SIX SIGMA –
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Dr. A. BLANTON GODFREY
DEAN & JOSEPH D. MOORE PROFESSOR
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
JULY, 2002
FOCUS ON RESULTS
JULY, 2002
“Senior leadership, especially Jack
Welch, provided unyielding
commitment to get the initiative going
and ensure its continued success.
This will not be easy for other
companies to copy.”
Hoerl, Roger (2002), “An Inside Look at Six
Sigma at GE,” Six Sigma Forum Magazine, Vol.
1, No. 3, May, pages 35-44.
JULY, 2002
“Six Sigma was directed toward
specific, tangible objectives, including
financial objectives. The culture
changed as a result of delivering
tangible benefits, not because of a
focus on the culture itself.”
Hoerl, Roger (2002), “An Inside Look at Six Sigma
at GE,” Six Sigma Forum Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 3,
May, pages 35-44.
JULY, 2002
SIX SIGMA AT 3M
“Six Sigma is totally changing 3M. Many
of the things that had driven the success
of our company for the past eighty years
no longer apply.”
W. James McNerney, Jr. CEO, 3M Company, 25 June 2002
JULY, 2002
SIX SIGMA AT 3M
• 500 Black Belts and Master Black Belts “for ever
and ever”
• Each has a two-year assignment.
• All 28,000 salaried and technical people trained at
least at Green Belt level. Many hourly people
selected also for Green Belt training.
• Major goal is to have for first time common
approach to problem solving, new product
development, and measurement across entire
company.
W. James McNerney, Jr. CEO, 3M Company, 25 June 2002
JULY, 2002
SIX SIGMA AT 3M
•
•
•
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One process improvement methodology
One global business language
Sharing/leveraging worldwide
Best in company comparisons (45 divisions)
W. James McNerney, Jr. CEO, 3M Company, 25 June 2002
JULY, 2002
TWENTY KEY LESSONS LEARNED
1. The time is right.
2. The enthusiastic commitment of top management is
critical.
3. Develop an infrastructure.
4. Commit top people.
5. Invest in relevant hands-on training.
6. Select initial projects to build credibility quickly.
7. Make it all pervasive, and involve everybody.
8. Emphasize DFSS.
9. Don’t forget design for reliability.
10. Focus on the entire system.
Gerald J. Hahn, “20 Key Lessons Learned,” Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
JULY, 2002
TWENTY KEY LESSONS LEARNED
11. Emphasize customer CTQs (critical to quality).
12. Include commercial quality improvement.
13. Recognize all savings.
14. Customize to meet business needs.
15. Consider the variability as well as the mean.
16. Plan to get the right data.
17. Beware of dogmatism.
18. Avoid nonessential bureaucracy.
19. Keep the tool box vital.
20. Expect Six Sigma to become a more silent partner.
Gerald J. Hahn, “20 Key Lessons Learned,” Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
JULY, 2002
WHY SIX SIGMA
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•
•
•
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Intense competitive pressures – especially from rapid
globalization.
Greater consumer demand for high quality products and
services, little tolerance for failures of any type.
Top management (and stockholder) recognition of the
high costs of poor quality.
The availability and accessibility of large data bases
and our increasing ability to explore, understand, and
use the data.
The existences of high-quality software tools that make
sophisticated analyses practical.
Gerald J. Hahn, “20 Key Lessons Learned,” Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
JULY, 2002
SELECTING THE RIGHT PROJECTS
•
Assure that the importance of the projects is
evident or can be readily demonstrated.
•
Assure the projects are viable and doable in a
short time (preferably less than three months).
•
Assure that the success of the projects can be
readily quantified.
Gerald J. Hahn, “20 Key Lessons Learned,” Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
JULY, 2002
SELECTING THE RIGHT PROJECTS
•
Assure that the importance of the projects is
evident or can be readily demonstrated.
•
Assure the projects are viable and doable in a
short time (preferably less than three months).
•
Assure that the success of the projects can be
readily quantified.
Gerald J. Hahn, “20 Key Lessons Learned,” Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
JULY, 2002
RELEVANT, HANDS-ON TRAINING
•
Ensure trainers are knowledgeable and outstanding
communicators.
•
Customize the training, especially the examples for the
needs of the specific business.
•
Ensure that the common vocabulary of Six Sigma is
retained – an essential for expediting communications.
•
Incorporate hands-on involvement. Make Six Sigma
projects part of the training.
•
Consider engaging external gurus to expedite Six
Sigma introduction.
JULY, 2002
Gerald J. Hahn, “20 Key Lessons Learned,” Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
FINAL THOUGHTS
• Evolution not revolution
• Serious commitment required
• Results can be stunning
JULY, 2002