On Memorial Day, we honor all the men and women who have fought in our armed forces and lost their lives. They were doing their patriotic duty, what our country asked them to do.

6Sigma.com has really taken this to heart. Because of our fallen heroes, we have the freedom to open a business and use Six Sigma methodologies without worry. As an added bonus, we want to honor both Six Sigma pioneers such as Bill Smith for having the courage to implement these great methodologies that touch many of branches of our armed forces today.

Who knew that our armed forces would cross paths with Six Sigma? For example, the Six Sigma of today has reduced waste in our Marine Corps, and has increased productivity. These methodologies are raising the standards of excellence all the way around.

We would like to honor our Six Sigma forefathers as we would our other fallen heroes who fought and perished in battle. Our soldiers fought for our freedom, and our forefathers left us with the tools to create a stronger, even more efficient military for the future of our country.

6Sigma.com is honoring all of our countless heroes who made our country the great place that is it. We thank you for your service.

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In honoring our country’s birthday this July 4th, we also want to celebrate one of the best business tools many government agencies use.

Lean Six Sigma has had much success among our nation’s cities. Many, such as El Paso, Texas, have had amazing results with its utilization, which is the main reason its use is spreading.

City of El Paso Utilized Lean Six Sigma 

The city had its share of potholes to fix. Before Lean Six Sigma was used, they would get a call to fix a pothole, and they would fix it. This passive system of waiting for requests was a waste of manpower, and lots of potholes went reported.

After Lean Six Sigma was implemented, the crews are now assigned areas that have been identified for having issues with potholes, and the crews now repair them on a schedule. This revamping has kept all of their potholes maintained, and was a great success.

The City of El Paso now uses Lean Six Sigma to save money, streamline processes, and make better use of employee work hours. In the fiscal year of 2016, the city of El Paso saved approximately $705,000 using it for city improvements, with an expected $460,000 more in saving by the end of the fiscal year.

A Win-Win is Cause for Celebration

Lean Six Sigma is a sure winner. Perhaps Congress and lawmakers all over the country will start utilizing the genius of LSS and Six Sigma. It would improve many of our current debates, even our healthcare system. To get started, yes it is a lot of work, but it is certainly a win-win at the end.

This July 4th, let’s celebrate our Declaration of Independence that gave us the freedom to look to other countries for ideas to help our own here at home. The roots of Six Sigma can be traced back to eighteenth century Europe, along with the connection to Japan.

Happy 4^th of July to All!

If you would like more information on our training courses or services, please visit 6sigma.com.

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Kaizen, like most business improvement methods, is comprised of varying stages. We refer to these stages as the 5S’s. Translating the original terms from Japanese, the 5S’s are ‘Sort’, ‘Straighten’, ‘Shine’, ‘Standardize’, and ‘Sustain’. In this article, we will discuss ‘Shine’, what it is, and to implement it into the workplace.

What Is ‘Shine’?

Shine refers to cleaning and organizing the workplace, daily. Following the first two S’s of ‘Sort’ and ‘Straighten’, Shine is naturally the next step. First, employees separate and removed unnecessary items from the process (Sort). Then, they arrange the required items in a clearly marked fashion, where they are easily found (Straighten). Now, employees will practice ‘Shine’ by cleaning the workplace, equipment, and machines on a daily basis. This helps maintain an orderly work environment, as well as preventing production defects from occurring. For many employees, Shine is where they take the most pride within their careers. At this stage, employees work together to maintain the effort they contributed in the first two process.

Assuring their work environment is clean and orderly improves the production process efficiency, reduces waste, prevents error, and even increases safety. When properly maintaining equipment and machines, it is easier to be proactive in preventing production and manufacturing errors. Additionally, by cleaning the workplace daily, such as sweeping floors, removing trash, and organizing assembly parts, employees’ safety increases. This is primarily due to the decrease in risk factors, such as slipping on a wet floor, or losing control of a malfunctioning part.

Implementing Shine 

Like the previous stages of the Kaizen philosophy, the best way to implement Shine into the workplace is to hire supervisors who inspect the area routinely. However, unlike the previous two stages, Shine is easier to integrate as it focuses on maintaining a clean workspace. For some employers, the most effort into implementing Kaizen falls within Sort and Straighten. This is due to a consistent, disciplined approach to managing organization and analyzing what parts are not needed for production. When practicing Shine, employees maintain the currently organized workspace, clean machines and equipment, and ensure safe working condition.

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It isn’t a surprise that the United States military has used Lean Six Sigma since 2005 to improve quality and efficiency. Every sector of our armed forces has benefitted from Six Sigma methods, which also includes the Navy, Air Force and Marines.

It makes sense, since Six Sigma deals with facts and proven results, saving billions for the United States Army since 2005.

Six Sigma doesn’t play favorites; the facts are all right in front of you. It’s the most efficient way to track and find inconsistencies, and ultimately makes your company or business stronger. In this case, it’s our armed forces.

Working together in Six Sigma will make us more powerful than ever, benefitting our economy, our efficiency, and ultimately our families.

Happy 4th of July from 6Sigma.com!

Learn more about our Six Sigma training courses and services.

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The Naval Sea Systems Command, the largest of the Navy’s five systems commands, has introduced a program called Navsea Lean. The programme is based on a business improvement methodology termed Lean Six Sigma (LSS.) LSS is a fusion of two Toyota inspired business transformation models, Six Sigma and Lean Manufacturing. Through data collection, data analysis and solution finding both models seek to eliminate waste in terms of over-priced budgets, non-binary process steps, faulty product manufacture and slow process speed. The final result, when the system works, is stream lined processes that delivers better service.

Lean Six Sigma projects are administered by leaders termed black belts within the organisation. Undergoing intensive Lean Six Sigma management training, these black belts are responsible for directing teams of green belts. Black belts are rumoured to save hundreds of millions of dollars on the projects with which they are involved and a typical project lasts around six months. Since its instigation, LSS has played a part in streamlining the naval contracting process, decreasing decision times and accelerating and economizing on base check in check out procedures.

The decision was made in 2004 to introduce Lean Six Sigma initiatives into Navsea (Naval Sea Systems Command.) To date, its application has been broad, with 30 Navsea organizations forming part of the initiative. Following initial introduction, results have been more than impressive. Significantly, the initiative has been held directly responsible for saving two hundred million US dollars before the start of year two of its implementation.

It was Toyota that introduced the systems that spawned LSS. Curiously, it seems that, now, the navy is responsible for exporting LSS back to the nation where its concept was born. It seems somewhat ironic that the U.S. Fleet and Industrial Supply Center in Yokosuka, have a fully integrated LSS program for which the training is executed in both English and Japanese.

Following on from Lean Six Sigma successes in other US service departments, the Department of the Navy (DoN) came to the conclusion that they needed to integrate Lean Six Sigma into their training portfolio. As such, in 2006 they took steps to legitimize their in house training processes by partnering with the world’s leading authority on quality, the American Society for Quality (ASQ) in order to develop a customized Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

A three-year action plan mandating Senior leaders to place LSS at the top of their problem-solving toolkit has been issued by the Secretary of the Navy who personally cross-examines his management team to determine how they are applying the methodology to solve their most pressing issues. There is an expectation, proven in many cases, that the benefits from LSS, will include more rapid transactions and decisions, superior quality control, cost savings and a better safety record. The following is quoted directly from the, “Statement of the Honorable Donald C. Winter, Secretary of the Navy before the Senate armed services committee – 28 February 2008. Under the title of, “Management Process Improvement,” he writes,

“Complementary action to our acquisition improvement initiatives is our commitment to enhancing process improvement across the Department of the Navy to increase efficiency and effectiveness and responsible use of resources. The Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) program, planned for implementation throughout the Department, began initial implementation at Naval Air Systems Command in October 2007. It is an integrated business management system that modernizes and standardizes business operations and provides management visibility across the enterprise. The Department continues to champion the use of Lean Six Sigma as the primary toolset as a means toward increasing readiness and utilizing resources efficiently. Over 4,420 leaders have completed Lean Six Sigma training, and there are over 2,000 projects underway. The Department’s Financial Improvement Program leverages ERP and strengthens control of financial reporting. The Marine Corps expects to be the first military service to achieve audit readiness.

A major process improvement initiative to ensure that the Department applies fundamental business precepts to its management is the Secretary of the Navy’s Monthly Review (SMR). The SMR is a senior leadership forum, involving CNO, CMC and Assistant Secretaries, designed to afford greater transparency across the Department and set into motion actions that garner maximum effectiveness and efficiency for the Department. The SMR reviews a portfolio of the bulk of Department activities and programs involving manpower, readiness, acquisition, infrastructure, etc. Using Lean Six Sigma tools and other business tools, this forum reviews the most urgent issues and discusses and implements appropriate solutions. Ultimately, this monthly interaction serves as a means to synchronize the Department’s actions to comprehensively address complex problems, accomplish strategic objectives, and better position for challenges in the future.”

Note: This document is irrefutable proof that the Lean Six Sigma stamp of approval has been indelibly written into Naval policy. We can only wait with interest for histories analysis of its legacy.

Learn more information about 6Sigma.com’s Lean Six Sigma training coursework, available as a classroom, onsite, or Six Sigma online training options.

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The Force Be With Us

There is an armed force within our military that is protecting our country in ways that go unnoticed to the naked eye. This force could be the solution to many of our country’s current economic woes and provide protection against future ones.

Lean Six Sigma: Simple But Powerful

Six Sigma tools have been deployed into our military and have been working their magic for years now. These tools have been streamlining processes, saving both time and money — not to mention being more efficient.

A quick simple example of how Six Sigma works is by reducing ill-wasted time. By creating more efficient processes, taking that time and redirecting it, it creates better opportunities for training our soldiers.

Obviously, the tools themselves have to be modified for our military since we aren’t dealing with a civilian company. It is more of a fusion of Lean and Six Sigma. The strength of the tools is in their flexibility.

Welcoming Our Lean Six Sigma Tools

According to the U.S. Army, since the deployment of Lean Six Sigma in 2006 the use of Lean Six Sigma tools have saved the military over $19 billion dollars! These savings and the efficiency of the program currently continue on.

So in the spirit of Memorial Day, our hats off to our Lean Six Sigma troop of tools.

Let us remember the demise of waste and inefficiency. We honor the troops who have served our country well, and have exemplified the excellence that makes our armed forces strong.

Learn more information about 6Sigma.com’s Lean Six Sigma training coursework, available as classroom, onsite, or online options.

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What is the significance of this? These important government agencies use Six Sigma because it works. When you really get down to it, the only way to be really efficient and save an organization money is to implement the various tools and methodologies that Six Sigma offers.

Once the preliminary work and analysis (DMAIC) has been done, what is left is a very specific, concerted working model that is as close to perfection as possible – a specific approach to accomplish “set” goals.

Every step has a reason to lead to the next step. There aren’t any unnecessary steps. We see this through effective time management, which ultimately saves money and creates efficiency.

Let’s take our armed forces. The military deals with the safety and defense of our nation on a global scale. Absolutely nothing can be left up to chance. Every effort has to be put forth in a very specific, concise and organized matter to maximize readiness and capacity of the team or troop.

In fact, the tools used in Six Sigma, along with its methodology can be found in any successful organization or company. You’ll notice that the organization or company runs with extreme precision, with the ultimate goal of reducing error, improving productivity, or increasing the bottom line. Leaders and managers are very involved participants, not just ominous figures sitting at their desk raddling off orders.

So when you see an organization with these outlined characteristics, you know you are looking at the Six Sigma mark of excellence. Learn more information about 6Sigma.com’s Lean Six Sigma training coursework, available as classroom, onsite, or online options.

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The answer lies in a newer 6 Sigma methodology known as Design For Six Sigma (DFSS). The specific steps of DFSS can vary quite a bit, depending on the company, consultant or training group using it. In this article, we will help you better understand how DFSS differs from other methodologies, and discuss three of the most popular sets of steps to perform DFSS.

How is 6 Sigma DFSS Different?

DFSS is expressly intended for designing or re-designing a process from scratch. It is highly data-driven in its approach, but allows a slightly lower Sigma level (minimum 4.5) than DMAIC methodology. This lower level is acceptable since the end result is a new product or service launch.

The following table gives you an “at a glance” view of how lean 6 sigma processes DFSS and DMAIC compare to each other.

DFSS

• Used to design or re-design a process from scratch
• Phases/steps can vary widely, depending on the company, consultant, or training group
• Data-driven, analytical, and highly structured
• Goal Sigma level 4.5 or higher
• Several methodologies to choose from, based on the needs of the business or industry

DMAIC

• Used to fix and improve an existing process
• Phases/steps are well-defined and widely recognized
• Data-driven, analytical, and highly structured
• Goal Sigma level 6.0 or higher
• Single methodology with little or no variation

What Lean 6 Sigma Methodologies are Used in DFSS?

There are a number of DFSS lean 6 sigma methodologies in common use, the most popular of which are:

• DMADV – Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify
• IDOV – Identify, Design, Optimize, Validate
• DCCDI – Define, Customer, Concept, Design, Implementation

Each of these methodologies may be altered or revised, usually depending on the DFSS practitioner and/or the industry in question. For the purposes of this article, however, we will focus on the three main versions listed above.

Lean 6 Sigma: DMADV

This methodology is quite popular among DFSS practitioners. It is generally considered one of the closest in concept and application to DMAIC, which is probably why it is so often used by those who are already comfortable with that traditional lean 6 sigma method.

The specific steps of DMADV are as follows:

• Define: In this first phase, the project goals are defined. Strong consideration is given to the needs of internal as well as external customers, with the boundaries of the yet-to-be designed process clearly outlined. It should be noted that these boundaries should be firm and well defined, but they may be adjusted later if necessary as the new process unfolds and becomes clearer.

• Measure: This phase is at the core of every 6 Sigma project, and the DMADV methodology is no exception. In some cases, gathering the necessary data will be a bit easier because the affected customers (internal and external) are not already vested in an established process and they are more willing to be open and honest about their real needs. In other cases, however, the necessary data is more difficult to gather, especially if the new process is one that will supplant another well established process.

• Analyze: In this phase, the project team carefully considers the data and various options for the new process, with the focus on determining which option(s) best meet customer needs. It is extremely important to remember that there are two sets of customers to consider – internal and external.

• Design: With information from the first three phases sell understood, the project team moves on to actually designing the process. The process must be written and described in specific detail, again paying attention to the needs of both internal and external customers.

• Verify: In this final phase, the newly designed lean 6 sigma process is tested thoroughly to ensure the actual performance meets the project goals and meets the needs of internal and external customers. Tests are performed in small, controlled experiments before a full-scale launch.

DMADV

Define

• project goals
• project boundaries
• needs of internal and external customers

Measure

• data driven
• internal and external sources

Analyze

• statistical analysis
• process options
• best fit for internal and external customer needs

Design

• design the process
• detailed information and specifics
• appropriate to customer needs

Verify

• test for performance
• test for customer needs
• controlled experiments prior to full scale launch 

Lean 6 Sigma: IDOV

This lean 6 sigma methodology has a strong following in the manufacturing industry. Its four phases may seem at first glance to be less comprehensive than the five phases of other methodologies, but when used properly that is not the case.

The specific steps of IDOV are as follows:

• Identify: In this first step, the project team must clearly identify the intended customer(s) for the new process. Detailed specifications are collected and used to determine the characteristics of the process that are critical to quality (CTQ).

• Design: This step uses the CTQs as key information for listing functional requirements for the process under development. The requirements are then used to create several potential processes, which are evaluated and narrowed down based on one or more selection processes.

• Optimize: This step is highly data driven, as is expected in any Six Sigma project. Statistical tools, modeling, simulations and controlled testing are employed to ensure the process design will achieve optimal performance.

• Validate: In this final step, the project team thoroughly validates the designed process, going back to the CTQs identified in the first step to ensure they will all be met.

IDOV

Identify

• intended customers
• specifications
• CTQs

Design

• use CTQs to determine functional requirements
• create process options
• evaluate options
• select best option

Optimize

• data-driven
• statistical analysis
• modeling and simulations
• maximize performance

Validate

• test for CTQs
• ensure compliance

Lean 6 Sigma: DCCDI

This methodology is growing in popularity across multiple industries. Despite the different letters in the acronym, many practitioners find DCCDI to be similar in practice to DMADV. There are enough difference between the two, however, for DCCDI to stand on its own as a distinct lean 6 Sigma methodology.

The specific steps of DCCDI are as follows:

• Define: This first step is where the goals of the DFSS project are identified and delineated clearly. This is important, as it lays the foundation for subsequent steps in the methodology.

• Customer: This step involves detailed analysis of customers and their specifications for the end product of the process to be designed. The analysis should include both internal and external customers.

• Concept: In this step, the first concepts of the new process are developed. There are generally several concepts to start with that are then narrowed down through detailed reviews and various selection processes.

• Design: This step takes the process design that emerges from the previous step and subjects it to rigorous testing to ensure it meets the needs of all customers. It must conform to required business specifications as well.

• Implementation: This final step takes the newly developed process and brings it to full scale use. The specific method(s) used in implementation will vary depending on the process, the industry and the organization.

DCCDI

Define

• project goals

Customer

• analyze specifications
• internal and external

Concept

• initial process designs
• detailed reviews
• selection process

Design

• test for performance
• test for customer specifications
• test for business specifications

Implementation

• scale up from test levels
• launch and implement

Learn more information about 6Sigma.com’s Lean Six Sigma training coursework, available as classroom, onsite, or online options.

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The Highest Degree

Six Sigma certification has a ranking system that it borrows from the “belt” system in martial arts. A Six Sigma Master Black Belt or MBB holder is an individual who has completed the highest degree of training within this methodology and has completed six sigma black belt, green belt, yellow belt and white belt programs.

Six Sigma black belt is a process improvement method in which individuals receive instruction and are certified to help companies in analyzing and improving their operations. The end result is the elimination of variance and increased revenue.

What do Six Sigma Master Black Belts Do?

With the popularity of the Six Sigma black belt process, certified Master Black Belts are required in all types of organizations, whether it is a product or service based company. They possess the skills to improve the workflow of any business allowing the company to save millions of dollars every year. This is done by creating a framework within the organization that allows for continuous efficiency.

Six Sigma Master Black Belts can also help businesses improve relations with clients. This is because improvements in the workflow will result in improved product/service quality, reduced cycle times, and low costs/unit (resulting in low prices).

Multinationals also require individuals with Six Sigma Master Black Belt skill levels. This is because in global operations, the core problems of the company are hard to spot. But with the analytic approach taught to Six Sigma black belt trainees, these can be easily spotted and resolved.

More importantly, Master Black Belts can literally rescue companies on the verge of closure or bankruptcy.

What a Certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt Brings to the Organization

It is important to note that hiring a Six Sigma Master Black Belt does not necessarily mean that the company already uses the methodology. The Master Black Belt will be called in to train competent employees and managers, and communicate with them in lucid terms the necessary changes to be implemented in the company.

If an organization has already incorporated Six Sigma in its operations, the Master Black Belt will start by selecting the best Yellow, Green, and six sigma Black Belt professionals to create the most efficient project team.

Next, Master Black Belts will work with six sigma Black Belts in leading Six Sigma projects. One of the most important aspects of the methodology is the gathering of data or statistics that the Six Sigma Master Black Belt will observe and analyze to reach proper conclusions about the business processes.

To sum it up, a Six Sigma Master Black Belt is responsible for:

• Training Green and Black Belts
• Providing innovation tools to Black Belts
• Conducting Workshops
• Designing and implementing Six Sigma projects

Who Can Go for Six Sigma Master Black Belt Training?

Usually companies choose individuals from upper level management to go for Six Sigma Master Black Belt training. These are usually leaders and managers who have already received six sigma Black Belt certificates. In most cases, Master Black Belt trainees will have some level of experience working as a Black Belt or other project management position that has required the completion of 10 projects or more.

Master Black Belts are expected to use Six Sigma tools and management skills with ease and develop customized designs for individual companies or specific projects within a single company.

Who Provides Six Sigma Master Black Belt Level Training?

Various institutes provide Master Black Belt Training. Moreover, this training is also provided by the organization to their upper level employees. There are a limited number of organizations that provide a recognized Master Black Belt training program. A traditional classroom approach is preferred for this level of training and certification compared to other six sigma courses.

Duration of Courses

Finally, a Six Sigma Master Black Belt training course should require at least two weeks of training spread out over one to two months. However, employees receiving onsite six sigma black belt training may complete this program in a shorter time.

Learn more information about 6Sigma.com’s Lean Six Sigma training coursework, available as classroom, onsite, or online options.

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