The Future of Quality: What's

Next After Six Sigma?

Jessica Jenness
Isa Nahmens

March 23, 2006
Agenda
Motivation
Evolution of Quality, survival of the fittest
SPC
Reengineering
TQM
Six Sigma
Whats Next after Six Sigma
Educational Findings
Future of the Quality Profession
Motivation
January 2006 issue of Quality Progress. After Six
Sigma- What's next? By Sren Bisgaard and
Jeroen De Mast.
To hope quality management will go away is
wishful thinking.
The next step for quality professionals should be
to broaden the scope to systematic innovation.
We predict a scientific approach to problem solving will remain
the foundation of our profession (Bisgaard & De Mast 2006)
Evolution of Quality Profession
Evolution relies on two fundamental mechanisms:
1. Variation (or change)
2. The selection of the most favorable variant by the principle of
survival of the fittest.
Current Six Sigma approach- incorporates a wide
variety of ideas that originated from previous
incarnations of quality management.

Some quality principles remain fit!!
(principal of survival of the fittest)

Evolution of Quality
Statistical
Quality
Control
Total
Quality
Management
Six Sigma
Business
Process
Reengineering
Ford
Production
System
Toyota
Production
System
Lean
Lean
Six Sigma
MRP,
MRP II
Supply Chain
ERP
CRM
Quality:
Productivity:
Information
Technology:
JIT
Lean
Six Sigma
Supply Chain
Source: Furterer 2004 (ASQ CQSDI)
Evolution of Quality
Statistical
Quality
Control
Total
Quality
Management
Six Sigma
Business
Process
Reengineering
Ford
Production
System
Toyota
Production
System
Lean
Lean
Six Sigma
MRP,
MRP II
Supply Chain
ERP
CRM
Quality:
Productivity:
Information
Technology:
JIT
Lean
Six Sigma
Supply Chain
Source: Furterer 2004 (ASQ CQSDI)
Statistical Process Control
A methodology for monitoring a process to
identify special causes of variation and signal
the need to take corrective action when
appropriate.
Seven tools:
1. Control Charts.
2. Histogram.
3. Pareto Diagram.
4. Cause-Effect Diagram.
5. Check Sheets.
6. Process Flow Diagram.
7. Scatter Diagram.
Focus: quality control
SPC & Six Sigma
Most Fitted Elements:
SPC tools- provided the foundation for understanding
and reducing variability through application of statistical
theories.

Least Fitted Elements:
Focus on quality control only.
Quality Control departments- main function was
inspection and control to specifications.
Evolution of Quality
Statistical
Quality
Control
Total
Quality
Management
Six Sigma
Business
Process
Reengineering
Ford
Production
System
Toyota
Production
System
Lean
Lean
Six Sigma
MRP,
MRP II
Supply Chain
ERP
CRM
Quality:
Productivity:
Information
Technology:
JIT
Lean
Six Sigma
Supply Chain
Source: Furterer 2004 (ASQ CQSDI)
Business Process Reengineering
The radical redesign of business processes for
dramatic improvement.
Mid- to Late-80s: global competition.
Existing tools were no longer improving cost,
poor quality & bad service.
Good news and Bad news
Far exceeded expectations
Unrecognizable
Business Process Reengineering
& Six Sigma
Most Fitted Elements:
Key word process: Focus on complete end-to-end
set of activities that together create value for a
customer.

Least Fitted Elements:
Key word radical: Scratch and start over

Evolution of Quality
Statistical
Quality
Control
Total
Quality
Management
Six Sigma
Business
Process
Reengineering
Ford
Production
System
Toyota
Production
System
Lean
Lean
Six Sigma
MRP,
MRP II
Supply Chain
ERP
CRM
Quality:
Productivity:
Information
Technology:
JIT
Lean
Six Sigma
Supply Chain
Source: Furterer 2004 (ASQ CQSDI)
Total Quality Management
...is the application of quantitative
methods and human resources to
improve all the processes within an
organization and exceed customer needs
now and in the future.
Total Quality Management
Source: Besterfield 2000
TQM & Six Sigma
Most Fitted Elements:
Focus on quality
improvement.
Firm management of
projects and the attention
to change management
theory and approaches.

Least Fitted Elements:
Measurement of success in
terms of activities.
Evolution of Quality
Statistical
Quality
Control
Total
Quality
Management
Six Sigma
Business
Process
Reengineering
Ford
Production
System
Toyota
Production
System
Lean
Lean
Six Sigma
MRP,
MRP II
Supply Chain
ERP
CRM
Quality:
Productivity:
Information
Technology:
JIT
Lean
Six Sigma
Supply Chain
Source: Furterer 2004 (ASQ CQSDI)
Six Sigma
Is both a quality management philosophy and a
methodology that focuses on:
1. Reducing variation
2. Measuring defects
3. Improving quality of processes, products, and services
4. Instilling a philosophy of continuous improvement
Incorporates a wide variety of ideas that originated
from previous incarnations of quality management.
Phases:
Define

Measure

Analyze

Improve

Control

Design for Six Sigma
DMAIC
Define the project goals and
customer (internal and external)
requirements.
Measure the process to determine
current performance.
Analyze and determine the root
cause(s) of the defects.
Improve the process by
eliminating defect root causes.
Control future process
performance.
DMADV
Define the project goals and
customer (internal and external)
requirements.
Measure and determine customer
needs and specifications;
benchmark competitors and
industry.
Analyze the process options to
meet the customer needs.
Design (detailed) the process to
meet the customer needs.
Verify the design performance
and ability to meet customer
needs.
DFSS is used to design or re-design a product or service.
The world keeps changing.
Quality management will therefore always
need to be improved and adapted to the
changing circumstances.

Americas Imperative
U.S. Council on Competitiveness, Dec. 2004
Innovate America: Thriving in a World of Challenge and Change
Challenge to long-term global economic
leadership
Resolved: Innovation will be the single most
important factor in determining Americas success
through the 21
st
century
Americas Task: For the past 25 years, we have
optimized our organizations for efficiency and
quality. Over the next quarter century, we must
optimize our entire society for innovation.
Good News, Bad News
Bad News: The Council believes, the manufacturing
strategies introduced over the past two decades of lean,
Six Sigma-esque continuous productivity and quality
improvement are no longer a source of meaningful
competitive advantage.
What?!
Good News: We know better than that.
Unfortunately, the image of our work is our problem.
Broadening our focus and using more appropriate terms
that better reflect what we do will put quality
professionals in a better position to be part of the
solution.
Six Sigma vs. Systematic Innovation
Six Sigma: focuses on more than just quality
Six Sigma applications have evolved to focus on increasing
productivity, reducing cycle time, etc.
Economists call applications innovations
Not directly related to defect reduction
Think broader, what we are really doing is improving an
organizations competitive position, better satisfying our
customers and reducing costs INNOVATION!
Quality improvement is about process and product
innovation.
It is about improving anything: product designs, process designs,
radical changes, incremental changes or even new ways of
managing.
Innovation
Innovation as an economic concept includes
development of new:
Products and services
Methods of production or provision
Methods of transportation or service delivery
Business models
Markets
Forms of organization
Stereotypically innovation is considered a
product of genius, a flash of light
Innovation can be systematically planned and
organized
Systematic Innovation
The scientific approach to problem solving has
been with us since Shewharts days
Foundation for the quality profession
Six Sigma body of knowledge can, with minor
adjustments to scope and terminology, be
applied to systematize the innovation process
Guides upper management to realize the
strategic importance of our work, leading to
better recognition
Economic Focus
Ultimate quality award is improved bottom
line profitability (Bisgaard & Freiesleben 2004)
More than defects and operations
management
Transition from TQM to Six Sigma:
Evaluate cost of poor quality
Project savings
Preparing for the
Future of Quality
Engineer 2020
National Academy of Engineering began a study in 2001
to prepare for the future of engineering
What will or should engineering be like in the year 2020?
How can engineers best be educated to be leaders, able to balance
the gains afforded by new technologies with the vulnerabilities created
by their byproducts without compromising the well-being of society and
humanity?
How they performed the study:
Scenario-based planning was used that eliminated the need to gain
consensus on a single view of the future.
The study provided multiple opportunities that can help devise
strategies that can adapt to changing conditions.
Engineer 2020
Results reveals some implications to
Engineering Education:
Broadly educated engineers who view themselves as
global citizens.
Leaders in business and public service.
Ethically grounded.
Five or six year professional degree.
Case histories incorporated into the curriculum.

Attributes of Future Engineers
System Perspective
Strong Analytical Skills
Practical Ingenuity
Creativity to Synthesize
Mutual respect
Social context / global citizen
Customer focus
Case-based learning
Attributes of Future Engineers
Communication
Team work, multi-disciplinary teams
Leadership
Ethical
Professional
Agility, Resilience, Flexibility, Receptive to change
Lifelong learning
Departmental Reform Grant
UCF is currently working on a
departmental reform grant from NSF
Three-round Delphi study to identify
desired characteristics of an IE having
completed undergraduate education
emerging topic areas that should be
incorporated into the reengineered curriculum
Desired Characteristics

Adaptable problem solving
Quantitative/analytical abilities
Creative and critical thinking
Interpersonal skills/presence
Teamwork skills
Holistic problem solving
Technical writing ability
Computer skills
Process evaluation/analyses

Decision making ability
Project management
Human dimension of
management
Global perspectives
General engineering
Diversity sensitivity
Leadership awareness

Emerging Topics
Ethical Behavior
Lean Enterprise
Performance Management/Measurement
Six Sigma / Design for Six Sigma
Team Building and Facilitation
Statistical Methods for Service and Transaction-based
entities
Leadership
Service Enterprise/Systems
Knowledge Management
Object-Oriented Simulation
Enterprise Resource Management
Human-Integrated Systems/Usability
Preparing for the Future
Engineers Attributes TQI Course Component
Problem Solving DMAIC problem solving, case studies
System perspective System, process, statistical knowledge
Teamwork Team building, projects, project management,
brainstorming
Flexibility DMAIC, projects, team work
Leadership, management Responsibility Matrix, Accountability, Change
management, culture change, commitment,
communication plan
Working together Team ground rules, team work, empowerment,
reward, recognition, celebration
Professionalism ASQ Community Good Works Initiative focus
Technical Voice of Customer, QFD, benchmarking,
measurement
Preparing for the Future
Engineers Attributes TQI Course Component
Strong analytical skills Problem solving, quality and lean tools, statistical
knowledge, process and system focus
Practical ingenuity QFD, DOE, best practices, problem solving
Creativity to synthesize Critical to Quality, process orientation, project and
team building
Communication, team work Team work, team building, reports and
presentations, mentoring
Ethical Quality principles, ground rules
Professional Association with ASQ, all students must be members
Agility, Resilience, Flexibility Practical application on real life problems
Future of the Quality
Profession
Systematic Innovators
Code name: Black Belt
Organizations should decentralize quality
departments
Instead, quality initiatives will be delegated to
innovation agents, namely black belts and
green belts throughout the organization
Innovation should be seen as an integral part
of everyones task rather than the
responsibility of a separate department and a
few specialists
Core Competencies
Organizational structure designed to cultivate an
experimental and risk taking attitude
It is no longer sufficient to be an expert
manager, marketing professional, or engineer.
Competitors in low-cost countries increasingly also
have experts who are more inexpensive
In addition to being an expert, professionals
must be well-trained and experienced in Six
Sigma type systematic innovation skills
Emphasis on scientific approach to problem solving
Opportunity
Scientific approach to problem solving
This is our thing!
Embrace the idea of being systematic
innovators
We will be the leading professionals of the
future knowledge economy
Questions or Comments?