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As humans, we often seek insight by way of reasoning.  In this case, we are concerned with the reasoning of a “skeptic.”  Referencing the standard dictionary (Excel version), we define a skeptic as “somebody who questions the validity or truth of things that most people accept.”  Of little surprise, it would be generally accepted that […]

Simply stated, an opportunity is merely a set of conditions favorable to some end. In view of the two possible fates of a (critical to quality) CTQ – success or failure – we have the idea of a yield opportunity and that of a defect opportunity. Since one is merely the flip side of the other […]

One must necessarily understand that the short-term standard deviation reports on the “instantaneous reproducibility” of a process whereas the long-term standard deviation reflects the “sustainable reproducibility.”  To this end, the short-term standard deviation is comprised of the “within group” sums-of-squares (SSW).  The long-term standard deviation incorporates the “total” sums-of-squares (SST).  Of course, the difference between […]

The simpliest form of an answer to each of your questions is “yes.”  There does exist an ever-present danger that Six Sigma will become diluted.  In fact, there are many signs that it has already happened.  For example, many business executives now see Six Sigma as a commodity.  So what is driving a lot of […]

The best metrics are those that correlate to your business goals. If you are uncertain as to the extent of correlation – measure it.

To me, the ideology of Six Sigma will evolve in two distinct by complementary directions.  The first will be a focus on value creation, not just cost reduction and quality improvement.  The second will be an implosion of Six Sigma to the personal level.  I have been working with these two perspectives for quite some […]

The following references will provide a very nice overview of the field – from general theory to in-depth case studies: 1) Six Sigma: The Breakthrough Management Strategy Revolutionizing the World’s Top Corporations by Mikel J. Harry, Ph.D. and Richard Schroeder, Doubleday 2000. 2) Six Sigma Leadership Handbook by Rath and Strong Staff, John Wiley & […]

Of considerable interest, this concept often mystifies newcomers to field of Six Sigma. As you already surmised, the referenced charts rely upon the assumption of a unilateral specification (single-sided performance requirement). From a defect accounting point-of-view, it should be fairly obvious that a unilateral (one-sided) specification must be treated as a single defect category. However, a bilateral (two-sided) […]

Imagine working for a corporation that is operating at an overall quality level of about Six Sigma.  In terms of capability, this means that the company would be about 1,800 times better than the average organization (about Four Sigma).  So, what would such a difference be like?  If it existed, what would not need to […]

Like that of water and potassium.

In my recollection, two recurring questions have dominated the field of six sigma.  The first inquiry can be described by the global question: “Why 6s and not some other level of capability?”  The second inquiry is more molecular.  It can be summarized by the question: “Where does the 1.5s shift factor come from – and […]

The following is a list of some “big dos.”  Just flip things around to answer your question. 1) The project targets only one CTQ (for purposes of improvement).2) The target CTQ should be measurable – conveniently and economically so.3) The CTQ should have a well-defined set of performance standards.4) The CTQ should not involve destructive […]

By the nature of your question, I would assume you are a quality professional of some type or form – especially now that you provide consulting services within this arena.  I find it most interesting that you have only three years experience as a quality practitioner, but now serve as a quality consultant.  Given such […]

Today, very few corporate executives believe that TQM is a viable system of business management.  To this point, a 1996 study titled “Measuring Performance After Meeting Award Criteria” was published in Quality Progress magazine.  The conclusions were quite apparent – the impact of TQM practices may not be nearly as significant as some think.  After […]

Having originated the term “Black Belt” at Unisys Corporation in 1986, pioneered its development at Motorola’s Six Sigma Research Institute in 1990, focused its purpose at Asea Brown Boveri in 1993, delivered its promise at Allied Signal in 1994, and set its destiny at General Electric in 1995, it should stand without saying that this […]

The main difficulties can be extracted from the following assertions: 1) Everyone is a “decision maker,” but every decision requires consensus. 2) The purse strings are many, and so are the knots. 3) The phrase “just around the corner” means there are more corners. 4) The words “yes” and “no” are fully interchangeable — and […]

It is now late in the evening as I prepare an answer to your question.  Maybe it’s the fatigue after a day of providing answers or perhaps it’s the nature of the question, but what really grabs me about your question (perhaps in the wrong way) is the word “tools.”  From a different perspective, I […]

Based on the elements of your question, I would say that your problem could be readily shaped into a Black Belt project.  I would assume that a Pareto analysis has already been conducted. As a more advanced diagnostic, you should consider employing a multi-vari chart.  Although simple in nature, such a chart has considerable power.  […]

As most of the world already knows, nothing sells better than sex, money, and hope.  Since sex would appear to have little to do with Six Sigma, we should focus on the merits of money and hope.  Most generally, top management gains “hope” when it smells “money.”  This principle seems to hold true regardless of […]

Reference the quality literature on statistical process control, also known as “SPC.”  There are many excellent books on the subject, particularly the one by “Grant and Levenworth.”  Process improvement and optimization is often accomplished by way of statistically designed experiments, or “DOE” as it is known.  To this end, the work of “George Box” is […]

No, this is not a challenge; it’s called “dreaming.”  You have to be joking – a six sigma project (over the phone) with little management support – and you are asking me if it will be successful?  My best advice is for you to; a) approach your management in a courteous way, and then b) […]

We must always remember that the power brokers within and external to a corporation are the ones who render judgment about the success or failure of some initiative. Simply stated, the power brokers are only concerned with one matter – demonstrated results that are overtly visible and economically aligned with larger aims, not hidden somewhere […]

First, there is a great deal of literature on this subject – find it and read it.  However, there is no substitute for direct experience.  Of course, this is directly related to the old saying “we learn by doing.”  Along these lines, I would strongly recommend that you further your Six Sigma training and education […]

From my perspective, this is not a Six Sigma problem.  However, it does seem to be a management problem.  The motivational issue will likely disappear with some proactive leadership.  The difficulty you are have in relating your issues to the bottom line is likely due to the nature of your accounting system (i.e., a mismatch […]

The following references will provide a very nice overview of the field – from general theory to in-depth case studies: 1) “Six Sigma: The Breakthrough Management Strategy Revolutionizing the World’s Top Corporations” by Mikel J. Harry, Ph.D. and Richard Schroeder, Doubleday 2000. 2) “Jack Welch and the GE Way: Management Insights and Leadership Secrets of […]

Sometime in the not too distant past, I recall that Quality Progress magazine reported on a study that considered annualized Black Belt earnings.  For the exact information on this, you would obviously have to reference the original article.  However, my less-than-perfect memory seems to inform me that a Black Belt earns about $9K(US) to $10K(US) […]

Seems to me that you have described a traditional quality improvement project. Based on the elements of your question, it is my understanding that: 1) Each “drawing feature” constitutes a “defect opportunity.” 2) The customer’s minimum expectation was a quality level of .99, per feature. 3) The pre-project quality was found to .995, per feature […]

I assume that you are referring to the “quantitative” variety.  In this regard, I believe that benchmarking is a highly valuable activity.  For example, consider the “sigma-tizing” of a business.  Let us suppose a certain corporation discovers that it is a 3.5 sigma business.  Now suppose that the same company finds one of its competitors […]

The attempted integration of Six Sigma with other technologies is quite natural, although often unsuccessful.  Perhaps it is only instinctive that people try to blend the benefits of several different approaches into a single entity (per se).  After all, such a thing is seemingly quite rational.  More to the point, it is often believed that […]

A central aspect of six sigma is an eight-step approach for achieving dramatic improvement at different levels of the business.  The process is given by the acronym RDMAICSI – Recognize, Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control, Standardize, and Integrate.  As a short cut, many just apply DMAIC. At a top management level, it functions as a […]

The idea of a not-for-profit organization is eloquently simple – it does not operate for a profit.  Some people falsely believe that the very nature of such organizations necessarily implies some type of complexity that prohibits or otherwise precludes its involvement in the world of Six Sigma.  When it comes to implementing improvements in not-for-profit […]

Personally speaking, I agree with all your points – and many others that are not specifically called out.  For example, it is my humble opinion that the recent trend of certifying Black Belts (not excluding Green Belts) has the potential to alienate the various roles of Six Sigma from the pressing needs of a corporation. […]

Please reference this previous question.  This question and answer examines how to select a “good” Six Sigma consultant.  In summary, you must consider the consultant’s credentials.  In the consulting business, credentials are everything – plain and simple.  If a consultant does not have the necessary credentials, they should not be considered (for anything).  Following is […]

In terms of a Six Sigma Deployment and Implementation (SSDI), it is a natural tendency for newcomers to infer huge differences between a small and large business.  However, it is quite often the case that several “small businesses” defines a larger corporation.  From this perspective, the process for installing Six Sigma does not change (in […]

Simply stated, the deployment of Six Sigma in a single functional area (to the permanent exclusion of others) will most likely not succeed.  Generally speaking, Six Sigma is an “all or nothing” proposition.  However, if the overall deployment and implementation plan (for the total organization) calls for a staggered but comprehensive rollout over time, then […]

To begin, recall that a critical-to-quality characteristic (CTQ) is a vital product design feature (e.g., the strength of a material).  Naturally, we recognize that the product (per se) does not necessarily have to be a piece of hardware – it can be anything (e.g., a software program, a delivered service, a financial transaction, a social […]

Many quality practitioners treat product and process capability as if they were interchangeable concepts.  Presumably, this convention has evolved over time due to the naturally strong correlation between the two.  However, it would not be my recommendation to view these two concepts in the same light. At the risk of leading a dead horse to […]

Over time, there has been very fine debate (both positive and negative) surrounding the 1.5 sigma shift.  As such, the on-going discussion well serves the need to “keep the idea alive,” so to speak.  To this end, I have recently completed a small book on the subject, soon to be available on iSixSigma.  The title […]

The best way to develop a CTQ tree is the form of a cause-and-effect matrix.  Locate CTQ’s on columns and CTP’s on rows.  Each column-row intersect constitutes a “causal opportunity,” the strength of which must be rationally measured or otherwise evaluated.

During the period extending from 1985 to 1995, many executives in the United States said the same thing about Six Sigma – its just a fad and will “blow over” in a couple of years.  Well, its still alive and growing – even in Europe and Asia.  My personal take on this subject is quite […]

A really good way to begin your journey is to sell top management on the need for a “due diligence” investigation of Six Sigma.  Do not try to directly sell Six Sigma – only the “need” for conducting an investigation into the merits of Six Sigma, as well as the supporting practices.  Uncovering the various […]

I know this may seem somewhat self-evident, but have you considered doing a simple literature review to answer your own question?  So much is out there on the Internet – the available information is like water drops in a world-wide rainstorm.  At this point in the life cycle of Six Sigma, a great many people […]

A Black Belt curriculum cannot, by any stretch, be considered to possess the same level of tool mastery as, say, statisticians or quality engineers (CQE).  In true self-fulfilling manner, the more certain professionals try to circumscribe the Black Belt role with the notion of tool mastery, the more they form the notion that Black Belts […]

Personally, I believe you should consider a “train-the-trainer” program – especially if you have no prior teaching experience.  Its one thing to know the material, its quite another to teach it.  Believe me, you quickly discover how much you don’t know about a subject when you first start teaching.  You will simply be amazed at […]

I would strongly recommend that you do some “personal due diligence” on the Internet.  Reference such words as “Six Sigma Training.”  Many articles have been written on the support roles of Six Sigma.  Past issues of such magazines as “Quality Progress” will have information on the subject.  Pick up the phone and call a Six […]

In principle, I am rationally opposed to Black Belt certifications, as are many other business executives.  However, I do believe that it is important to document the scope and depth of one’s knowledge in a given field of study.  But to the counter of this, we must concede that the position of a Black Belt […]

Plain and simple, the illusive key to the realization of six sigma is knowledge. In today’s economy, the capability to harness and deploy knowledge constitutes an essential form of power. It is a form of power than can develop the momentum for and delivery of quantum change. Knowledge represents a corporation’s greatest source of leverage, […]

Please bear in mind that Six Sigma (per se) is not a career.  Although certain roles have been well defined (such as Black Belt, Green Belt, Champion, and so on), these positions are not permanent jobs or career positions.  They are temporary assignments for those classified as being “high potential.”  Having a degree in business […]

Personally, I believe the potential for “learning at home” is awesome these days.  I like the look and feel of it because all of the knowledge, information, communication, and analytical resources I need are within arms reach — right in my office.  This level of augmentation would be very difficult to consistently provide for in […]

I find it most interesting that you experienced “typical” success in several other areas of the organization, but not within the sales function.  Were hard goals not established for this area?  Was this area not emphasized during the course of deployment planning?  Does this area lack leadership?  Should the sales personnel work on improving their […]