Cutting Costs With Six Sigma

Problems Faced By Companies On The Cost Front

On the cost front, most industries such as the manufacturing industry, service industry, health care industry and even the educational industry are all experiencing a great amount of pressure. As an example, hospitals are facing ever-decreasing compensation from insurance companies, which is a serious concern to many. Hospitals also experience the pressure of high labor costs and low productivity. This decline in revenue has come about due to the increase in costs and the ever-increasing competition. 6 Sigma has always been construed as a quality improvement tool, and quality has always been linked with high costs and expenditures. However, the efforts by the black belts and the master black belts to help save on costs have helped companies view Six Sigma favorably.

6 Sigma And It's Contribution Towards Cost Cutting

Six Sigma was never intended to be used as a cost cutting tool; nevertheless it has made great contributions towards that end. The methodology of 6 Sigma employs unique ways to help cut costs in all aspects of business. Firstly, Six Sigma contributes towards customer servicing. The opinions of the customer alone help define the quality of the products and services provided by any business. By figuring out the customer's needs; 6 Sigma can help by cutting down on any wastage like over-utilization and under-utilization of capacity. Six Sigma also helps stabilize process variation, which helps save on material conversion. Not only does this result in an increase and improvement in productivity and quality, but it also results in the reduced cost of rejection and re-working.

The reduction in Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) is massive considering the overall tremendous savings coming from practically no rejections. This has come about due to the graduation from three or four sigma to 6 Sigma. For example, in the case of a hospital, after utilizing the Six Sigma methods in it's cardiology department, the hospital can cut down the average process time that is necessary for admission. This produces a dual-advantage. The first one being that the reduction of almost 45 minutes of the process time will lead to a decrease in labor costs. Secondly, the hospital department can now accommodate a larger number of patients because of the increase in the productivity.

The doctrines of total customer satisfaction and returns on investment are the main areas of focus. The 6 Sigma team helps generate innovative and creative ideas that are aimed at controlling costs. The team then helps employ risk management schemes and devises that lead to the early detection of various risk factors. An increase in yield from project portfolios will lead to an increase in resources resolving matters of risk.

The Biggest Challenge Faced By Six Sigma

The biggest challenge faced by 6 Sigma is from the outsourcing or off shoring of business processes. The developing third world countries have a lower cost structure and are attracting the large corporations offering them a chance to increase their overall return on investment. This is a process that is being engaged by medium and small-sized businesses, as the larger corporations have experienced significant success using outsourcing.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Value Stream Mapping And Six Sigma

Business processes are similar to a river flowing in a natural direction and carrying information from point A to point B. Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is one of the techniques used in Lean Six Sigma for identifying areas of waste that need to be avoided in both manufacturing as well as office business processes. Aside from identifying areas of waste, VSM also helps in streamlining business processes for achieving higher productivity. VSM is based on scientifically proven methods, making it necessary for organization to employ profession Six Sigma consultants (VSM specialists) during the implementation stage.

The Initial Process

Implementing VSM is a long drawn process where the first step involves mapping the current flow of materials or information in key business processes of an organization. The mapping is done with the help of flowcharts that depict the flow of goods or information from one end to another. The flowchart also contains information about the average time taken for the completion of various sub processes. For generating a comprehensive flowchart, consultants often gather inputs from business heads, floor managers or factory workers. While creating the flowchart, key sub-processes are highlighted using specific icons. This helps in pinpointing areas where waste and inconsistencies are happening. The flowchart also helps in understanding the complexity of a business process, which needs to be simplified for increasing efficiency.

Future State Of Value Stream Mapping

In the next step, VSM consultants discuss each step depicted in the flowchart with the management for finding out ways that would streamline and optimize the whole business process. In Six Sigma terminology, this is referred to as Future State Value Stream Mapping (FSVSM). A number of methods can be used during FSVSM process but only those need be selected that help in streamlining processes without affecting the day-to-day operations of an organization. One such method is Cellular Manufacturing, which can be used during FSVSM. Although it is a simple concept, it requires adequate planning on part of the consultants as well as the management. Takt Time is another method that is used for evaluating lead-time of manufactured goods or services rendered. This method is commonly used in organizations where the main objective is to deliver goods or services in time, for e.g. courier companies. Another method is known as Kanban, which forms a part of Just In Time (JIT) manufacturing system. It helps in maintaining low inventory levels and work in progress without affecting the quality or volume of manufactured goods.

Effectiveness In Automotive And Other Manufacturing Industries

VSM has proven to be very effective in organizations that make use of large and complex assembly line manufacturing processes. Automobile manufacturing companies are probably the best examples as far as the effectiveness of VSM is concerned. Top automobile companies such as Ford and Toyota have successfully implemented VSM in their business processes, which has in turn helped these companies in manufacturing high quality products while reducing costs at the same time.

Although concepts of VSM are applicable in all types of manufacturing organizations, companies other than automobile companies may find it a little difficult to implement VSM word for word. Some consultants also feel that benefits associated with VSM are sometimes over-hyped when it comes to implementing VSM in non-automotive companies. Personal opinions may vary but what is certain is that VSM does help in reducing waste if implemented properly.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

Beginning a Six Sigma Initiative

You cannot have a project-specific vision when beginning a Six Sigma initiative. It is essential that you develop a perspective with a comprehensive and an all-encompassing viewpoint that reaches out of the scope of the project on hand.

Begin the Project Selection with the Right Initiative

Select the project for Six Sigma implementation after weighing priorities. This does not mean that you should dive at the most pressing problem first without looking at constraints. Here is a brief guideline for project selection as initiation of Six Sigma.

1. Not all projects incur or help save same amounts of money. This infers that apart from monetary considerations, you should look at weighted aspects such as simplifying draconian procedures, improvement of employee satisfaction and the potential to produce an outstanding and exemplary result that instigates further improvement projects.

2. Decision about Belts and their placement makes way for some of the tough steps while initiating a Six Sigma project. Analyze the long term cost benefits of recruiting Black Belts keeping in view the present day affordability. Grooming belts in-house is another proven option.

3. Subdividing the project deployment into 2 or 3 phases like the strategic phase, tactical phase and operational phase which systematically uses and follows statistical tools for analyses which help take the imperatives beyond the line employee level.

Scrutinize The Project Deployment Strategy In The Backdrop of Top and Bottom Line Improvements

Before you get going with the implementation, it becomes the imperative next step for the leadership to contrast the projected outcome of the project against the goals of management. The goals can be thought of as reflections of the Voice of Customers. Perhaps a pointed checklist may be very handy in critically questioning each strategic step of all involved phases.

Unless the draft strategy is scrutinized, you never know whether deployment can yield results or the whole exercise becomes a futile pipe dream. Brainstorming is another formidable tool that evolves a collective opinion on which foundation lies the legitimacy for the journey ahead. At no point in time can the project leaders and the Black Belts can afford to forget the huge sums of money at stake.

Monitoring and Factoring In the Midway Course Correction

There are unforeseen deviations that remain undetected and flowing parallel. Scheduled midway auditing by the internal or external Six Sigma auditing team must throw light on any deviation. The auditing team could be drawn from the implementation team of Black Belts with the Master Black Belt or the Champion to head it.

What you must keep in mind is that unchecked deviations could drive the deployment efforts in new undesirable directions uprooting the vision of management.

More Initiatives

Each organization must find its own way of coming out of a problem. Nothing depends entirely on the deployment team. Here are a few suggestions in this direction.

1. Establish the channels of communication for the Belts. 2. Establish a core group to implement the findings of the deployment team. 3. Keep training a constant activity. 4. Implement the survey outcomes of internal customers.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts

The Six Sigma Tool and TQM are Not the Same

Many business people have yet to recognize the difference between the Six Sigma tool and total quality management, also referred to as TQM. Though, at a glance, they do look rather similar, and the Six Sigma tool does indeed employ some of the techniques and strategies that are the foundation for TQM, they remain two entirely separate methods of doing business.

While both the Six Sigma tool and TQM place emphasis on how critical it is to look at a business' entire support and leadership structure from top to bottom, the similarities don't go much further than that. It is the focus on quality that causes the confusion between total quality management and the Six Sigma tool. Both approaches to business believe that constantly improving the quality of a business is vital to its continuing success. Furthermore, the Six Sigma tool cycle of define-measure-analyze-improve-control is comparable to the TQM cycle plan-do-study-act.

However, the differences are vast and important between these two strategies. It is these differences that explains why the Six Sigma tool continues to grow in popularity, while the TQM is fading out over time.

Among these differences, management is primary. In contrast with TQM, the Six Sigma tool was not created by people who had very little experience in management, and were therefore only capable of developing a plan that had very broad management guidelines. Instead, the Six Sigma tool was formulated by a group of the most capable CEOs in the United States, who had only business success as their ultimate goal. They worked through all of the tools and techniques know about the business world and incorporated each of the most effective, tried-and-true methods for having businesses operate at their full potential, in a framework that makes it entirely possible.

Therefore, the Six Sigma tool can be seen as a much more holistic approach to doing business. Though loosely based on traditional concepts, it employs those that have been known to work consistently across multiple industries and business sizes. It also focuses not only on the end result, but on the entire business and its processes and policies.

Of course, there are many other differences as well; to be rapidly summed up, the main difference of the Six Sigma tool is its ability to give organization a much clearer path toward success by using its potential to its fullest.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts

Six Sigma Certification

Many questions arise in the minds of six sigma certification candidates. These questions range from the most strange to the most genuine concerns. There is a compelling need to explain things regarding the exam for the benefit of those who have questions but don't know where to find the answers. Here is brief outline of a few fundamental questions that are frequently asked about Six Sigma Certification.

What Is Six Sigma Certification?

Six Sigma Certification is documented proof that a person has acquired certain standardized capabilities with regard to the quality management technique that, when applied, works towards error/defect elimination and prevention. However, the certificate does not guarantee that a candidate has implementation skills, but only certifies competency in the subject matter. One can attain certification in any of the key roles (Master Black Belt, Champion, etc.).

Basis For Six Sigma Certification

Six Sigma Certification typically involves studying the related subject matter and passing an exam. Training institutes or companies provide certification tests and six sigma training courses. It is not unusual for new companies to have their employees test on a training institutes' tests. This completes the first part of the written test in the candidate's proficiency in the subject matter. Now comes the real test! Once having passed the written test, The candidate must work hands on a project or two in a practical environment. In this situation, the candidate must demonstrate that he or she is competent enough to implement the knowledge acquired in classroom six sigma training.

During the practical part of the exam, there is no benchmark for what passes or not. Not just this, but some companies may accept just one project and some others may not. This means that out of the three critical aspects of six sigma certification training, the written exam and the practical competency demonstration, a crucial third one may be said to be lacking seriously or non-existent, unless it becomes standardized. To complicate matters, there is no one single body to regulate or standardize all the critical aspects of six sigma certification.

Do I Need A Six Sigma Certification?

This is any individual's professional decision. Anyone wanting to get six sigma certification will need to think seriously about it. Sometimes candidates are chosen (or compelled) by their employer to take six sigma training and thereby attain six sigma certification. But many times, it is the other way around. Someone may decide to pursue six sigma certification for reasons such as attainment of a raise or promotion. Another may be prompted by the fact that six sigma certification will enhance their marketability. While each reason is an individual one, candidates must be result oriented, highly motivated in order to be successful.

What Will It Cost Me?

Again, this is a highly subjective question. It could cost you anywhere from $0 to $30,000 per person, depending on where you receive six sigma training. Again, the decision as to the trainer, location, and online or offline six sigma training method are other considerations as to cost.

What worked for one person may not work for another. When contemplating six sigma certification, there really are no generalizations that can be made. It all depends on who individual capabilities, location, and to some extent, your position in the corporation (or lack thereof).

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts

Six Sigma And Online Training

While nothing can exceed the breadth, depth, and quality of direct in-person training, various factors can make it inconvenient. If your organization is serious about Six Sigma training, but find it difficult to get everyone together for instructor-led training, then an online Six Sigma course is a worthy alternative. An online training program can give your organization more flexibility and even reduce your training costs.

Online training has been shown to be useful for many learning applications and Six Sigma is one of those. The advantages of online training over instructor-led training are simple but profound. There is considerable savings in cost as online instruction is less expensive than in person classroom training and there are no travel expenses. Also online training offers greater flexibility in scheduling and causes less interruption in work schedules.

An online training course combines the advantages of uniformity in training and self-paced training. The basic course is the same for each trainee but can be delivered to different people at different times. While a human instructor is only available a limited time, online training materials don?t ?go home? and trainees can review the subject matter as needed or desired. Support can be supplied via e-mail or phone. This scheduling flexibility is one of the benefits of online training. Six Sigma courses can be made available for a specific amount of time. For example, you could be granted access to the course material for four weeks which could be extended an additional two weeks on request at minimal or no extra cost.

The electronic format of online training makes it easier to tailor training to your specific needs. Training can be split into modules and you can present different modules to different people in your organization giving them only the training they need to fulfill their role. A Six Sigma online training program can provide an overview of the Six Sigma concepts and tools while going into detailed procedures and knowledge as needed. Those who need the basics of the Six Sigma methodology can receive it in a concise and easy-to-understand format. Those who need more advanced topics such as Six Sigma deployment practices, project development, and the DMAIC problem-solving approach can receive those.

Six Sigma training in an online electronic format focuses on active and applied learning methods where people can interact directly with the material and tools. Trainees are able to view samples of Six Sigma projects including some of the methods used within a Six Sigma project. Trainees can also get hands-on experience using some of the many statistical tools used in Six Sigma. Rather than just hear about statistical methods, they can see how they work in a spreadsheet in front of them. They can play with the numbers and even practice computing for variables to see directly how the tools function.

The online format also gives you more control over the training and greater assurance that your people are achieving each learning objective. Well placed mini quizzes can be employed to check for student understanding and give immediate feedback. Trainees will know in ?real-time? whether they understand the concepts presented and the online course can provide repetition of content if needed. Trainees can spend more time on the modules you need. --invest as much or as little time as appropriate for you and not a class on each module.

Online training most likely will not require any additional equipment at your location. Training is delivered through existing computers and an Internet connection. Most online courses will run through any Internet browser on any operating system. You will need to dedicate newer and powerful computers to the training is the course has graphics, sound or video. Don?t make the mistake of using old castoff computers as your training computers. That will just make your trainees frustrated.

A well designed Six Sigma online training course can be highly effective. The flexibility of scheduling and content delivery, plus the cost savings make online Six Sigma training either as an addition to or a replacement for the face-to-face classroom environment, a strong part of your organization?s Six Sigma deployment. http://www.6sigma.us Peter Peterka is the Principal Consultant in practice areas of DMAIC and DFSS. Peter has eleven years of experience performing as a Master Black Belt, and has over 15 years experience in industry as an improvement specialist and engineer working with numerous companies.

Taking on Six Sigma Programs

There is very little doubt that a successful implementation of a Six Sigma program can benefit an organization. However, the probability and the level of success depend on several key factors including the overall strategy and approach, such as proper training and development of internal resources, and selection and appropriate utilization of outside resources. The strategy and approach include numerous vital considerations, including proper project selection, resource and management time requirements, relevant knowledge/experience, fair evaluation of results and cost/benefit analysis of the in- house vs. outsourcing options. We offer a handful of guidelines for making this crucial decision, taking into account unique issues and challenges in the Biopharma and Pharma industries. Both advantages and disadvantages of in- house and outsourcing options are provided along with critical success factors.

Based on a wild guess by a close associate of mine, there are well over 2,000 restaurants in the Manhattan area and its surrounding boroughs. Although I cannot validate the absolute accuracy of his count, I do trust it is in the ballpark, since he happens to be one of those guys who seem to know everything about everything in life (and more). His dream is to be on Jeopardy; if it ever happens, I already feel sorry for the other two contestants, who will undoubtedly be decimated on national TV. And, oh yes, he also happens to be a food- lover. There is definitely some credibility to his estimate.

There is a point to be made by this story (trust me!). Despite the overwhelming number of restaurants in the city-that-never-sleeps, there are only a dozen or so which I truly enjoy and actually look forward to visiting. I am certain that even if I try every single one of these 2,000 locations, the cant-miss list will be no longer than 50. So, assuming my buddys figure is
fairly accurate, what do I make of the other 1,950 establishments? Not much, I am afraid. Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples like this in life. Having spent many, many years in several universities (too embarrassing a number to admit), I have studied under approximately 100 professors. However, there are only three whom I regard as great teachersindividuals who have significantly influenced my life and whose lessons I actually remember.



Tragically, the example does not stop here. There are a plethora of Six Sigma experts out there. A simple search on Google on six sigma consultant yielded a whopping 70,000+ returns. Most of these folks, I am afraid, are mediocre at best.

So, as you consider or embark on a Six Sigma program, how do you select your competent and trust-worthy advisor(s)? With so many self-proclaimed experts, how do you find one who is right for you? Should you involve outsiders at all? How do you know if you can do this successfully only with your internal resources? As you ponder these fundamental questions, the following guidelines may be of interest.

Proper Training and Development of Internal Resources
The word internal should be emphasized here, since it is my strong belief that long term and/or ongoing dependence on external resources is not healthyfinancially or strategically. Rather, the external help should be utilized on an as-needed basis for very specific reasons. We do not depend on our medical doctors to keep us healthyrather, we best make use of them for regular check-ups and to help us quickly recover from an illness. A business organization utilizing external resources is no different. As a guideline, the rationale for external assistance can fall under two high- level categories. These are:

Assistance in Training of Internal Resources
For on- going success of your Six Sigma program, it is crucial that internal knowledge and competence are first developed then continually retained. Your specific training needs depend on your existing capabilities and the level and timing of your targets. First, get an idea for the number of certified master black belts, black belts and green belts currently in your organization. There are numerous ways out there to obtain these titles, so find out how, when and via which organization these individuals were certified. Next, consider the Six Sigma project experience of these individuals and the significance of the past results. As a basic rule of thumb, each black belt should deliver approximately $1M in savings or in cost-avoidance each year. As another rule of thumb, the ratio of black belt to green belt should be between 1:3 and 1:6. One master black belt for each division or location with as many as 1,000 to 1,500 people is often sufficient. In deciding which individuals should be trained,
consider the candidates interest level, current position and background on basic statistical tools (or willingness to learn). These individuals should also possess the knowledge of the
business (i.e., do not pick someone who just joined the company last week) as well as the respect from his/her peers (i.e., do not pick someone because you do not have any other plans for him/her). Lastly, resist the temptation to over-train. It is of no benefit to the organization to have everyone trained, unless the skills are put to use and bottom- line benefits are realized from early on.

- Assistance in Delivering Bottom-Line Results
In this role, you are asking the external resources to deliver specific results using Six Sigma and perhaps other tools and techniques. Prior to the selection of external resources, it is essential that you take the lead in defining the objectives and setting the success criteria. Having the consultants define their own scope of work can be a dangerous thing. Can you imagine getting in a cab and letting the driver decide on where you want to go? In this approach, clearly communicate your objectives and goalsthe cab driver (external resources) can decide and/or advise you on specific routes to take, but you need have a clear picture of your goal and destination.

Resource and Management Time Requirements
You can tell a lot about a person by observing where he/she spends most of his/her time and money. You spend your time and money on the things you regard as important. This point (other than being a reminder that I should give my fiance a call) has applicability in business as well. If you want to ensure a successful Six Sigma initiative, be sure to fall in love with the program. Allocate enough budget and resources to get it off the ground properly. If your organization already has a Six Sigma program (perhaps running for several years) that has hit a plateau, be the change agent to rejuvenate it and turn things around.

Perhaps your organization has had too many distractions in the past and never quite successfully implemented a Six Sigma program. These distractions, in the Biopharma and Pharma industries, can come in many flavors. Typical list of distractions for most FDA regulated organizations include:
Customer complaints (written and verbal)collection, analysis and closure;
CAPAboth externally (as a result of customer complaint, for example) and internally generated (as a result of non-conforming product, for example);
Supplier quality problems and/or inadequate process capability;
Potential major contract manufacturing decisions (especially important for many Biopharma companies at this point in time); and
Compliance issuesperhaps an adverse FDA audit results and/or receipt of warning letters.
Avoid the common mistake of believing that the Six Sigma program is yet another thing to worry about in addition to the urgent items listed above. Instead, view Six Sigma initiative as

a means to effectively resolve the above issues. For example, Six Sigma is not another separate effort on top of your ongoing attempt to improve your quality issues or to shorten a long turnaround time, etc. Rather, Six Sigma tools and techniques should be used as tools to help resolve your quality problems, shorten your lead time, etc.

Management also needs to devote some time on its own to learn the basics of Six Sigma. Management does not need to know how to perform DOE and ANOVA but, at a minimum, it

should be familiar with the key terms and be aware of the overall approach. There are many operational improvement tools and techniques availablehowever, understanding of Six Sigmas well-defined, consistently followed and established approach will prove exceptionally valuable.
If the management lacks either the knowledge or the experience of running Six Sigma programs, seek external help. In doing so, resist the temptation of letting the external resources taking control of your program. They are your helpers, but the client must take the ownership, set the direction and make the final key decisions. From a potential pool, seek out the ones with both Six Sigma and life science industry-specific knowledge/experience. During the initial screening, make sure that you will feel comfortable with your selection at a personal level. And most importantly, clearly communicate your expectations and demand bottom line results from early on.

Relevant Knowledge and Experience
There is no single, official Six Sigma training program or consistent requirements for green, black and master black belts. There are many organizations that certify people, but are not all the same. Make sure the consultants you are dealing with are certified with a reputable organization.
Avoid letting this be a training ground for your external resources. Certification may a good indication, but it is often insufficient. Being an expert means much more than just getting the required training and holding a certificate. It takes several years of applying various Six Sigma tools in real- life settings (specifically in life science industry) to be of true value. Remember one simple ruleany external resource you hire should be significantly better qualified in his/her specific area of expertise than your internally available capabilities.

Prior to making your final selection, insist on meeting the people who will actually be working with you and your team. This may not be an issue when you are dealing with independent contractors, but can be a major point when dealing with large consulting companies. Look for actual industry experienceavoid lifetime consultants. There is no suitable substitute for real- life experience. Although it is not impossible, it is very difficult for someone who lacks the actual experience to relate to the issues you may be facing. Someone who can recite a hundred cookbooks verbatim but has no real- life cooking experience is not a real chef, in my opinion.

Check your consultants background. Check references and speak with previous clients. Ask about a specific FDA requirement during your initial screening. If ever in doubt, politely walk awaythere are literally hundreds more who will be more than happy to do business with you. Some time and effort spent on the selection process will save you lots of headaches and easily hundreds of thousands of dollars (or perhaps millions) in the future.

Fair Evaluation of Results
If there is ever a doubt whether a program was a success or not, chances are that it wasnt. Success, when it comes to bottom line improvements, should not be an entirely subjective thing. A true Six Sigma success should transform the biggest doubters into enthusiastic believers.

Be sure to ask for and to check references. Have the former clients truly achieved success? How long did the relationship last? Any project lasting in excess of six to 12 months may indicate some potential issues ahead. Any good consultant should work him/herself out of a job. If the consultant you are dealing with seems more interested in finding ways to stick around longer, rather than helping you deliver results, then I am afraid you got the wrong person in there.

Ask very specific and pointed questions to judge their life science industry knowledge. Are they up-to-date on the latest biotech trends? How many other pharmaceutical clients have they had? Ask about one or two compliance issues they have solved (without compromising confidential agreements with other clients, of course). Have them provide case studies from other organizations that have faced similar situation/issues you are now attempting to resolve. Ask about their approaches, outcomes and the satisfaction of the clients. Ask for references and check them to make sure their clients share the same opinion.

Based on the external resources previous experiences, what range of lead time reduction can you expect? Have they performed significant projects dealing with complaints and/or CAPA? What were the results? What did it take them to implement these improvements? What level of success can you expect in three months? With respect to quality, what tools and techniques do they have to identify sources of variability? Once identified, how do they reduce/eliminate the variability? How many companies have they worked with that were operating under consent decrees? What (if any) specific Six Sigma tools and techniques do they adopt to help with FDA audit process? What (if any) specific experiences do they have in migrating from clinical to commercial production? If a productivity gain was achieved, has the client been able to sustain it after the initial jump? Be sure to get a rough estimate of what the consultants can deliver. Make sure they are consistent with your own expectations and, most importantly, hold them accountable for delivering real bottom line results.

Cost/Benefit Analysis of In-House vs. Outsourcing
Consider the level of knowledge, experience, available resources and bottom line improvements gained in the past. If an organization has consistently achieved the highest levels of success on its own, there are no compelling reasons to involve external resources. If, on the other hand, there are disputes as to the effectiveness of your program or you currently



lack the knowledge/experience/resources, having the right external resources to fill in the gap can be a very smart move.

In choosing external help . . . shop around! With so many providers, the difference in cost can be mind-boggling. If you are used to dealing with hourly rates for outside help, expect to pay anywhere between $100/hour (usually for an independent contractor who is getting desperate for work) and up to $500/hour (for a well-established and well marketed consultancy or an individual regarded as one of leading experts). Keep in mind that more expensive consultants or better known organizations do not necessarily deliver better results.

With the right approach during negotiations, most consultants will be more than happy to tie their paychecks to performance and/or savings delivered. This can create a mutually beneficial relationship. It will minimize your risk and give competent yet lesser known consultancies/organizations an opportunity to prove its capabilities. If you are willing to go this route, clearly define the roles for the outside consultants and communicate your expectations both verbally and in writing.

Another option may be to have your selected external resources to work for a few weeks at a deep discount with the understanding that after the trial period, the rates will increase to a pre-defined level provided that you, as the client, decide to continue the relationship. Despite the long-awaited uptick in the economy, the supply still far outnumbers the demand with regards to Six Sigma consultants. Use this to your advantage and be selective.

The success of the program depends mostly on you. Seek external resources to compliment specific areas where you currently lack sufficient knowledge/ experience/resources. Most importantly, be demanding of both your internal and your carefully selected consultants. The journey is not an easy one, but the rewards can be quite satisfying.

For more information or to contact us, email us at info@tefen.com.
Tefen ( www.tefen.com) is a publicly traded, international operations consulting firm with seven offices in United States, Europe and Israel. The firm has over twenty years of experience in improving the overall operational effectiveness of Fortune 500 clients around the world. Tefen designs and implements solutions that enhance operational performance throughout an organization. All of Tefen's support programs are ISO 9001 and TCS (Total Customer Satisfaction) certified. Our hands-on approach has achieved success in delivering quantifiable and value-driven results. For more information or to contact us, email us at info@tefen.com


Doing Business In Canada? The Quality of Your French is Key!lina mohamDoing business in Canada often involves translating various business related documents from English to French and French to English, as the case may be.

In Canada, the Official Languages Act awards equal official status to English and French. As a result, various trade documents, labels and operating/instruction manuals must be provided in both languages.

If youre doing business in Quebec, The Charter of the French language and various regulations make the use of French mandatory in various communications and business related situations.

Depending on your industry or the type of work do, choosing the right translation company might turn out to be a bigger challenge than you think.

Where can I find a translator who understands my business?

Dont kid yourself! Truly qualified translators are hard to find, especially for law, finance, medicine, science, engineering and most areas and industries involving any form of specialized knowledge.

In many industries, the single most important cause of product recall is mislabeling, often caused by inaccurate translations.

Product labels hardly qualify as complex technical documents. Now, if simple labels containing at most a few lines of text are so often botched, imagine what happens to really complex documents like commercial agreements, scientific research and technical reports when they are translated by the wrong people.

The translation industry is almost entirely unregulated

No special licence is required to work as a translator or operate a translation company.
Legally, anyone can offer translation services, on any subject-matter, in any language combination.
Unlike doctors, lawyers, charted accountants, actuaries and engineers, to name a few, translators are not required by law to belong to a professional order such as a Law Society, a College of Physicians or an Order of Engineers which verify qualifications and control admissions.
What does it mean to be certified?

The term "certified" is widely used by translation companies to promote their services. What does it mean?

This term may be used either to describe the translator or the translation itself.

When used to describe the translation itself, it often refers to an affidavit or other sworn statement provided by a translator to confirm the accuracy or correctness of the translation.

When translators are certified, it is usually through membership in an association of translators. Translators joins such associations freely and for various reasons. They are not obligated by law or statute to belong to a professional order or obtain a licence to practice their trade.

Hiring a "certified" translator does not guarantee the actual quality of the translation, especially for industry-specific and technical documents.

Technical translations require specific knowledge and relevant expertise

When the translation is legal, financial, medical, scientific or technical in nature, the most qualified translator will likely be a bilingual professional, with a degree in that field or a closely related area and industry specific experience, both in English and French.

A translator with the relevant technical background and industry knowledge will usually produce a better quality translation than a translator without similar qualifications, which is why so many companies using outside translators have an in-house review process to verify the accuracy and style of the translation.

Improve The Quality Of Your Technical Translations

Twelve Translation Facts

Certain documents require more attention than others. Generally speaking, the more specialized or technical your document, the more difficult it will be to find a qualified translator.

It takes more than a translation degree to be an effective translator of legal, financial, medical, scientific or technical material.

For specialized translation work, you should always use a translator with relevant academic knowledge and industry-specific experience.

Certain companies offer translation services in over 100 language combinations, on any subject, including most technical areas. The lack of regulations in the industry encourages some to overstate their qualifications.

More than a few translation companies lack the required expertise to correctly evaluate the quality of their services in all the language combinations they offer.

Make sure at least one of their managers speaks your language combination, French and English, if you are doing business in Canada and ask about their actual qualifications. If the managers are not sufficiently qualified, they will be unable to assess the quality of their translators or of the work they produce.

Generally, a company specializing in only a few languages will provide better quality translations, in those languages, than a company working in a large number of language combinations. This is especially true when technical or specialized documents are to be translated.

For technical matters, sensitive issues and important documents, you should always look for a translation company with genuine experts who have studied and worked in your field or industry, even if this means you will have to use more than one translation service provider for all the language combinations you need.

Remember that the language barrier often prevents material errors and discrepancies from being detected immediately. Poorly written translations and material flaws usually end up being reviewed and corrected at extra cost.

Unless you are dealing with bilingual experts, you should always review your important translated documents with an employee or colleague who speaks the language of the translation to verify its quality and accuracy.

If your work is specialized and technical and must meet specific industry standards, dont expect an accurate and professionally written translation from someone who has never studied in your field or worked in your industry.

When translating technical or specialized documents, look for translators with specialized knowledge and professional experience which are relevant to your work or industry.  Bruno Gingras LL.B,

After a successful carrer as a commercial lawyer in the province of Qubec, Bruno Gingras is now chief operating officer of About Translations Ltd., a Canadian company providing industry-specific French and English translation services in the areas of law, business and finance, medicine and pharmacology, engineering, science and technology. The company is associated with Traductions propos Lte of Montral, Qubec.



Are you in search of the best help in relation to antique clocks. TomAre you in search of the best help in relation to antique clocks.
When you are on the lookout for top information relating to antique clocks, it will be easier said than done extricating the best information from foolish antique clocks submissions and help so it is wise to know how to moderate the information you are presented with.

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Here's several tips which we think you should use when you are searching for information about antique clocks. Please be aware that the advice we give is only relevant to internet information about antique clocks. We do not offer you any assistance or guidance if you are receiving information offline.

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A terrifc piece of advice you can follow when offered help and advice regarding a antique clocks web site is to find out who owns the site. Doing this could reveal the owners antique clocks authorizations The easiest way to work out who is at the back of the antique clocks website is to look on the 'contact' page or 'about this site' information.

All respectable sites giving you information on antique clocks, will nearly always have an 'about' or 'contact' page which will list the people behind the site. The details should tell you some indication regarding the owner's proficency and credentials. This means you can conduct an appraisal about the webmaster's depth of experience, to advise you on the topic of antique clocks.
Peter Coates is the webmaster for http://www.antique-grandfather-clocks.info

Six Sigma Environment

It is not easy to implant the concept of Six Sigma into the culture of a company. This is because Six Sigma hardly bears any comparison with other quality management tools, barring a few similarities with Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award. But unlike the Baldridge Award, Six Sigma gets to the core of the business sphere with proven tools. But what really stands out as the major difference between Six Sigma and all other quality management tools is the whole army of highly trained employees coming from various professional and organizational backgrounds, not just from the quality assurance specialization. This is why they are called internal change agents.

It is irrelevant to say whether Six Sigma evolved as an alternative to other quality tools or management tools. However, some similarities can be seen between Six Sigma and other similar programs. Certain tools and concepts of continuity in improvement are shared across all quality programs. But it is the set of differences that make the Six Sigma environment a unique one.

Six Sigma Environment

At the core, the concepts of Six Sigma gels completely with the fundamentals of doing business. This is underlined in the basic emphasis that is given to total customer satisfaction, taking profitability to different sphere through maximization techniques. To quote an expert, “Six Sigma speaks the language of business”.

The success of Six Sigma depends a lot on the environment in which it is being implemented. The conduciveness of the environment for Six Sigma implementation is brought about when the vision of upper management is shared by everyone in an organization. This becomes clearer when seen against the backdrop of huge number of personnel working for it. It could be different in an ISO 9000 environment as the onus of implementation is relegated to the quality assurance department. Satisfied customers, a more realistic workload for employees, an improved work culture and finally a rising bottom line and profitability for the owners, are all contributors to the success of Six Sigma.

Linking Six Sigma to Financial Gains

Next, Six Sigma does not just focus on manufacturing or production-related activities alone, but the entire gamut of doing business. Cross-functional implementation coupled with recognizing opportunities for improvements in all key areas of business can be neglected but at the cost of relegating Six Sigma to the status of other traditional quality programs. The finance and planning departments are also included in Six Sigma implementation.

The powerful tools available with Six Sigma help to improve functioning of key departments. For example, marketing and sales can collect customer input. Feedback in the form of customer satisfaction levels can help the finance department adjust the accounting method to focus on predominantly costs and benefits. Human Resource can concentrate on rewards and recognition based on universal criteria, tracking employee satisfaction etc.

Business becomes “as usual” with Six Sigma once the project selection does not remain the sole jurisdiction of the quality team. When individual department heads begin to own responsibilities for business goals, the environment can be said to have arrived where it was expected. It is “business as usual” from here onwards within the Six Sigma environment.

Tony Jacowski is a certified Master Black Belt for Aveta Solutions – Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ). Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.