Six Sigma tools are indeed important tools for getting better project results. The same can be said for Project Management methods are important for getting better Six Sigma results.

Studying Project Management to the level required to earn certification from PMI is one approach, but takes years of time, for you and your company. Even if you have a good start on this, what will you do after that?

You still need to effectively lead your process improvement projects. But no process improvement project can afford the time or cost to deploy the full project management approach advocated by PMI. Your improvement will be due long before you finish the project plan.

Effective Project Management is really a result of choosing the correct tools and methods for the specific project at hand. That takes many years of practice to learn on your own. Process Improvements are in a specific class of smaller projects that were studied first-hand by your instructor during his 35-year career leading such efforts for a leading manufacturing company. Through projects of his own and by watching the projects of others, he was able to identify the most valuable PM practices for smaller projects, like process improvements. And the practices that simply wasted time or lacked value in that environment.

Read More about Project Management Training

If you are either worried about how to right-size your PM effort or a newly minted Green or Black Belt wanting to learn more about this PM thing, the opportunity is knocking on your door.

Learn about…

• An PM enhanced Charter process to frame the project purpose
• A way to manage Stakeholders, instead of them managing you
• Planning communications: right time, right way, right audience
• Capturing requirements upfront with enough time to meet them
• Taking better care of all your project resources
• A process for managing risk and enhancing opportunities
• Breaking down a project goal into more manageable pieces
• Using a Gantt chart, but only for the right things at the right times
• Scheduling and budgeting your effort using a planned baseline
• Designing and delivering concise reports
• Detailed work planning for each phase of the improvement effort
• Closing your project, the right way

…in a three-week part-time virtual training workshop. Receive valuable templates and case-study examples of project management tools. Practice what you learn. Go away with what you need to immediately improve your next project.

Project Management for Process Improvements or PM4PI might just be your ticket to better process improvement projects and a better career.  Beginning January 2022.

Karl Pfeifer is a degreed Engineer and experienced Project Manager who recently retired after 35 years with Corning Incorporated. He holds project management certification from ESI and George Washington University and his PMP from PMI. He is well prepared and excited to share his wealth of skill and knowledge with more and more process improvement project leaders.

Consider making this investment for your future process improvement project success.

Announcing a new offering from SixSigma.us Project Management for Process Improvements Starting January 2022 

Learn to apply a right-size level of project management to your Process Improvement effort. Receive valuable templates and examples to supplement your training. Just a few hours a week of virtual training over three weeks and you could be doing better projects.

Sign Up Here for Project Management Training

Six Sigma continues to inject health into the healthcare system. More than ever, hospitals are seeing the need to engage with a Six Sigma program. These programs are providing significant improvements in quality and reductions in operating costs. Of course, the best results from a healthcare perspective have been improvements in patient satisfaction. The problem is that organizations struggle to find a balance between quality, safety and experience as they implement Six Sigma programs in the healthcare environment.

Placing a face with the numbers starts to bring things in perspective. Healthcare professionals and Six Sigma professionals are finding the balance that is so urgently required for quality care to be delivered. Healthcare professionals are starting to understand and embrace the ways of Six Sigma by supporting change across organizations, which are typically entrenched in their respective silos. Six Sigma professionals are understanding the importance of patient safety and delivery of amazing quality of care. Understanding that there are opposing points of view, both Six Sigma and healthcare professionals are finding harmony and balance in day-to-day operations, along with long-term strategies.

At the end of the day, Six Sigma and healthcare professionals are providing a service that provides the highest level of quality patient care, along with significant cost savings and operational efficiencies.

How Lean Six Sigma Can Help 

DMAIC: First use the Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control template, with the goal to improve the patient experience at the doctor’s office. 

VSM –  The Value Stream Map is a Lean Six Sigma tool that allows you to see the entire process, from beginning to end. This is a great way to spot any areas of waste or errors. The value stream map also helps in the flow of information that is needed to produce a product or service.

Root Cause Analysis – This is an extremely important step for continuous improvement. One of the tools associated with this process is the Ishikawa Diagram, or Cause and Effect diagram, which can be used after the 5 Whys tool. Remember, many times there is more than one reason for a problem, so a single root cause is not always the case.

Find out more about Six Sigma and healthcare initiatives at 6Sigma.us. We are the perfect partner for healthcare providers seeking to implement Six Sigma programs or requiring consulting expertise within their existing programs.

What Is DMAIC Model?

When studying Six Sigma at any certification level, the most important method you will learn is DMAIC Model. This acronym stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. Furthermore, it helps solve problems where the solution is not always clear. Many time when using Six Sigma, your goal is to improve a business process. This could mean increasing the efficiency, reducing waste, or deterring production defects. But, how exactly do you accomplish these goals? DMAIC is your answer! 

DMAIC Methodology is a data-driven quality strategy utilized for process improvement through integrating a Six Sigma quality initiative. Define is the initial stage of DMAIC model. It defines the CTQ (critical to quality) issues and the core business process involved. In detail, it explains the customer requirements, expectations of the customer, project boundaries, stop and start the process, a process flow of the process.

Learn about our Six Sigma Onsite Training

How DMAIC Model perform as an approach to problem-solving?

DMAIC is a roadmap used as the problem-solving method for process or quality improvement.

DMAIC method differs from conventional problem solving since it belongs below steps during problem-solving:

— Define

• Define customer expectations
• Define impacted business processes
• Define project boundaries
• Define metrics
• Define Team members, Project Leader

Defines the problem, opportunities, goals and customer requirements. It focuses on selecting high-impact project through focusing on CTQ (Critical to Quality) The deliverable of the define phase will be the project charter that includes the project objective, goal, team members, cost benefit.

— Measure

• Data collection
• Measure process

Measures the process performance and documents the current process and validates the baseline performance. Measurement system analysis in the measure phase depends upon the type of data been collected. For instance; for variable data – Gage R& R, Attribute data – Attribute agreement analysis tools are preferred. SIPOC, Process mapping, top down charting can be commonly used for both types of data to explain the process flow.

— Analyze

• Analyze gathered Data
• Identify gap between existing and goal performance
• Analyze the cause for the gap
• Decide on the processes to be improved

Determines root causes of variation and isolates the top causes behind the CTQ. In most cases, the root cause may exceed more than three. A tool such as Pareto Chart helps to prioritize the top causes. Most commonly used tools to identify the root causes are 5- Why, Fish-bone diagram. Tools to validate the cause are Scatter Diagram, Regression Analysis, and Hypothesis Testing.

Six Sigma Classroom Training

— Improve

• Identify potential solutions
• Pilot Study
• Test
• Evaluate proposed solutions
• Develop implementation plan

Fully understands the root causes and eliminates the top causes. Tools used to prioritize the solution are Affinity Diagram, Solution prioritization matrix. Tools to validate the solutions are Hypothesis Testing, Regression analysis

— Control

• Implement process
• Develop Standing Procedure
• Develop Control Plans
• Train staff on new process

Improves process and monitors future process performance. This phase involves error-proof the process and creates a checklist to sustain the changes made in the improve phase. Tools used in this phase include Standard Operating Procedure, Automation, and Checklist.

Six Sigma Live Virtual Training

Source: 6sigma.us

There will come a time in your career when you will wish for a change. If you make the change, it could help you advance in your career, whether you're looking for a promotion or a better job. Current or potential employers, on the other hand, will want to see proof that you are taking positive steps in your career.

Obtaining a White Belt is one of the best ways to expand your career options. This is not in karate but in Six Sigma, which is a great start if you don’t know anything about the methodology but are still looking to make a change. Below, we will list some reasons why this is a good career move, but before we get into that, let’s briefly define what a Six Sigma White Belt is.

What is a Six Sigma White Belt?

To be considered a White Belt in Six Sigma, you do not need to obtain any certification – though taking a course that provides one is a plus. All you need to do is gain an understanding of the methodology's concepts, tools, and techniques in order to contribute to your organization's continuous improvement initiatives. This means you'll be able to make an impact by assisting the Six Sigma team with process improvement through problem-solving.

Top 3 Benefits of Being a Six Sigma White Belt

If you are wondering what the benefits of being a Six Sigma White Belt are, here are three of the top ones:

1. Entry Point Into the World of Six Sigma

If you want to build a solid foundation in Six Sigma before moving on to the higher Belts (Yellow, Green, and Black), the White Belt is a good place to start. During your training to become a White Belt, you will learn about important topics such as process variability and continuous improvement. These will assist you in gaining a firm understanding of the more advanced topics as you progress through the Belts.

2. Gives You a Competitive Advantage

You want to make a change in your career so that you can gain a competitive advantage over others. When you compare yourself to your peers, you will gain valuable knowledge and skills that will make your resume stand out, especially if you are competing for the same promotion.

3. You Can Take Part in Six Sigma Projects

A 6 to 8-hour training session is all that is required to become a White Belt. Afterward , you will be able to collaborate with others on Six Sigma projects as needed. This will also make you a valuable member of the organisation for which you work. And, in today's job market, employers are always on the lookout for exceptional candidates with Six Sigma knowledge and experience.

Conclusion

Professionals are always looking for ways to make themselves stand out and be more valuable in the job market. Getting a White Belt is one of the easiest ways to do this. Plus, you will learn things that will be of use to your current organization, on top of proactively meeting the expectations of future employers.

Get one here!

Motorola pioneered a new approach to quality control in the 1980s. Bill Smith and Mikel Harry, two engineers, were credited with developing Six Sigma. Ten years later, Jack Welch, then-CEO of General Electric, popularised the Six Sigma approach by incorporating it into GE's business strategy.

Six Sigma methodology incorporates data-driven, statistics-based tools and techniques to facilitate better continuous improvement and process management. Read our previous blogs to learn more about Six Sigma. You'll learn more about this cutting-edge methodology.

Now that you've learned what Six Sigma is from our previous blogs, let's take a closer look at one of its most well-known techniques: the SIPOC model.

The Six Sigma methodology includes the SIPOC model. It is one of the oldest and most trusted techniques for mapping out critical business processes.

SIPOC — Introduction

“You can observe a lot just by watching”

~Yogi Berra

The quote above is perfectly aligned with SIPOC. The technique was introduced in the 1980s as part of Total Quality Management (TQM). It is a key component of the business management flow process.

Let’s decode the term SIPOC.

SIPOC appears to be an abbreviation of random letters, but it is written in a systematic manner that is relevant to its fundamentals. This provides those who are unfamiliar with the processes with a high-level understanding of the processes.

SIPOC stands for —

S – Suppliers

I – Inputs

P – Process

O – Outputs

C – Customers

The SIPOC is also known as a high-level process map (or bird's eye view). This technique enables a team to view processes involving inputs, outputs, processes, suppliers, and customers. It provides a scope while displaying the process boundaries. As a result, the relationship between the SIPOC elements and the customers' and their requirements can be identified.

SIPOC Diagram

A SIPOC diagram is a visual representation of a business process from beginning to end (before implementation). These diagrams are useful for focusing a discussion, assisting team members in developing a common language, and comprehending a continuous improvement process.

SIPOC is used in the Six Sigma process during the DEFINE phase of the DMAIC methodology. Some organisations use SIPOC diagrams in the opposite direction (COPIS) to map customer value to a business process.

How to create a SIPOC diagram?

Always start from the inside out when creating a SIPOC diagram. Begin with the process map in the centre. Also, follow the six steps outlined below:

Steps- https://6sigma.com/understanding-using-sipoc-diagram/

For more detailed information on

• Why utilize the SIPOC model?
• When to use the SIPOC diagram?
• Benefits of SIPOC diagram

Read here: Understanding & Using SIPOC DIAGRAM

In the field of engineering, anticipating failure in projects is recognised as a showcase of an advanced process of making a product. Potential failures are to be identified before the development process initiates to successfully mitigate the risk. In the future, the production costs will be greatly reduced as a result of this. Because the product is solid-state, there is little to no risk of failure if proper failure prevention techniques are used.

Fault Tree Analysis is one such methodology that we will discuss today (FTA). The visual FTA approach has proven to be invaluable as a stand-alone risk technique as product and process technology becomes more complex.

History of Fault Tree Analysis

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) is a method for analysing reliability and safety. Bell Technologies were the first to adopt this methodology. H.Watson of Bell Labs and A.Mearbs of the US Air Force were designing safeguards for the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system in 1962. Total safety was a major concern for such a complex and dangerous technology. They developed the fault analysis method to improve their reliability analysis.

A year later (1963), Dave Haasl of Boeing Company recognized the potential of Fault Tree Analysis as a significant system for safety evaluation

What is Fault Tree Analysis?

Fault tree analysis (FTA) is a top-down detective failure analysis technique that examines an undesired state of a system by combining a series of lower-level elements using Boolean logic. The technique uses a graphic model of the pathways within a system that leads to a foreseeable, undesirable loss event. It's a technique used in the root cause analysis process.

Fault Tree Diagram

A Fault Tree Diagram (FTD) are logic block diagrams that display the state of a system in the state of its components. It uses a graphic model of pathways within a system that leads to foreseeable and undesired loss events.

The pathways connect contributory events and conditions using standard logic symbols. The basic constructs in a Fault Tree Diagram (FTD) are gates and events where the events have an identical meaning as a block and the gates are the conditions.

Fault Tree Diagram Symbols

As discussed earlier, there are two types of FTD notations — events & logic gates.

A circle represents the primary failure event. A symbol that looks like a house is used to represent an external event. It's a common occurrence that you can count on. Undeveloped events denote something that doesn't need to be investigated further. A conditioning event is a restriction on a logic gate in the diagram. The Boolean relationship between the outcomes is represented by these gate symbols.

Gate symbols:

• OR gate – An event occurs as long as at least one of the input events takes place
• AND gate – An event occurs only if all input conditions are met
• Exclusive OR gate – An event occurs only if one of the input conditions is met, not if all conditions are met
• Priority AND gate – This is probably the most restrictive scenario when an event occurs only after a specific sequence of conditions
• Inhibit gate – An event will only occur if all input events take place as well as whatever is described in a conditional event

Steps to follow when conducting Fault Tree Analysis

Read Steps and Benefits of Fault Tree Analysis:  https://www.6sigma.us/fault-tree-analysis/all-about-fault-tree-analysis/

The Pareto principle is also referred to as the 80/20 rule. It asserts that in any given scenario, 80% of the outcomes are the result of 20% of the causes. The principal was named after Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian professional economist who observed that 20% of the population was responsible for 80% of the nation's income.

The Pareto principle has been used in a variety of industries, including manufacturing, hospitality, health, software development, and marketing, to demonstrate that small things can have a large impact. This has enabled organisations to refocus their efforts on activities that are truly important to their customers and bottom line.

How to Apply the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule)

Let's look at some real-world examples of how the Pareto principle can be applied.

As an example, suppose a marketing team discovers that 20% of the things they post on Facebook account for 80% of their engagement. This is useful information for the team because it allows them to analyse the top performers and extract insights.

Based on these findings, the marketing team can tailor future posts to match the tone, style, format, and other common characteristics of the top 20% of posts. For the remaining 80%, the team can edit and repurpose these posts to match the characteristics of the 20% that received the most engagement.

The Pareto principle can be seen in app development as well. A project manager can see that 20% of app development processes account for 80% of the app's features. The manager can then investigate these processes to determine why they work so well and develop guidelines and SOPs. These can be used to expedite future software development projects.

In the preceding example, it is possible that the remaining 80% of app development processes are making app development unnecessarily complex. As a result, they must be streamlined or eliminated. It's also possible that these processes have issues that need to be identified and resolved. DMAIC is a good Six Sigma methodology that the manager can use to help with this.

In the manufacturing industry, an organisation may discover that 20% of its products account for 80% of its revenue. This can provide them with a clear indication of which products to concentrate on. As a result, they can direct more resources toward the 20 percent – rather than the 80 percent – in order to increase revenue.

The Pareto Principle's Limitations

The key to applying the Pareto principle is to avoid applying it in situations where it is inappropriate. It is merely an observation, not a rule. Just because you noticed it in the majority of places doesn't mean it will be seen everywhere. In some cases, 75 percent of the causes may produce 25 percent of the results.

However, the logic remains: concentrate on what is important.

Conclusion

The Pareto principle assists organisations in making better decisions. It causes a shift in focus, allowing management to zero in on what works to improve results. While it does not apply in every situation because it is not a law, when it does, resources can be allocated in a smart way to improve the customer experience and earn the organisation more revenue.

Problems arise in the business world. And it's comforting to know that many of them are avoidable with the right tools. This is where process behaviour charts come into play. They are used in a wide range of industries, particularly manufacturing, to determine whether a process is stable and under control.

Using a data-driven approach, these charts visually monitor the performance of a process. When used correctly, they can provide you with the ability to prevent problems from occurring in real time. In the case of manufacturing, this means that a company can avoid issues such as costly downtime. As a result, process behaviour charts are an invaluable tool in this regard.

Aside from that, process behaviour charts can do a lot more. Here are some of the additional advantages of implementing them in your organisation.

They alert you when there is a problem with a process.

It can be difficult to tell when a process is in trouble and needs to be modified. You can tell when it's time to make improvements by looking at a control chart. As a result, these charts act as an early warning system, alerting you when a process is about to go awry.

As we all know, producing a subpar product can be costly in a variety of ways in the manufacturing industry. For example, if your product is of poor quality, you risk disappointing customers, who may abandon ship and seek out the competition. Using a process behaviour chart, the problem can be identified in its early stages and corrected before it becomes a serious problem.

They keep the process from being tampered with unnecessarily.

Most of the time, a process behaves as it should, so no changes are required. Tinkering with it would be considered unnecessary tampering, which could cause it to malfunction. Tampering with it may unintentionally expose it to factors that increase special cause variation, which is not the type of variation you want.

A control chart allows you to make informed decisions about the process, such as when to avoid messing with what works. When a process is working properly, the variation along the centre line will be random. This is a good time to instruct operators to do nothing and let the system do its thing until the chart indicates otherwise.

They assist you in determining whether your efforts to improve are effective.

Assume you have a process that is unstable and uncontrollable. You can make changes to it, but how will you know if your efforts were fruitful? Of course, by looking at a control chart. The chart can also notify you if your changes are having the opposite effect, i.e., making the process worse rather than better.

Process behaviour charts can give you the ability to predict the future output of a process in addition to assessing the impact of your amendments. When a process is stable and under control, it can be predictable. This type of information can help you make educated decisions.

When it comes to process improvement, they take out the guesswork.

Some people are born with the ability to repair processes. This enables them to pinpoint precisely what is wrong and how to correct it. These people operate instinctively, and looking at a process behaviour chart would simply confirm what their gut instinct has already told them.

However, not everyone has this innate ability, and they can use a control chart to level the playing field. If they rely on their gut instinct in this scenario, they will be doing a lot of guesswork and will most likely fall victim to myths about process performance.

There are numerous tools available for determining what is wrong with a process. Ensuring that all processes, particularly those in the manufacturing industry, run smoothly is critical to achieving customer satisfaction and gaining a competitive advantage. This is essentially what process behaviour charts are for, which leads to the benefits mentioned above.

Read this article on 6sigma.com- https://6sigma.com/benefits-of-using-process-behavior-charts/  

You will almost certainly be required to solve problems using a unique skill set and methodology as part of a current project or task. When things get tough, you might want to demonstrate to your boss the complex challenge that your job may present. Effective problem-solving skills shine in this environment, making it one of the most sought-after skills among employers.

A problem statement, in general, outlines the current situation's negative aspects and explains why they are important. It's a communication tool that can help you get more customers and gain support from other companies.

What is a Problem Statement?

According to Wikipedia, a Problem Statement is a concise description of issues that problem-solving teams must address and should be presented to them (or created) before they attempt to solve the problem.

In simple terms, it is a thought process that occurs prior to performing a task in order to avoid any errors during the solution process.

A good problem statement should answer questions such as:

• What is the problem?
• Who has the problem?
• Where does the problem occur?
• When does the problem occur?
• What does the problem impact?

“[A user] needs [need] in order to accomplish [goal].” 

With this basic formula, you can add information and arguments in favor of solving your problem.

Peter Peterka, a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, emphasizes the importance of facts and research within your problem statement. He focuses on, “Your problem statement can be very clear and simple, starting out as one or two sentences, but will be backed with data, research, and insights into the problem.”

What should a good problem statement look like?

A good problem statement should be:

• Concise – The simpler your problem statement, the clearer the outcome. A reader of the project statement should be able to say, “YES, I UNDERSTAND IT!” on the first read.
• Specific – The problem statement should be precise, to the point, and should convey directly to the reader.
• Measurable – Problems should be regulated with frequencies or degrees. Using such which render easy clarifications of defining goals of the problem statement.
• Impacted Audience – The problem statement should identify the affected population.

How to develop an effective Problem Statement?

Each team creates its own processes for developing effective problem statements. The procedure is extremely adaptable. You can arrange it according to your preferences and business methodology. But one methodology stands out above the rest: The 5 Whys.

What are the 5 whys?

The 5 Whys is one of the most effective Root Cause Analysis techniques (learn more about RCA in our previous blog). Every team that encounters roadblocks in their task can use the 5 Whys approach to identify the root cause of any issue and protect the process from recurring errors and failures.

How to Complete a Five Whys Root Cause Analysis?

1. Begin with a specific problem. Find the issue you are facing. This will resolve your team to pinpoint the common root cause problem.
2. Ask why the problem happened and write the solution down to the specific problem you listed.
3. Keep asking WHY? to each of the succeeding problems and to its answers until you reach the root cause of the problem.
4. Make sure the team manages to resolve all the Whys? To the problems and their solutions. This may take some time due to the detailed filtration of the entire flow.

The Five Whys Tools

The simplest way to carry out the 5 Whys is to simply write them down on a piece of paper. However, for a larger project, you may need more than a piece of paper. The Fishbone or Ishikawa diagrams can be useful in the early stages of problem identification. In one of our many Six Sigma-related blogs, you can learn more about the Ishikawa diagram. Collect all of the root-cause relationships and determine which had the greatest impact on the original problem.

Closing Thought

After going over the problem statement and its approaches in detail, you should have a concise and well-balanced Problem Statement ready for your next brainstorming session. It is a straightforward procedure with no assumptions. The process is a smorgasbord of possibilities for tracing problems to their root causes. It lays the groundwork for the team to start working on solutions that truly fit.

Read article on 6sigma.us: https://www.6sigma.us/problem-statement/effective-problem-solving-with-a-problem-statement/

It is no secret that business owners who manufacture their own products are constantly making changes. These changes are made in the manufacturing or production processes; they may even have to refund a portion of their profits due to product or service failures or failure to meet customer expectations. Customer mistrust and loss of customer confidence are the two kiss of death for any business. These two symptoms are warning signs that a company is about to fail, and they are completely avoidable. Why not create a brand new product that retains the functionality that your customers desire while avoiding the flaws that plagued the previous product? The original product, in most cases, had major design flaws that you didn't consider when creating it. You can now design with perfection in mind thanks to DFSS (Design for Six Sigma).

Online Six Sigma Design Course

The goal of Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is to create a new product or service that is both defect-free and meets the needs and expectations of customers. DFSS integrates voice of the customer and simulation methods to predict new process and product performance, combining many of the tools used to improve existing products or services. Design for Six Sigma Training, or DFSS Training, is the name of our Six Sigma training for new products.

The materials will also benefit development professionals with little or no experience with Six Sigma methodologies, as well as current Six Sigma Green or Black Belts.

Modules in this training include:

• DFSS – StageGate Process
• Value Propositions
• Creating Value for Customers
• Customer Involvement
• Voice of the Customer (VOC) Overview
• Creating Customer Requirements
• Introduction to QFD (Quality Function Deployment)

6Sigma.us offers several Live Virtual options:

• DFSS White Belt (1 day – Monday).
• DFSS Green Belt (3 days – Monday-Wednesday). Recommended for participants who have current DMAIC Green & Black Belt.
• DMAIC/DFSS Combined Green Belt (2 weeks). Week 1 covers the above concepts along with introducing traditional DMAIC concepts. Week 2 will focus on technical concept and project control plans and documentation. No prerequisites, includes SigmaXL software license.

Course Hours (given by each time zone):

• 10 am – 4 pm (Eastern)
• 9 am – 3 pm (Central)
• 7 am – 1 pm (Pacific)

Courses Options:

DFSS White Belt (1 Day)

DFSS Green Belt (3 Days)

DFSS/DMAIC Combined Green Belt (2 Weeks)

DFSS Black Belt (3 Days) Virtual Training

Questions or concerns related to DFSS training?

If you have any questions or you would like to learn more, please feel free to contact one of our experts by clicking here.

Are you interested in self-paced online DFSS course?

Click Here

If you want to improve processes while also earning a good salary, Six Sigma is a great career path to take. Many businesses are actively looking for Six Sigma specialists these days, and the market is more competitive than ever. However, before embarking on your journey, it is critical to understand what you can expect in terms of salary. Your pay will vary greatly depending on the industry and your specific skill level, but you can get a good idea of what you should be aiming for by looking at current statistics.

Current Market Situation

The average Master Black Belt salary is currently just over $90,000. It's important to remember that this is an average across a variety of industries and job types. Someone could be using their skills at a smaller company that pays less while still having a similar level of understanding of Six Sigma as someone earning six figures at a large corporation. All things considered, you can easily expect to earn more than $90,000 if you target specific industries, particularly the tech one.

According to Indeed.com, the world's largest job site, the average salary for a Certified Green Belt in 2019 is $95,261 per year in the United States.

Additional skills are extremely valuable.

As you might expect, your exact salary will be determined by not only the industry in which you work, but also the additional skills you bring to the table. Someone who understands lean methodologies in addition to Six Sigma will almost certainly have a better chance. Similarly, developing any industry-specific skills can be extremely beneficial. In many cases, you'll be able to connect those to the optimization skills you're learning through Six Sigma, creating a good opportunity for synergy. Maintain as many options as possible, and strive to develop a skill set that is transferable across industries. This will put you in the best position to negotiate a good salary.

Future Predictions

The current situation is favourable, but will it continue to be so? Right now, all signs point to "yes." There are numerous reasons to believe that Six Sigma will not only survive, but will become even more popular and sought after in a variety of industries. It is critical to position yourself appropriately to capitalise on market developments. As a result, if you have the opportunity to advance to the rank of Master Black Belt, you should not pass it up. Whether you do it through company-provided training courses or on your own time, it will benefit you greatly in the long run.

Click here to learn How to Obtain a Six Sigma Black Belt? .

Keep exploring your options as well. As we mentioned above, salary expectations can vary a lot across industries when you are a Six Sigma Master Black Belt. That’s why it’s important to understand your skills as well as you can, and to think of new options for applying them in other industries. Sometimes you may find a fantastic new opportunity that doesn’t require you to learn anything new at all!

Six Sigma is an effective methodology for assisting organisations in improving processes through the use of a data-driven approach. When a company launches a product, it employs a number of processes to ensure its success. This is where Six Sigma comes in to help the project management team improve the efficiency of their processes. As a result, they will be able to finish the project on time and on budget.

Any organisation that consistently completes its projects maintains its competitiveness. Customers are also more satisfied, which not only ensures the company's survival but also leads to a higher bottom line. All of this demonstrates that Six Sigma is a valuable resource for project managers.

The Right Time to Use Six Sigma in a Project

During the course of a project, management can identify opportunities to apply Six Sigma and achieve better results. Here are a few scenarios that highlight the importance of Six Sigma in project management:

Waste Elimination

Any step that does not add value to a process is considered waste. Organizations can streamline processes by eliminating waste, making them easier to complete and less prone to error. A process map is a tool used for this in Six Sigma. This is a diagram that depicts all of the steps in a process. It assists the team in identifying steps that add unneeded complexity.

Find the Root Cause of a Problem

Six Sigma is an effective problem-solving tool due to root cause analysis (RCA). Once the team has identified the root cause, they can work to permanently eliminate it. The Pareto Chart, 5 Whys, Fishbone Diagram, and Failure Modes and Effects Analysis are all RCA tools used by Six Sigma (FMEA).

Reducing Defects and Variation

A defect is an imperfection, and a variation is a result that the customer did not expect, and both are the result of a process failure. DMAIC is a well-known method for reducing both (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control).

DMAIC is a five-phase approach used by the team to solve a problem that is causing defects and variation. DMAIC is a data-driven approach that is heavily influenced by the scientific method. When the phases of the methodology are properly implemented, it has been shown to result in:

• Informed decision-making: This is because the team is guided by insights gained through data analysis. They don’t rely on gut intuition or guesses.
• Better communication and collaboration: All team members are professionals united to solve a problem through a well-defined, data-driven, and structured approach.
• Increased customer satisfaction: Products and services have significantly fewer defects and variations. This translates to a better customer experience, which increases customer satisfaction levels.
• Reduced costs: Processes that are running efficiently use fewer resources. This means that project managers can cut costs and maximize profits.
• Increased productivity: Thanks to RCA, once a problem is fixed, it will never surface again. This means the project team won’t waste time trying to handle the same problems. That way, their sole focus will be on moving the project along.

Conclusion

Six Sigma is primarily used as a project management tool. When overseeing a project, project managers can use it to maximise return on investment. If a company wants to improve its profits, growth, or competitiveness, it should consider adding Six Sigma to its project management arsenal.

Source: 6sigma.us

Several quality management systems/programs, such as ISO 9000, TQM, Six Sigma, Re-Engineering, Lean, and others, have been introduced since the 1980s. The majority of the iterations mentioned above have been widely recognized and adopted by industries all over the world.

Every company anticipates high-quality outcomes from the implementation of these programs. However, the "good" will only be received if the people who work in its premises are fully aware of its functionality and how it transforms the business. To assist you, we will discuss the definitions of quality, its evolution, and the practices of quality imperatives.

What is QUALITY?

As per the textbook term — Quality — means the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something. But in business terms, it takes different forms.

In business, quality is:

• Conforming to standards and specifications.
• Meeting zero defects. 
• Meets customer expectations and needs
• Assessed by customers
• Determined by deviations
• Customer satisfaction

Total Quality Management (TQM)

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management approach that describes the culture of an organization that strives to provide customer satisfaction with their preferred products and services.

This "culture" necessitates quality in all aspects of the organization's operations, with processes completed correctly the first time and defects and wastes eliminated entirely.

It is a management philosophy that attempts to blend organizational functions in order to meet both customer needs and organizational objectives.

TQM views an organization to be a set of processes. It maintains that organizations strive to continuously improve processes by incorporating workers' knowledge and experiences. 

TQM’s main motto is

“Do the right thing, right the first time, every time.”

History of Total Quality Management

TQM began initially as a term coined by Naval Air Systems Command to describe Japanese styled management processes to quality improvement. It’s a form of umbrella methodology to continually improve process’s quality by taking elements of:

• The behavioral sciences
• The analysis of quantitative and non-quantitative data
• Economics theories
• Process analysis

1920s

• Quality Management first saw its establishment and usage as the principles of scientific management in the U.S. Industry.
• Businesses separated the planning and execution processes, resulting in union opposition as workers were denied a say in the conditions and functions of their work.
• In the late 1920s, the Hawthorne experiments demonstrated how participation affects worker productivity.

1930s

• Walter Shewhart developed the methods for statistical analysis and control of quality.

1950s

• W. Edwards Deming taught statistical analysis methods and quality control plans to Japanese engineers and executives.
• Joseph M. Juran taught the concepts of controlling quality and managerial breakthrough.
• Armand V. Feigenbaum’s book Total Quality Control was published.
• Philip B. Crosby’s promotion of zero defects paved the way for quality improvement in many companies.

1960s

• The Japanese named their approach to total quality “company-wide quality control”.
• Kaoru Ishikawa’s synthesis of the philosophy contributed to Japan’s authority as a quality leader.

2000s till present

• TQM is the name for the philosophy of a broad and systemic approach to managing organizational quality.
• TQM is defined by quality standards such as the ISO 9000 series and quality award programmes such as the Deming Prize and the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

6 Cs of TQM

1) Commitment

2) Culture

3) Continuous improvement

4) Co-operation

5) Customer focus

6) Control

For Detailed Overview visit: Total quality management a modern path to business excellence- 6sigma.us

Implementing TQM

The first step to implement TQM is to assess the organization’s current performance and reality. 

The history of the organisation, current needs, precipitating factors leading to TQM, existing employee quality, Work-Life structure, and similar elements should be charted out and data gathered to perform analysis on it. If an organization's current reality lacks preconditions, TQM implementation should be postponed until the organisation is in a position where TQM is likely to succeed. However, a certain amount of pressure is probably necessary to kickstart TQM. After all, if the vision is in your gut, you have no choice but to approach it.

A successful TQM implementation requires:

• A committed leadership
• Customer-based approach
• Process Management
• Good Communication
• Knowledge Management
• Empowerment
• Staff Involvement
• Organizational Culture

The Key Players — Customer, Suppliers, and Employees

To achieve success with TQM, managers must understand the quality goals of their organization. They must communicate goals, understand the employees, have knowledge of the product/services, and create processes that dive deep into creating a value chain.

TQM’s philosophy is comprehensive, thus making suppliers a crucial part of its execution. Organizations must appraise new suppliers and carry out regular audits to guarantee the stock meets market standards.

Lastly, customers hold the major responsibility for a successful TQM implementation. After all, they are the reason TQM is in existence.

For Detailed Overview visit: Total quality management a modern path to business excellence- 6sigma.us

Taiichi Ohno, a Japanese industrial engineer, is regarded as the founder of the Toyota Production System. Ohno discovered seven lean wastes (Muda in Japanese) in manufacturing processes while looking for better ways to optimise resources (the 8th waste was added in the 90s).

The 8 wastes are known as TIMWOODS —

• Transportation
• Inventory
• Motion
• Waiting
• Overproduction
• Over-Processing
• Defects
• Skills

The 8 waste methodology was initially designed for the automotive industry. However, as time passed, multiple industries across the vertices began to use it to add value to business processes.

We will examine each of these wastes in detail below:

1) Transportation

The waste of transportation is the moment of people, tools, inventory, equipment, or products in access. It’s the excess moment of resources being utilized for the customers first-hand. In any business process, there happens to be the shortest transport distance. Having to move work in process from department to department when simpler production compositions are available, the process is considered to be a waste.

2) Inventory

Sometimes it gets tough to think of inventory in excess as waste. It’s because inventory is considered an asset. But inventory in excess is a waste for sure! It can create problems such as greater lead times in the production process, inefficient allocation of resources, defects or damage to materials and problems hidden in the inventory that take longer to surface. Excessiveness can be caused by over-purchasing of raw materials and supplies, overproducing of work in process by having long queues, or producing more product than the customer’s requirement.

3) Motion

This type of waste is the unnecessary movement of people, machinery, or equipment. This includes walking, lifting, reaching, bending, stretching, and moving. To reduce this kind of waste, tasks that require excessive motion should be redesigned to enhance the work of personnel and increase the health and safety levels.

4) Waiting

Waiting time is often caused by halts and jump points in the production stations and can result in excess inventory and overproduction. Waiting waste can also be generated by upstream processes that are unpredictable due to disruptions or quality issues.

The waste of waiting for includes:

1) People waiting on material or equipment

2) Idle equipment

Countermeasures to reduce Waiting waste include:

• Designing processes to ensure continuous flow or single piece flow
• Levelling the workload by using standardized instructions
• Developing flexible multi-skilled workers according to work demands

Read all of the 8 wastes in detail here: https://www.6sigma.us/lean-six-sigma-articles/lean-the-8-wastes/

In the world of Six Sigma, the Yellow Belt certification was recently introduced. As you might expect, it is not as well-known as the Green Belt or Black Belt certifications. However, its value cannot be understated. It provides aspiring Six Sigma specialists with functional and foundational knowledge. This allows them to enter the exciting world of process improvement methodology with basic methodology competencies.

What is a Six Sigma Yellow Belt?

A Yellow Belt is a professional who understands the fundamental concepts of the Six Sigma methodology. They can lead small-scale Six Sigma projects or work as part of a team on large-scale and complex projects. They will be led by either a Green Belt or a Black Belt for the latter.

A Yellow Belt understands the DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) methodology at a basic level. Yellow Belts will learn about the benefits of using Six Sigma tools and techniques for the benefit of their organization during their training.

For example:

• When you learned about the Control phase, you were introduced to tools such as control charts, individuals, and moving range charts. These ensure sustainable gains during process improvement.
• Learning about the Measure phase will provide you with a solid understanding of its various tools. Process maps, histograms, and capability analysis are examples of these. These types of tools can supercharge an organization's process improvement efforts. 

Benefits of Becoming a Yellow Belt

When you put in the time to become a certified Yellow Belt, you will gain the following benefits.

Fast Track into the World of Six Sigma

It takes an average of 2-7 weeks to become a Six Sigma Green Belt. These days, with the fast-paced nature of both professional and personal lives, this is a significant amount of time. Becoming a Yellow Belt, however, does not need one to make such a heavy time commitment. Yellow Belt training can be completed over 2-3 days, which is not a lot. 

This allows you to quickly start contributing to your organization’s efforts to get rid of variation in its processes. Variation is anything the customer doesn’t expect. This is a small sacrifice considering the skills and knowledge that will be obtained in the end. Furthermore, you will be primed to take Six Sigma concepts further with a Green Belt or Black Belt certification. 

Career Advancement

A Yellow Belt certificate provides you with more opportunities to advance within your organisation as an individual. And if you put in the effort to expand your skill set, you will become more valuable to the organisation. This allows you to advance to higher-paying positions and salary levels. Any Six Sigma-related certifications, in particular, demonstrate a strong commitment to improving your organisation through the use of proven analytical tools. Your company will undoubtedly notice.

Get Yellow Belt  Six Sigma certified

Makes Your a Standout Candidate

A Yellow Belts certification also makes you more valuable in the job market. Your resume will be able to stand out compared to others because of your Six Sigma qualification. After all, it shows that you are ready to take a structured approach to solve problems by getting rid of root causes. This is especially true for situations where a regular candidate will throw in the towel.

Improved Six Sigma Project Success

As a Yellow Belt, you will play an important role in Six Sigma projects. While Green and Black Belts are vital, Yellow Belts are the ones who get things done. Their role is to provide support to the higher Belts. As such, they must not be overlooked, as process improvement efforts can stall if a couple of them are missing from the team.

Conclusion

Even though the Yellow Belt certification isn’t held in high regard as the Green Belt and Black Belt certifications, getting one is still beneficial. This is especially true if one wants to quickly get Six Sigma certified so they can advance both their career and organization. Perhaps you’ll seriously consider getting one now that you know what a Yellow Belt is and its benefits.

*Article was originally published at Why You Should Get Yellow Belt Training

Every month, your team seems to be working hard to meet the goals. Yet, each month, you find that your team is lagging behind.

In February, someone told you about some software glitch — so you bought new software.

In March, you heard someone say about a shortage of marketing materials was causing the problem — so you wrote a memo to the Director of Marketing, asking for a valid explanation.

In April, your team was late yet again, a team member explained that the problem is connected to a network problem — so you got the IT to get the issue fixed.

Now it’s May, and you’re looking at another missed goal. And you’re tired of putting out the fires. Something must be at the root of all the missed deadlines, and you want to figure out the root cause behind it.

This is a job of Root Cause Analysis.

“According to the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services, Root Cause Analysis is a systematic process for identifying problems or events and an approach for responding to them. It is based on the basic idea that effective management requires more than merely ‘putting out fires for problems that develop, but finding a way to prevent them.”

Root Cause Analysis Functionality

The primary purpose of Root Cause Analysis is simple. Its to determine the underlying cause for any problem and to eliminate it. The process, however, is not quite simple. There are multiple tools and techniques along the road to analyzing a root cause.

Root Cause Analysis uses four main motions, which are:

1. Problem Statement: Describes the issue to be resolved.
2. Data Collection: Collection of information about the nature, magnitude, location, and timing of the problem.
3. Cause Identification: Exploration of the models to identify the specific actions that led to the problem.
4. Action Identification: Describing the remedial action that will prevent or minimize recurrence.

Root Cause Analysis Activities

1. The Fishbone Diagram: A fishbone diagram which is also known as an Ishikawa or cause-and-effect diagram is used to identify and organize the potential causes of a problem. Read our blog on Ishikawa Diagram to get a detailed insight.
2. The 5 Whys: The five whys is a question asking process to investigate the nature and cause of a problem. The five whys strategy involves repeatedly asking the same questions in order to identify the root cause of the problem. It is one of the easiest tools used when problems have a human interaction component.

Implementing RCA will help your Business by:

• Identifying barriers and the causes of problems, so that a permanent solution can be found.
• Developing a logical approach to problem-solving, using existing data.
• Recognizing current and future needs and trends for organizational improvement.
• Establishing repeatable, step-by-step processes, in which one process can vouch for the results of another.

Root Cause Analysis Best practices for Businesses

Specific best practices should be viewed while performing RCA. Adopting these best practices ensures the identification of the root cause of the problem and helps define specific and sustaining restorative actions.

• Focus on rectifying the actual cause of the problem rather than beating around the bush as there could be multiple root causes that might be interrelated.
• Question the ‘PROCESSES’ and not people.
• Tackle the problem methodically to find concrete evidence to back up the root cause claims.
• The people engaging in the analysis should have a sound knowledge of the different RCA methods, techniques, tools and their application.
• The identified root cause should have the consent of the team participating in the analysis activity.
• The implementation cost should be kept in mind while planning a solution to a problem.
• Visualize your data for quick analysis and investigation.
• The entire process should be supervised by a facilitator having past experience conducting and guiding RCAs.

In case, we have one of the popular quality management certification courses that individuals and enterprise teams can take up to learn and implement RCA:

What You Will Receive:

• Access to the online Root Cause Analysis training for 90 days in our online Learning Center portal
• Access to the online RCA manual, delivered using LockLizard for secure access
• Downloadable library of RCA templates and files to use and modify as you see fit
• Certificate of completion upon successfully passing the final comprehensive exam

Our Root Cause Analysis Online training gives you the knowledge and skills needed to solve real-world problems whether you’re working alone or as part of a team. You will get a solid grasp of the relationship between causes and effects and suggest fact-based and data-driven solutions that will lead to course correction and the improvement of organizational processes.

The Online RCA training will benefit anyone who has been tasked with solving a problem in their organization. You will be able to be a functional member of the problem-solving team and aid in the creation, implementation and standardization of measures that lead to long-lasting gains. This means being able to detect the problem, gather facts (for a comprehensive analysis), create theories, identify the root cause and eliminate it indefinitely.

6Sigma.us RCA online training offers a globally recognized certificate that is obtainable over 90 days. You will learn all the tools and techniques under the RCA umbrella, as well as when and how to use them. You will even be provided with downloadable files and templates that can be modified and adapted to meet your problem-solving needs.

Interested in Online Root Cause Analysis Training?:  https://www.6sigma.us/product/root-cause-analysis-training-online/ 

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) Training – Three Day Course: https://www.6sigma.us/root-cause-analysis-methods/ 

Summary

Often times in business, the problem is not the actual problem. Root Cause Analysis via quality data enables a company to identify, understand, and correct the problem at the source, instead of fixing surface-level issues. Identifying and classifying determinants through techniques like focus groups, interviews and surveys play an important role in solving the root cause problem and results in long-term success for any business.