industry, particularly if you haven’t rooted out all the causes for the delays. The mind mapping visualization tool can help you make sense of large volumes of interconnected data and fast-track implementation of Lean Six Sigma.

A group of healthcare leaders from Saskatchewan, Canada, recently visited the United States to tour hospitals in Washington state and learn about the successful deployment of the Lean Six Sigma methodology to improve efficiency.

Beginning Aug. 1, Black Belt Ken Curry will become the next vice president of the customer services division of the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD).

A clinical laboratory in the African nation of Uganda is preparing to adopt Lean standards to improve efficiency, according to a statement from Ali Elbireer, laboratory administrative director for the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI).

Isn’t it amazing how there’s “the next big thing” everyday? Headlines from blogs, sales websites, newspapers, even Twitter and LinkedIn, carry this headline continuously. How many of these “things” really are new? Years ago when I started my continuous improvement journey, I read about Deming and Juran. Quality Circles and SPC were big. Then Total […]

If you were selecting a basketball team, what criteria would you use to select the players? What about if you were selecting an academic team? If the selection of a process improvement team were the objective, what criteria would you use? The answers to these questions may seem simple, but Belts can sometimes make things […]