Identifying And Selecting A Six Sigma Consultant

When tested quality programs such as Six Sigma are implemented the right way, process improvement in a company can result in tangible gains within 3 to 6 months. Employees feel satisfied and ultimately, the shareholders also benefit from the overall results. While it is possible for business owners to study quality initiatives and effect changes within their organization on their own, sometimes an external consultant with expertise in Six Sigma might be the best person to help lead the change. Consultants are immune to a company's internal politics and have the advantage of exposure to information and best practices from other companies where they have implemented the procedure.

Choosing The Appropriate Consultant

Selecting the right Six Sigma Consultant is a vital decision that can have a tremendous effect on your business. Ways to assess a Six Sigma consultant include checking if their experience is relevant, if their track record is successful, if they are willing to impart their knowledge systematically and if they are skilled at training and facilitation.

Features Of A Good Consultant

- Six Sigma Consultants should have a unique blend of skills in Six Sigma and relationship management in team development and conflict resolution. - They should serve as good communication lines between the employees or the customers and the leaders of the organization. - They should take adequate responsibility for writing projects, documenting them and making decisions for the project. - They should be able to lead the projects and facilitate conferences. - Six Sigma consultants should also be able to make presentations to associates and contribute to a company's change of management process.

Selection Criteria

- The key to selecting a good Six Sigma consultant is becoming aware of the specific needs and work culture of your firm. - Companies hiring a Six Sigma Consultant should initially perform a careful assessment of their internal environment and then formulate a team that can oversee the whole process. - The company should know whether it requires a full Six Sigma service implementation or whether it only requires training. - The main reasons for hiring Six Sigma Consultants should be their expertise on certain subject matters, are skilled at communication, be it written or verbal, are unbiased and can implement their skills within the company in a non-partial manner. - Accountability is also an important consideration; if the implementation doesn't work then it can be placed squarely as the responsibility of the consultant. From an owner's point of view, it's easier to blame an external consultant than to take sides within the company itself. - Cost is certainly a major factor while choosing a consultant but it should not be the only one. The professional fees charged by Six Sigma firms can vary from reasonable to very expensive and the key consideration should be the value that the consultant brings to the organization.

Pre-Hiring Measures

- It is advisable for companies to identify about 10 Six Sigma Consultants and ask for a proposal, based on which, they could shortlist 3 to make a presentation. This method of selection has worked very well for many companies. - Background information about a consultant can be obtained from other businesses that have been through the process before. - It is important to select a firm with more than a few years of Six Sigma experience. - During the selection process, team leaders must decide what role the consultant has to play during the project. The consultant can be a strong facilitator and an experienced practitioner, a team member or a subject matter expert. - To fit into any of these roles, a consultant has to have strong facilitation skills, in-depth process knowledge, industry exposure and should be able to perform specific tasks for the team.

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

Data Collection Tools In Six Sigma

You can't imagine being able to organize the enormous amount of data and manipulate them as easily as you would be able to do without data collection tools. Then again, the task is not easily done unless you have selected the right kind of tool appropriate for the project. You need these data collection tools at all steps where you generate numerical data.

Six Sigma Data Collection Tools

The data collection tools are mostly in excel format and come as Macro Plug Ins, barring a few exceptions of stand-alone applications.

Initial Raw Data Collection Tools

1. Operational Definitions Sheet- This sheet defines the metrics so that data collection across the board is consistent. 2. Voice Of The Customer Data Collection Tool- Collect data from internal database, surveys, interviews, listening posts and observations at the point of sales and use and organize them systematically 3. Worksheet For Customer Segmentation- Worksheet for segmentation is essential to identify and concentrate on the demands of main and sub-segments which helps get down to finer details 4. Check Sheets- Very handy in collecting smaller sample data of different attributes or counts for use in defining problem areas or substantiating the outcomes. 5. Data sheets- These plain and simple datasheets are used to gather small amounts of measured or variable data to for the purpose of defining a problem or substantiating the results.

Data Assessment Tools

Data assessment tools are not decision-making tools such as the Ishikawa Fishbone Chart or the Thought Map Relation Diagram.

1. Customer Requirement Translation And Analysis Tool- Analysis of customer requirement is done to translate to an understandable and an unambiguous language. The translated and interpreted customer data converts into measurable functional requirements... thus strengthening the operating team's capability to deliver products and services that customers will immediately identify and really relish. 2. SIPOC Diagram- SIPOC diagram is rather a presentation diagram and an analysis tool at the same time. It provides an "at a glance" like overview of various processes, and helps identify the venders, inputs and outputs of a process and customers by critically contrasting the input data against each other 3. Pareto Chart- A Pareto chart is helpful in identifying those small numbers of problems which cause about 80% of all the troubles. This is a tremendous help in reducing or eliminating the avoidable waste of efforts so that you can channelize your improvement efforts on continuous productive applications. 4. Production Scheduling And Actual Scorecard- The simple production scheduling and actual score card comes handy to evaluate the production schedules and operations & sales planning as opposed to actual results. This is the same template which is used for Pareto chart, 'schedule to actual' comparison and the checklist for quality. 5. QFD House Of Quality Chart- Quality Function deployment house of quality is an all in one tool. It helps identify customer requirements vis-a-vis products or services, develop an effective blueprint, formulate strategies to eliminate faults and failures and finally implement new design.

It would be futile to work without tools, either PC based or otherwise in a Six Sigma environment.

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

Is Six Sigma The Ultimate Management Tool?

Today, Six Sigma covers a very wide range of industries such as healthcare, banking, manufacturing and construction, to name a few. The 2 methodologies adopted by Six Sigma take care of the existing process and the new processes that still need to be developed, through DMAIC and DMADV respectively. DMAIC and DMADV are acronyms for process improvement methodologies. The methodology is hailed as the finest quality management system or tool that the industry has ever seen.

What Makes Six Sigma The Finest Quality Tool Ever?

Six Sigma came to occupy center stage riding on its success of its founder and pioneer Motorola's successful implementation. The comprehensive, structured approach of Six Sigma involves the entire organizational pyramid. The organization needs to dedicate 100% of its time to the usage of unique problem solving techniques, with no nonsense responsibilities.

The comprehensive approach involves top management with designated key roles responsible for identifying and reviewing projects. Middle implementation groups like the Champions and Master Black Belts dedicate their time to removing trans-jurisdictional bottlenecks and to problem solving. Trans-jurisdictional bottlenecks are potentially very serious and can possibly derail the implementation. Champions handle this very tactfully like seasoned warriors. Master Black Belts are extraordinarily talented in problem solving and in using sophisticated statistical tools.

Statistical tools are highly customized to the situation and are very versatile. These tools are used to question and measure the processes in any business environment with the goal to rationally analyze and design/correct them. If with Six Sigma, you can achieve 3.4 defects per million opportunities, save millions of dollars and satisfy customers in addition to making the company lean and mean and appealing to employees and owners alike, the methodology is indeed the ultimate management tool. But is it the ultimate quality management tool that can never fail? Or are there chinks in its implementation armor?

Failure of Six Sigma Fortune magazine on January 22, 2001 writes about the satellite phone, Iridium, made by Motorola, the pioneer of Six Sigma. The phone was an utter flop as no one bought it. This means that Six Sigma only assures quality but not customer satisfaction. Customers only buy things they really want.

There are certain statistical snags that experts point at. They are critical of the universal standard rule that Six Sigma uses instead of going case-by-case on different tasks and not using more appropriate, common-sense based tools, such as decision, theory and cost- benefit analysis.

The statistical methodology: Some critics are skeptical that Six Sigma is a marketing ploy that helps make money for all those involved, especially the consultants. Since the methodology is taught and practiced in only one way and since there is an absence of standardization of both implementation and Six Sigma training, it lacks consistency. Still others are scathing in their criticism that those who claim huge successes were total failures in quality control before Six Sigma and that their focus on small areas brought huge returns.

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 Software Tools

Six Sigma software tools augment the implementation of Six Sigma methodology by complimenting and sometimes substituting human efforts. Six Sigma software tools fill in the vacuum of additional needs by companies that are implementing the Six Sigma methodology.

Six Sigma Software Tools - Features And Size

Six Sigma software tools are available in different modules covering various aspects of implementation. There is one comprehensive package on the market that covers the entire span of Six Sigma activities. However, buying a Six Sigma software tool that comprises all modules during the course of Six Sigma implementation means that they all can't possibly be used. Generally, Six Sigma software tools are developed on an Excel platform.

When you are evaluating Six Sigma software tools, the size of your business or that of the Six Sigma implementation should not be of undue concern. Most Six Sigma software developers keep factors like these in mind when developing their products. There are two different Six Sigma software tools available, such as a desktop edition and an enterprise edition. You will always be able to find the type of software that you need. Due to recent improvements in technology, there is also a web-enabled module available!

Different Modules From Various Software Developers

Software developers, in accordance with the needs and demands of different businesses, have developed various Six Sigma software tool modules. Some examples of Six Sigma software tools are as follows:

1. DMAIC Six Sigma - a process management tool 2. Design for Six Sigma or DFSS - a design tool 3. Quality improvement package - a quality control tool 4. Production management package - a process simulation tool 5. Project optimization and simulation - An analytical tool 6. Testing and measurement - a testing and control tool

The all-encompassing comprehensive Six Sigma software tools packages pack a lot of powerful features into them which help speed up the decision making process and data mining, while dramatically simplifying predictive modeling activities. These features are enabled by a novel concept called "artificial intelligence" or AI. Artificial intelligence mimics the human thought process to automatically compute and solve complex problems. This feature comes in handy, especially when you are dealing with huge databases.

Support Back Up For Six Sigma Software Tools

Software producers and vendors offer assistance with their products. These include:

* Installation and maintenance support * Online help systems and tutorials * Product application guides * 24/7 toll free customer support * Money back guarantee for a limited time period

System Hardware Requirements

Most of the Six Sigma software tools are available for both Mac and IBM compatible PCs. The minimum system requirements are:

* At least Pentium 386; but for most products - 1.0 GHz Pentium processor * 256MB RAM * 1.0GB of free disk space * Graphics card (at least VGA or a better is recommended) * Windows, several versions; depending on which product you buy

With Six Sigma software tools at your disposal, you can process a lot of data, more than you ever could by hand. Artificial intelligence is used for faster, more dependable project selection and analysis. Six Sigma software tools also assist you in predicting future behaviors & tendencies. Six Sigma software tools have finally come of age and are here to stay.

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 Solves Problems With An Unknown Solution

Six Sigma is a powerful business improvement strategy. It helps your organization to identify, reduce, and eliminate defects from any product, process, or transaction. More than a "quality" program, Six Sigma is a flexible and dynamic continuous improvement strategy and process initiative that helps your organization uncover solutions.

For example, you may know that a particular process at your organization is not meeting customer specification or is otherwise not performing adequately. However, the solution is not apparent up front. There are many variables that could be causing the defect in the process. How do you determine what specific action you can take to improve your process and reduce defects? Finding that unknown solution is what Six Sigma does best.

Six Sigma is not a pre-packaged one-fits-all solution. Six Sigma is a process that doesn?t impose a particular outcome but discovers the previously unknown solution to a problem. It uses a structured systems approach to problem solving that achieves strategic business results through an intelligent step-by-step process. A structured thinking process helps solve problems better than an ad hoc, blank page approach.

Six Sigma leads organizations through five-steps of realization:
1. We don't know what we don't know.
2. We can't do what we don't know.
3. We won't know until we measure.
4. We don't measure what we don't value.
5. We don't value what we don't measure.

By using Six Sigma to identify and correct major problems you create real data that uncovers previously unknown solutions to problems ? solutions that you most likely would not be able to discover except through the Six Sigma methodology. What drives this process is the DMAIC method. DMAIC is an acronym for five interconnected phases of a Six Sigma project: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control. By going through the structured phases you discover the unknown solution to your quality problem.

First you identify the problem you need to solve. At the Define stage of a project, you should have a defined issue or problem you wish to overcome and improve. Once a process is selected as a candidate for improvement, a problem statement is developed and the objective or desired outcome is defined. Progress measures are established and a cost/benefit analysis is performed. Also during the Define phase, you highlight what the project is supposed to do and how it is supposed to do it and what metrics apply. With a clear measurable set of indicators, the Measure phase studies the process to determine the key process steps and variables to determine the potential ways the process could be going wrong.

After measurements are gathered, the data is analyzed to discover what is causing process variation. Once problem causes are determined in the Analyze phase, you find, evaluate through testing, and decide on creative new improvement solutions. As you move through the Analyze and Improve stages of the process you will identify various process improvement scenarios, and determine which solution has the best net benefit impact to the company. Most likely, the variation is from a completely unknown source. Without going through the Analyze and Improve stages you would not have known what improvement was required, much less what categories of variables were being affected!

Six Sigma is about tackling problems with an unknown solution. Six Sigma experts know that there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Six Sigma training provides participants with enhanced problem-solving skills, with an emphasis on the methodology for identifying and creating solutions. As Six Sigma practitioners, you need to be agnostic. Use the best tools from all of the various methods and apply the right solution to the right problem. Through being agnostic and open-minded you will discover solutions through observation and data rather than just impose solutions from the outside. This enables you to use the best from all of the various methods and tools available and apply the right solution to the right problem. You will be amazed at how well THAT works! Peter Peterka.. 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.

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.