Ask Your Trainer

Who else can tell you how you’re getting on than your trainer? Think of it as a one-to-one mentoring meeting to discuss your future. Experienced Six Sigma trainers all tend to possess Master Black Belt certification and have a lot to offer in the way of advice. Naturally, they will monitor your progress and improvement as you go along and will address issues as they arise. Moreover, they can point out areas where your results are falling and make suggestions for improvements. Don’t disregard their advice. It could be the difference between Six Sigma success and a cab ride to nowhere. Ask your trainer about your progress. It’s what they’re there for!

Use What You’ve Learned: Apply Six Sigma

If you want to gain a clearer understanding and a better picture of your training progress, why not apply what you’ve already learned? Even something as simple as brainstorming your key subject areas can shed light on which ones you’re struggling with. You’re bound to absorb more information on some subjects than others, but recognizing the areas in which you’re lacking will help you improve. The more you know, the more you grow, after all. Furthermore, you can then apply additional Six Sigma tools to mine the problem deeper.

Using techniques like affinity diagrams and root cause analysis, you can identify what’s holding you back and alter your behavior to improve results. Furthermore, use Lean to search for wasteful practices for you to eliminate. Human error is one of the biggest waste issues, which is why a little process improvement can go a long way to helping your learning experience along. Similarly, by adopting a Kaizen attitude of continuous improvement, you’re sure to see positive changes in your training. Kaizen demands you put in the maximum effort. Condition yourself to stop wasting time and start taking action.

Look at Your Mistakes

When you look at your mistakes, are there any patterns that start to appear? Why do you think you keep struggling with certain tasks? What’s holding you back? By scrutinizing your mistakes down to the minutest detail, you can learn a lot about your development. This can tell you a lot about the reasons behind your mistakes. Use root cause analysis to delve deeper into these issues so you can take corrective action. If you can’t learn from your mistakes, after all, then you won’t get very far.

The post Practicing Due Diligence: Six Sigma Progress Check-In appeared first on 6sigma.

At 6Sigma, our goal is to stand out from the competition. Specifically, the illegitimate practitioners. The only way to protect yourself from these scammers is to shine a light on the Six Sigma training industry. By comparing multiple Six Sigma programs, you can work out the pros and cons. Not to mention finding the best deal on the market. Here are a few ways you can compare our programs to others you’re considering.

How to Compare Different Six Sigma Programs

Whether you’re a novice Yellow Belt or an experienced Master Black Belt, Six Sigma training of any kind can create great opportunities. But finding the right training program for you can be a nightmare if you don’t know what to look for. The fact is, there are no clear guidelines on what makes the perfect Six Sigma program, although there are plenty of bad ones. Having no governing body to moderate its practices means fake practitioners can use Six Sigma to clean out your wallets. To avoid this, judge programs against the following factors.

Worthwhile Real-World Applications 

Improvement projects play a substantial part in Six Sigma certification. But there’s more to it than just theoretical study and simulated project work. But if your program helps you apply its theoretical content to real-world situations, then you’re onto a winner. With us, Six Sigma isn’t just bland theory. We apply Six Sigma concepts to real-life situations during training to keep our students on their toes.

Communication and Delivery

Communication is key in Six Sigma. This goes for training too. We pride ourselves on excellent training delivery and prompt communication, but that’s just us. How are other programs taught? Online study is certainly useful to those with tight schedules. However, class-based study is always more beneficial. You’ll be sure to get more one-to-one contact with instructors and develop a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of Six Sigma.

Value Over Price

Value is a key concept in Six Sigma and Lean principles. It’s also one of several subjects you’ll study on your program! Therefore, you shouldn’t be quick to judge a Six Sigma program on price alone. You get what you pay for isn’t always applicable, but higher prices generally equate to higher quality. Assess the contents of the course as well as factors like price. This will help you make the best decision. Remember, your training’s value will surely outweigh its cost. With our Six Sigma programs, you can rest knowing you’ve made the best possible decision.

Reviews and Reputability

There’s a reason people tend to prefer Coca Cola over supermarket own-brands. With brand recognition, it’s make or break, and discerning customers almost always go for the safest option. After all, why risk wasting money on what could prove disappointing, when they could have something they know and like? Bad reviews can do permanent damage to a brand’s name, and often for good reason. Pay attention to what other customers have to say. Furthermore, is the program or provider a recognized brand? How long have they been in business? Asking questions like these can provide eye-opening insights. Read our blog and check out our testimonials. You’ll be both pleased and intrigued to learn more.

The post Practicing Due Diligence: Comparing Six Sigma Programs appeared first on 6sigma.

Don’t Pay for What You Don’t Need

It’s important always to know your needs. Especially if you’re searching through numerous Six Sigma practitioners. As such, if you want someone to come and clean up your business, it’s likely you’ll want to hire them on an ongoing basis. But this shouldn’t be any costlier than it needs to be. Our advice? Don’t fork out for Master Black Belt when all you need is Green. It may seem beneficial to have the extra skills on hand, but if you don’t need them, then what are they for? Remember the ancient phrase: It’s only a bargain if you want it. Or, in this case, need it.

After all, do you need a Master Black Belt with Lean Six Sigma know-how? Someone who can conduct highly complex data analysis and design experiments to predict future customer demand? Or is a Green Belt, someone who can run Six Sigma improvement projects to streamline your production processes, all you need? Know the answer, and you can save yourself a lot of money. This even qualifies as a waste-reduction measure, as you’re reducing costs by not overspending. Well done, you!

You Get What You Pay For

On the other hand, when searching for a Six Sigma training provider, you tend to get what you pay for. The higher the belt level, the better the training experience for you and your employees. So don’t be afraid to pay more for better service. In fact, you’re more likely to lose money by going with sub-par providers who will only disappoint you. Do you want to waste time and money on one or more cheap providers when you can save both by making a beeline for the best? Of course, you don’t. So be sure to take some time to think before making any rash decisions. That way, you can save time and money, while making a great investment for the future of your company.

Research Beforehand

Keep your wallets closed for now. A little research before making a decision can help you avoid disappointment later. Research also helps to put things in perspective. If you’re uncertain, researching different organizations can help you settle on your ideal price. It can also help you decide what you want from your potential practitioners. Moreover, there are plenty of testimonials and reviews out there, so make use of them. See what other clients have to say. Read about their experiences with certain practitioners or organizations. This information is highly valuable, and you can use it to justify your final decision. Furthermore, Six Sigma’s lack of any central governing body spells bad news for unwary customers. We’ve heard many unhappy stories of people who thought they were in for a win, when, sadly, they ended up being cheated. Take our advice, and do your research!

The post Due Diligence: How to Save Yourself Time & Money appeared first on 6sigma.

Want to start small? It sounds like Green Belt training is for you! Fancy yourself a Black Belt? Get in touch! Want to aim high? It sounds like Master Black Belt certification is what you need. If you follow our blog, you know how passionate we are about great training. Read on to learn all about our mission and what sets us apart from the competition.

World-Class Training and Certification

Unlike lesser providers, we strive to deliver quality training for all your process and quality improvement needs. All we ask is that you give it everything you’ve got. You don’t become a Six Sigma Green Belt, let alone a Master Black Belt, overnight! Similarly, without complete commitment and a desire to succeed, you can’t expect to Six Sigma to flourish at your company. With us, you’ll bolster your Six Sigma development with Lean principles and Kaizen thinking. With our world-class training, we’ll teach you everything you need to know to set your business on the right path. Our unparalleled real-world training blows the competition out of the water. With programs for all belt levels, including White, Yellow, Orange, and Black, we also offer software tutorials for Minitab and SigmaXL. Master the art of Six Sigma through our first-rate training and certification programs. Let us help you help yourself.7

Professional Consulting Services

You won’t find great services like ours anywhere else. We can provide expert consulting services to help give you peace of mind and point you in the right direction. With our help, you can reduce costs and save massive sums. Each year, we save our clients billions in revenue, all of which goes back into their businesses to ensure future success. Our fully-certified consultants can assess your business and give you detailed feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Certain problems like waste and variation often go unnoticed, but with our help, you can eliminate them for good. You’ll soon see the benefit of Six Sigma once we’re through!

Trustworthy Six Sigma Advice

6sigma.com is the world’s most trusted source of Six Sigma knowledge for a reason. But you can’t always trust what you read on the internet. Six Sigma’s lack of a central governing body means there’s no one around to monitor its activities. This allows just about anyone to take up the Six Sigma name to make a quick buck. But not us. Six Sigma is our passion, and our goal is to educate and serve. 6sigma.com is known for its trustworthy advice on all Six Sigma matters. So get in touch today, and see for yourself why we’re the most reliable source of Six Sigma knowledge on the web.

The post What Sets 6sigma.com Apart From the Others appeared first on 6sigma.

Lack of Consistent Accreditation

There is currently a staggering amount of inconsistency between Six Sigma accreditation programs. You wouldn’t be wrong to assume all programs should operate using the same standards. Unfortunately, most simply don’t. Some programs, though they bear the Six Sigma name, bear no resemblance to it at all! Many training programs differ in their curriculums and course requirements. Our advice is to do your research. Educational institutions like universities are always trustworthy too. Provided they aren’t based on the internet.

Unreliable Training Institutions AKA Certification Mills 

Unreliable training institutions, or certification mills, are all over the internet. They tend to outnumber the reliable sites and organizations promoting Six Sigma certification too. Without a central governing body, these sites can make outrageous claims and charge extortionate prices. They are interested in making a profit, not providing great training or promoting the Six Sigma philosophy. It’s also important to note the difference between certification and accreditation. Master Black Belts certify individuals on Six Sigma training programs, whereas accrediting bodies provide accreditation to Six Sigma organizations. Therefore, if you lose your MBB, you can’t provide certification.

Multiple Organizations Claim to be the “Central” Governing Body for Six Sigma

There are many organizations out there claiming to be “central” certifying bodies for Six Sigma. The fact that there is more than one institution making this claim should be a clue not to trust them. It’s important to remember that pioneering Six Sigma companies like Motorola or General Electric have never claimed to be “central” certifying bodies. It is only recently that different organizations have been making this claim.

False and Contradictory Claims

They state that “the beauty of Six Sigma is it is very flexible […] there is no need for a one size fits all body of knowledge.” This is simply not true. Their website alone provides more than one red flag to the discerning Six Sigma practitioner.

Little to No Standardization of Practices

The lack of a central governing body to oversee Six Sigma organizations means there’s no one there to monitor standards. Ironically, many supposed “central” governing bodies will likely suffer from low sigma levels themselves, so they are doubly not to be trusted. Without anyone to regulate procedures and curriculums, it becomes difficult to view these institutions as reliable. Moreover, variation, waste, inefficiency, and under-utilization all arise from a lack of standardization. Six Sigma should eliminate these problems, not proliferate them.

The post Top 5 Reasons Six Sigma Needs a Governing Body appeared first on 6sigma.

A Six Sigma Master Black Belt is just that, a Black Belt, and a master of their art. But the importance of the MBB certification is that it teaches you to reach beyond mastery. To develop your skills to absolute perfection, seeking out a deeper, more profound knowledge. Our tailored program teaches advanced understandings and approaches to Six Sigma. Project work and statistical methods are essential tools here. Furthermore, students become fully-fledged Six Sigma leaders, learning to apply their skills in any company or sector.

The course goes beyond Black Belt basics, teaching non-parametric analysis, destructive testing, Multi-Vari experiments, practical experimentation, and advanced regression methods. Training comprises deep study of statistical knowledge, enhancing the abilities developed in Black Belt training. Formal examination and practical work provide a comprehensive testing scenario for your advanced skills.

What Does the Course Require?

We require our MBB students to have already achieved Black Belt certification. Additionally, it’s important that you possess experience leading a minimum of ten prior projects, and at least forty hours training. Finally, previous leadership training is essential to much of the MBB course, which requires you to have at least one week’s worth.

What Can Master Black Belt Training Do for Me?

Master Black Belts are experts in their field, and the right training will ensure we fully prepare you for the reality of Six Sigma work. You can expect to develop your leadership and mentoring skills even further, helping to spread the cause of Six Sigma. MBB certification holders can access an array of opportunities within your organization you may not have considered. MBBs are expert problem-solvers as well as strong leaders, valuable traits in any line of work, Six Sigma included. Our comprehensive training program will provide the following:

• A Deep Understanding of DMAIC.

  DMAIC is a core component of Six Sigma work. MBBs should be familiar with its every detail so that they can drive Six Sigma enterprises forward. DMAIC is an essential skill if you want to succeed in process and quality improvement.

• The Ability to Train and Lead Black Belts through Four-week Training Programs.

  Throughout our four-week practical training programs, you will develop your training and mentoring abilities. It’s also important for MBBs to cultivate in themselves a wealth of Six Sigma knowledge. This will aid them in mentoring as they can pass on their knowledge to other Six Sigma Belts.

• An Enhanced Statistical Awareness.

  Six Sigma demands accurate data to make strong decisions. As an MBB, you will learn to improve your statistical awareness and become a data expert. Statistical analysis tools are all key skills for MBBs, even more so than Black Belts.

• A Robust Decision-Making Capacity.

  If you can’t act, then you can’t succeed. MBBs need to develop a robust capacity for decision-making. Otherwise, they will struggle to make lasting changes in an organization. Just as in karate, you are a leader and a master of your art. As such, Master Black Belts must live up to their namesake.

The post Six Sigma Master Black Belt Syllabus Content appeared first on 6sigma.

In karate, the black belt signifies the unknown that is yet to be illuminated. A black belt may have completed their training, a master of their kata, but they still have much to learn. They now seek to acquire a deeper, more profound knowledge of their art. Similarly, in Six Sigma, Black Belts have White, Yellow, Orange and Green Belts below them. But, they still have work to do, if they wish to become a Master Black Belt.

On our prestigious Black Belt program, you will learn to master all aspects of Six Sigma work. The course comprises an exam and practical project to put your skills into practice. We find this provides an intensive focus on your newly-acquired skills. Six Sigma Black Belt training is a strong foundation from which to develop your leadership skills. You will also learn to apply Six Sigma to any department or sector of an organization. Today we look at our Black Belt syllabus in detail. Read on to learn if it’s right for you, and what you can expect from our program.

How Can Black Belt Training Benefit Me?

The most beneficial aspect of Black Belt training is that it allows you to develop advanced comprehension of Six Sigma. Our program builds on the existing Green Belt syllabus, including the full curriculum, along with additional Black Belt-specific material. However, we do not require you to have any preexisting understanding of Six Sigma, although it does help. As such, professionals with little or no knowledge of the subject matter can take the course to learn more. Black Belt certification is a wise investment for employers and students. It will hold you in good stead as you further your Six Sigma career.

Course Contents

Our Black Belt course teaches students how to operate in Six Sigma hierarchy, directing lower level belts while deferring to Master Black Belts. We recommend our Black Belt program for those seeking leadership positions on a Six Sigma team. Training will allow you to develop coaching and mentoring ability, as well as process improvement and waste reduction skills. Six Sigma relies on Black Belts to drive their organization forward towards increased efficiency and customer satisfaction, plus continuous improvement.

• Apply DMAIC Methodology to a Project.

  Using DMAIC stages Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, Black Belts will learn to maximize project success.

• Team Dynamics Management.

  Six Sigma depends on teamwork to function, and Black Belts act as leaders in group-based project work. Not only will you learn to lead and manage top quality projects, but also to provide coaching and mentoring support.

• Identify Key Organizational Factors.

  Every organization has specific factors that drive its success, especially in Six Sigma. You will learn to identify these factors by setting clear goals, defining plans, and maintaining project focus.

• Process Improvement Techniques.

  The root of everything Six Sigma aspires to is process improvement. You will learn to make lasting process changes using an extensive range of techniques. These include root cause analysis, design of experiments, process mapping, and identifying none-value-adding stages.

Learn more about our training and Courses

The post Six Sigma Black Belt Syllabus Content appeared first on 6sigma.

Job Relations Training

One of the more complicated aspects of TWI is Job Relations (JR) Training.

JR training teaches supervisors how to handle problems, how to prevent them, and it aids in developing a logical, common sense approach to handling issues, while respecting people.

Companies often try to sweep JR under the rug until they realize they really need it. The truth is, the sooner an organization grabs the bull by the horns and deals with this issue, the more productive it’s going to be in the long run.

In the end, JR can improve the company’s performance in all aspects, as it will result in better communication and a significant reduction of the problems that pop up in the average working day.

Getting everyone on the same level

It’s important that everyone feels equal in the organization. Obviously the hierarchy of control makes it impossible for everyone to be on the exact same level, but there’s a lot that can be done to help employees feel closer to those around them, even their superiors.

It often turns out that employees at the lower levels of an organization are the ones that need this type of training most. It’s critical to ensure that they’re given enough opportunity to experience communicating with people from all ranks, not just those around them.

Feelings of inferiority must be addressed as quickly as possible, and it’s important to treat the JR process as a forum which gives everyone an opportunity to express themselves in this regard.

Rewarding progress

One of the best ways to ensure that the organization will keep moving forward is to make it clear that progress will be rewarded adequately. This is a common problem in some organizations, where employees often don’t feel motivated enough to step up and take the initiative.

If the company makes it clear that all such acts will be noticed and compensated accordingly, this can get everyone involved on a much more personal level. On that note, it’s critical to ensure that those contributions are credited accordingly. If someone played a special role in improving something about the organization’s working process, they should be given credit for it.

Resolving conflict

It’s inevitable that conflicts are going to arise in the course of work of a company. The key to ensuring that they don’t interrupt process is developing a system that can properly address those conflicts, and deal with them at the root before they’ve grown to something more serious.

Once again, openness plays a major role here. Employees have to be given an opportunity to express themselves, in case there is a conflict, and all sides must be heard out equally well. And whatever decision the company decides to take afterwards, it’s critical that it’s communicated properly to the employees involved.

It’s useful to learn from the organization’s past mistakes, too. If a particular conflict keeps coming up more than once, this could indicate a more fundamental problem with the company’s structure, something that can be addressed outside of the conflict mediation sessions.

To that end, the organization must gather a lot of feedback, and ensure that they have an objective picture of the current situation.

Informing employees of problems early on

When something is wrong with the way a particular employee does their job, the organization must communicate that to them clearly and early enough. It’s not rare that employees will not even know that they are causing a problem until it’s too late to do anything in a way that works for everyone.

Avoiding this type of situation is as simple as making sure that employees are always informed about the current status of their work, and are given feedback both when it’s positive as well as negative.

Sometimes the organization will have to create new roles to deal with the problems that arise. This is where HR departments come in, but it’s occasionally also possible to address this issue on a more local level within each department of the company.

Conclusion

The sooner a company implements proper JR, the more improvements they’re going to see in their operations in the long run. Ensuring that all employees are on the same page and are communicating efficiently is key to guaranteeing the success of the company as a whole. And by resolving conflicts early on, the workflow can remain smooth and uninterrupted throughout the company’s existence.

Learn more about TWI >>> 

The post Job Relations Training appeared first on 6sigma.

Six Sigma Yellow Belt Curriculum

• Core Yellow Belt Techniques and Ideas 

  Our two-day course introduces process mapping (6-foot view), C&E matrices, effects analysis, failure modes, and fundamental statistics. Likewise, we teach how to comprehend and create SIPOC diagrams, as well as develop graphs. Software like Minitab is an essential tool in Six Sigma, which is why we provide a crash course in how to use it effectively.

• Competitive Strategy

  Six Sigma relies on several important principles to make the most impact on production process improvement.

1. Operational Excellence is a key principle in Yellow Belt curriculums, as it encourages businesses and production lines to operate at optimal levels. Yellow Belt curriculums should teach trainees how to implement OE processes to different types of enterprise. Ideally, OE principles should be taught in a practical and theoretical sense. That way, Yellow Belts will have the best of both worlds when it comes to Six Sigma skills. The practical expertise to make lasting changes towards process improvement, and the theoretical knowledge to back them up.

2. Customer Intimacy is another important principle in Yellow Belt training. On our Yellow Belt curriculum, we teach trainees how to understand value streams within businesses, as well as the many ways in which customer expectation and demand affects production. Yellow Belts should be able to identify areas that require attention, such as those affecting customer satisfaction. 

3. Product and Cost Leadership strategies also form an essential part of Yellow Belt work. Product Leadership pushes companies to produce innovative products and adapt existing services in a creative manner. Cost Leadership is similar in that it pushes a company to take advantage of market share by supplying quality products at competitive prices. Both strategies help to outdo competitors and position a company as leaders in cost and production. Yellow Belts should understand the fundamentals of both if they are to make any significant process changes. 

• Continuous Improvement (Kaizen)

  Additionally, Kaizen is a key mindset for businesses to have. Instead of letting processes fester and accumulate waste over time, employees should be taught to seek out and recognize problems as they occur. Using Yellow Belt knowledge, Six Sigma practitioners need to understand Kaizen and how it can drive lasting process changes. 

• Six Sigma (and Lean)

  Six Sigma and Lean forms the groundwork of all Yellow Belt work. All Yellow Belts should possess a strong grasp of Six Sigma’s fundamental methodologies. Yellow Belts should understand the value, attitudes, and goals of Six Sigma. Our aim is to incorporate more Lean elements into our courses, to help students realize effective improvements in practice. 

• Organizational Culture and Change Management

  Six Sigma demands teamwork, and project management and leadership skills are essential qualities in Yellow Belt training. While Yellow Belts occupy varying positions, they still form part of an important hierarchy which they must understand. In leadership roles, Yellow Belts should also be knowledgeable of Top-Down and Bottom-Up approaches to change management.

The post What Should be in a Six Sigma Yellow Belt Curriculum? appeared first on 6sigma.

First, assess the price across multiple training courses.

For Six Sigma, there are three typical varieties of training courses. These include Certificate Courses. Certification Courses, and Training Courses. For a quick run down of each: a Certificate Course will usually only include the exam and, when passed, provide you with a certificate of completion. A Certification Course covers book material, real-life examples, the opportunity to work on a Six Sigma project, and a certification exam. Likewise, a Training Course usually only offers a classroom-like education, focusing on terminology and textbook examples. You will most likely not have a real-life Six Sigma project to work on and will only be tested on the theory.

Once you have determined what type of training program you are seeking, assess the price for multiple courses. If the prices are relatively similar, then it’s a safe bet they will be at a similar standard. However, if prices do vary significantly, move on to the second step: Course Assessment.

Second, review the course material.

While we recommend this step for training programs that vary in prices, it’s also beneficial to do so regardless of the cost. Any reputable Six Sigma training course will provide a brief syllabus of what you can expect to cover. It should Include the course hours, weeks, general topics, what reading material and programming software you need, and what projects (if any) you will work on. Depending on your course, each program should offer roughly the same amount of content within a similar timeframe. Likewise, if the program is more expensive, it should cover more material over a longer period of time. Less expensive programs, the opposite. Use this opportunity to compare programs, see patterns, and determine the exact “bang for your buck!”

Last, request and read reviews of the program.

When in doubt, always request reviews and testimonials from a training program’s coordinator. This step is similar to ones in our previous articles about ‘Due Diligence’ and ‘Asking for Testimonials’ and is rightly important. Feedback from former students can easily determine if a training course is worth the cost you are expected to pain. Many negative reviews from an expensive program is a clear warning sign to look elsewhere. Likewise, consistently positive reviews from a similarly priced program is a safer bet.

When searching for the right Six Sigma training program, the price and time commitment is a large factor in your decision making. Regardless of the certification level, follow these three simple steps to ensure you get the right value for the correct price!

The post Cost: Is More Expensive Six Sigma Training Better ? appeared first on 6sigma.

What is a Gantt Chart?

Before you start using Gantt Charts, you must understand what they are, and how they fit into your Six Sigma toolkits. First of all, a Gantt chart is used for purposes of project management. It’s a popular and effective method of displaying activities, tasks or events against a period of time. Each activity is represented by a bar on the chart. The size and position of which show the start date, duration and end date of the activity. Gantt charts will typically illustrate such things as:

• The activity in question.
• When the activity begins and ends.
• How long it lasts.
• Where activities overlap.
• When the project begins and ends.

But why use a Gantt chart? What does it offer? Well, by using one, it can help determine responsibility for tasks, as well as potential problems that may occur. This information can be very useful to have in the early stages of your project, and the Gantt chart makes it easier to absorb by displaying it in a visual manner. It can also help identify critical paths, such as task sequences and minimum delivery times, so don’t dismiss the Gantt chart as just another Six Sigma tool. It could make your project far simpler to deal over time.

How to Use a Gantt Chart

Below are the key steps involved in creating a strong Gantt chart that is bound to be an effective asset to your project:

1. Identify the Essential Processes. All your activities necessary to project completion need to be included if a Gantt chart is to work. Establish your essential tasks by breaking down the processes to determine importance. Calculate timescales for delivery before ranking them by length. 

2. Identify the Task Relationships. Your chart should illustrate how project tasks are linked and how they affect one another (sequential tasks), and how they work when independently (parallel tasks). Remember, some tasks rely on other tasks being completed beforehand, so bear this in mind when designing your chart. For example, your need to have finished an article before it can be posted online. 

3. Input Activity Data into a Template. Software like Gantto, Microsoft Project or Excel, and Matchware can also be used for this purpose. But sometimes, creating your own template is the best option. 

4. Track the Progress. As your project makes progress, it will start to change, so be sure to keep track of how. Regularly update your chart with new information, to ensure it is up-to-date and completely accurate. The better your data, the more likely your Six Sigma success!

The post Visual Thinking: How to Use a Gantt Chart appeared first on 6sigma.

Understanding the Most Important Elements of Total Quality Management (TQM)

Total Quality Management (TQM) is a management philosophy that strives to achieve the best possible results by centering all business activities and processes on customer satisfaction. Proper TQM implementation involves continual improvement and all members of the particular organization, and expected to take part in the process. The main idea behind this approach is that the best way to long-term success is through providing a high quality product or service that meets the needs and requirement of the customer. Thus, everything in TQM is defined through the lens of customer satisfaction.

TQM has 8 core elements that are grouped together in four groups. Let’s use a building metaphor to better explain these elements.

First Group: Foundation

As every building requires a foundation, every business philosophy requires some value to inform its approach to the world and its own organization. TQM institutes three foundational elements to its metaphorical building that foster productive attitudes and atmosphere

1. Ethics

Ethics is the study of right and wrong, and TQM places importance on understanding what is the ethical thing to do, both as an organization and as individuals in the context of the organization. As the organization recognizes the need to operate in a morally good way, it is expected to institute a clear code of conduct.

2. Integrity

While ethics is more concerned with knowing what is right, integrity focuses on acting according to the company values in a honest and open environment. Office drama, rumors or other forms of interpersonal hostility are to be frowned upon.

3. Trust

The successful implementation of TQM requires a relationship of trust among the individuals that are part of the organization. In order for teams to be able to improve and provide a high quality product or service to the customers, they need to work together in an atmosphere of trust. If that requirement is met, problem recognition, problem analysis, problem solution and decision making all become easier.

Second Group: Bricks

As the bricks are the main building block used to create and bear the weight of a house, the bricks in the TQM context rest on the foundation, and support the whole structure.

4. Training

Training is essential for employees to be able to achieve high levels of quality and efficiency. Since TQM is an all-encompassing approach to business management, it requires all participants to receive the needed training from their superiors. This training should cover how to be as valuable to the organization and its customers as possible.

5. Teamwork

Achieving common goals and providing the highest level of customer service requires teams to work efficiently together. Individuals should know how to work together, and the team environment should facilitate open discussions about both problems and solutions. There are 3 types of teams in a TQM organization: the temporarily formed Quality Improvement Teams, Problem Solving Teams, and the more organic and long-lasting Natural Work Group Teams.

6. Leadership

While training and teamwork are essential for making member prepared to be a valuable part of an organization, leadership has a crucial role to play in harnessing that potential. All supervisors and managers should understand the TQM philosophy and methodology, and should be able to implement them while clearly transmitting values, strategies, direction and goals to the teams they are responsible for.

Third Group: Mortar

Even when you have all the elements needed to construct an outstanding building, it is important for those elements to be bound together, and this is the job of the mortar.

7. Communication

The all-encompassing mortar of the TQM building is communication. It starts from the foundation, surrounds the bricks and reaches the roof. The only way to continually improve and reach optimal performance is for information and ideas to flow freely. Communication should be ever-present in the organization, but it should also involve all external entities like customers, partners, suppliers and stakeholders.

Forth Group: Roof

What tops off a building is the roof, which in the case of TQM is its last key element recognition.

8. Recognition

This element involves the positive feedback and encouragement that both achievements and suggestions should result within the organization. All supervisors should look for and detect contributions, and should provide recognition whenever they are made. This boosts both morale and performance. It gives member of the organization motivation to continue to participate productively in the TQM implementation.

What happened to TQM?

TQM popularity has steadily decreased in direct response to the increase in Six Sigma popularity.  This popularity in Six Sigma is a result of a couple key things:

• Stronger alignment and focus on the business results of the organization (targeted improvements in key areas)
• Broadened the training and skill set outside of manufacturing and quality organizations
• Set higher performance levels (3.4 defects per million) beyond acceptance quality levels
• Set training standards (belt system) and requires projects with mentoring and coaching
• Freed up resources to learn and implement improvements, and put them back into the business
• Training and experience expectations for leadership (must be certain level to get promotion)

Although TQM is no longer the key methodology behind improvement programs today, it is important to remember the history and structure of TQM. We don’t want to drift away from the beneficial building blocks it provides, so we don’t forget what made it a successful approach for many years, and make sure we leverage those strengths in our Lean and Six Sigma program.

If you’d like to learn more about Six Sigma, check out the video series >>>

The post Understanding the Most Important Elements of Total Quality Management (TQM) appeared first on 6sigma.

There is special skill required to training others — they need to learn “people training skills.” Without having this important skill, these mentors and teachers will never be really effective in training their own future clients.

A truly effective teacher or trainer is able to reach, engage, train and teach their students. Just because a person is an expert doesn’t make them an instant teacher or trainer.

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand.”

Confucius

The discipline of Six Sigma works especially well when training teachers or trainers. An effective trainer or teacher will incorporate interactive experiences so that the student understands the learning process. Training, when done correctly, is an interactive activity that helps us learn the skills we are acquiring.

Six Sigma Training for 2017

Have you checked out our new Six Sigma training schedule for 2017? We have classes across the country. Whether you want to have your training done at your company’s site or in a classroom setting, we have something for everyone!

We offer specialized training as well, from the Fundamentals of Lean to Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and Design for Six Sigma (DFSS). For more information on our courses and services, please visit our website.

For more information on our Six Sigma courses or services please click here.

The post Six Sigma for Teaching People Training Skills appeared first on 6sigma.