The Six Sigma Process Improvement Methodology Phases: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
The Evolution of LEAN:
1940s
The Foundation to LEAN - Training Within
Industry: The Origin of Japanese
Management and Kaizen
Job Instruction
Job Methods
Job Relations
Program Development
1950s 1970s
SPC
TQM
Quality Circles
Dr. Edwards Deming
Joseph Juran
Kaoru Ishikawa
Eiji Toyoda
Taichi Ohno
Shigeo Shingo
Toyota Production System
Just-In-Time
Continuous Flow Manufacturing
World Class Manufacturing
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2000
THE MACHINE THAT CHANGED THE
WORLD
Womack, Jones, & Roos
MITs $5M, 5-year study of Japanese,
American, and European automobile
assembly plans
DEFINE Phase - Objective: To identify the business improvement opportunity, define critical customer
requirements, map the high level processes and value stream map and build effective team
According to The Six Sigma Way, there are two elements that are critical to the closed-loop business (Six Sigma) system.
1. Finding out which X variables have the most influence on the Y variables
2. A company must use the changes in Y variables to regulate the organization and keep it running right.
Problem/ Opportunity Definition
COMPLETE and DETAILED description of the problem that needs to be solved or a potential opportunity that needs to be exploited
- Should NOT contain causes or solutions
- Must remain FOCUSED on the problem or the opportunity
Translating the Customer Needs - CTS : Critical To SATISFACTION
- CTQ : Critical To QUALITY
- CTD : Critical To DELIVERY
- CTC : Critical To COST
The KEY to Critical-to-Satisfaction (CTSs) issues is to make them MEASURABLE!
Ways to identify Critical-To-Satisfaction Issues:
Direct contact a small representative group.
ASK THE CUSTOMER (Surveys, Face-to-face, etc)
Received requests or demands
Performance Scorecards
KANO MODEL
Listen to the Voice of the Customer (VOC)
QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT (QFD): Also referred to as the House of Quality
A process for product planning and development in which the key customer wants and needs are deployed throughout
the organization in all stages of the product development.
Lean Principle #1: SPECIFY VALUE IN THE EYES OF THE CUSTOMER
A LEAN enterprise thinks more about its customers than it does about running machines fast to absorb labor and overhead
Whenever there is a product for a customer, there is a value stream. The challenge lies in seeing it.
Definition of Value Added activities: These are activities that the customer is willing to pay for. Activities that:
Queue Time The time the unit seats idle, waiting for
processing
Number of Operators= Total Work Content/ Takt Time Example: Number of Operators = 10/3.9=2.7 ~ 3 operators
Though Map (T-map): Graphical representation of your thought process and approach to assist you in satisfying your project goals.
Iterative process - used throughout your project and updated as you go!
It typically includes:
Questions asked
Decisions made
Problem Statement
Barriers encountered
Answer/ Knowledge obtained
Resources needed
Tools used
Data collected
Project Charter - The official record of each project. A LIVING document requiring ongoing updating
Supplier Input Process Output Customer (SIPOC) Form of Process mapping
The four classifications of process inputs are: Critical, Controllable, SOP and Noise
Project Objectives: In measurable terms, what is the project trying to accomplish
Realistic goals must be SMART
Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Timely
LEAN Principle #2: IDENTIFY VALUE STREAM
-
Value Stream Mapping is a method of visually mapping ("from door to door) the sequence and movement of materials, production
activities, and information
The process includes physically mapping the "current state" while also focusing on where we want to be, or our "future state"
blueprint, which can serve as the foundation for other LEAN improvement strategies
A pencil and paper tool that requires physically observing the factory floor
A tool that highlights where waste is and then develops a plan to eliminate it
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A flowchart
Cause &
Effect
Diagram
Basic
Flowchart
Scatter
Diagram
Control
Chart
Important Notes
Provide a complete description for the categories leaving
little/no room for confusion between the categories.
A bi-modal or multi-modal distribution is almost always a sign
of a special cause of variation in the process or in the data
collection technique
The team or organization should focus on the vital few (those
items with the highest levels) and not the trivial many (those
with the lowest levels).
Proves 20% of problems cause 80% of impact.
Inputs can often be sorted into 6 categories (the 6 Ms)
Method, Mother Nature, Material, Manpower, Machine,
and Measurement
Also called Fishbone or Ishikawa Diagram.
The detail that should be put into a flowchart depends on
how it will be used.
If investigating dependence, set the independent variable on
the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis.
Control charts are used to assess whether a process is stable
and in-control; not whether it is in-spec
In Eliyahu M. Goldratts Theory of Constraint concept, a constraint is any factor that limits the performance of a system with respect to
its goal. Constraints are physical or systemic limits on capacity (such as equipment, people, new product development, "the market")
Any business system has:
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Taking key items away from people which are used frequently
ANALYZE Phase - Objective: To understand the sources for variation and waste, identify potential root causes,
and stratify and analyze the opportunities for improvement.
In the Analyze Phase:
We examine process maps for Non-Value Added Elements and
We use data to find patterns, trends, and differences that suggest, support, or reject theories about the causes of defects
We can decide what type of chart to use based on: 1) The types of data we have (or)
2) What is counted (Defects, Defectives, Individuals, Subgroups)
Provides information for a Failure Modes & Effects Analysis and Process Capability Assessment
Some of the benefits are:
Ensure customer requirements are being addressed
Ensure the process is putting the right emphasis on the right requirements
Identify process steps that have the greatest impact on the customer requirements
Filter the number of process steps used in the FMEA
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is systematic approach for identifying, analyzing, prioritizing and documenting
potential failure modes, their effects on system, product, process performance and the possible causes of failures
Failure Mode - In what ways does the process step or input go wrong?
Failure Effect - What is the impact on the Key Output Variables
(Customer Requirements) or internal requirements?
Severity - How Severe is the effect to the customer?
Cause - What causes the process step to go wrong?
Occurrence - How often does cause or failure mode occur?
Current Controls What are the existing controls and procedures
(inspection and test) that prevent either the cause or the failure mode?
Detection - How well can you detect cause or failure mode?
Risk Priority Number (RPN) = Severity Rating X Occurrence Rating X
Detection rating
The 5 Whys is a question-asking technique used to explore the root cause of a defect or problem. Ask WHY? until a question
can no longer be answered >>> Avoid the perceived immediacy
Push: Resources are provided to the consumer based on forecasts or schedules Controlling the flow of resources by replacing
only what has been consumed
Pull: Controlling the flow of resources by replacing only what has been consumed
Supermarket:
A supply of parts are stored near the cell / line and as these parts are used, they are replenished by the upstream process
Pitch
Analyzing the Value Stream- 8 typical questions regarding the value stream
1. What is Takt Time? TAKT Time = Available Time/ Customer Demand
Takt time links production to the customer by matching the pace of production (pacemaker processes) to the pace of actual sales
2. Will we produce directly to Shipping, or will we produce to a finished goods Supermarket?
Depends on the type of customer and the nature of the product.
Build to a Supermarket if
customer demand varies widely
the range of finished part numbers requiring changeovers in the Product Family is small, and
the product is small enough and cheap enough to store cost effectively
Alternatively, build directly to Shipping if the product
has many custom features
is of very high Value
is very bulky, or is subject to spoiling
3. Where can we introduce Continuous Flow?
We can only introduce continuous (or single-piece) flow when:
Processing technologies can be scaled to run at Takt Time, and
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Every activity upstream produces only to a precise replenishment signal from the next downstream Process.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Hoshin Planning is an Executive-level process for developing and achieving business plans, whereby the plan and its related goals are
deployed throughout the organization. The focus is on strategic, breakthrough priorities, developing appropriate implementation plans
for all to follow, and deploying those plans throughout the organization.
In Hoshin Planning, Catchball means communication, socializing ideas. It is a process of aligning hoshins between levels, through the
use of factual (root/cause) analysis.
IMPROVE Phase - Objective: To generate and implement creative solutions that will eliminate the causes of
problems, reduce the variation and waste in a process, or prevent a problem from recurring
IMPROVE Phase Steps:
1. Generate creative solution ideas
2. Select a solution
3. Pilot test
4. Implement full-scale
A decision matrix allows decision makers to structure, then solve their problem by:
1. specifying and prioritizing their needs with a list a criteria; then
2. evaluating, rating, and comparing the different solutions; and
3. selecting the best matching solution.
Improved FMEA: We can improve the rate of occurrence and our detection ability, but the severity rating can only change if the
customers change their expectations/ requirements
Force Field Analysis specifically can . . .
Determine if a proposed change can get needed support
Identify obstacles to successful solutions
Suggest actions to reduce the strength of the obstacles
The Impact/Effort Matrix provides a visually graphic depiction of the trade-offs between the impact that an alternative will probably
have toward resolving the problem, and the effort required.
Kanban: A Japanese word that means "instruction card". It is a Lean Pull device that allows an efficient means to transfer parts from
one department to another and automatically reorder products using minimum/maximum inventory levels.
Quality at the Source: The development of a proactive culture is needed in quality at the source, and a mind-set of error prevention
rather than reaction to problems should be taught. It is an approach to quality that places the responsibility for preventing or detecting
errors in the hands of the operator, or at the point of build.
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Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is an initiative for optimizing the effectiveness of manufacturing equipment.
Productive: do the maintenance job while producing or at least minimizing the impact on production
CONTROL Phase - Objective: To guarantee process and value stream improvements are maintained,
disseminate lessons learned, and identify standardization opportunities
CONTROL Phase:
Project has been completed.
Process Inputs are
controlled.
Sponsor and Process Owners
agree.
Control Plan is in place.
Improvement Gains will be
sustained.
Control Methods
Standard Operating Procedures
Statistical Process Controls
Checklists
Troubleshooting Guides
Automated Processes Controls
Controlled Documentation
Mistake-proofing Methods
Standardized Work
Transition to the Process Owners: If the adequate controls are not in place prior to turning the process back to its owners, the time and
effort spent making the improvements are simply wasted.
RASCI Model: Roles & Responsibilities
RESPONSIBLE: The doer
ACCOUNTABLE: The buck stops here
SUPPORTIVE: The lending hand
CONSULTED: The reference point
INFORMED: The need to know
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Structural Inertia
Parochial self-interest
Misunderstanding
Threat to expertise
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