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Lean 6 Sigma helps because it allows companies to reduce operational costs by identifying and eliminating steps or procedures that add little or no value to a business process. Companies can easily improve quality and efficiency just by combining the basic concepts of 6 Sigma with the principles of Lean 6 Sigma.

Understanding Lean Six Sigma

In industry circles, Lean 6 Sigma is termed in many different ways such as Lean Service, Lean Manufacturing, and Lean Enterprise depending on the type of methodology being utilized. Lean Six Sigma principles can be implemented along with other 6 Sigma concepts in any type of company, be it a manufacturing company or a service provider. When Lean 6 Sigma concepts and methodologies are implemented, it helps organizations to speed up their business processes without affecting the quality of the outcome.

As business processes are optimized, it becomes much easier for companies to reduce operational costs related to the maintenance of additional inventory of both raw materials and finished goods. Optimized business processes then enable companies to clear customer orders within the specified time and budget. Just as with standard 6 Sigma, Lean 6 Sigma also stresses providing the requisite training to employees so that they become familiar with the tools and techniques that will be utilized during the implementations. Lean sigma also encourages key mentors and senior management personnel to understand the basics so that the implementations can be executed without affecting the day-to-day operations of the organization.

Benefits Of Lean Six Sigma

Lean 6 Sigma involves the use of advanced tools and techniques that help companies to reduce operational costs, reduce production cycle times, expand existing capacity, and improve overall productivity. It makes use of Value Stream Mapping (VSM) for identifying improvement opportunities that exist in a business process. However, VSM has limited use and other advanced analysis tools are required for resolving complicated implementation issues.

When combined with standard 6 Sigma concepts, Lean 6 Sigma helps in identifying and resolving quality issues that are vital for attracting and retaining customers. Offering quality products or services in turn helps in developing customer loyalty that is vital for the success of any business, large or small. However, for realizing the full potential of the implementations, it is important to execute Lean Six Sigma projects under the guidance of 6 Sigma Black Belts and 6 Sigma Champions.

In the past, increased competition forced companies to deploy quality improvement techniques such as Six Sigma. With customers demanding more quality, companies had no other option but to deploy even more effective quality improvement techniques such as Lean 6 Sigma. Quality improvements are an ongoing process and we never know what new techniques will be developed in the future that may replace both Six Sigma and Lean 6 Sigma.

Six Sigma Terminologies

Affinity Diagram - A technique for organizing individual pieces of information into groups or broader categories.

ANOVA - Analysis of Variance – A statistical test for identifying significant differences between process or system treatments or conditions. It is done by comparing the variances around the means of the conditions being compared.

Attribute Data - Data which on one of a set of discrete values such as pass or fail, yes or no.

Average - Also called the mean, it is the arithmetic average of all of the sample values. It is calculated by adding all of the sample values together and dividing by the number of elements (n) in the sample.

Bar Chart - A graphical method which depicts how data fall into different categories.



Black Belt - An individual who receives approximately four weeks training in DMAIC, analytical problem solving, and change management methods. A Black Belt is a full time six sigma team leader solving problems under the direction of a Champion.

Breakthrough Improvement - A rate of improvement at or near 70% over baseline performance of the as-is process characteristic.

Capability - A comparison of the required operation width of a process or system to its actual performance width. Expressed as a percentage (yield), a defect rate (dpm, dpmo,), an index (Cp, Cpk, Pp, Ppk), or as a sigma score (Z).

Cause and Effect Diagram - Fishbone Diagram - A pictorial diagram in the shape of a fishbone showing all possible variables that could affect a given process output measure.



Central Tendency - A measure of the point about which a group of values is clustered; two measures of central tendency are the mean, and the median.



Champion - A Champion recognizes, defines, assigns and supports the successful completion of six sigma projects; they are accountable for the results of the project and the business roadmap to achieve six sigma within their span of control.

Characteristic - A process input or output which can be measured and monitored.



Common Causes of Variation - Those sources of variability in a process which are truly random, i.e., inherent in the process itself.



Complexity -The level of difficulty to build, solve or understand something based on the number of inputs, interactions and uncertainty involved.



Control Chart - The most powerful tool of statistical process control. It consists of a run chart, together with statistically determined upper and lower control limits and a centerline.

Control Limits - Upper and lower bounds in a control chart that are determined by the process itself. They can be used to detect special or common causes of variation. They are usually set at ±3 standard deviations from the central tendency.



Correlation Coefficient - A measure of the linear relationship between two variables.



Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) - The costs associated with any activity that is not doing the right thing right the first time. It is the financial qualification any waste that is not integral to the product or service.

CP - A capability measure defined as the ratio of the specification width to short-term process performance width.

CPk -. An adjusted short-term capability index that reduces the capability score in proportion to the offset of the process center from the specification target.

Critical to Quality (CTQ) - Any characteristic that is critical to the perceived quality of the product, process or system. See Significant Y.

Critical X - An input to a process or system that exerts a significant influence on any one or all of the key outputs of a process.

Customer - Anyone who uses or consumes a product or service, whether internal or external to the providing organization or provider.



Cycle Time - The total amount of elapsed time expended from the time a task, product or service is started until it is completed.

Defect - An output of a process that does not meet a defined specification, requirement or desire such as time, length, color, finish, quantity, temperature etc.

Defective - A unit of product or service that contains at least one defect.

Deployment (Six Sigma) - The planning, launch, training and implementation management of a six sigma initiative within a company.

Design of Experiments (DOE) - Generally, it is the discipline of using an efficient, structured, and proven approach to interrogating a process or system for the purpose of maximizing the gain in process or system knowledge.



Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) - The use of six sigma thinking, tools and methods applied to the design of products and services to improve the initial release performance, ongoing reliability, and life-cycle cost.

DMAIC - The acronym for core phases of the six sigma methodology used to solve process and business problems through data and analytical methods. See define, measure, analyze, improve and control.

DPMO - Defects per million opportunities – The total number of defects observed divided by the total number of opportunities, expressed in parts per million. Sometimes called Defects per Million (DPM).

DPU - Defects per unit - The total number of defects detected in some number of units divided by the total number of those units.

Entitlement - The best demonstrated performance for an existing configuration of a process or system. It is an empirical demonstration of what level of improvement can potentially be reached.

Epsilon ? - Greek symbol used to represent residual error.

Experimental Design - See Design of Experiments.

Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) - A procedure used to identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with potential product, system, or process failure modes.



Finance Representative - An individual who provides an independent evaluation of a six sigma project in terms of hard and/or soft savings. They are a project support resource to both Champions and Project Leaders.

Fishbone Diagram - See cause and effect diagram.



Flowchart - A graphic model of the flow of activities, material, and/or information that occurs during a process.



Gage R&R - Quantitative assessment of how much variation (repeatability and reproducibility) is in a measurement system compared to the total variation of the process or system.

Green Belt - An individual who receives approximately two weeks of training in DMAIC, analytical problem solving, and change management methods. A Green Belt is a part time six sigma position that applies six sigma to their local area, doing smaller-scoped projects and providing support to Black Belt projects.

Hidden Factory or Operation - Corrective and non-value-added work required to produce a unit of output that is generally not recognized as an unnecessary generator of waste in form of resources, materials and cost.

Histogram - A bar chart that depicts the frequencies (by the height of the plotted bars) of numerical or measurement categories.



Implementation Team - A cross-functional executive team representing various areas of the company . Its charter is to drive the implementation of six sigma by defining and documenting practices, methods and operating policies.

Input - A resource consumed, utilized, or added to a process or system. Synonymous with X, characteristic, and input variable.

Input-Process-Output (IPO) Diagram - A visual representation of a process or system where inputs are represented by input arrows to a box (representing the process or system) and outputs are shown using arrows emanating out of the box.

lshikawa Diagram - See cause and effect diagram and fishbone diagram.

Least Squares - A method of curve-fitting that defines the best fit as the one that minimizes the sum of the squared deviations of the data points from the fitted curve.

Long-term Variation - The observed variation of an input or output characteristic which has had the opportunity to experience the majority of the variation effects that influence it.

Lower Control Limit (LCL) - for control charts: the limit above which the subgroup statistics must remain for the process to be in control. Typically, 3 standard deviations below the central tendency.



Lower Specification Limit (LSL) - The lowest value of a characteristic which is acceptable.



Master Black Belt - An individual who has received training beyond a Black Belt. The technical, go-to expert regarding technical and project issues in six sigma. Master Black Belts teach and mentor other six sigma Belts, their projects and support Champions.

Mean - See average.



Measurement - The act of obtaining knowledge about an event or characteristic through measured quantification or assignment to categories.



Measurement Accuracy - For a repeated measurement, it is a comparison of the average of the measurements compare to some known standard.

Measurement Precision - For a repeated measurement, it is the amount of variation that exists in the measured values.

Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) - An assessment of the accuracy and precision of a method of obtaining measurements. See also Gage R&R.

Median - The middle value of a data set when the values are arranged in either ascending or descending order.



Metric - A measure that is considered to be a key indicator of performance. It should be linked to goals or objectives and carefully monitored.

Natural Tolerances of a Process - See Control Limits.

Nominal Group Technique - A structured method that a team can use to generate and rank a list of ideas or items.



Non-Value Added (NVA) - Any activity performed in producing a product or delivering a service that does not add value, where value is defined as changing the form, fit or function of the product or service and is something for which the customer is willing to pay.

Normal Distribution - The distribution characterized by the smooth, bell- shaped curve. Synonymous with Gaussian Distribution.

Objective Statement - A succinct statement of the goals, timing and expectations of a six sigma improvement project.

Opportunities - The number of characteristics, parameters or features of a product or service that can be classified as acceptable or unacceptable.

Out of Control - A process is said to be out of control if it exhibits variations larger than its control limits or shows a pattern of variation.

Output - A resource or item or characteristic that is the product of a process or system. See also Y, CTQ.



Pareto Chart - A bar chart for attribute (or categorical) data categories are presented in descending order of frequency.



Pareto Principle - The general principle originally proposed by Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923) that the majority of influence on an outcome is exerted by a minority of input factors.

Poka-Yoke - A translation of a Japanese term meaning to mistake-proof.

Probability - The likelihood of an event or circumstance occurring.

Problem Statement - A succinct statement of a business situation which is used to bound and describe the problem the six sigma project is attempting to solve.



Process - A set of activities and material and/or information flow which transforms a set of inputs into outputs for the purpose of producing a product, providing a service or performing a task.



Process Characterization - The act of thoroughly understanding a process, including the specific relationship(s) between its outputs and the inputs, and its performance and capability.



Process Certification - Establishing documented evidence that a process will consistently produce required outcome or meet required specifications.

Process Member - A individual who performs activities within a process to deliver a process output, a product or a service to a customer.

Process Owner - Process Owners have responsibility for process performance and resources. They provide support, resources and functional expertise to six sigma projects. They are accountable for implementing developed six sigma solutions into their process.

Quality Function Deployment (QFD) - A systematic process used to integrate customer requirements into every aspect of the design and delivery of products and services.



Range - A measure of the variability in a data set. It is the difference between the largest and smallest values in a data set.



Regression Analysis - A statistical technique for determining the mathematical relation between a measured quantity and the variables it depends on. Includes Simple and Multiple Linear Regression.

Repeatability (of a Measurement) - The extent to which repeated measurements of a particular object with a particular instrument produce the same value. See also Gage R&R.

Reproducibility (of a Measurement) - The extent to which repeated measurements of a particular object with a particular individual produce the same value. See also Gage R&R.

Rework - Activity required to correct defects produced by a process.

Risk Priority Number (RPN) - In Failure Mode Effects Analysis -- the aggregate score of a failure mode including its severity, frequency of occurrence, and ability to be detected.

Rolled Throughput Yield (RTY) - The probability of a unit going through all process steps or system characteristics with zero defects.



R.U.M.B.A. - An acronym used to describe a method to determine the validity of customer requirements. It stands for Reasonable, Understandable, Measurable, Believable, and Achievable.

Run Chart - A basic graphical tool that charts a characteristic’s performance over time.



Scatter Plot - A chart in which one variable is plotted against another to determine the relationship, if any, between the two.

Screening Experiment - A type of experiment to identify the subset of significant factors from among a large group of potential factors.



Short Term Variation - The amount of variation observed in a characteristic which has not had the opportunity to experience all the sources of variation from the inputs acting on it.

Sigma Score (Z) - A commonly used measure of process capability that represents the number of short-term standard deviations between the center of a process and the closest specification limit. Sometimes referred to as sigma level, or simply Sigma.

Significant Y - An output of a process that exerts a significant influence on the success of the process or the customer.

Six Sigma Leader - An individual that leads the implementation of Six Sigma, coordinating all of the necessary activities, assures optimal results are obtained and keeps everyone informed of progress made.

Six Sigma Project - A well defined effort that states a business problem in quantifiable terms and with known improvement expectations.

Six Sigma (System) - A proven set of analytical tools, project management techniques, reporting methods and management techniques combined to form a powerful problem solving and business improvement methodology.

Special Cause Variation - Those non-random causes of variation that can be detected by the use of control charts and good process documentation.

Specification Limits - The bounds of acceptable performance for a characteristic.

Stability (of a Process) - A process is said to be stable if it shows no recognizable pattern of change and no special causes of variation are present.



Standard Deviation - One of the most common measures of variability in a data set or in a population. It is the square root of the variance.



Statistical Problem - A problem that is addressed with facts and data analysis methods.

Statistical Process Control (SPC) - The use of basic graphical and statistical methods for measuring, analyzing, and controlling the variation of a process for the purpose of continuously improving the process. A process is said to be in a state of statistical control when it exhibits only random variation.

Statistical Solution - A data driven solution with known confidence/risk levels, as opposed to a qualitative, “I think” solution.

Supplier - An individual or entity responsible for providing an input to a process in the form of resources or information.

Trend - A gradual, systematic change over time or some other variable.

TSSW - Thinking the six sigma way – A mental model for improvement which perceives outcomes through a cause and effect relationship combined with six sigma concepts to solve everyday and business problems.

Two-Level Design - An experiment where all factors are set at one of two levels, denoted as low and high (-1 and + 1).



Upper Control Limit (UCL) for Control Charts - The upper limit below which a process statistic must remain to be in control. Typically this value is 3 standard deviations above the central tendency.



Upper Specification Limit (USL) - The highest value of a characteristic which is acceptable.



Variability - A generic term that refers to the property of a characteristic, process or system to take on different values when it is repeated.



Variables - Quantities which are subject to change or variability.

Variable Data - Data which is continuous, which can be meaningfully subdivided, i.e. can have decimal subdivisions.

Variance - A specifically defined mathematical measure of variability in a data set or population. It is the square of the standard deviation.

Variation - See variability.

VOB - Voice of the business – Represents the needs of the business and the key stakeholders of the business. It is usually items such as profitability, revenue, growth, market share, etc.

VOC - Voice of the customer – Represents the expressed and non-expressed needs, wants and desires of the recipient of a process output, a product or a service. Its is usually expressed as specifications, requirements or expectations.

VOP - Voice of the process – Represents the performance and capability of a process to achieve both business and customer needs. It is usually expressed in some form of an efficiency and/or effectiveness metric.

Waste - Waste represents material, effort and time that does not add value in the eyes of key stakeholders (Customers, Employees, Investors).

X - An input characteristic to a process or system. In six sigma it is usually used in the expression of Y=f(X), where the output (Y) is a function of the inputs (X).

Y - An output characteristic of a process. In six sigma it is usually used in the expression of Y=f(X), where the output (Y) is a function of the inputs (X).

Yellow Belt - An individual who receives approximately one week of training in problem solving and process optimization methods. Yellow Belts participate in Process Management activates, participate on Green and Black Belt projects and apply concepts to their work area and their job.

Z Score – See Sigma Score.

Six Sigma can be successfully deployed in any industry irrespective of size. 6 Sigma concepts are designed in accordance with the basic characteristics of a business and not the size of a business. Businesses that do not have adequate resources for deploying Six Sigma can get help from 6 Sigma professionals such as Black Belts or Master Black Belts who have plenty of experience in deploying Six Sigma. Businesses that do not want an organization-wide deployment can opt for a pilot project where 6 Sigma will be deployed only to a specific business process.

Scalability

The most interesting aspect of Six Sigma is that it is scalable, which means that 6 Sigma concepts can be applied to any business process irrespective of the size and complexity of the business process. Opting for a pilot project instead of overall deployment will help the business to concentrate its efforts and resources on deploying 6 Sigma in a specific area. Deploying 6 Sigma to a specific business process will help the business to achieve fast and accurate results. It will help in highlighting the efficacy of 6 Sigma to other functional departments within the organization. The concepts and resources used during the pilot project can then be used to deploy 6 Sigma in other departments.

Project Selection

For the successful deployment of 6 Sigma pilot projects, businesses need to select only those projects that are critical to the day-to-day functioning of the organization. Selecting a project that focuses on achieving one or more basic goals or objectives of the organization will prove beneficial for the project as well as for the organization. Businesses need to make sure that pilot projects are completed within the stipulated timeframe, preferably within three to four months depending on the complexity of the pilot project. Pilot projects will set the tone for future organization-wide deployments and as such, it is necessary to follow all the basic guidelines that will help in making the pilot project a success.

Training

Deploying 6 Sigma across the whole organization will require businesses to give proper six-sigma training to deployment teams, as well as employees who are related to a particular deployment project. Training will help employees in understanding the basic concepts of 6 Sigma and give them an idea of what they will be required to do or will be doing during the deployment period. This will help in eliminating deployment problems that often arise due to general unawareness about 6 Sigma concepts and methodologies. Training may be done onsite or offsite depending on the type of training. Training needs to be done in such a way that it does not affect the normal functioning of the organization. If employees are willing, businesses can also opt for online training that will enable employees to receive training when they have free time, in the comfort of their homes.

Businesses need to make sure that employees who receive training are the ones who will eventually work under a Six Sigma deployment team. Maintaining proper communication channels between deployment teams and senior management is also important when it comes to the successful completion of Six Sigma projects. Businesses need to maintain two-way communication channels for sharing information that might prove critical for a Six Sigma deployment project.

Six sigma was once reserved for the largest corporations in the world. During the last few years, six sigma has moved to mid-size and small organizations seeking a way to improve their business. Some of these companies employ a single six sigma black belt to produce project results.

Six sigma has now become so popular there are thousands of job openings for green belts, black belts, and master black belts. As a result of this huge job market, there are now hundreds of six sigma training courses and seminars.

One major focus of six sigma is the reduction of variation. The ironic fact is that six sigma training courses have huge variation, the very characteristic the discipline attempts to minimize.

A recent look at green belt courses at a few major universities looked like the difference between algebra and geometry.

Master Black Belt courses also had extreme variation – some teach the black belt to instruct six sigma, while others have an in depth study of just a few areas, such as Design of Experiments or Design for Six Sigma. This variation does not help companies when seeking a Master Black Belt.

The six sigma training landscape is such that the student must determine their needs prior to taking a course. This is difficult, especially at the green belt level. Many students aren’t even sure what six sigma is – they just know it’s in high demand.

The problem with a short six sigma learning period is the body of knowledge required is very large, and most people simply cannot absorb all of it by attending a few week course.

Online courses have several advantages and a few disadvantages. Six sigma online courses can offer a larger and longer course since no travel or instructor is involved. Live instructors cannot afford to deliver a 10 – 16 week course. Online courses generally have a liberal time limit.

Live courses have the disadvantage of necessary travel time and costs. The advantage is the one-on-one contact, although it’s for a brief period.

Regardless of which type of course is taken, anyone pursuing a six sigma training course should obtain a good collection of books for reference. The depth and instruction within books varies as widely as training courses. Therefore, most practicing black belts have quite a collection of reference materials.

It is also important to determine the type of instruction before taking the course. Most companies are not doing six sigma for the fun of it. They want impact, which in laymen’s terms is financial gain. If a course only teaches the tools and methods behind six sigma the student is only learning a portion of the skills needed to be successful.

It is the use of the tools that will ultimately determine success. For example, anyone can learn Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Design of Experiments (DOE), and hypothesis testing for equal means and variances. The successful black belt knows which tool to use and when to use it. There are simply too many tools to apply them all and hope something is gained.

When Ninja Gaiden was released on the Xbox in 2004, it was considered to be one of the greatest Xbox video games of all time. Later on, Ninja Gaiden Black was released as an enhanced adaptation of the original Xbox game. Ninja Gaiden Sigma is a PlayStation 3 exclusive video game that is a remake of the Xbox iterations. The storyline in Ninja Gaiden revolves around youthful Ninja Ryu Hayabusa and the Vigoor Empire. Ryu’s people (the Hayabusa Clan) was assailed by the malicious Vigoor Empire, and they pilfered the Dark Dragon Sword. Unfortunately, Ryu’s friend (Kureha) was murdered during the attack. Consequently, Ryu is striving to seek vengeance and retrieve the Dark Dragon Sword. How many times am I going to have to suffer through this redundant plot? Fortunately, gamers are not playing Ninja Gaiden Sigma for the storyline. Avid fans of the Xbox version of Ninja Gaiden will enjoy Ninja Gaiden Sigma. The gameplay is an action adventure riot from start to finish. Skillful attacks are the name of the game, so do not expect to eradicate all enemies with one hit. Ryu Hayabusa is an acrobatic ninja that is as swift and agile as any ninja. The subtle things in Ninja Gaiden Sigma’s gameplay (running on water and attacking from different angles) make you really appreciate the game. Grappling throws, using walls, ninja throwing stars, incendiary shurekins, magic, sword attacks, and a combination of everything can be used to pulverize your foes.
Special attacks (like charging up) will no doubt unleash devastation on all your opponents. If all these maneuvers sound intricate, do not be intimidated. Ninja Gaiden Sigma does a remarkable job with the intuitive controls. The enemies are significantly challenging in their own right. They will try to flank you and outsmart you with every move. One completely original feature in the game is the capability to play as Rachel. For those who are unaware, she was the woman with the eccentrically enormous breasts in Ninja Gaiden. She was not a playable character in the Xbox version, but she is playable in the PlayStation 3 revision. Personally, I felt like the addition to have Rachel as a playable character was gratuitous. She is significantly sluggish and lacks the dexterity of Ninja Ryu Hayabusa. A majority of the gameplay with Rachel involves blocking. That is not exactly my idea of engrossing gameplay. There are also some new adversaries in the game for Ninja Gaiden veterans. These opponents that Ryu will encounter will be just as lethal in the PlayStation 3 game as they were in the Xbox games. A plethora of weapons will be available in Ninja Gaiden that include swords and magic. My favorite has to be the brand new Tiger’s Fang and Dragon’s Claw. It is a two sword combination that is utilized for dual wielding (ala Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic lightsabers). The visuals in Ninja Gaiden Sigma are stunning. Everything from the environments to the clothing is brilliant; moreover, character models and trees will cast their own realistic shadows. The exemplary graphics truly make Ninja Gaiden Sigma feel like a next generation console video game. All of the animations are authentic; attacking an enemy will cause it to act accordingly. The audio is right on par with its Xbox counterpart. You hear everything from the sounds of bullets ricocheting off Ryu’s weapons when he blocks to blood spilling on the ground. In addition, the sound of your swords cutting open a foe is more than satisfying. The drawbacks of Ninja Gaiden Sigma are that the plot is convoluted, and the game is immensely arduous. Even if you know absolutely nothing about martial arts, everyone is enamored with ninjas. What is there not to like about a ninja? Not much. If anyone was a fan of Ninja Gaiden on the Xbox, they will have a fantastic time with Ninja Gaiden Sigma. Once players learn the steep learning curve, Ninja Gaiden Sigma is a fairly entertaining experience.

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Although the program has proven wildly successful in many different cases, other companies have tried to implement the Six Sigma system with results that can best be described as mixed. A large part of the "mixed" (and you can read that as "negative"!) results can be attributed to an improper implementation of the Six Sigma process.

One way in which to avoid mixed results stemming from improper implementation is Six Sigma certification.

What is Six Sigma Certification?

Simply put, Six Sigma certification is an indication that an individual has received training in Six Sigma programs. It is usually issued after the successful completion of a training course at a certain level of the Six Sigma program (black belts, green belts, master black belts, and so on).

As with certification in many different areas, such as obtaining a driver's license, the certification comes not just after training, but after a student has demonstrated an understanding about that training. This understanding can be demonstrated both through class participation and the oral and written test portions of the program. It should be understood that this certification does not necessarily denote skill level within the area; there are different levels of proficiency across any classroom and Six Sigma is no exception.

In addition, many aspects of the training are not standardized, therefore some aspects demonstrated by employees with Six Sigma certification in one company will be different from those in another company.

Obtaining Six Sigma Certification

As you might have guessed from the last line above, there are several different ways in which an individual can gain Six Sigma certification. There are several Six Sigma training companies which provide the training necessary for companies wishing to implement the Six Sigma concept to eliminate defects within their processes. In addition, employees at companies with a long standing record of using the Six Sigma approach will probably receive some Six Sigma training of their own. Motorola and General Electric, for example, have developed their own in house training for Six Sigma principles which achieve the same results as the training companies.

You can probably infer from that that Six Sigma certification will not transfer as well from one company to another, generally speaking. Usually the companies wherein the Six Sigma concept originated (GE and Motorola as mentioned above) will have the most transferable value, with second tier training (training companies) coming in second and recent Six Sigma companies bringing up the rear as far as rock solid reliability in their training.

In short, it's important to understand that certification will not guarantee that an individual will be able to flawlessly perform the Six Sigma ideas. What it will do, however, is guarantee that assist in the proper implementation of the Six Sigma process, which will guarantee profit both to the individual (it's a good thing to have on a resume) and for the company that chooses to implement the process.

Opportunities Available For Six Sigma Professionals

The number of job opportunities available to 6 Sigma professionals has increased manifold in recent years. Qualified and experienced professionals also have the option of starting their own 6 Sigma consultancy business. As for job opportunities, they are available both within the organization and outside the organization.

6 Sigma Job Opportunities Within The Organization

Companies planning to deploy Six Sigma often prefer to provide 6-sigma training to existing employees. This is done to reduce costs associated with hiring 6 Sigma professionals from outside who often charge hefty amounts for their services. Training existing employees is also beneficial because experienced employees are well aware of the company's business processes and will be able to carry out the implementations far more effectively, if proper training is provided to them.

Employees who receive the training automatically become entitled to receive the certifications. Combined with practical experience that they will gain during the implementations, they can easily add value to their resumes and enhance their career prospects.

Six Sigma Opportunities Outside The Organization

6 Sigma job opportunities are on the rise and candidates do not have to work too hard to find 6 Sigma jobs. They just have to type "Six Sigma" on any popular job site and it is certain that hundreds of job requirements will be displayed in an instant. They can then apply for jobs that best suit their existing job profile. Openings for 6 Sigma professionals are available both for fresh candidates as well as experienced candidates, but opportunities are certainly more for candidates having more two years of implementation experience.

Companies prefer seasoned 6 Sigma professionals because they have the expertise to execute 6 Sigma projects more effectively and efficiently. Another interesting detail is that job opportunities are more for high-level professionals such as Black Belts rather than for low rung Six Sigma professionals such as Green Belts. This is because companies prefer utilizing their existing workforce for low rung 6 Sigma jobs by providing them the requisite training.

This, however, should not dissuade candidates from opting for Green Belt training because in the field of 6 Sigma, one can always keep on moving to higher levels of professionals, just by getting the requisite training and certification. A candidate starting his career as a Green Belt can easily become a Black Belt by getting the requisite training.

It is true that training is essential for enhancing career prospects in the field of Six Sigma, but there are other factors also that affect the career prospects of a 6 Sigma professional. To make it to the top, Six Sigma professionals need to have creative and problem-solving abilities. Good communication and inter-personal skills are also a prerequisite for professionals aiming to make their mark in the field of 6 Sigma.

Information related to predetermined Six Sigma parameters is issued by the senior management through a document known as the "project charter". Aside from defining the Six Sigma parameters, the project charter also acts as an authorization certificate, allowing the project manager to allocate organizational resources towards the completion of the implementation projects.

What Exactly Is A Project Charter?

Every project is implemented for satisfying a business need. These unique business needs are specified in the project charter along with information about new business opportunities and business threats that the organization might have to face in the near future due to increased competition. The charter also contains detailed information about the type of features that are to be included in the product or service being designed. Detailed explanation is also given about how the customers will benefit from the newly introduced features.

What Is A Problem Statement?

Also included in the charter is the "problem statement", which provides detailed information, related to the essentialities of the project. It allows project managers to ascertain the overall scope of the project and determine the roles and responsibilities of the related stakeholders. If the project is complex, the problem statement lays stress on breaking down the whole project into smaller manageable subprojects that are easy to execute.

What Is A Mission Statement?

Another important part of the charter is the mission statement, which allows implementation team members to understand the basic relation between the project and the business objectives of the company. As far as possible, the senior management tries to give precise specifications in simple language in order to avoid any potential confusion. For example, if the purpose is to reduce defects, the mission statement will include a precise target such as "reduce defects to twenty percent" or something even more specific such as "reduce defects by twenty percent in two months time".

If simple and precise terms are not used, it will very unlikely that the project will be completed in time. Mission statements lay stress on eliminating the main problem that is causing the defects rather than suggesting short-term remedies. If the project is large and has been divided into smaller projects, different mission statements are created for each individual subproject. In spite of all the precautions, if the implementation team is not able to understand some points, they can talk to the project sponsors such as senior management.

The task of defining Six Sigma parameters related to project implementations has become easier through the project charter containing the problem statement and the mission statement. In layman's language, we can say that the project charter is a document that allows a project manager to understand what is to be done and how it is to be done.

Six Sigma helps because it utilizes time-tested tools such as QFD (Quality Function Deployment) that enables companies to translate seemingly vague customer inputs and feedbacks into key business deliverables.

For better understanding, we'll discuss the basic characteristics of QFD, its functionalities and its deployment process in detail.

How QFD Is Different?

QFD is different because unlike most of the other quality management tools that primarily focus on eliminating features or components that customers do not like, it concentrates more on adding new features and components in line with customer needs and expectations.

In effect, QFD basically aims at delighting customers, rather than just focusing on satisfying their most basic needs and expectations.

How Is QFD Deployed?

In most companies, QFD deployment is usually a four-step process. In the first step, the main aim is to convert ambiguous customer inputs and feedbacks into measurable terms. Since accuracy is vital, QFD relies only on data collected with the help of Six Sigma tools such as VOC (Voice of the Customer). In this same step, the other important objective is to identify key features or components as stated by the majority of customers, which can be incorporated in the existing or a completely new product or service.

However, since it is often not feasible to cater to each and every demand, companies usually select only those features or components that can be incorporated without causing an unnecessary drain on the company's resources such as finances, materials, infrastructure, technology, and manpower. In effect, the aim is to select only those deliverables that contribute the most to customer satisfaction levels.

The second and third steps in the QFD deployment process are normally carried out in a synchronized manner because what follows from the second step usually determines what happens in the third step and vice-versa. Taken as one, both the steps basically represent a trail and error process, wherein different alternatives or options are suggested and tested simultaneously.

The main objective is to select only those changes or modifications that hold the most potential in terms of their ability to satisfy customers. This step is often considered to be the most important because it determines the shape, design, and other associated features of the final offering. As such, companies need to be extra cautious during the second and third phase of the QFD deployment process.

The Final Step

The fourth and final step is basically the control phase, where automated as well as manual control systems are put in place to measure the effectiveness of the implemented changes and modifications. Quality deployments that pass the control phase are generally made available for mass production whereas deployments that fail the test are referred back to the first step. This process is continued until the desired Six Sigma efficiencies are achieved.

It is recommended that companies to go through all the four steps, but if certain practicalities are to be considered, then they are free to tweak the QFD deployment process. The only thing they should not do is lose their focus on the main objective (i.e., delighting their customers).