Six Sigma is a broad subject that is not easy to capture in an blog for me but it would be a pleasure to mention it as i understood it in my own words. The reason that i decided to write this in my blog is just to have precious experiences sharing from other great managers. There are a way more professional discussion forums on this topic but still here is a little participation...
The purpose for this to apply is to diagnose, understand, study the rate of occurrences, observe, improve and maintain or modify the system or training to establish a control and self check methodology.
There are two main concepts and one of them is DMAIC method as mentioned below:
Define
Measure
Analyze
Improve
Control
Usually, all companies setup their procedures through standardised operational documentation that needs to be followed by all departments. As the matter of fact there are times when those standards need to be revised in accordance to the changing demands or trends in the business world.
There could be several indications which can lead to the desire for reconsideration on the one or more steps or workmanship in the business. For example, when you examine abnormal declines in the business reports for longer than short term influences with or without proper justification, or when there is noticeable blocked incline in performance, or when there are sudden recorded complaints for poor services or goods. There is a need to investigate into the issue and there activates the methodology of DMAIC.
When implementing DMAIC, it is essential to be accurate at your findings as much as possible. One mistake could lead the whole investigation process towards another dimension.
DEFINE
As the first step to start the correction, define is to recognize, troubleshoot, diagnose or examine the core reason/s for the issues raised.
In order to trace down the causes, the most attached process should be examined, for example if there is a commodity that was delivered to a customer and the customer finds it damaged at the time of delivery then it should be examined in reverse process, i.e.
Shipping Service/Carrier
Loading, Unloading and Handling processes
Warehouse Handling, Packing and Loading
Final, Quality Testing
Measure
Measure is the tool to study number and duration of such occurrences from each process's point of view, i.e. How much more complaints a shipping service is receiving from all customers, kind of items, type of packaging etc. If there are not a lot of complaints to the shipping Service providers then the process falls back on the step one before it which is Warehouse Handling, Packing and Loading.
By measuring the data, a company can have much more filtered results and the areas which need to be analyzed and focused for that issue specifically.
Analyze
Then the team is directed to observe each step in the process or report any recent changes occurred in the procedures, or if there are changes in employees who are under training and could have missed to follow the standards etc.
As soon as the reason is found it should be reported and corrected immediately.
Improve
The management would investigate the details and reasons behind those occurrences and improve it by process, workmanship training or other factors involved.
Control
As soon as the trial period succeed with the new implemented procedures, the process should be added or revised in documentation and should also be added to standardized training procedures for existing and new employees.
This whole methodology will not only resolve the issues immediately but also would prevent these in future.
***If i have filled a glass of water from Ocean, should i call it water or an ocean***
