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Six Sigma PDF Print

What is Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a rigorous and disciplined methodology that uses data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company's operational performance by identifying and eliminating "defects" in manufacturing and service-related processes. Over all Six Sigma has three dimensions:

Metric: 3.4 Defects per Million Opportunities. DPMO allows you to take complexity of product/process into account.

Methodology: structured problem solving roadmap and tools to improve existing processes or design new processes.

Philosophy: Reduce variation, eliminate waste in your business and take customer-focused, data driven decisions

Six Sigma history

First use of Six Sigma was early and mid-1980s at Motorola, where engineers decided that the traditional quality levels -- measuring defects in thousands of opportunities -- didn't provide enough granularities. Instead, they wanted to measure the defects per million opportunities. Motorola developed this new step by step methodology and fine-tuned it over the following year with strong financial benefits estimated to over 16 Billion USD savings.

Why to use Six Sigma?

  • It gives you a structure how to improve process - if we follow the process, people will not forget any important steps along the way before they implement the solution.
  • It supports you in benefit quantifications, thus providing arguments to implement improvements.
  • It makes you use facts & data, apply statistical testing in order to identify root causes.
  • It contains steps to sustain achieved improvements.
  • Six Sigma when applied properly, will focus your improvement activities on right problems.
  • Companies applied it widely in all industries. When you give it what it needs the results come fast and are remarkable.

When to use DMAIC and DFSS?

DMAIC is an acronym for five interconnected phases: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. You have to go through all phases in order to guarantee the best possible results. We use DMAIC for improving existing processes.
DFSS is the acronym for Design for Six Sigma. We apply it when we create a new product or process. It can
be applied also in case of major changes in existing processes or products and it also includes five phase approach DMADV. DMADV is an acronym for Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify.

six sigma overview en

What are the roles in Six Sigma?

The names of roles are borrowed from martial arts. It also takes a lot of training and practice to be top notch expert in improvement projects. There is no standard defined in the number of levels of expertise. Companies do create levels of expertise based on their needs. Following roles are most often used:

Yellow Belt

The lowest ranking role in Six Sigma trainings is the Yellow Belt.  Yellow Belt will work with the Black Belt on projects. The Task they perform must be related to their own functions and usually includes data collections. The Yellow Belt receives a basic Six Sigma training. To perform well he needs some coaching or mentoring

Green Belt

Green Belt has higher expertise of Six Sigma tools but still needs to work directly under the guidance of the Black Belt. His training includes all important tools from DMIAC. Most of the time he performs his daily job routine and about 30% he dedicates to work on Six Sigma projects.

Black Belt

Black Beltĺs primary role is to apply the methodologies in project execution.  They receive extensive trainings
of up to 25 days. But it is not the training that makes them experts. It is the project work that gives them golden skills. Without projects, Black Belt is just a wasted investment. Black Belt should be 100% dedicated to work on Six Sigma projects. Failure to meet this criterion is fatal and leads to half hearted Six Sigma programs with only mild results.

Master Black Belt

Master Black Belt is the highest rank and requires extensive practical application of tools.  A Master Black Belt will lead major cross functional projects and will guide the roles below them in their Six Sigma Projects.  MBBĺs leads Six Sigma deployment programs.

Champion

This role will give full support to Belts to execute Six Sigma projects. Champions assure that all needed resources are available for the team and serves as a check point between the phases
 

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