Process & Compliance Solutions for Technology Shops
As we look at the high level focus of Six Sigma we’ll see that it is a cycle of 7 general steps
1. Look at the Product. Put a
crucial eye to what you produce. Continually examine what it is you make and how you make it so that you can always seek ways
to make it better. There are few sacred cows in Six Sigma.
2. Identify Defects. Examine your product and identify defects. Count them. Measure them. Know what you mean by the term ‘defect.’ You can think of a defect as anything that holds
your product back from being the best it can be in the minds of your customers.
3. Look to the Process. If the product
is not all it can be, then chances are your processes could be improved. Examine your processes. Look for two things: what’s
happening with your current processes that might be letting defects in, and what new processes you might need to let new things in.
4. Determine
Sources of Defects. Analyze how the process works. Study its flows and structure to determine where in its operations
defects may be seeping in.
5. Improve the Process. Based on your analysis of process performance and your understanding of the
process structure you now adjust the process with the intention of improving its performance. The goal is to lock defects out.
6. Use
the New Process. Now that you have improved the process, put it to work. Set it into the production process and let the
improvements make their mark.
7. Look at the Product. Take a fresh look at the product. Did your improvement make a difference?
Is the product better? If it is, look for new improvement opportunities. (And the cycle continues…)
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The Control Phase is used to roll process improvements out into the organization at large. Since the effect here is to
change the existing systems, the roll-out needs to be conducted in a coordinated manner. This involves establishing a Control
Plan and setting into place Control Tools.
Control Plan. The Control Plan is, in essence, a deployment and implementation plan. It describes what is being changed, who will be impacted, when the change will happen, and what materials are in place to support
the new elements. This can include:
Control Tools. In order to control the proper operation of the new processes, it’s important to provide the organization with adequate control tools. These are the assets that the process owners can use to integrate the new functionality into existing systems. This material
typically includes elements like:
Project Close-Out. The final formal step in control
is Project Close-Out. Even though Control is an on-going process, this step signals the official end of the Six Sigma project.
The Improve Phase includes the activities that result in process improvements. Here, based on analysis of the data you’ve
collected you focus on potential improvement points to increase efficiencies and remove root cause of defects.
Assess. Examine
the analytic results from the data and assess potential opportunities to make improvements.
Develop. Based on the opportunities, develop
alternative solutions, documenting the rationale as to how each might result in improved performance.
Select. Evaluate each potential
solution and then select the one that appears to promise the greatest return for the organization.
Modify. Modify the existing
process in line with the structure of the solution. You’ll emerge with a new refined process.
Pilot. Where practical, pilot
the new process in a production-lie environment evaluate the changed performance.
Verify. Measure the performance of the process in
pilot and verify that it operates as planned. If it does not, you may take it back to into re-design activities. If it
does, you can plan to roll it out to the organization at large.
In organizations that rely on Six Sigma for its process improvements, measuring is an on-going and continual activity. For specific projects measuring has three dimensions.
Prepare to Measure. Here you prep the organization for the measurement
activities. Sometimes measuring can be a passive, invisible activity. Often it requires some degree of intrusion into
the environment. For the activity to be as smooth as possible the organization needs to be properly prepared for it.
Measure. The
act of collecting measurements is central to the success of a Six Sigma project. What is to be measured and how the measures
are to be collected should be carefully thought out in the Define phase. The quality and relevance of the data you collect will
have great impact of the quality of the improvements you are able to derive later in project activity.
Protect the Data. The integrity
of the data you collect needs to be protected to avoid corruption. The data also needs to be protected from a confidentiality
standpoint, especially if it contains sensitive or proprietary information.
The first phase in DMAIC is Define. The intention of the activities here are to establish the purpose, scope, and structure
of the Six Sigma project. This typically includes:
Define the Problem. Define what it is that the project should target. This may be an existing problem, a newly surfaced problem, or a strategic mandate.
Define the Project. Establish the scope of the project
in relation to the problem. Begin to assemble the appropriate team, seek executive sponsorship, and begin initial planning activities.
Define the Goal. The definition of the goal provides the project with a focused path to guide activity. The goal establishes
the success criteria for the project.
Define the Boundary Conditions. The boundary conditions help constrain the scope of the
Six Sigma project. These conditions establish limits as to what will be measured, what will be analyzed, and what is subject
to improvement.
Develop the Project Plan. With the above areas addressed, the team is now ready to develop a detailed project plan. The plan contains all of the information needed by the team, management, and organizational line workers concerning the purpose, scope,
duration, and reach of the project.
Initiate the Plan. With the plan developed, it should be reviewed and approved by all impacted
parties. Once this is done, the plan is used as the central tool to execute and manage the project.
Quality Improvement through Measurement and Analysis
The DMAIC Methodology