Changing the Name?
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mcintosh.
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January 7, 2007 at 2:38 pm #45726
Hi,
I recently joined a services organization assuming the quality leadership position, a major chunk of my role is the six sigma deployment. I came from a manufacturing background (semicon), where i’ve handled projects and used the tools extensively. Having seen the projects in my new company, the 6sigma tools i’d been exposed to are of little use. Many of the projects though are geared towards continuous improvement (Productivity and Quality). I’m now contemplating whether we should be calling our program “Six Sigma” when we’re not using much of the tools but follow the DMAIC framework or just simply call the program “Continuous Improvement”?
Your thoughts would be highly appraciated.0January 7, 2007 at 2:54 pm #150056
Ken FeldmanParticipant@DarthInclude @Darth in your post and this person will
be notified via email.I have never found that the name was a major determinant of success of an improvement effort. So, call it Fred for all that it matters. Just show it works and get some improvements and maybe they will dedicate the name to you.
0January 7, 2007 at 3:56 pm #150057your sarcasm never fails…. i’ll probably call it darth.
0January 7, 2007 at 4:07 pm #150058
Ken FeldmanParticipant@DarthInclude @Darth in your post and this person will
be notified via email.To clarify, the name of the deployment does not impact the success of the deployment. I think you will agree there. As for the Fred comment, that was what one client decided to call their effort because they didn’t want to associate anything Japanese, anything quality oriented or anything improvement oriented. They had too many unhappy experiences in the past. Granted “Fred” was a bit cute for my taste but it lightened up the deployment so they could focus on what was really improvement. Now, if you want to call your deployment “The Death Star” then you can feel free to use my name. Good luck on your effort.
0January 7, 2007 at 6:04 pm #150059Is there any chance the client was a U.S. railroad? Fred in railroad lingo is short for Flashing Rear End Device – it’s the warning light on the end of the train that has replaced the caboose. Not a bad choice really since FRED is a warning device and much of what one sees in Six Sigma efforts amounts to warnings of what will happen if processes aren’t changed.
0January 7, 2007 at 8:13 pm #150060
TorranceParticipant@Davy-TInclude @Davy-T in your post and this person will
be notified via email.CI man – I would call the efforts Continuous Improvement, rather than confusing people with Six Sigma. Too many people have too many different opinions on what Six Sigma is, or what it involves – but I’m pretty sure continuous improvement is widely regarded as the same thing worldwide – albeit there are different ways of going about it. By calling it continuous improvement, you leave out all the unnecessary debates, and can include any tools you wish without someone claiming its not a Six Sigma tools or concept.
However – I do also think that in order to market your improvement programme effectively, it may help to come up with some kind of name. Gaining employee buy-in to improvement efforts is absolutely crucial – so any name you come up with (why not ask employees to be involved in naming the programme – like a competition type idea) must be relevant – without being corny.
Like Darth says, the name is not as important as the content and substance of your programme – but it could help with the marketing.
Good luck
Davy T
0January 7, 2007 at 9:10 pm #150061
Ken FeldmanParticipant@DarthInclude @Darth in your post and this person will
be notified via email.No, it wasn’t a railroad but nice use of the acronym as a metaphor for a SS deployment.
0January 7, 2007 at 10:04 pm #150062Six sigma has been given a bad name by all the crap associated with it.
Continuous improvement in the true sense as used by Toyota, is far more useful.0January 8, 2007 at 1:08 am #150067thanks, your inputs are well appreciated.
Darth, thanks too no offense meant there… I’m an avid follower of your comments/inputs in this forum.0January 8, 2007 at 1:39 am #150068
Marlon BrandoParticipant@Marlon-BrandoInclude @Marlon-Brando in your post and this person will
be notified via email.Disagree?I’m participating nowadays in the Villanova’s BB Program.It is really excellent and very comprehensive (including most of the Lean topics as well).SS is not crap,unfortunatly some few consultants and companies have given this bad image due to their ignorance and stupidity?
0January 10, 2007 at 1:25 am #150197Thanks Marlon!
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