The History of Six Sigma

The roots of Six Sigma as a measurement standard can be traced back to Carl Frederick Gauss (1777-1855) who introduced the concept of the normal curve. Six Sigma as a measurement standard in product variation can be traced back to the 1920's when Walter Shewhart showed that three sigma from the mean is the point where a process requires correction. Many measurement standards (Cpk, Zero Defects, etc.) later came on the scene but credit for coining the term "Six Sigma" goes to a Motorola engineer named Bill Smith. (Incidentally, "Six Sigma" is a federally registered trademark of Motorola). In the early and mid-1980s with Chairman Bob Galvin at the helm, Motorola engineers decided that the traditional quality levels -- measuring defects in thousands of opportunities -- didn't provide enough granularity. Instead, they wanted to measure the defects per million opportunities. Motorola developed this new standard and created the methodology and needed cultural change associated with it. Six Sigma helped Motorola realize powerful bottom-line results in their organization - in fact, they documented more than $16 Billion in savings as a result of our Six Sigma efforts. Since then, hundreds of companies around the world have adopted Six Sigma as a way of doing business. This is a direct result of many of America's leaders openly praising the benefits of Six Sigma. Leaders such as Larry Bossidy of Allied Signal (now Honeywell), and Jack Welch of General Electric Company. Rumor has it that Larry and Jack were playing golf one day and Jack bet Larry that he could implement Six Sigma faster and with greater results at GE than Larry did at Allied Signal. The results speak for themselves. Six Sigma has evolved over time. It's more than just a quality system like TQM or ISO. It's a way of doing business. As Geoff Tennant describes in his book Six Sigma: SPC and TQM in Manufacturing and Services: "Six Sigma is many things, and it would perhaps be easier to list all the things that Six Sigma quality is not. Six Sigma can be seen as: a vision; a philosophy; a symbol; a metric; a goal; a methodology." We couldn't agree more.

what is six sigma?

what is six sigma? six sigma has at least three different meanings depending upon the context. There is not one answer to what is six sigma.
The first answer to what is six sigma is that it is a management philosophy. Six sigma is a customer based approach realizing that defects are expensive. Fewer defects mean lower costs and improved customer loyalty. The lowest cost, high value producer is the most competitive provider of goods and services. Six sigma is a way to achieve strategic business results. Another answer to what is six sigma is six sigma is a statistic. Six sigma processes will produce less than 3.4 defects or mistakes per million opportunities. Many successful six sigma projects do not achieve a 3.4 ppm or less defect rate. That just indicates that there is still opportunity. A third answer to what is six sigma is that six sigma is a process. To implement the six sigma management philosophy and achieve the six sigma level of 3.4 defects per million opportunities or less there is a process that is used. The six sigma process is define, measure, analyze, improve and control DMAIC. When answering the question what is six sigma understand that six sigma is not a set of new or unknown tools. Six sigma tools and techniques all are found in total quality management. Six sigma is the application of the tools on selected important projects at the appropriate time. Our answer to what is six sigma.

Six sigma is the structured application of tools and techniques applied on project basis to achieve sustained strategic results.

DMAIC six sigma approach.

The six sigma approach for projects is DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control). These steps are the most common six sigma approach to project work. Some organizations omit the D in DMAIC because it is really management work. With the D dropped from DMAIC the Black Belt is charged with MAIC only in that six sigma approach. We believe define is too important be left out and sometimes management does not do an adequate job of defining a project. Our six sigma approach is the full DMAIC. Define (DMAIC). Define is the first step in our six sigma approach of DMAIC. DMAIC first asks leaders to define our core processes. It is important to define the selected project scope, expectations, resources and timelines. The definition step in the six sigma approach identifies specifically what is part of the project and what is not, and explains the scope of the project. Many times the first passes at process documentation are at a general level. Additional work is often required to adequately understand and correctly document the processes. As the saying goes The devil is in the details.

Measure (DMAIC). Many think when they start a journey the most important thing to know is where they are going. While we agree knowing where you want to go is very important, we believe some of the first information you need before starting any journey is your current location. The six sigma approach asks the Black Belt project manager to quantify and benchmark the process using actual data. At a minimum consider the mean or average performance and some estimate of the dispersion or variation (maybe even calculate the standard deviation). Trends and cycles can also be very revealing. The two data points and extrapolate to infinity is not a six sigma approach. Process capabilities can be calculated once there is performance data, Analyze (DMAIC). Once the project is understood and the baseline performance documented and verified that there is real opportunity, it is time with the six sigma approach to do an analysis of the process. In this step, the six sigma approach applies statistical tools to validate root causes of problems. Any number of tools and tests can be used. The objective is to understand the process at a level sufficient to be able to formulate options for improvement. We should be able to compare the various options with each other to determine the most promising alternatives. As with many activities, balance must be achieved. Superficial analysis and understanding will lead to unproductive options being selected, forcing recycle through the process to make improvements. At the other extreme is the paralysis of analysis. Striking the appropriate balance is what makes the six sigma Black Belt highly valuable. Improve (DMAIC). During the improve step of the six sigma approach ideas and solutions are put to work. The six sigma Black Belt has discovered and validated all known root causes for the existing opportunity. The six sigma approach requires Black Belts to identify solutions. Few ideas or opportunities are so good that all are an instant success. As part of the six sigma approach there must be checks to assure that the desired results are being achieved. Some experiments and trials may be required in order to find the best solution. When making trials and experiments it is important that all project associates understand that these are trials and really are part of the six sigma approach. Control (DMAIC) Many people believe the best performance you can ever get from a process is at the very beginning. Over time there is an expectancy that slowly things will get a little worse until finally it is time for another major effort towards improvement. Contrasted with this is the Kaizen approach that seeks to make everything incrementally better on a continuous basis. The sum of all these incremental improvements can be quite large. As part of the six sigma approach performance tracking mechanisms and measurements are in place to assure, at a minimum, that the gains made in the project are not lost over a period of time. As part of the control step we encourage sharing with others in the organization. With this the six sigma approach really starts to create phenomenal returns, ideas and projects in one part of the organization are translated in a very rapid fashion to implementation in another part of the organization.

Benefits of Six Sigma.

There are numerous benefits of six sigma as a way to address issues and problems. Among the benefits of six sigma is the decrease in defects that are allowed to reach the customer. You can get some sense of the benefits of six sigma by reviewing some six sigma projects. Other benefits of six sigma include: Focus on customers. Improved customer loyalty. Reduced cycle time. Less waste. Data based decisions. Time management. Sustained gains and improvements. Systematic problem solving. Employee motivation. Data analysis before decision making. Faster to market. Team building. Improved customer relations. Assure strategic planning.. Reductions of incidents. Measure value according to the customer. Better safety performance. Understanding of processes. Effective supply chain management. Design and redesign products/services. Knowledge of competition, competitors .

Develop leadership skills. Breakdown barriers between departments and functions. Management training. Improve presentation skills. Integration of products, services and distribution. Use of standard operating procedures. Better decision making. Improving project management skills. Sustained improvements. Alignment with strategy vision, and values. Increased margins. Greater market share. Supervisor training. Lower costs to provide goods and services. Fewer customer complaints.

Green Belt Team Member training you will learn:

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What Six Sigma is and is not. Learn what is expected of you as Six Sigma team member-Roles and Responsibilities. Be able to use the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve and control) steps of every Six Sigma project. Understand and be able to tie Customer Critical Criteria to your project. Be able to work effectively as a contributing six sigma project member of a team. Use Fundamental Improvement Tools -- Statistics o Process Mapping o Histograms o Scatter Plots o Cause and Effect Diagrams o Run Charts o Reading Control Charts o Brainstorming Conduct Root Cause Analysis Contribute to the development of project improvement Control Plans

six sigma green belt training.

Green Belt Training. Unit 1 green belt training Six Sigma Introduction.
The module identifies major components of World Class Performance, defines Six Sigma Plus, key elements of strategy, motivation for organizational change, the cost of poor quality and the steps of building a personal Six Sigma Plus project.

green belt training Project Guidelines and Selection.

Six Sigma Plus project selection, common problems, defining the scope of your project, team selection, teamwork leadership, communications, team members roles, and how productive teams work.

green belt training Service (Non-Manufacturing).

Participants learn how to identify waste, cycle time, service processes, service strategies, service projects, management responsibilities, performance measurements, auditing defects, and gain an understanding of products versus services. green belt training Defects. Understanding customer desires and Critical to Quality (CTQ) areas. Learn to use Customer Critical Criteria (CCC) to focus the organization. Identify defects per unit and defects per million opportunities. Concept of minimum loss is explored.

green belt training Behavior.

Stages of individual and team growth as it applies to performance, how paradigms effect projects, gain understandings of self and others and skills to reduce interpersonal relationship tensions that lend to improved productivity. Module includes a personal behavioral profile with individualized feedback.

green belt training DISC Profile.

Completion of your Personal Profile of behavior to gain understanding of self and others in building team and individual interpersonal relationships of synergy and collaboration.

green belt training Personal Behavioral Profile Feedback Module.

Results of your Personal Profile of behavior feedback, greater understanding of self and others, suggestions for improving interpersonal relationships, reducing relationship tensions and improving win- win productivity.

green belt training Skills of Versatility.

Dealing with perceptions of self and others, improving ones skills of meeting the needs and expectations of others by making them comfortable with your behavioral style and reaching "win-win" with the skills of synergy and collaboration.

green belt training Data.

Collecting and using data. Several data analysis tools and techniques are demonstrated. Included are the use of the Normal distributions, Dependent variables, Independent variables as well as gaining an understanding why Six Sigma Plus is at a 3.4 ppm defect level.

green belt training Personal and Team Empowerment.

Myths and truths of management styles, shared leadership, teamwork, empowered teams, creating high performance, styles of decision making, teamwork and a review of the quality process tools.

green belt training Leadership and Motivation.

The module includes skills for motivation of self and others, recognition of selflimiting fears, utilizing time management, awareness of performance ceilings, and taping into motivational break through. Utilization of training, reward, challenges and consequences towards gaining an impassioned motivation leadership style.

six sigma green belts training.

green belt training Unit 2 green belt training Customer Service.
Discovering what the customer wants as a part of your strategic plan. Deciding who should be involved with the customer, knowledge required, and gaining the necessary customer communications skills.

green belt training Creating Customer Service Plan.

Basic customer feedback methodologies, as well as a look into how we measure customer satisfaction.

green belt training Fundamentals of Finance.

Gaining an understanding of finance as the language of business. This overview module explores the basic accounting equation, the double entry system, income statements, balance sheets and some common ratios.

green belt training Financial Controls.

This financial overview module explores basic book keeping, cash flow, credit and collections, fixed assets, inventory, financial statements, profit & loss, balance sheets, financial analysis (profit, breakeven and ratios), survival, cutting costs, financial reporting, assessments and audits.

green belt training Measurement Initial Evaluation.

Six Sigma Plus develop an evaluation of the measurement system early in their project. This work includes the purpose of the measurement, the system involved, short-term stability, bias and discrimination.

green belt training Budgets.

This overview module helps participants gain an understanding in the "how" of defining a budget, the methods for preparing budgets, allocations, and variances.

green belt training Economic Evaluation.

Overview of economic evaluation which includes methods for evaluating projects economics. These methods include Return on Investment (ROI), Cash Flow, and Pay Back.

green belt training Cycle Time Reduction.

Participants of this module gain understanding for the advantages of cycle time reduction, the dynamics of the basic team structure, visual tools regarding measurement, management and proactive change.

green belt training Project Management Introduction.

This module presents the basic Project Management system as an overview. Participants gain an understanding of the importance of a structured project management system, as it relates to the accomplishments of the desired business

results.

green belt training Defining a Project.

This module explores the Scope, Boundaries, Expectations, Justification and Limitations of the Project Management process.

green belt training Reading Control Charts.

Participants gain an understanding of common and special cause variation, investigation responsibility, reading different kinds of signals.

six sigma green belt training.

green belt training. Unit 3
green belt training Graphical Approach to Design of Experiments. Participants receive a graphical overview of Design of Experiments to assist in the discovery and appreciation of the scientific aspects of this analytical process. green belt training Planning for Design of Experiments. Team selection, variable identification, selection of the range, iterative experiments. green belt training Root Cause Investigation. Provides methods of organizing and correcting findings of incident investigations root causes. green belt training FMEA. Presents methods of analysis, discovery, potential failure modes of a system, effects of failure on a system, and corrective actions. FMEA is a tool of root cause analysis. green belt training Fault Tree Analysis. Top down approach to failure analysis, starting with undesirable event and determining ways it can happen. FTA is a tool of root cause analysis. green belt training Writing Procedures and Instructions. Module presents a few styles, methods, forms, and checklists for consideration. green belt training Audits. General guidelines, planning, sampling, non-conformance reports internal audits and external audits corrective actions. green belt training Presentation Skills. Module focuses on making different kinds of presentations, planning, delivery, visual aids, Questions and Answers; Short notice changes and provides a checklist.

BLACK BELT
Major Block (1) training includes modules of: Introduction to the Six Sigma Plus Black Belt Training Process Basics Statistical Behavioral Leadership Block 1
Six Sigma Introduction Identify major components of World Class Performance. Defines Six Sigma Plus, key elements of strategy, motivation for organizational change, steps to building a personal Six Sigma Plus Black Belt project and the cost of poor quality. Focus on Strategy Addresses Commodity, Technology, Quality, Service and Customer strategy driven focuses. Project Guidelines and Selection Six Sigma Plus project selection, common problems, defining the scope of your project, team selection, teamwork leadership, communications, team members roles, and how productive teams work. Service (Non-Manufacturing) Skills in identifying waste, cycle time, service processes, service strategies, service projects, management responsibilities, performance measurements, auditing defects, and understanding products versus services. Defects Understanding customer desires and Critical to Quality (CTQ) areas. Learn to use Customer Critical Criteria (CCC) to focus the organization. Identify defects per unit and defects per million opportunities. Concept of minimum loss is explored. Behavior Stages of individual and team growth as it applies to performance, how paradigms effect projects, gain understandings of self and others and skills to reduce interpersonal relationship tensions to improve productivity. Data Collecting and using data. Some data analysis tools and techniques are demonstrated. Use of the normal distribution. Dependent and Independent variables. Learn how Six Sigma Plus is 3.4 ppm defect level. DISC Profile Completion of your Personal Profile of behavior to gain understanding of self and others in building team and individual interpersonal relationships of synergy and collaboration. Distributions Common distributions other than the normal. Characteristics and when they are used. Versatility Dealing with perceptions of self and others, gaining abilities to be able to meet the needs of other behavioral styles, abilities to make others comfortable with your style and reaching a Win-Win through synergy and collaboration.

Tests Correlation and Regression. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) DISC Profile Feedback Module Results of your Personal Profile of behavior feedback, greater understanding of self and others, suggestions for improving interpersonal relationships, reducing relationship tensions and improving win- win productivity. Personal and Team Empowerment Myths and truths of management styles, shared leadership, teamwork, empowered teams, creating high performance, decision making, teamwork and the quality process tools. Leadership and Motivation Motivation of self and others, fears, time management, performance ceilings, motivational break through, training, rewards, challenges and consequences, and impassioned motivation. Personal Project Work Required work on assignments of specifically identified areas of your personal Six Sigma Plus Black Belt Project after each Major Block of training and prior to proceeding to the next major block of training.

Major Block (2) training includes modules of: Customer Service Economics and Return Measurements and Measurement Systems Cycle Time Reduction
Customer Service What does the customer really want, who is involved, knowledge required, communications skills, part of the strategic plan. Creating Customer Service Plan Basic methods of gaining customer feedback, and measuring customer satisfaction. Fundamentals of Finance Language of business, basic accounting equation, double entry system, income statement, balance sheet and some common ratios Financial Controls Basic book keeping, cash flow, credit and collections, fixed assets, inventory, financial statements (profit & loss, balance sheets), financial analysis (profit, breakeven and ratios), survival, cutting costs, financial reporting (annual, assessments and audits). Measurement Initial Evaluation Six Sigma Plus Black Belts make an make an evaluation of the measurement system early in their projects. This includes the purpose of the measurement, the system involved, short term stability, bias and discrimination. Budgets Defining a budget, methods for preparing budgets, allocations, and variances. Repeatability and Reproducibility Studies How to conduct a study, planning, data collection and analysis. Economic Evaluation

Methods for evaluating projects economics including Return on Investment (ROI), Cash Flow, and Pay Back. Cycle Time Reduction Advantages of cycle time reduction, basic team structure, visual tools. Follow link for the stand alone class on cycle time reduction.

Major Block (3) training includes modules of:

Project Management Traditional Control Charts

Project Management Introduction What Project Management is and is not. Defining a Project Scope, boundaries, expectations, justification and limitations Planning a Project Six Sigma Plus Black Belts will use a variety of tools and techniques to plan their projects Critical Path Method (CPM) and others. Project Budgets Time, money and people People for a Project Staffing, de-staffing, capabilities. Project Execution Completing the project. Tracking progress. Project Reporting Interim reports, verbal reports, presentations, written reports. Project Close Project completion, share learning, documentation. Reading Control Charts Common cause and special cause variation, responsibility to investigate, different kinds of signals. X Bar R Charts How to construct, sub size, understanding range chart, understanding X Bar Chart XmR Charts Developing, applications and interpretation C chart s and u charts How to construct, when to use and interpretation p and np charts How to construct, when to use and interpretation.

Major Block (4) training includes modules of: Root Cause Investigation Design of Experiments Graphical Approach to Design of Experiments Graphical overview of Design of Experiments Contrasts, effects, sum of squares, interactions Calculations for Design of Experiments Models, Diagnosis and Interpretation Understanding the model and interpretation of results Fractional Factorials How to get good information will less than all the possible trials Replication and randomization Importance of repeating the trials randomization of the order. Planning for Design of Experiments Team selection, variable identification, selection of the range, iterative experiments. Root Cause Investigation Considerations for organizing, investigating and correcting root causes. FMEA Methods of analysis and discovery, potential failure modes of a system, effects of failure on a system, and corrective actions. Fault Tree Analysis Top down approach to failure analysis, starting with undesirable event and determining ways it can happen. Reviewing and Debriefing What, Why, and how of experiential learning and sharing lessons for improvements and corrective actions. Processing, reflecting and reasons for reviewing.

Major Block (5) training includes modules of:

Procedures and Control Plan Reliability Engineering Presentation Skills Theory of Inventive Problem Solving Project Review

Writing Procedures and Instructions Considerations, forms, and check lists

Audits General guidelines, planning, sampling, non conformance reports, internal audits and external audits, corrective actions.

Integration with ISO-9000 Integrating Six Sigma Plus and ISO-9000

Reliability Engineering Concepts Basics of Reliability Engineering. Reliability Growth and use of the Weibull. Failure rates and MTBF.

Presentation Skills Different kinds of presentations, planning, delivery, visual aids, Questions and Answers, Short notice changes.

Inventive Problem Solving Introduction to concepts of TRIZ (Theory of Inventive Problem Solving)

Reliability Block Diagram Graphical Failure Logic of the system to provide overall assessment of how the system handles failures.

Reliability Distribution Overview Probability distributions of normal, exponential, log-normal, etc., within which to analyze data. Reliability Improvement and Writing Specifications Advancing to a better state of quality, increasing the productivity or value, to make beneficial additions or changes. Project Review Review of Six Sigma Plus project. Include the define, measure, analyze and improve elements of your project. Certification Issue Six Sigma Plus Black Belt Training Certification. Submit project for review and evaluation to Six Sigma Plus Black Belt Certification.