The most used buzzword of this decade is the Digital transformation. New technologies and tools have been supportive to the journey of transformation of big companies and small as well as they compete to get a big piece of business in the fast competition of today’s world. Yet , it is smooth enough for a company’s transformative process ? Although it is a fast tracking digital transformation it is equally supportive to the management methods of quality control and business transformation .
Keeping in mind that the emerging markets and processes , the American company Motorola has developed a new concept of quality management process in the year 1986. Through ages it has been refining and polishing into a sound theory of principles and Methods which aimed at the business transformation through a defined process which is clear.
Table of Contents
What is Six Sigma?
Six sigma is a set of management tools and techniques designed to improve the business by the reduction of likelihood of error. It is a data driven approach which will uses a statistical method of eliminating defects.
The Greek symbol “sigma” is a statistical term use to measure the process deviation from the process mean or target. “Six Sigma” is derived from the bell curve used in the statistics where one sigma symbolizes a single standard deviation from the mean . If the process has six Sigma’s , then three are placed above and three are placed below the mean, the defective rate is then classified as extremely low.
The graph of the normal distribution below underscores the statistical assumptions of the six sigma model. If the standard deviation is high then the spread of values encountered is also high
The 5 Key Principles of Six Sigma
The Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification has an easy goal of delivering a near perfect goods and services for the transformation of business for the optimal customers satisfaction. The five key principles are :
Focus on the Customer
It is based on the old and popular saying that “customer is the king”. The primary goal is to bring the benefits to maximum for the customers. For this , the business should be understood by it’s customer, their needs and what drives is to sales and loyalty. The establishment of the standard quality is defined by what the customers or market demands.
Measure the Value Stream and Find your Problem
Mapping the steps in the given process to determine the areas of waste. Gather data so that it can discover the problem specified in that area that is to be addressed or transformed. The defined goals for data collection which includes defined data to be collected , the reason for gathering the data insights expects ensuring the accuracy of measurements and establishing a standardized data collection system especially in the case of six sigma green belt certification.
Get rid of the Junk
After identifying the problem, chances are made to the process if eliminating variations, this removing defects. Remove the activities in the process that do no add to the value of customer. If the value stream is not revealing where the problem is laid then tools are used to help discover the outliers and problem areas. Streamline functions are done to achieve the quality control and efficiency.
Keep the Ball Rolling
Involving all the stakeholders , adopt a structured process where the team contributes and collaborates their various expertise for solving the problem.
Six Sigma process can have a great impact on an organization as the team can be proficient in the used methodology and principles. Hence , specialized training and knowledge are required for the reduction of the risk of project.
Ensure a Flexible and responsive ecosystem
The Six sigma is a business transformation and change . During the removal of faulty or inefficient process , it calls then for a change in the practice of work and approach the employees. A robust culture of flexibility and responsiveness will change the procedures that can ensure the streamlined project implementation. Ultimately , the company always has an eye fixed on the data that examines the bottom line and adjusts its processing when necessary to gain a competitive edge
The Six Sigma Methodology
The two main Six sigma methodologies are DMAIC and DMADV. Each has it’s own set of recommendation procedures that can be implemented for the transformation of business.
DMAIC is data driven Method that can be used to improve the existing products or the services for the betterment of f customers satisfaction. It stands for D- Define , M- Measure , A- Analyze , I- Improve and C- Control.
DMADV is a part of the Design of Six Sigma process (DFSS) used to design or re design the different processes of the manufacturing of the product. It stands for D- Define , M- Measure , A- Analyze , D-Design and V- Validate.