Page 29 - Six Sigma Demystified

10 Six SigMa DemystifieD

and methods, including statistical (i.e., enumerative stats, statistical process con-
trol, and designed experiments), problem- solving, consensus- building, and lean
tools. A given project may not use all the tools, yet most organizations find that
they need most of the tools at any given time. Lean provides essential methods
to define value and waste to improve an organization’s responsiveness to cus-
tomer needs. As such, the lean methods provide a critical means of accomplish-
ing the Six Sigma goals. Similarly, the lean methods require the use of data, and
statistics provide the necessary methods for data analysis. It’s unfortunate that
some lean advocates and some lean Six Sigma programs do not stress the criti-
cal importance of the statistical tools in their analysis because this lack of rigor
will prevent lean- focused projects from realizing their full potential.

Elements of a Successful Deployment

Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, said: “This is not the program of
the month. This is a discipline. This will be forever” (Slater, 1999).
Six Sigma is primarily a management program. For many organizations, it
will fundamentally change the way they operate. It must, if it is to achieve the
levels of improvement shown earlier. Consider that moving from 3s to 4s
means a 91 percent reduction in defects; from 4s to 5s, an additional 96 per-
cent; and from 5s to Six Sigma, a 99 percent further reduction. Without strong
management and leadership, the time, effort, and expertise of the Six Sigma
project team will be wasted, and results will not be achieved.
Program success is based on the following four factors, presented in order of
importance:

• Support and participation of top management
• Sufficient resource allocation to improvement teams
• Data- driven decision making using DMAIC
• Measurement and feedback of key process characteristics

Management Support and Participation

A successful Six Sigma program must be integrated into the organization’s busi-
ness strategy. Active participation by leaders in the organization will ensure
program survival.
As with most initiatives he launched as CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch
was nearly fanatical about the Six Sigma program. In a January 1997 meeting,