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Successful quality initiatives rely on understanding what quality actually means. The meaning of quality resides in the minds of those who judge it and use it to make their purchase decisions – in other words, the market. Divorced from the market, value or quality has no real meaning. Uninformed definitions of value or quality become […]

Manufacturers across Asia are scrambling to ramp up production of key components for electronics, as shortages have frustrated consumers and disrupted business for companies from Apple Inc. to Nissan Motor Co.

Segue Manufacturing Services, of Lowell, Mass., USA, is proud to announce Brian Desmarais as the new Vice President of Engineering and Quality. Brian comes to Segue with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field, centering on and around quality management, product development, program management, systems engineering, and customer relationship management. With Brian’s experience […]

Phillips Industries has announced it is expanding its Saltillo, Mexico facility to over 70,000 sq ft to accommodate growth in sales. The extra space will allow the company to expand its trailer harness assembly line, improve process flow and offers more finished product storage area, the company said. “Significant focus has been in quality and […]

Let’s face it – without meaningful data there cannot be meaningful data analysis. Data is typically collected as a basis for measuring success and, ultimately, taking action. However, unless data is viewed realistically – separating opportune signals from probable noise – the actions taken may be inconsistent with the data collected in the first place. […]

Business software vendor i-nexus will host a webinar on Hoshin Planning on Thursday, July 15, from 10-11 a.m. EDT.

Time is running out for you to take part in the 2010 iSixSigma’s Best Places to Work™ for Six Sigma Professionals.The deadline for submitting your nomination is Monday, July 26, 2010. There are just two weeks left to send us your nomination, so please visit our Best Places to Work page today and fill out […]

Hy-Capacity Inc., a remanufacturer of tractor components headquartered in Humboldt, Iowa, USA, recently broke ground on the expansion of its manufacturing facility. Hy-Capacity’s new, larger facility will streamline operations and improve traffic flow, following the company’s Lean manufacturing philosophy to maximize efficiency and reduce waste. Steve Olson, Hy-Capacity president, credits the company’s success to his […]

A U.K.-based manufacturer of electrical and electronic assemblies has attained Six Sigma manufacturing quality levels of 99.97 percent following the installation of fully automated, custom designed wire processing machinery at its factory in the West Midlands. A gradual, phased implementation of automated production machines over the last 10 years – coupled with PP Electrical Systems’ […]

For those of us involved with Lean it is easy to understand the challenges that come from starting a process improvement program from the ground floor. I would like to personally thank the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), for providing such a great model for all government agencies to follow. There website is a great resource, packed […]

I was shopping at IKEA and found a bureau on sale for $30. The display model looked well-made with nice materials and finish. However, as expected, IKEA furniture comes in a box assembly required. No problem as I have plenty of experience. The assembly process took a number of steps: Find a suitable area large […]

After coaching Lean Six Sigma for the last 12 years, it is still surprising to see how many projects get cancelled because they are not considered “valid.” Practitioners and managers must remember that this methodology is designed for making process improvements. If leadership cannot identify a broken process, more work by the project sponsor is […]

Previously published in iSixSigma Magazine, this feature explores one consultant’s experiences implementing Lean Six Sigma in Asian countries.

MoreSteam.com announces the introduction of its first Master Black Belt (MBB) Summer Webcast Series.

Part 1 of this article helped practitioners understand the key drivers for the growth of statistics, introduced some leading analytics competitors and outlined the high-level profit roadmap. Now it is time to begin using the tools. Part 2 describes some statistical tools practitioners can use for predictive decision making. Applying the Analytics Tools Two key […]

When the clock is ticking in time-bound, customer-sensitive operations, using Lean Six Sigma can be a smart move toward achieving operational excellence and customer satisfaction. In this case study, one large insurance company executed a Lean Six Sigma project to cut operational costs for property and casualty (P&C) insurance claims and improve customer satisfaction. The […]

For most contact centers, nearly one-third of inbound calls are repeat callers who weren’t satisfied the first time they called. More often than not, the antiquated switches that contact centers use don’t do a great job of reporting on the true first-call resolution (FCR) rate in a given center, so the problem may be even […]

The “Y” generation is definitely living up to its name. Why, why, why…everything is why these days. It appears that the good old days of say it and obey it are over and behind us. Blind faith leadership is becoming a thing of the past. Personally, I say thank goodness. After all, as Colin Powell […]

The Missouri National Guard’s adjutant general is changing the way business is done in his home state.

Department of Defense logistics organizations are attempting to reorganize their efforts using a combination of business process improvement methodologies, such as Lean Six Sigma, which seeks to reduce process steps and errors often associated with them. They are also using modeling and analytics to review existing logistics process data.

According to the report from Changefirst, more than 40 percent of change managers believe at least a third of the financial gains could be attributable to change management activities alone. This means that, after nine months, for every £1 spent on change management these organisations were getting £6.50 as a return.

Top process improvement professionals in the energy sector met recently at the 2010 iSixSigma Live! Energy Forum for Process Excellence, May 24-27, in Houston. Presentations covered a broad range of topics – from innovation to leadership and getting started to giving back. Each of the topics was tailored to the specific needs of professionals in […]

The best-selling pocket guide for Six Sigma and Lean professionals has just got even better with the release of its long awaited 3rd Edition.

Tobyhanna Army Depot’s Communications Security Division (COMSEC), part of the Communications Systems Directorate, will submit an Enterprise Level Shingo package.

Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is a framework for business process improvement. Like any model, CMMI reflects one version of reality, and like most models, it may be more idealistic than realistic in some ways. Organizations can use the model as a jumping off point to create process improvement solutions that fit their unique development […]

By Elaine Schmidt Headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Hertel has operations in more than 20 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. The company offers construction, maintenance, modification and dismantling solutions at client sites, such as on- and off-shore oil and gas facilities, power plants and other specialized facilities. For Hertel employees, process […]

A new white paper, co-authored by Professor Alan Braithwaite, estimates that data inaccuracy among the top five retailers and their suppliers is costing as much as £1.4 billion per year – 1 percent of total revenue, and a considerably higher figure than previously estimated.

William Stone, a veteran of 27 years in OEM and tier-one automotive manufacturing, has been hired as the quality director of Grote Industries. Stone will lead the quality management team for the manufacturer and marketer of vehicle safety systems products.

As a Black Belt, I know it is easy to fall into the trap of working only on projects that cut costs. I also know that this type of “accounting” is a slippery slope that can cloud essential business goals by creating unfounded visions of savings. Don’t get me wrong – cutting expenses is important. […]

As rising industrial production drives the economic recovery, leading manufacturers detailed their successful rebound strategies at the 25th annual International Forum on Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA) in Providence, R.I.

Hard as it is to believe, July 4th is almost here, which means that the deadline for submissions for iSixSigma’s Best Places to Work – Monday, July 26, 2010 – is drawing near. Therecognition is an excellent opportunity for companies and employees to celebrate the strength of their Six Sigma programs. The purpose of iSixSigma’s […]

The June 14 issue of Fortune magazine featured an interview with Vanguard CEO William McNabb as a part of their C-Suite series. McNabb became CEO on August 31, 2008, two weeks before Lehman Brothers failed. Many more companies lost employees, customers, and certainly, a lot of money during the crisis. In contrast, Vanguard emerged stronger, […]

Rucker and Associates Inc. today announced the addition of Bonnie Smith to the consulting firm. Smith is a sought-after, dynamic speaker and author of numerous articles on the integration of Lean and Six Sigma. She joins Rucker with more than 15 years of experience, having played a pivotal role in creating the synthesis of Lean […]

One of the most memorable quotes from the movie The Graduate (1967), staring Dustin Hoffman, is the brief exchange between young Benjamin and a family friend, who offers the following advice: Mr. McGuire: I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Benjamin: Yes, sir. Mr. McGuire: Are you listening? Benjamin: Yes, I […]

A company’s profitability is mostly affected by three factors: the ability to produce quality products consistently, the efficiency with which products are produced and the ability to sell the products. Total quality control has a vigorous impact on each of these factors, and, therefore, profitability. Through careful analysis of customer wants and needs, a company […]

Since 2004, Sheriff John Rutherford has being fostering a culture of continuous improvement throughout the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO). With over 3000 employees having received initial roll out training, a full fledged division that bears the continuous improvement title, a dedicated steering committee comprised of top level executives to help ensure every project’s success, and […]

What is the best way to gain buy-in at a manufacturer that is resistant to culture change? iSixSigma spoke with Zack Chehaitli, Master Black Belt and director of continuous improvement for Sea Ray Boat Group, about his experience with Lean Six Sigma and how he helped bring continuous improvement principles to the boat manufacturing industry […]

Kimberly-Clark announced that it has named Jan Spencer, currently president of Kimberly-Clark Professional, as its new senior vice president, continuous improvement, sourcing and sustainability, according to a company press release.

During its graduation ceremony last week, UC Irvine Extension recognized Volkswagen de Mexico with its Partnership Award. This honor is bestowed on an organization that maintains a top-quality educational relationship with the institution.

The familiar maxim “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” has particular import for businesses committed to process improvement. For some companies, forging stronger, more collaborative relationships with suppliers and customers has become a natural, even necessary, part of their improvement efforts. “Early on, we knew that to create successful value streams, […]

A well-run event can be cathartic, exciting, and extremely effective. A poorly run one wastes a lot of people’s time, money, and at worst, vaporizes everyone’s motivation to support any future quality activities. In either case, you can be sure that people will spread the word about how it went.   In no particular order, […]

An introduction to eight apps, designed to serve as resources for Lean Six Sigma practitioners, available on Apple’s iTunes App Store.

Like many of the tools available for law enforcement officers today, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) process improvement methodologies are only as good as the officer’’s skill level, trained in its use. Firearms, TASERs, pepper spray, batons, are all examples of what law enforcement officers, the world over, are required to achieve proficiency with before hitting […]

Grote Industries, a world leader in high-performance LED lighting technology for the transportation industry, today announced that it has appointed William Stone to lead its existing quality management team from his new vantage point as quality director. Stone has 27 years of experience in OEM and tier-one automotive manufacturing environments, including eight years in multi-site […]

Recognizing accomplishments is an important part of a Lean Six Sigma deployment, both for the honor that it brings to the practitioners and for the visibility it brings to the program. Covidien plc, a $10 billion global leader in healthcare products, has embraced that concept wholeheartedly in its annual Bring Home the Gold competition. The […]

When facing an imminent layoff, what path should Six Sigma professionals with a technical background take to get into the information technology (IT) arena? This topic was brought up in a recent online conversation on the iSixSigma Discussion Forums. The suggestions included getting familiar with the capability maturity model (CMM), joining an IT organization, becoming […]

I have facilitated and experienced the benefits of Lean Six Sigma in both military and law enforcement. My experience tells me this. Everyone looking at making improvements, whether in the corporate setting, or in the public service sector, have one, and only one, main overarching project…figuring out how to get its workforce engaged enough to […]

In a move that validated the effectiveness of the Air Force tool used for continuous process improvement, J.D. Sicilia, the director of the Department of Defense, Lean Six Sigma program office, presented two Airmen with an award for winning a Defense-wide process excellence skills challenge that took place at the Department of Defense Performance Symposium […]