Lean Six Sigma Analysis

While looking to enhance quality levels, a group of Motorola engineers designed a set of quality management tools that utilized statistical data as an approach toward the reduction of defects, and the improved maintenance of quality (Reddy & Hutton, 2013). Focusing on process improvement and variation reduction, Six Sigma uses a measurement-based strategy to improve quality, based on a systematic methodology known by its acronym - DMAIC (iSixSigma, 2012). Once problematic issues are recognized, the DMAIC model strives toward finding a long-term solution through the five phases of defining systems. By measuring key aspects of the current process for data collection, analyzing the collected data and verifying cause and effect relationships, improving current processes from data analysis, and controlling operations to prevent impact in any future process disruptions (Wallace & Webber,

Evolution of theoretical and empirical knowledge redefines the theme of Six-Sigma as a method of improving product and process quality by understanding the relationships between the inputs and the metrics that define the quality

In this document we have done a detailed study of Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma and how they help Business Analysts to maximize their skill sets to attain maximum process improvements in their activities. We introduce the topic, provide a historical timeline and disucuss its relevance to the topic. After that, we analyze current state and use the information to provide results in Analysis and Synthesis section.

There are always pros and cons to any quality improvement methodology. For instance, the pros of Six Sigma tend to place extreme importance on leadership and its support for the success of the project. Another pro is the integration of different human elements, which include cultural change, and focus on the customer and their needs. “By using the concept of statistical thinking, Six Sigma encourages applications of statistical tools and techniques that reduce variability” (Harry, 2000). The cons of Six Sigma include, not having the quality data available, especially when a new process has been implemented without having the data available. Often the solutions that Six Sigma proposes can be costly and only a small

As the health care industry continues to evolve, providers are impacted by more factors than at any other time in history. Technological advances are presenting myriad challenges and the need for new systems, reporting methods, and diagnostic codes.

Six Sigma is a business metrics that seeks to identify and eliminate causes of errors or defects as well as failures in business processes by focusing on output that are critical to customers (De Feo, Barnard 2004). It is also a measure of quality that strives to eliminate defects using the application of statistical methods. In this case, a defect is defined as anything that could lead to customer dissatisfaction. Six Sigma’s statistical quality control is the method used to measure variability in a product for evaluation and corrective actions. When the product metrics exceeds the bounds of acceptability, based on statistical inference, the product can be rejected with reasonable assurance that does not meet requirement. It aims to identify and eliminate waste in order to increase speed and flow from start to finish. It also identifies the critical steps, and deleting those not required or nonessential. There are so many metrics process in today’s business industries but the metrics that Six Sigma’s statistical thinking can also be defined as a thought process. In which it recognize the variation is all around us and present in everything we do. The Six Sigma’s interconnected processes and identifying, characterizing, quantifying, controlling and reducing variation provide opportunities for improvement within any organizations or firms. That is to say,

Wal-Mart has difficulty developing and implementing a process that can improve the product material quality since there are so many vendors, manufacturers and international companies involved. They need to implement a set of standards that every company needs to adhere to by setting acceptable standards that must be met across the board whether the company is a local business or a foreign company. Most of the material defective products come from overseas. The process that can afford the opportunity to fix this dilemma is the process known as Six Sigma. This method is designed to manage process variations which cause defects. The concept of this process is to take an already established

Six Sigma is a quality improvement philosophy and a methodology and collection of statistical techniques used to implement that philosophy. Six Sigma’s focuses on reducing or removing identifiable sources of changes in order to decrease the number of defects in a product. Six Sigma was developed by Bill Smith and was used to standardize the way in which defects are tallied (Meredith, 2013). As a new way of doing business, six sigma can have a significant impact on the end result of business. There are many way six sigma can be applied. For example, the scientific component of methodology is a structure approach that takes

Six Sigma improves the design, the original design business strategies, optimize satisfaction and minimize waste while increasing the financial stability or include monitoring the process of elimination.

The concept of Six Sigma was developed in the early 1980’s at Motorola Corporation (Harry and Schroeder, 2000). Six Sigma can be defined as a statistical measure of the performance of a process or product (Kumi et. al., 2006). It is used as a quality control mechanism, which seeks to reduce defects or variations in a process to 3.4 per million opportunities thereby optimizing output and increasing customer satisfaction (Sambhe, 2012). Sigma is representing the standard deviation, a unit of measurement that designates the distribution or spread about the mean of a process (Six Sigma Academy, 2002). In addition, the Six Sigma uniquely driven by close understanding of customer needs, disciplined use of fact, data, and statistical analysis, and diligent attention to managing improving, and reinventing business processes (Pande, P., et. al. 2000). The Six Sigma methodology uses statistical tools to identify the factors that matter most for improving the quality of processes and generating bottom-line results. The Six Sigma DMAIC (Define, Measure,

One of such strategy is the implementation of Six Sigma methodology in the organization. Six Sigma is a methodology that combines the gradual and continuous improvement with radical redesign. The process of Six Sigma begins by measuring the statistical variability within a process. This means that the causes of error can only be determined if you understand the critical requirement of either the internal or external customer. Six Sigma processes are designed to reduce process variability. Six Sigma helps the organization to achieve improved process flows and better

Since the core of Six Sigma management is quality, it is consistent with lean thinking. Use lean thinking which is focusing on eliminating waste and identifying improvement. When fused with the main elements in lean production, such as 5S system, TPM, stability and standardization6, the Six Sigma production system can be better operated. Quality can prove its own value only if product can best serve customer and provides benefits to shareholders, so when comes to the quality issue, doing statistical analysis about the customers’ demand and company’s goals is essential for the “master black belt” and “black belt ” to lead teams to right places.

Lean and six sigma approaches have been important tools for continuous improvements used by many companies for more than two decades. The Lean manufacturing approach stresses that the key ‘thrust' is combining all the tools to generate an efficient, first-rate system that creates products at the demand of the consumers with minimal or no waste (Brady & Allen 2006, P 334). On the other hand, six sigma's groundwork is in statistical testing. In this vein, the basic evaluation index is defects per thousand opportunities that could encompass aspects such as piece material, component and administrative form. Six Sigma applies the DMAIC process that collapsed the underlying project into phases (Baird 2009, p. 130). Both approaches have enabled

Six Sigma was established by Motorola in 1987 as a strategic initiative. Since then, it has been deployed in a growing number of global firms. The initiative was specifically designed to attack any problems derived from variation, both by reducing variation as well as by improving the

Contrary to this, Six Sigma is a purely data driven method, focusing on improved quality and better business performance by reducing defects and variations (Thawani, 2007)