Sei sulla pagina 1di 7

6

A Mini-Tutorial for the Quality-Minded


By
Chuck Ellison
Boise State University
What Exactly is Six Si!a"
#istory
Six Sigma is a term that comes from the feld of Statistics. The history
of the statistical term dates back to the 1800s (Carl Frederick Gass!"
#hile Six Sigma as a measre of $rodct %ariatio& dates back to the
1'(0s ()alter She#hart!. )ith a myriad of measreme&t sta&dards
a%ailable" the term *Six Sigma+ #as coi&ed i& the 1'80s by a
,otorola e&gi&eer &amed -ill Smith. ,otorola #as seeki&g a &e# #ay
of measri&g $rodct %ariatio& a&d de%elo$ed the methodology a&d
associated cltre cha&ge.
Six Sigma has de%elo$ed i&to &ot o&ly a .ality measreme&t tool bt
also a #hole &e# #ay of doi&g bsi&ess. Six Sigma targets three mai&
areas/ im$ro%i&g cstomer satisfactio&" redci&g cycle time a&d
redci&g defects.
Six Sigma is di0ere&t from 1ality 2rograms of the $ast i& three
ma3or #ays/
1. Six Sigma is cstomer4focsed. 5ts a& obsessio& to kee$ the
cstomers &eeds i& focs a&d i& to$ $riority.
2. Six Sigma $ro3ects $rodce ma3or retr&s o& i&%estme&t. G6s
C67" 8ack )elch" #rote i& the a&&al re$ort that i& 3st three
years" Six Sigma had sa%ed the com$a&y more tha& 9( billio&.
3. Six Sigma cha&ges ho# ma&ageme&t o$erates. -y
im$leme&ti&g Six Sigma" leaders of the orga&i:atio& begi&
lear&i&g &e# tools a&d &e# a$$roaches to thi&ki&g a&d
execti&g to achie%e reslts.
The Statistics Behind Six Si!a
; brief discssio& of the statistics behi&d Six Sigma #ill hel$ s
&dersta&d #hy it is sch a& e0ecti%e measreme&t tool a&d #hat it
mea&s to the bottom li&e (i.e. $roft!.
Sigma (! is a symbol mea&i&g ho# mch de%iatio& exists i& a set of
data. 5f yo look at Figre 1" yo #ill recog&i:e it as #hat is
sometimes called a *bell cr%e.+ 5& statistics" this is called a sta&dard
&ormal distribtio&" bt the idea is the same. 5& a bell cr%e" <0= of
the %ales lie abo%e the mea& (a%erage! a&d <0= of the %ales lie
belo# the mea&. 5& Statistics #e take it a ste$ frther a&d deli&eate
certai& data $oi&ts #ithi& that timeli&e.
>ets se the exam$le of a sa&d#ich sho$. ?o ha%e a l&chtime
s$ecial #here yo #ill deli%er the sa&d#iches bet#ee& 11/@<am a&d
1(/1<$m" gara&teed. 5f yo do&t meet that #i&do#" yo o#e the
cstomer a <0= disco&t o& their &ext order" so yo are moti%ated to
deli%er #ithi& that timeframe. ;&ythi&g otside this A04mi&te
#i&do# #e #ill co&sider a *defect+ becase it does&t meet or
deli%ery gara&tee. 5& Figre 1" #e ha%e i&clded all the deli%eries for
the $ast mo&th a&d marked o0 or goal time $eriod. The cr%e sho#s
s ho# ma&y deli%eries are #ithi& that goal a&d ho# ma&y fall otside
the goal time.
Figre 1
11/@<am
(;%g.! 1(/1<$m 1(/@<$m

From the feld of statistics" #e k&o# that B8= of the data falls #ithi&
the area of 41 a&d C1 o& either side of the mea&. The area bet#ee&
the red li&es i& fgre ( i&dicates CD4 1" or B8= of the data. So if yo
deli%er yor sa&d#iches o& time B8= of the time" yo cold call
yorself a 1 sa&d#ich sho$.
Figre (
-$ %$
-& %&
Co&ti&i&g o&" if yo deli%er yor sa&d#iches o& time '<= of the time
yo are at a ( sigma le%el. So&ds $retty goodE Fo# abot o&4time
deli%eries of ''.GA=E Thats o&ly o$erati&g at a A sigma le%el. Ho&t
thi&k yo ca& get mch betterE 5& order to be at a six sigma le%el yo
#old ha%e to deli%er o& time ''.'''G= of the time. So that mea&s for
e%ery millio& deli%eries made" yo #old o&ly be late ( or A times.
)hat a& o$eratio&I
Figre A
So yo ca& see at a& o$erati&g le%el of o&e millio& o$$ort&ities" if
yo #ere o&ly o$erati&g at a (4sigma le%el (most com$a&ies do
o$erate bet#ee& ( a&d A sigmaI!" yo #old still ha%e a$$roximately
@<"<00 defectsI 5magi&e if yo #ere a credit card com$a&y se&di&g
o&e millio& bills each mo&th a&d @<"<00 #ere late each mo&thI ?o
ca& see the im$act that Six Sigma ca& ha%e o& the bottom li&e of yor
com$a&yI
Six Si!a A'ects Manae!ent
Six Sigma makes a di0ere&ce i& yor orga&i:atio& becase it i&%ol%es
a commitme&t from all le%els of the orga&i:atio&. 5ts &ot 3st
ma&ageme&ts b::#ordDim$ro%eme&t $ro3ect d 3orJ it is a $rocess
that re.ires e%eryo&e to do their $art to achie%e Six Sigma .ality.
7fte& the ideas" soltio&s" $rocess disco%eries" a&d im$ro%eme&ts that
arise from Six Sigma ha$$e& o& the fro&t li&es of the orga&i:atio&. 5t
is this commitme&t to the cstomer that makes Six Sigma a sccess. 5t
e&sres that e%eryo&e from the C67" to ,r. Smith" the assembly li&e
#orker" has a %ested i&terest i& the com$a&ys sccess.
Stayi&g focsed o& the cstomer is &ot o&ly a good thi&g to do" bt
kee$i&g cstomers ha$$y is also $roftable for the bsi&ess. 8st a
sim$le <= i&crease i& cstomer rete&tio& ca& i&crease $rofts more
tha& (<=. 5ts estimated that com$a&ies lose 1<= to (0= of re%e&es
each year de to i&e0icie&t or i&e0ecti%e $rocesses. Six Sigma allo#s
ma&ageme&t to set attai&able short4term goals #hile mai&tai&i&g the
ability to achie%e lo&g4term goals.
Si!a
(evel
)ercent *efects +er Million
,++ortunities
B ''.''''''8 .00(
< ''.''''@A .<G
@ ''.''AG BA
A ''.GA (G00
( '<.@< @<"<00
1 B8.(G A1G"A00
5m$leme&ti&g Six Sigma is do&e throgh a %ery exte&si%e trai&i&g
$rogram. 2eo$le trai&ed i& Six Sigma are called *-lack -elts.+ Those
#ho ha%e demo&strated a high commitme&t to the $rogram a&d begi&
to me&tor others are called *,aster -lack -elts.+ The trai&i&g is
deli%ered to e%ery em$loyee a&d im$acts the e&tire orga&i:atio&.
There are six themes of Six Sigma/
1. -enuine .ocus on the Custo!er/ ,o&me&tal im$ro%eme&ts
ca& be made by sim$ly &dersta&di&g yor cstomer. Six Sigma
im$ro%eme&ts are measred by cstomer satisfactio& a&d %ale.
(. *ata- and .act-*riven Manae!ent/ Six Sigma clarifes key
metrics that gage bsi&ess $erforma&ce sccess. The&
$roblems ca& be e0ecti%ely def&ed" a&aly:ed a&d resol%ed"
$erma&e&tly.
A. )rocesses Are Where the Action 0s/ Six Sigma focses o& the
$rocess rather tha& the e&d reslt. -y a&aly:i&g a&d fxi&g the
$rocess itself" it e&ables a mch higher .ality rate. The most
$o#erfl $art of Six Sigma is/ by masteri&g the $rocess"
com$a&ies are able to bild com$etiti%e ad%a&tage i& deli%eri&g
%ale to cstomers.
@. )roactive Manae!ent/ -ei&g $roacti%e is the o$$osite of
bei&g reacti%e. 5&stead of reacti&g to cha&ge" ma&ageme&t
shifts to bei&g $roacti%e by def&i&g ambitios goals a&d
re%ie#i&g them fre.e&tly" setti&g clear $riorities" focsi&g o&
$roblem $re%e&tio& rather tha& *$tti&g ot fres"+ a&d
.estio&i&g #hy #e do thi&gs i&stead of doi&g them becase
*thats the #ay #e%e al#ays do&e it.+
<. Boundaryless Colla1oration/ ; term coi&ed by G6s C67 8ack
)elch. ;ll $arts of the orga&i:atio& i&cldi&g %e&dors a&d
$art&ers &eed to kee$ their focs o& the cstomer i& mi&d. 5f
e%eryo&e #orks to#ards the same goal" the bo&daries #ill
disa$$ear. 7rga&i:atio&al leaders &eed to #ork to break do#&
the barriers a&d im$ro%e team#ork bet#ee& all $arts of the
orga&i:atio& ($" do#& a&d across!.
B. Strive for )erfection2 Tolerate .ailure3 Kothi&g &e# e%er
comes #ithot risk. 5f $eo$le are afraid of the co&se.e&ces of
mistakes" the& theyll &e%er try. Tolerate failre by lear&i&g from
those mistakes a&d co&ti&e yor goal to#ards $erfectio&.
#o4 is Six Si!a Bein Used"
Success Stories
There are a &mber of sccess stories i& the bsi&ess. )ell look at
three large com$a&ies #ho &dertook Six Sigma .ality/ Ge&eral
6lectric" ,otorola" a&d 6astma& Lodak.
;&y time yo hear abot Six Sigma" yore likely to hear abot
Ge&eral 6lectric. G6s C67 8ack )elch describes Six Sigma as *the
most challe&gi&g a&d $ote&tially re#ardi&g i&itiati%e #e ha%e e%er
&dertake& at Ge&eral 6lectric.+ ;& exam$le of Six Sigma be&efts
#as gi%e& i& their 1''G ;&&al Me$ort. 5t stated that the ,edical
Systems Hi%isio& re$orted a te&4fold i&crease i& the life of CT sca&&er
N4May tbes" i&creasi&g the *$time+ for these machi&es. ;t G6" Six
Sigma trai&i&g has i&fected all $arts of the orga&i:atio& a&d has
become a $rere.isite for $romotio& i& all ma&agerial a&d execti%e
$ositio&s. ; .ote from 8ack )elch" C67 says it all/ *Six Sigma has
cha&ged the HK; of G64 it is &o# the #ay #e #ork4 i& e%erythi&g #e
do" a&d i& e%ery $rodct #e desig&.+
?ore also likely to hear abot sccess #ith Six Sigma at ,otorola.
;fter all" it #as -ill Smith" a ,otorola e&gi&eer" #ho crafted the
statistics a&d formlas that #ere the begi&&i&g of &othi&g short of a
re%oltio&. 5& fact" the mo%eme&t to#ards Six Sigma i& all i&dstries
has bee& loosely dbbed *The Seco&d 5&dstrial Me%oltio&.+
,otorola la&ched its Six Sigma 1ality 2rogram o& 8a&ary 1<"
1'8G. The com$a&y set a f%e4year goal to reach Six Sigma a&d by
,arch" 1'88" Six Sigma Trai&i&g #as taki&g $lace a&d teams #ere
starti&g im$ro%eme&t $ro3ects. ; .ote from -ill )igge&hor&" Sr. Oice
2reside&t of ,otorola Trai&i&g a&d 6dcatio&/ *The la&gage of
.ality became the commo& ,otorola la&gage. )hether it #as
Fre&ch" ;rabic or Texa&" e%eryo&e &derstood the six ste$s" defect
measreme&t a&d elimi&atio& a&d $arts $er millio&.+
6astma& Lodak bega& their Six Sigma .ality i&itiati%e i& the 1''0s"
alo&g #ith Texas 5&strme&ts" Higital 6.i$me&t Cor$oratio&" a&d
5-,. Lodak re$orted that they sa%ed o%er 9100 millio& #ith the
im$leme&tatio& of Six Sigma a&d other .ality im$ro%eme&t
$rograms. Lodak lists f%e factors that ha%e bee& critical to the
sccess of their Six Sigma trai&i&g i&itiati%e/
,a&ageme&t s$$ort
1ality of the #ork e&%iro&me&t
1ality of the Six Sigma ca&didates (em$loyees trai&ed i& Six
Sigma!
Co&siste&cy across all .ality $rograms
60ecti%e&ess of the $rogram i&strctors.
Where Can 0 .ind ,ut More A1out Six Si!a"
There are a &mber of resorces a%ailable that ha%e excelle&t
i&formatio& o& the $rocess a&d trai&i&g i&%ol%ed #ith Six Sigma.
>isted belo# are 3st a fe#/
###.isixsigma.com is a resorce for com$a&ies i&terested i&
the im$leme&tatio& of Six Sigma. 5t co&tai&s all of the
i&formatio& yo &eed to k&o#.
###.ge.comDsixsigmaD details G6s %ie#s o& Six Sigma.
###.iss$.com is a &atio&al orga&i:atio& dedicated to Six Sigma
>eadershi$.
,a&agi&g Six Sigma/ ; 2ractical Gide to P&dersta&di&g"
;ssessi&g a&d 5m$leme&ti&g the Strategy That ?ields -ottom
>i&e Sccess by Forrest ). -reyfogle 555" 8ames ,. C$ello" a&d
-ecki ,eado#s (8oh& )iley a&d So&s" (001!
)hat is Six SigmaE -y 2ete 2a&de a&d >arry Fol$$ (,cGra#
Fill" (00(!. ; great begi&&ers (layma&s terms! gide to Six
Sigma.
;chie%e >asti&g 2rocess 5m$ro%eme&t/ Meach Six Sigma Goals
)ithot the 2ai&" by -e&&et 2. >ie&t: a&d Lathry& 2. Mea
(;cademic 2ress" (00(!
Good lck i& yor im$leme&tatio& of Six SigmaI
Youll miss 100% of the shots you never take.
-Wayne Gretzky (The Great ne!

Potrebbero piacerti anche