The Six Sigma approach identifies and eliminates defects with a structured, data-driven, problem-solving method of using rigorous data-gathering and statistical analysis. The statistical representation of Six Sigma describes quantitatively how a process is performing. To achieve Six Sigma, a process must not produce more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications.
Six Sigma differs from traditional quality improvement programs in its focus on input variables. While traditional process improvement methods depend upon measuring outputs and establishing control plans to shield customers from organizational defects, a Six Sigma program demands that problems be addressed at the input root cause level, thereby eliminating the need for unnecessary inspection and rework processes.
THREE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF SIX SIGMA
Leadership Commitment
Achieving Six Sigma is not easy – it requires serious commitment in the form of time, effort, and resources. For a company to be successful, such commitment must come first from the top executive leadership of the organization and must be practiced by everyone.
Managing Decisions with Data
It is not enough to run a business based on one's experience or "tribal knowledge." Decisions must be based on data versus the typical "I think", "I feel", or "In my opinion" practices that often exist today. With the maturation of the information economy, data is available to virtually everyone in the organization, along with the tools for analyzing that data. Properly using data to Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control performance forms the foundation of the Six Sigma methodology.
Training and Cultural Change
Improved performance does not and will not happen automatically. High-caliber training is required. Disciplined implementation must follow, and people at all levels have to change the way they go about doing their jobs. In short, new ways of thinking, communicating, and operating must pervade the entire organization. You also need a methodology. DMAIC and DFSS provide a structured problem solving roadmap and tools towards obtaining the results you expect.
Full Six Sigma Deployment
The core elements of implementing Six Sigma – training for Black Belts, Green Belts, Yellow Belts, Ground School, Master Black Belt, Leading Six Sigma, RADD and Senior Executive Six Sigma – to deliver Six Sigma skills throughout your organization.
Black Belt Certification Options
The Black Belt is a key change agent for the Six Sigma process. Typically the "best of the best," these individuals lead teams working on chronic issues that are negatively impacting the company’s performance.
Black Belt Certification takes candidates through a proven, step-by-step training course based on the transfer of knowledge and process skills that lead to improved customer satisfaction, increased profit margins, shortened cycle times and reduced costs. Courses are designed to include sophisticated adult learning theory and no-nonsense evaluation of learning success, while constructing the framework for true cultural change within an organization.
Typically, the entire Black Belt training investment can be justified by results from the first project. The median return on each Qualtec trained Black Belt is $100,000 per project.
Champion Training
The Champion will acquire the skills and tools to select projects, implement improvements, execute control, and alleviate roadblocks to success in the deployment of Six Sigma.
The Champion will acquire the skills and tools to select projects, implement improvements, execute control, and alleviate roadblocks to success. The goal of this training is to increase your knowledge of the Champion roles and responsibilities to effectively lead a team of Black Belts. As a Champion, you will learn to identify the elements of a well-written business case as well as learn the importance of project selection. Finally, you will learn about the tools used to complete successful projects as well as your responsibilities throughout the DMAIC process.
Your Champion Will Learn and Understand:
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Six Sigma as a Methodology and it's Tools
Champion roles and responsibilities
The Typical Roadmap
Project Selection and the Charter
Black Belt Deliverables
The Management Skills Needed To Lead Change
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS)
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is a rigorous approach to designing products and services to meet customer expectations.
Design For Six Sigma Overview
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is a rigorous approach to designing products and services to meet customer expectations. Companies implementing Six Sigma find that many defects are actually created during the design process. DFSS facilitates a redesign of processes – factoring in manufacturing and transactional capabilities from the very beginning – and ensures that end products are “producible” using existing technology. Additionally, DFSS integrates the engineering and process design functions enabling concurrent product and process design, thereby eliminating defects before they can occur.
Integrating the principles of MAIC (Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) with design tools and the IDEaS™ (Initiate, Design, Execute and Sustain process), the result is product designs that consistently meet Six Sigma standards – from inception.
Green Belt Training
This course is designed to enhance technical problem solving skills in line managers. Participants will successfully complete a project while completing the classroom portion of the training.
Six Sigma Qualtec’s Manufacturing Green Belt Certification Training provides the analytical tools and hard skills to bring results in the manufacturing environment. With a proven track record of thousands of Green Belts certified worldwide, SSQ instructors provide focused training, emphasizing application of skills learned in classroom sessions, combined with a “real world” project.
The Program
Green Belt Certification takes candidates through a proven, step-by-step training course based on the transfer of knowledge and process skills that leads to improved project results through support of Black Belt initiatives and enhanced technical problem solving skills. Courses are designed to include sophisticated adult learning theory and no-nonsense evaluation of learning success, while supporting the framework for true cultural change within an organization.
Manufacturing Green Belt Certification is a 6-8 week course involving 11 days of classroom training. Classroom training consists of 3 modules, each followed by 2-3 week periods of “real world” project-driven applications in the workplace.
Qualtec pioneered the concept of project support between each phase of Green Belt training and currently enjoys the reputation of being the best in the industry in this critical area. It is in the application of the classroom-derived knowledge that true learning takes place. Because organizations have different needs, Qualtec has designed three options for onsite support of Green Belts during the Workplace Project Application phase.
Master Black Belt (MBB)
As a leader, the MBB will have responsibility for overseeing projects with multiple Black Belt and Green Belt participation that will significantly change the way the organization does business.
MBB candidates will mentor several individuals who are working on Six Sigma projects or other problem solving efforts. Six Sigma Qualtec’s instructors evaluate their mentoring abilities using defined criteria to measure the breadth and development of these skills. A positive evaluation will earn the candidate a mentorship certification.
Advanced Study
MBB candidates must complete at last three of the following:
- Design for Six Sigma - DFSS
- Leveraging Customer Intelligence –VOC and QFD
- Lean Training
- Advanced Topics –DOE and Statistics
- Advanced Transactional Skill Set
- Successful Mentoring
