Basic Six Sigma questions
Six Sigma – iSixSigma › Forums › Old Forums › Europe › Basic Six Sigma questions
- This topic has 16 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 10 months ago by
kobus swart.
- AuthorPosts
- September 22, 2004 at 11:22 am #23617
I’ve been asked to assess the feasibility of implementing Six Sigma into our company. Could anyone help me with a few market questions?Is there a central information point in UK/Europe?How is SS perceived in UK and Europe?Is there any funding available to help with the cost of implementation?Can you use SS after reading a book or do you need a recognised provider/trainer?Who “owns” SS? Can I produce reports on it without running into copyright issues?Any further information about SS in the UK market would be very useful and I appreciate your help.Penny.
0September 22, 2004 at 4:39 pm #56383Penny,
I may be helpful with your last two questions. You could probably get a book and do relatively OK as long as you understand statistics since the methodology is heavily dependent on them, but you would find the training much more meaningful along with a much better chance of successful implementaion. Nobody owns six sigma in the sense that I feel you are refering to. There may be some copyright issues with an individual or companys specific materials in which he,she, or they have specifically developed. Just my 2 cents worth.0September 22, 2004 at 6:36 pm #56384
MBB WanabParticipant@MBB-WanabInclude @MBB-Wanab in your post and this person will
be notified via email.No one seems to own SS. I have black belt training materials given to me by Hari who got them from Mike and there does not seem to be any issue with that. Would you like a copy?
0September 23, 2004 at 7:24 pm #56386
Adam L BowdenParticipant@Adam-L-BowdenInclude @Adam-L-Bowden in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Hello Penny,
Before you embark on your journey you really need to answer why you think 6 Sigma alone is what you need. There are a plethora of really good methods out there – some more relevant than others. So first answer – what are your companies issues…..?Is there a central information point in UK/Europe?
– not that I’m aware of – many consultancies do have information on their site.How is SS perceived in UK and Europe?
– same as the rest of the world – very cool method of transforming a businessIs there any funding available to help with the cost of implementation?
– you might want to see if the local/national Gvmt has funding/grants for trainingCan you use SS after reading a book or do you need a recognised provider/trainer?
– read a book and rely on your experience – or employ a consultant/trainer and get the deployment right from the start !
– Call Colm Doran at Paloma Consulting http://palomaconsulting.com/ he is very good and is multilingual !Who “owns” SS? Can I produce reports on it without running into copyright issues?
– There have been numerous law suits out on this topic – check the web.
Hope this helps.
Best regards,
Adam
0September 24, 2004 at 8:52 pm #56388Try info from Institute of Quality Assurance – linked with ASQ, also Smallpeice – some funding is available depending on market sector e.g. WDA, Advantage West Midlands, Manufacturing Institute.
0October 4, 2004 at 2:58 pm #56394
Howard MillerParticipant@Howard-MillerInclude @Howard-Miller in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Hi,
· Is there a central information point in UK/Europe?
Only consultants and various websites, the best being the American side of this site.
· How is SS perceived in UK and Europe?
Just another Americanism is a usual candidate for words, however it is picking up its momentum. This is due to its structured aproach to continuous improvement. However it can be said that it has been around since the late eighties…
· Is there any funding available to help with the cost of implementation?
I do not believe so, good luck on that one.
· Can you use SS after reading a book or do you need a recognised provider/trainer?
You can read a book, but all the case studies in the world will not help you answer why some of the tools are used and be convincing.
· Who “owns” SS? Can I produce reports on it without running into copyright issues?
No one person owns SS, however it was originated in Motorola, then through allied Signal then into GE. There are many consultants on the subject, many of which you will find on this website. I do not recommend you lift info from presentations and go printing them off as some people will happily have your hide for this..
The feasibility of implementing SS is like asking how long is a piece of string. This is due to the fact that the benefits are different from company to company. There is also the fact that you do not know the amount of opportunity in your company at the moment and therefore have little to gauge against.
I would recommend strongly against online training and would state that you should look at a guided implementation period of 2 years for a company in the range of 250 people.
Does that cover what you needed to know? sorry if I went on a tangent.
T.
0October 6, 2004 at 9:09 am #56399Penny, I read with interest this sentence: “…to assess the feasibility of implementing Six Sigma into our company”. Unluckily, this was not done in our Company: as a small part of a huge International Holding (which has hundreds of brands in many fields: Electronics, Healthcare, Plastic and Adhesives, Fire Protection, Flow Control, etc…), we are forced to implement Six Sigma without any kind of preliminary analysis or assessment… but just becausethe Holding Management changed and the President comes from Motorola (or GE, I don’t rememeber!)! In my opinion, very little they know about our business of medium-sized Italian metal and mechanical Company. So we don’t feel completely at our ease with this “American” way to do… (and the same I felt during my Green Belt training, which was simply translated very hastily, without any “cultural mediation” or adaption).
This just to answer your question about the European perception of Six Sigma.
Hope this helps, ‘NGL
0October 7, 2004 at 3:28 am #56406
Jon AbbasParticipant@Jon-AbbasInclude @Jon-Abbas in your post and this person will
be notified via email.I think even the material is given the way you mentioned, we do need to see if there are any copyright issues….
thanks for the offer anyway!
[email protected]0October 8, 2004 at 12:11 pm #56408
Amrish KhanolkarParticipant@Amrish-KhanolkarInclude @Amrish-Khanolkar in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Dear Penny,
Please find replies to your querries below:
Is there a central information point in UK/Europe?
There is no central point as such for six sigma. One of the most readily available information point is this website itself.
How is SS perceived in UK and Europe?
Six Sigma is the current ‘buzz’ in industry not only in Europe, but around the world.
Is there any funding available to help with the cost of implementation?
I dont think any such funding will be available. Because implementation is not going to help anyone else as much as it is going to help your company.
Can you use SS after reading a book or do you need a recognised provider/trainer?
If you read a book, you may learn all the tools to implement SS. But it will be difficult for you to adopt the correct methodology, and the flow of decisions leading to logical conclusions, and improvisations.
Who “owns” SS? Can I produce reports on it without running into copyright issues?
There is no owner of SS. It is an industry wide movement, which initially started in Motorola, now adopted in various industries, even in sectors such as Banking, Hospitality, and Software.
Any further information about SS in the UK market would be very useful and I appreciate your help.
You may contact the foll person for any further information you may require:
Mr. Rod Howes, President, Six Sigma Consultants International.
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
Website: http://www.sixsigmaco.com
http://www.sixsigmaconsultants.com
They are one of the best in industry.
0October 8, 2004 at 7:58 pm #56410
Mike CarnellParticipant@Mike-CarnellInclude @Mike-Carnell in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Penny,
The funding question is interesting. If all your consultants will only do it for cash then you have the wrong consultants.
Ask them if they will do it for a percent of savings. Now you know who knows what they are doing.
One of your earlier responses offered up Rod Howes. He is usually good for a % of saving deployment. Adam knows him as well and will vouch for him – I think – Adam?
Good luck.0October 9, 2004 at 3:10 am #56412
Adam BowdenParticipant@Adam-BowdenInclude @Adam-Bowden in your post and this person will
be notified via email.You’re right Mike,
Rod is solid both technically and from a deployment/leadership/coaching perspective – Rod has being doing this longer than most have been wearing pants !
One caveat to look out for when asking some one to do it for a % of savings – they will drive for a quick fix which may harm your long term ability to drive real root cause and cultural change. If you’re going to pick a consultant by all means let me or Mike know and we’ll give you some guidance
Regards,
Adam0October 9, 2004 at 9:49 pm #56415
Mike CarnellParticipant@Mike-CarnellInclude @Mike-Carnell in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Jon,
Motorola does hold a copyright on the term Six Sigma but they do not defend it. At this point it would probably be difficult to do so. Similar to Coca Cola trying to hold on to Cola but you can’t mess with their logo (or with the name Coca Cola). Motorola will defend its trade mark on Six Sigma. This is historical jail house lawyer talk. You need an IP attorney to look at this.
There is a website where you can see all the IP and I think it is the US bureau of Patents and trademarks (http://www.USBPT.gov) or something like that Google will turn it up pretty quickly.
Good luck.0June 29, 2005 at 10:11 am #56706
Frank BBParticipant@Frank-BBInclude @Frank-BB in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Hello MBB WANAB,
as you have written there is a chance that you can post the SS BB training material you have.
I would really like to compare that to the one I have and would be happy for an electronic version.
Kind regards
Frank0June 29, 2005 at 11:26 am #56709
Hugh BrawleyParticipant@Hugh-BrawleyInclude @Hugh-Brawley in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Penny,Process utilised world-wide and gaining momentum.There are many excellent providers on the website to choose from re industry knowledge, cultural approach, cost, experience and personal rapport etc.regardsHugh
0August 4, 2005 at 8:01 am #56733Hello Frank,
I am Polish, and I am looking for any materials about this area. Could you send me (if possible) something?
Best regards
Henryk0November 24, 2005 at 2:54 pm #56841Hello Frank,
New to SS and I too would like a copy of the BB training material, if that is ok?
Also, very interested to know about the duration of training to succeed to BB. Any information would be appreciated.
Regards
Richard.0May 1, 2009 at 6:57 am #57742
kobus swartParticipant@kobus-swartInclude @kobus-swart in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Good morning all
We are a group of students doing a degree in Quality Management at CPUT South Africa. The requirements for our subject Stats 4 is to do a project on 6 sigma. The main problems:
1) In the Western Cape Bellville, we cant find a company who, implimented 6 sigma successfully, that; company must be willing that we do the project on their success with six sigma.
2) We have to make a questionaire about the implimentation of six sigma to a company.
Can anybody help with the above, some literature about this topic will also be appreciated.
Please email me with your useful information at [email protected]
Kobus Swart0 - AuthorPosts
The forum ‘Europe’ is closed to new topics and replies.