More on Six Sigma Training
Why Is
Six Sigma Training So Effective?
On the
surface, it may seem that the effectiveness of Six Sigma certification is due
to its reliance on scientific tools and techniques, but that is certainly not
true - because in reality, Six Sigma
training is more about following time-tested business practices rather than
just crunching statistical data.
The
scientific tools and techniques no doubt contribute a lot towards the success
of Six Sigma improvement projects, but they just cannot be taken as the sole
factors responsible for Six Sigma's effectiveness because they only compliment
the inherent logic underlining Six Sigma training and as such are no more than
a means to an end.
So what
really makes Six Sigma
so effective? Well, for that, you only have to take a closer look at the most
commonly utilized Six Sigma quality improvement methodology, i.e. DMAIC that
stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control.
Look out
for similarities between standard business practices and the DMAIC phases
stated above, some of which are described below.
The Define Phase
The
Define phase is quite similar to the standard business practice of identifying
common problems of a given business process with the aim to devise effective
solutions for overcoming the given problems and issues. It can easily be
compared with an entrepreneur's effort to improve the delivery systems of his
business by conducting a review of all the various major and minor components
of the overall delivery system.
The Measure Phase
If we
consider the above example, the Measure phase will seem no different from the
entrepreneur's effort to assess the negative impact that the identified problems
can potentially have on his overall business. This is quite necessary for the entrepreneur, because it is only then will he be able to
concentrate his efforts on overcoming problems that hold the most potential for
damage.
The Analyze Phase
The
Analyze phase is quite similar to the entrepreneur's effort to make a list of
all the available alternatives and test each of them individually to know which
alternative will work best for getting the desired results.
Just like
the entrepreneur would prefer, the Analyze phase too calls for selecting only
those alternatives for final implementation, which hold the most potential and
are cost-effective.
The Improve Phase