Lean Six Sigma Implementation Basics

Lean Six Sigma methodologies are a combination of standard 6-Sigma quality improvement techniques and lean manufacturing principles that are used for speeding up business processes. 6-Sigma methodologies focus on reducing defects in business processes, whereas Lean 6 Sigma does not only eliminate defects but also improves the speed of a process and reduces waste by eliminating non-value added steps in a business process. Combining 6-Sigma and lean manufacturing principles is like combining the contents of two different toolboxes that help companies to improve quality and efficiency.

Compatibility

Depending on the type of methodologies used by an organization, Lean Six Sigma is often referred to as Lean Service, Lean Manufacturing, and Lean Enterprise. These concepts are compatible with standard Six Sigma methodologies and can be applied to every type of business processes. Both the concepts use similar strategies and methods and focus on improving business processes that serve customer needs. Both focus on identifying and eliminating sources of waste and processes that do not add value for maximizing output, efficiency, and throughput. They emphasize providing requisite training for enabling employees of an organization to understand the tools and processes of the methodology. Both concepts encourage the involvement of senior managers and key mentors within an organization for ensuring that quality improvement projects are executed without affecting the day-to-day operations.

Lean 6 Sigma uses different techniques for reducing costs, reducing production cycle times, expanding capacity, and improving productivity. It uses "value stream mapping" for identifying improvement opportunities. However, Lean Six Sigma concepts may sometimes prove inadequate in solving some of the more complex problems that call for advanced analysis.

Benefits

Standard 6-Sigma methodologies follow a disciplined, data driven approach and use statistical tools for analyzing quality at every stage of the production process. When combined with Lean manufacturing principles, it helps in identifying and resolving quality issues. Its successful implementation is important in reaping quick results and enabling employees and plant managers to harness better work patterns on plant floors. Lean Six Sigma programs are executed under the guidance of 6-Sigma Champions and Black Belts for enhancing the efficacy of quality improvement initiatives. It is necessary to deploy lean manufacturing techniques during the Six Sigma implementation process for ensuring that the improvement process includes a standard problem-solving approach.

Lean Six Sigma focuses on adding value to manufactured goods or services rendered by eliminating defects in every business process. This helps in building customer loyalty, as customers often prefer products and services that offer consistent quality. The matrices used in Six Sigma help in identifying customer needs, manufacturing quality products and rendering quality services.

Lean Six Sigma concepts and methodologies are based on a highly sustainable approach that gets easily integrated with the existing work processes within an organization. It requires the involvement of employees at all levels within an organization. The deployment of 6-Sigma programs can initiate a culture shift within an organization that helps in eliminating waste within the production process.

Lean Six Sigma helps in ensuring future success of an organization by radically improving quality and reducing waste. It also allows employees within an organization to design and develop new business processes that will help in making drastic improvements to the organization's performance.

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 Vs ISO 9000

The debate over whether or not to choose Six Sigma over ISO 9000 is getting more interesting with each passing day. In an attempt to determine which of these is the better of the two, it is highly pertinent to discuss that in the context of applicability of them to industries. And there exists a huge amount of difference between the approaches of these two methodologies in tackling the issues.

Six Sigma - A Critical View

Six Sigma utilizes a multi-faceted approach to doing business with total improvement of the end product being the goal. In doing so, Six Sigma defines and analyzes the processes critically almost always focusing on process improvements. The statistical tools used in Six Sigma help not just in the adoption of processes but are also critical tools of Six Sigma implementation.

Process Development Stages

Let us examine the above statement as applicable to a process for easier understanding. While working on process improvement, the Black Belts break up the original sequence of different events that comprise the entire process and each event is further subdivided internally. This enables the "belts" to take an entirely different view of the process via the entire process as a whole. The powerful statistical tools employed at this stage of evaluation make the picture clearer and help the "belts" to arrive at decisions about the value additions those made to the process by different events.

This principle obviously goes beyond standardizing the processes and setting the pathway for being vigilant about adherence to the Six Sigma methodology. Useless values which have lost meaning make way for more meaningful events and eventually more robust and comprehensive processes. In a Six Sigma environment, customer demands will assume a key role in driving the processes towards aligning all activities with the vision of the leader of the company. The approach is "how to" rather than "what to" deliver.

The ISO 9000 Approach

The ISO approach towards quality management concentrates on standardization of the activities of production. The eight quality principles of ISO 9000, along with its twenty-four requirements outline business processes. The emphasis here is on the control of events in each aspect of doing business by documenting evidence and reports. The eight principles of ISO 9000 include prioritizing customer data, purchasing and quality systems, among other critical aspects. ISO 9000 recognizes each process, whose end goals are the same, as an independent entity. Documented quality requirements typically decide, based on set rules, whether or not a particular process adhered to that standard.

Document and Process Control

Maintenance of quality is achieved by adhering to key process and document control. Operating procedures and process control documents restrict deviations outside the concepts of what you should be doing in every process. What-you-should-be-doing is given emphasis under standard conditions rather than dealing with process improvement.

Stalwarts in industry are examining the possibility of merging the best practices of the two. Several industry leaders have already acknowledged the benefits of using both methodologies to compliment each other. Another view is that, as Six Sigma implementation is what you do within your company (unlike the certification in ISO) the company does not get recognition for achieving successful Six Sigma implementation. However, as long as the culmination of a business activity is defined by both methodologies as retaining and improving the customer base along with maximizing the bottom line, rejection of one in favor of other will be hard to justify.

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 Training - An Overview

The unbelievable results achieved by the pioneers of the Six Sigma management methodology and implementation were not realized overnight. Concerted efforts of by the entire organization and unwavering support by top management over a long period of time are what it takes to see results. The employees of an organization, through specialized Six Sigma training, play key roles through 6 sigma implementation. The key players in 6 sigma implementation not only need specialized Six Sigma training, they also need a different mindset and dedication to the process.

Six Sigma Training - What Is It?

Six Sigma training is available from various institutes certified to provide the training using either offline or online delivery methods. Six Sigma training is aimed at providing comprehensive and rational methodology and techniques. Six Sigma training courses normally cover process improvement techniques as stepping stones for students and lead to either green belt or black belt certifications.

Six Sigma training course fees normally vary from $450 for a one-day course, up to $6000 for a two-week lean 6 Sigma program. The Champion's Leadership Program is conducted onsite only. Still, there are some other institutes that combine the black belt and green belt Six Sigma Training into what is known as the 2+2 format. Attending this dual Six Sigma training helps improve internal company synergy in addition to giving the organization greater flexibility.

What Do Six Sigma Training Courses Cover?

Six Sigma training courses leading to certifications in green belt and black belt are usually designed to cover one module at a time. One such module is the control module, for example. The Six Sigma training course places emphasis on the statistical aspects of process capabilities and process control.

Objectives Of Six Sigma Training

In brief, Six Sigma training introduces students to both the DMAIC and DMADV methodologies. The core concepts of these techniques, quality standards, charts, plans and analytical techniques are also covered in the course.

Who Is Eligible To Take The Six Sigma Training Course?

Any member of an organization who is a manager, technician, operator, teacher or engineer, regardless of where he or she is working, can take a Six Sigma training course. Employees may work in industries such as education, IT, and government, provided they have demonstrated an aptitude for learning complex DMAIC techniques.

Up The Rung Six Sigma Training

Master Black Belt and Champion Six Sigma training is utilized for producing coordinators and decision-makers who will play key roles in the implementation and success of Six Sigma across the organization. The focus of the Six Sigma training will be to prepare Champions to identify the elements of critical business processes. Students will, upon certification, be able to bring about the changes necessary to their organizations both during and after the implementation of 6 sigma. Unlike the Green Belt and Black Belt trainees, who are required to devote 75% of their time for Six Sigma implementation, Master Black Belts and Champions dedicate 100% of their time to successful implementation of the program.

What these Six Sigma Training courses don't teach you are not taught anywhere else, either. Future vision, ability to lead, and the skills to motivate the organization also must be mastered in addition to the formal Six Sigma training process.

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 Online Training

These days, Six Sigma certification candidates can stay home (or in the office), yet still make it to the classroom! Yes, the recent trend in Six Sigma online training has brought about this innovative tool to every candidate's door step. Six Sigma online training combines some of the proven methods of classroom training and the cost effectiveness and convenience of home study. This is a tailor-made solution for those Six Sigma certification candidates who can't leave their offices due to their workload. Some Six Sigma online training products try to mimic the classic style of the traditional classroom.

Advantages Of Six Sigma Online Training

With Six Sigma online training you can set your own pace. Certain unique features facilitate studying at a place and time convenient to you (even breaks of time in between modules are allowed). You can take an online test so that you know where you stand. Almost all Six Sigma online training tools are interactive as a result, you don't feel the absence of the instructor at any point in time.

As Department of Defense studies have shown, e-learning is equally or more effective than classroom-based instructor-led training. In terms of Six Sigma, online training proved to be more effective in courses of greater complexity

Some Popular Six Sigma Online Training Tools

Here are some popular Six Sigma online training tools that you can use:

1. Various courses from AVETA Solutions - Very innovative, real life situations throughout. With Six Sigma online training from Aveta solutions, you can define, analyze and process problems with critical parameters as perceived by customers, as well as analyze and control the variations and root causes.

2. nLighten from Pivotal Resources - This is a high-end Six Sigma online e-learning product. This product combines various aspects of Six Sigma training such as facilitation of online discussions, and problem-solving simulations.

3. Various Six Sigma online training tools from QPM Solutions - Here are a couple of them: The Six Sigma green belt training module and Six Sigma black belt training, You can extend the training by 12 to 20 sessions spread over 3 months. Each session is for 3 hours. Typically both of these offer self paced learning, case study exercises and preparatory tests in order get you ready for the next session.

Closer To Reality

Although you may feel you are missing the classroom environments where you could have interacted with fellow students, the Six Sigma online packages are developed to mimic real-life conditions. In addition to this, almost all of them allow you to develop new processes, test them as you would do in a real life situation. Certain Six Sigma online tools like Sigma Station? boast many advanced features that rival the experiences that you would have in a classroom.

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.

Communication in Six Sigma by Peter Peterka

Deploying Six Sigma means entering a period of significant change in your organization. Productivity and morale almost always suffers in times of great change. The requirements of change and adaptation and the very human fear of the unknown add to stresses of the work environment. In these times, communication becomes more important than ever.

Communication throughout a Six Sigma project is very important because the power and scope of Six Sigma demands a significant commitment from everyone in the organization. Six Sigma successes require clear and open communication at all levels to transcend departmental barriers that would otherwise cause confusion. In addition, any change in an organization will meet some resistance, either intentional or just because of inertia. When management can effectively communicate that it is behind that change and can communicate the positive aspects of the change, resistance can be countered and overcome.

Company leadership must be willing to give Six Sigma teams all of the tools and information necessary to apply Six Sigma concepts to their day-to-day activities. It is crucial in Six Sigma projects to clarify the rationale, expectations, goals, and sequence of steps in the process. Six Sigma teams with clear, written goals accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than teams without them could ever imagine. This is true everywhere and under all circumstances. Documentation of the Six Sigma process is the opportunity to resolve any misunderstandings of the deployment. A schedule is developed that outlines the strategy to take the process from its current state to one that is within statistical control and in line with the company's Six Sigma goals. Roles need to be clearly defined in how individuals contribute to the schedule and strategy. Employees assess how they can contribute to the organization through the information they receive. A team's quality goals should be set to tie in with the overall company quality improvement goals. This happens only when the team has the knowledge they need.

Lack of clarity in communicating business information is probably more responsible for frustration and underachievement than any other single factor. It is unfortunately way too easy to not realize that communication is falling short of your organization's needs. Often senior managers sincerely believe they are adequately communicating with employees. However, managers can easily underestimate the number of issues on which employees need information and how much information they need.

How do you know what is important to employees and what to tell them? You need to put yourself in the position of the employees. If you were that person, what would be important for you to know to do your job? What would you be worried about in the current situation? What information would help you deal with change? How would you want to be told? You can't answer those questions yourself. You need input from the very people you are trying to understand. Communication is a two-way street--listening as well as talking. Asking a few individuals what is being said, what people are worrying and wondering about.

Also be aware that the way a person receives news can dramatically affect how he or she feels about it, so you need to choose the medium very carefully. E-mail can be perceived as cold and unfeeling, although it is useful for routine updates that don't have emotional overtones. Many messages are better delivered in person, either to individuals or to the team as a whole.

Communication skills take practice. Always be sure the message remains honest, clear and compassionate. Have integrity and build trust. Don't say what you don't mean. Don't promise anything that you cannot or will not fulfill. Above all, follow through on your commitments and promises. Nothing turns employees off more than feeling betrayed. Sincere, caring, and constant communication will form the basis for building employee engagement throughout Six Sigma deployment.

Peter Peterka is a Master Six Sigma Black Belt for Six Sigma us and has implemented Six Sigma in a variety of organizations. For additional information for Six Sigma Training and Six Sigma Consulting please contact Peter Peterka at http://www.6sigma.us/

Peter Peterka is the principal Six Sigma Consultant in practice areas of DMAIC and DFSS. Peter has over 15 years experience including implementation of Six Sigma in Healthcare with a variety of organizations. For additional information please contact Peter Peterka at Six Sigma us.

Design For Six Sigma

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is the application of Six Sigma principles to the design of products and their manufacturing and support processes. Whereas Six Sigma by definition focuses on the production phase of a product, DFSS focuses on research, design, and development phases. DFSS combines many of the tools that are used to improve existing products or services and integrates the voice of the customer and simulation methods to predict new process and product performance.

DFSS can be compared to DMAIC (Design, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) and often the acronym DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify) is used to describe the strategy of DFSS. The precise phases or steps of a DFSS methodology are not universally defined. Most organizations will implement DFSS to suit their business, industry, and culture. DFSS methodology, instead of the DMAIC methodology, should be used when:

* A product or process is not in existence at your company and one needs to be developed
* The existing product or process exists and has been optimized (using either DMAIC or not) and still doesn't meet the level of customer specification or six sigma level
DFSS is a way to implement the Six Sigma methodology as early in the product or service life cycle as possible. It is a strategy toward extraordinary ROI by designing to meet customer needs and process capability. DFSS can produce the same order of magnitude in financial benefits as DMAIC. But it also greatly helps an organization innovate, exceed customer expectations, and become a market leader.

DFSS is the Six Sigma approach to product design?namely, designing products that are resistant to variation in the manufacturing process. Using DFSS means designing quality into the product from the start. You are preventing wasteful variation before it happens, thus being able to identify and correct problems early when the solution costs are less. A successful DFSS implementation requires the same ingredients as any other Six Sigma project: a significant commitment and leadership from the top, planning that identifies and establishes measurable program goals and timeline, and the training and involvement of everyone.

Planning for DFSS requires collecting the necessary information that will allow for error free production of defect-free products and processes that satisfy the customer profitably. DFSS attempts to predict how the designs under consideration will behave and to correct for variation prior to it occurring. That means understanding the real needs of your customers and translating those needs into vital technical characteristics of the product and ultimately into critical to quality (CTQ) characteristics of the product and process. You can then use design of experiments (DOE) to develop a robust design that optimizes efficiency and reduces defects.

Valid and reliable metrics to monitor the progress of the project are established early in the project, during the Measure phase if using DMADV. Key inputs are prioritized to establish a short list to study in more detail. With a prioritized list of inputs in hand, the DFSS team will determine the potential ways the process could go wrong and take preemptive action to mitigate or prevent those failures. Through analysis, the DFSS team can determine the causes of the problem that needs improvement and how to eliminate the gap between existing performance and the desired level of performance. This involves discovering why defects are generated by identifying the key variables that are most likely to create process variation. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Anticipatory Failure Determination (AFD) can be used for both the design of the product and the design of the process.

DFSS provides a structured way to constructively use the information learned from these analyses. Armed with real data produced by the DFSS process, you can develop competent manufacturing processes and choose processes that are capable of meeting the design requirements. Further analysis can verify and validate that the product design will meet the quality targets. This can be accomplished through peer reviews, design reviews, simulation and analysis, qualification testing, or production validation testing.

The benefits of DFSS are more difficult to quantify and are more long-term. It can take over six months after the launch of the new product before you will begin to see the true measure of the project improvements. However, the eventual return on investment can be profound. This is especially true when the organization can use the DFSS project as a template for fundamental changes in the way it develops new products and processes across the organization.Peter Peterka is the principal Six Sigma Consultant in practice areas of DMAIC and DFSS. Peter has over 15 years experience including implementation ofSix Sigma in Healthcare.

Six Sigma Jobs

The demand for people with Six Sigma expertise is constantly increasing. More and more organizations are discovering the many ways that the Six Sigma methodology can help them grow and improve. As Six Sigma spreads to many different industries beyond its genesis in manufacturing, you can now find many service and government organizations advertising for Six Sigma help. Plus, it is no longer the largest corporations looking for Six Sigma help. Smaller companies also are taking on Six Sigma projects and hiring people as consultants or permanent staff. The need for full-time Six Sigma professionals will only increase.

Types of Six Sigma Jobs
There are many Six Sigma jobs in many industries at junior and senior levels. The positions have descriptions and requirements unique to that organization and its requirements. It is true that many Six Sigma positions are filled internally as organizations train their own people already familiar with the organization?s culture in Six Sigma skills. However, organizations frequently reach outside to add personnel with Six Sigma expertise to lead Six Sigma projects or even the full-scale implementation of Six Sigma throughout the organization. These positions are usually dedicated full-time to Six Sigma projects.

Six Sigma jobs are advertised under many titles, not always as obvious as ?Six Sigma Black Belt,? ?Six Sigma Consultant,? or ?Six Sigma Analyst.? Other possible titles include things like ?Functional Project Lead? ?Six Sigma Program Manager,? ?Lead Analyst/Project Manager,? ?Director of Operational Excellence,? ?Business Process Manager,? or ?Senior Projects Manager.? Whatever the exact title, the organization is looking for someone with the skills of a Six Sigma Black Belt. A Black Belt is an individual trained in the Six Sigma methodology and experienced leading cross-functional process improvement teams. They will lead individual Six Sigma projects.

Very senior Six Sigma positions are sometimes advertised. These are Master Black Belts, individuals trained in the Six Sigma methodology who acts as the organization-wide Six Sigma program manager. They will lead Six Sigma implementation at the organization and will oversee Black Belts and process improvement projects and provides guidance to Black Belts as required. Master Black Belt positions understandably demand the highest level of Six Sigma experience and qualifications.

Qualifying for Six Sigma Jobs
To be considered for a Six Sigma job, you need a combination of relevant academic and work experience. The first and foremost qualification is to be trained in Six Sigma, ideally as a certified Six Sigma Black Belt. This means formal training from qualified Six Sigma consultants who have extensive experience in training and implementation of Six Sigma. Specific training in Six Sigma DMAIC and/or DFSS methodology is often requested. The best teacher is, of course, experience and organizations will strongly prefer, if not insist, on people who have completed at least one Six Sigma project.

In addition to possessing Six Sigma training and project experience, organizations will ask that you have experience working in the industry of the organization?s business. So if the company is a manufacturer, they will usually want you to have direct experience in a manufacturing environment. Organizations will ask that you have a certain minimum period of experience (often five years) in that particular industry.

Management experience is a huge plus and will almost certainly be a requirement for a Six Sigma project team leader. Having on your resume proven project management success within a structured environment and being able to demonstrate good managerial skills will take you a long way. That?s because leading and facilitating Black Belts, Green Belts, and business teams through a Six Sigma project is often the role organizations are seeking to fill.

There are also essential personal skills. You need to be able to demonstrate a good understanding of processes and quality methodologies and a willingness to take an initiative and lead change. Another crucial skill is the ability to link strategy to execution. The aptitude to look beyond the surface and be creative to think conceptually about strategic business issues and develop creative but practical solutions is key. 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.

Antique Clock - Bargain Prices
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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.

Find antique clocks
Your relevant result is a click away!



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

5 Laws Of Lean Six Sigma

 

Thinking about how Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing work well together despite being distinct, independent and complete tools? The combined principles gel so well that they compliment each other and progress parallels to each other on a well-defined path. The paths are defined by the 5 Laws of Lean Six Sigma as we know today.

5 Laws of Lean Six Sigma

The 5 laws have been formulated in order that efforts on improving quality and business process aimed at improving customer satisfaction and ROI as primary concerns. The 5 laws have evolved over time and are a collection of key ideas derived both from Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma.

1. The Zeroth Law: The first law is called so because all other principles are built upon this fundamental one. It States that the Law of the Market - Customer Critical to Quality defines quality and is the highest priority for improvement, followed by ROI (Return on Investment) and Net Present value.

2. The First Law: This is called as The Law of Flexibility. It states that the velocity of any process is proportional to the flexibility of the process. Interpretation: the more the process is receptive and flexible to adopt changes, the better the progress of the project implementation is.

3. The Second Law: The second law is known as The Law of Focus - it is defined as 20% of the activities in a process cause 80% of the delay. This can be interpreted as main causes of delay of activities originating from just 20% of activities thus enables a faster refocus during the reorientation phase.

4. The Third Law: The Law of Velocity as the third law is known is stated as the velocity of any process is inversely proportional to the amount of WIP. This is also called "Little's Law". This explains how the inertia of WIP, Work in Progress, bears heavily on the velocity of project implementation. Higher the number of works in progress (read unfinished tasks) the lower is the speed of progress due to various ground level handicaps

5. The Fourth Law: The Fourth Law, which is the last of the 5 laws of lean Six Sigma, is defined as The complexity of the service or product offering adds more non-value, costs and WIP than either poor quality (low Sigma) or slow speed (un-Lean) process problems. The bulky nature of products is against the foundation of Lean Manufacturing principles. The bulk, complex manufacturing process and product and service specifications contributes to render the offerings redundant. As an illustration to this 4th Law of lean Six Sigma, you can try and reason out why passenger cars are more and more becoming driver friendly despite their complex engineering features and functions.

You can revisit the definitions of Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing principles which emphasize eliminating process errors and variations. It also concentrates on efforts to invest less human labor, inventory, and time for product development.

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.