Lean Six Sigma: How works the implmentation

Lean Six Sigma: How works the implmentation
What is important to note that the quality assurance concept actually brings something.

Who wants to benefit from Six Sigma, must deal with the critical factors of implementation.
BB (Black Belt)
Full-time employees in the Six Sigma organization, Project for Six Sigma improvement projects, an expert in the application of Six Sigma methods and tools
Best Practices
currently the best in their own or in foreign companies applied methods, tools or processes
Business Case
Establishment of a project
Business Quality Council (BQC)
permanent body, consisting of board members or directors, as well as the Quality Leader falls, strategic decisions to Six Sigma
CAP (Change Acceleration Program)
Training program and toolkit for the management of change with an emphasis on "soft" factors to support and accelerate change
Champion / Sponsor
Client for a Six Sigma project, must be able to make cross-functional decisions, or provide staff and resources available for the project, usually CEO or Director
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Analysis of costs compared to the expected benefits
DFSS
Called "Design for Six Sigma", and DMADV
DMADV
"Define, Measure, Analysis, Design, Verify," Six Sigma methodology to create new processes
DMAIC
"Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve and Control," Six Sigma methodology for the optimization of existing processes
GB (Green Belt)
Part-time Project Manager (20 to 50 percent of the time) for improvement projects for the Six Sigma methodology
MBB (Master Black Belt)
Full-time coach, trainer and project manager for the Six Sigma methodology, an expert in statistics and project management methods supports, champions and black belts in quality projects
Net Benefit
measurable in monetary success of Six Sigma projects, thereby positively include additional sales, increased productivity and lower costs, the costs of implementing negative
Process Management System
Management system for control of processes used, the aim of the process with high reliability and can be implemented without error
Process Owner
Employee who is responsible for a process or subprocess and its long-term performance, seeks to ensure the sustainability of process improvements
Program Manager
Six Sigma manager, responsible for Six Sigma implementation in the company and for the overall program is also Director of Six Sigma, Business Excellence Deployment Manager or Head called
Require-ments
Customer requirements, relevant to the satisfaction of the customer (customer needs are more important than "customer requirements")
Sigma
First Greek symbol for the unit of standard deviation, second Measure of the efficiency of processes
Six Sigma
First Six Sigma means 3.4 defects in the statistics for a million ways to make mistakes, that does not meet the customer requirements; 2 Quality awareness and management "philosophy"
Tollgate
Milestone between two phases in a Six Sigma project
TQM (Total Quality Management)
cross-business approach ("philosophy"), customer orientation, employee involvement and Troubleshooting includes
VOC (Voice of the Customer)
Collection of testimonials to the quality of the resulting products or services will be collected directly from customers
Yellow Belt
Employee who receives an in-depth account of its function Six Sigma training and often have contact with Six Sigma projects
Companies must ask themselves every day to the fierce competition. Customers are demanding better competitors and more pressure on margins. In solving these problems helps only a scientific approach that includes the causes.
The book
Many companies in Germany are faced with the introduction of a Lean Six Sigma program, and some are even in the midst of implementation. But many executives wonder whether the introduction of real worth, which benefits the program and note what they need to succeed. Wants the book "Lean Six Sigma successful implementation" of Frank and Norbert Faulhaber Bornhöft with practical examples and tips to give instructions, how can circumnavigate the cliffs. It is published in September this year at the Frankfurt School Verlag.
Click here to read
what lies behind the term (Lean) Six Sigma;
why this concept for internal and external IT service providers promise of success;
such as the Six Sigma pioneer the introduction of General Electric in the IT services sector has mastered;
Which success factors can be derived from it.
The biggest mistake
Support from top management (the Board) is missing.
The aims of middle management are not coupled to the Lean Six Sigma program.
It will select the wrong projects, namely those that are not important or that lack of customer respect.
The Black Belt candidates are not the best, but the available.
The Black Belts are not exempted to 100 percent of daily business, when in doubt always wins the day's business!
There is no concept of coaching for the candidates, and outside of the training, the care falls flat.
The project benefits are not reviewed by a neutral controller, but pretty expected.
Active marketing? Forget it! The Six Sigma team is waiting for the projects come to him.
A human development approach to good "belt" to keep the company does not exist.
The result is a bureaucratic project organization.
Lean Six Sigma is one such approach. The concept offers a proven and in its individual parts matched tool kit and management principles for continuous improvement.
What is Lean Six Sigma?



The Six Sigma concept was developed in the 70s for the Japanese ship, and sat down for its outstanding results in other industries by companies as well. Meanwhile, the financial services industry and become aware. According to University of Applied Sciences in Cologne, the number of users in Germany has doubled from 2002 to 2004. They mostly sat on the "Lean Six Sigma" approach.
Lean Six Sigma is composed of two concepts: Six Sigma and lean management. Six Sigma is a statistical measure of the one for the process capability. The term describes an error rate of 3.4 words a million opportunities or otherwise: a grade of 99.99966 per cent in the process. Second, Six Sigma is a methodology for continuous improvement of processes and products in terms of the "zero-defect goal."
As a corporate philosophy and strategy of Six Sigma is often introduced with the primary intention to align the entire company's performance to the customer back. Processes, the main influencing factor is not a machine, but man is, but need a professional change management.
The reasons for using

Lean Six Sigma is also a concept that can be used to simultaneously improve the financial results, customer satisfaction and quality. Requirements are an understanding of the actual customer needs, disciplined use of facts and figures and the consequent improvement or development of new business processes, products and services. The combined use of lean management philosophy and statistical methods, Six Sigma provides good results in the shortest possible time.
General Electric (GE) in the first year of implementation, despite the initial development effort and already clinched a cost-benefit ratio of one to one. In the second year, the cost doubled by the fact that more and more businesses introduce the program, so the penetration of the company grew. But the benefits exceeded the costs already by 100 percent. This resulted in a cost-benefit ratio of one to two. In the years that it could even be increased to one in six.
At GE, Six Sigma is more than ten years, a key initiative. It is there much more than just a method for process improvement: For GE Six Sigma means a continuous journey whose goal is to meet customer requirements and market economy to be leaders. Six Sigma is a statistical measurement tool which allows the performance of their processes to adapt perfectly to the needs of customers.
There are also other factors (Lean) Six Sigma in practice make attractive and effective. These include
a proven methodology and toolbox;
their own organization to implement and support;
the systematic identification and evaluation of the benefit or profitability;
a consistent approach for process improvement throughout the organization;
an enterprise-wide common "language";
focusing on measurable, tangible results and customer satisfaction;
faster delivery of better products or services;
the development of transferable leadership skills at all levels of the organization.
A concrete example can best show look like a Six Sigma implementation can: mid-1996, General Electric bought an IT service provider in Germany and integrated it into the division, GE Capital. The acquired company had gained some experience with other quality initiatives, for example, total quality management (TQM). They also had to certify their core services to ISO 9000. Six Sigma expertise was not available until now.
In the first year built GE Capital's Six Sigma in Organization. There were "Black Belts", ie full-time project manager for Six Sigma improvement projects formed, and "Master Black Belts" (full-time coaches, trainers and project managers) set. It was first necessary to carry the Six Sigma awareness in the company.
In the second year it was called then, to measure the core processes continuously and vulnerabilities disclosed. The process owners were given the necessary process-management knowledge gives. At the same time deepened the Black Belt DMAIC projects in their experience (Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve, Control). Thus, the Six Sigma methodology is the optimization of existing processes.
From the third year it was to prove the results from the consistent implementation of Six Sigma. All important processes should be brought to a world-class level.
To achieve this goal, management had to be closely involved in the Six Sigma program. Personal Commitment and the selection of the proper Black Belt candidates were asked. Therefore, GE Capital led for each site a "quality scoring" a: 30 percent of the directors' bonuses were linked to the achievement of Six Sigma goals.
In addition, the company built on a centralized Six Sigma team. It consisted of a Program Manager (Business Quality Leader) and externally recruited Master Black Belts (MBBs) together. The MBBs should the Black Belts (BBs) support, which were installed locally in the individual offices.
The management objectives for the first year focused mainly on providing adequate resources for the Six Sigma program (infrastructure targets). In subsequent years, however, they turned more to improve quality (performance targets), and improved customer satisfaction.
When the customers complained about the fact that she really felt no improvement by Six Sigma programs that fit the goals of GE Capital, its employees: Now Projects with external customers were particularly honored, and evaluation by the clients were incorporated into the objectives .
Better communication through reorganization

In 2000, all BBs and MBBs were summarized in a staff function. Distributed across Germany and Six Sigma experts, organized into regional teams, each one of which was responsible MBB. In addition, the MBBs took care of defined functions such as purchasing, human resources, sales and system engineering.
In this way, improved internal communications and the support of the Black Belt. The Six Sigma projects could also be consistently aligned with corporate strategy.
In parallel, developed the Six Sigma program from year to year, and the business units shared their experiences. This led for example to ensure that statistical tools have been more involved in the training of BBs and MBBs. Moreover, this solution more dynamic learning curve of new Black Belt candidates considerably.
In order to establish long-term successful Six Sigma, GE Capital defines the priorities and focus of the program every year on New. This interest was in management, monitoring within the Six Sigma teams and among employees.
The introduction of a Lean Six Sigma program encountered many stumbling blocks. On the other hand, there are a handful of success factors which have a variable influence on the Six Sigma implementation. Here are a few:
As has been proven in practice, is the support of senior management (the Board or the Board), the critical success factor number one. The management level must have the necessary resources, both financial and personnel, provide. Ideally, it serves as an example through personal commitment.
The second most important factor is choosing the right implementation partner. This is in addition to the methodological knowledge to a very competent coaching and program management must be ensured. Basically, a company can implement Six Sigma independently. If already qualified Six Sigma Specialist (MBBs and BBs) in his company, this approach is to consider in any case. But companies that do not have Six Sigma skills and they also do not want to recruit, should attract the support of external partners into account.
The definition and selection of the right Six Sigma projects is another key success factor. Does the company already has a structured process by which the corporate or departmental objectives are broken down on the individual departments, it can be the content and timing of project selection link to it. In this case, the management level below the company-or sector leadership is required to collect ideas for Six Sigma projects. Suppliers can be an implemented idea "Balanced Scorecard" and results from customer surveys and experience of customer service (complaints).
Equally important is the strong choice of Black Belt candidates. It is important to ensure that applicants are screened based on a defined list of requirements. The better the candidates, the lower the cost and the steeper the learning curve and the outcome of the Six Sigma initiative.
Another point that should be considered during the introduction of Six Sigma lies in the proper organization of resources. For example, Six Sigma represents an internal profit center, which carries out the self-generated results. The ratio of benefits to costs should be greater than three to one.
In addition, it makes sense to integrate Six Sigma into the human resource development. It often happens that leave expensive skilled MBBs and BBs are working with the company or decreasing motivation. This negative trend can be prevented by the candidate is shown from the beginning a career path.
Who wants to establish Lean Six Sigma as part of corporate culture should definitely make sure that the management level as well as all employees constantly informed about the status of the Six Sigma initiative and project successes. This increases the acceptance and helps to fill the project pipeline. Therefore, the program manager to spend part of his time for marketing or "internal communications".