You Can be Great If You Really Want To

Six Sigma professionals have the requisite expertise and experience in implementing Six Sigma projects and their services are necessary for ensuring the success of the implementations. However, not all organizations can afford such services because 6 Sigma professionals normally charge hefty fees. The best option then for such organizations is to provide Six Sigma training to their existing employees. Training existing employees not only helps in reducing implementation costs but also ensures that the implementations are completed within the specified time.

However, selecting the most appropriate training course for employees may not always be easy because of the recent increase in the number of entities offering 6 Sigma training courses. The problem is compounded because most of the training entities claim to be the best in the business.

Organizations can develop their own training institutes, but this can further complicate the financial health of an organization that is already running short of funds. The best option then is to select the most cost-effective training program for the employees. Given below are some of the basics that a good 6 Sigma training program should always have:

1. The training program should cover important Six Sigma methodologies such as DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) and DMADV (define, measure, analyze, design and verify).

2. The training program should aim at creating awareness about the roles and responsibilities of personnel associated with 6 Sigma implementations. It should make the employees learn the tenets of effective communications, which is a necessity for successful Six Sigma implementations.

3. The training should cover all types of Six Sigma statistical tools such as Critical Path Method (CPM). CPM helps in designing a proper timetable that predetermines the start and completion of key events in any business process. With the help of CPM, employees can easily find out the exact status of various projects by monitoring key events through the CPM timetable. Other important statistical tools that need to be covered include FMEA (Failure mode and Effects Analysis), which helps in anticipating future problems through analytical interpretations.

4. The training should enable employees to learn the use of software tools such as RapAnalyst, which simplifies DOE (Design of Experiments) and many other activities related to data mining; MiniTab and SixNet Intelligence; and the 6 Sigma calculator, which is a hand tool. The training should also cover the use of judgmental tools such as Ishikawa Root Cause Analysis Diagram (Fishbone diagram), Brain Storming & Affinity Group Tool, Thought Map, and Regulation Diagram.

5. The training should also enable employees to learn soft skills such as presentation skills and managerial skills such as decision-making. These skills will go a long way in ensuring the success of 6 Sigma implementations.

A 6 Sigma training program that covers all the aspects stated above needs to be selected, even if it is relatively more expensive than other available training programs.

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In any organization, the first deployment of a Six Sigma project is bound to encounter some level of resistance. Sometimes, opposition to the methodology is based on territory; department heads may be unwilling to cede control of their resources. Other times, the resistance may be due to a simple lack of belief in the approach. That is, employees, managers, and department heads may be unconvinced that the initiative will yield measurable benefits. In many cases, the staff may have been exposed to a series of faddish process improvement assignments only to watch them be dismantled and discarded. As such, it’s hard to begrudge them their skepticism.

The challenge for Six Sigma teams is to identify the disbelievers and encourage their adoption of the methodology. Below, we’ll explore the factors that separate the believers and disbelievers. I’ll explain when senior management needs to get involved and their role in changing their organization’s culture. I’ll also describe how Kaizen can be used as an effective transformational tool.

What Separates The Believers And Disbelievers

Before building a road to conversion, it’s important to first define why the cynics are skeptical of the Six Sigma methodology. As noted, one of the reasons is due to watching the adoption and subsequent abandonment of other process improvement disciplines. But, that obstacle is relatively simple to overcome. Far more problematic is that many skeptics have a cynical perception of the approach due to receiving training that was either insufficient or poorly presented.

Similarly, supporters usually comprise two distinct groups. The first group is made up of those who are naturally drawn to the precise analysis of metrics and the application of solutions based on statistics. These converts often hail from fields that are non-technical in nature. The second group of supporters come from backgrounds that rely heavily upon numbers, statistics, and analysis. While typically less enthusiastic than the first group, once they have bought into the Six Sigma approach, they become dependable and devoted resources.

When Executive Leadership Gets Involved

While the project team – including Black Belts and Champions – can be instrumental in converting skeptics, the conversion is usually slow. When time permits, it’s performed individually due to a lack of resources. Eventually, senior management must get involved. The CEO and top-level executives can exert influence that Black Belts and Champions cannot.

Every initiative must have the full support of an organization’s executive leadership for a successful implementation. If skepticism exists, that support is vital in order to remove roadblocks and convert cynics.

Changing The Culture Through Kaizen

Many managers who deal with a large population of skeptics look to Kaizen for popularizing the Six Sigma methodology. To be sure, it can help. Encouraging employees to pursue process-related efficiencies and making them accountable for smaller continuous improvements can slowly change the culture within an organization. The problem is making the transition from a Kaizen-based initiative to the rigorous quantitative analysis employed by a Six Sigma project. If that transition does not happen quickly enough, employees may come to focus too heavily upon Kaizen. When that happens, it becomes another obstacle to the project.

Every organization copes with some level of skepticism when introducing a new methodology for analyzing and improving business processes. If previous attempts have been made and abandoned, the level of skepticism is likely greater. Whether Six Sigma is being implemented as a first attempt at process improvement or a “last try” after a series of failures, the disbelievers can be converted. Once they are, a successful deployment is far more likely.

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To ensure the success of lean Six Sigma implementations, the project manager should not only have the requisite Six Sigma qualifications and training, but should also have knowledge about the basics of Lean 6 Sigma. Given below are some of the basics of Lean 6 Sigma, which are applicable to manufacturing firms that are in the process of implementing Lean Six Sigma.

Data Authenticity

Even the most advanced computerized systems installed in an organization will not be effective as long as the data or information that is used as input is incorrect. This is why it is necessary to concentrate efforts on gathering genuine data relevant to the needs and requirements of a particular Lean 6 Sigma improvement initiative.

Managing Performance

Lean Six Sigma implementation projects require team effort. If a team were strained with the personal egos of individual team members, it would become quite difficult to achieve the desired results in time. The project manager should continuously try to motivate team members to contribute their efforts towards the achievement of common Lean 6 Sigma goals and objectives.

Production System

Lean 6 Sigma lays stress on employing sequential production techniques, rather than depending on the obsolete shop scheduling production technique. The fact that sequential production techniques are quite effective is easily evident from the use of such techniques by manufacturing behemoths. This however does not imply that this technique is only beneficial for large corporations. Small and medium sized enterprises can also derive the same benefits from this new production methodology.

Effective Logistics

Lean 6 Sigma stresses building a simple yet effective logistical platform that helps in reducing inventory-carrying costs, while improving efficiency at the same time. Such a logistical system is characterized by continuous flow of raw materials and finished goods from point A to point B.

Cycle Time Management

Lean 6 Sigma methodologies stress reducing long cycle times, which are a reflection of inefficient manufacturing processes and excessive non-value-added costs. The focus is on eliminating the root cause of extended cycle times, rather than devising short-term solutions.

Linear Production Model

Lean Six Sigma stresses designing a production model that can be configured as and when needed, depending on the existing demand. It should be flexible so that the production can be decreased or increased according to seasonal variations, without affecting the quality of the end product.

Timely Decisions

To make the most of what the market has to offer, manufacturing firms need to be proactive in making essential strategic decisions, such as when to downsize and when to start recruiting. A timely decision is one of the main factors that make the difference between a lost opportunity and increased profitability. Lean Six Sigma is beneficial because it helps in making timely business decisions.

Having knowledge about the above stated Lean Six Sigma basics will help project managers to complete the implementations successfully and within the specified planned period. It will also help in ensuring the long-term sustainability of the implemented Lean Six Sigma project.

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