SIX SIGMA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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SIX SIGMA EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Dr. A. BLANTON GODFREY DEAN JOSEPH D. MOORE
PROFESSOR NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
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FOCUS ON RESULTS
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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.
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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.
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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
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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

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SIX SIGMA AT 3M

• 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
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TWENTY KEY LESSONS LEARNED

• The time is right.
• The enthusiastic commitment of top management is
  critical.
• Develop an infrastructure.
• Commit top people.
• Invest in relevant hands-on training.
• Select initial projects to build credibility
  quickly.
• Make it all pervasive, and involve everybody.
• Emphasize DFSS.
• Dont forget design for reliability.
• Focus on the entire system.

•  

Gerald J. Hahn, 20 Key Lessons Learned, Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
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TWENTY KEY LESSONS LEARNED

• Emphasize customer CTQs (critical to quality).
• Include commercial quality improvement.
• Recognize all savings.
• Customize to meet business needs.
• Consider the variability as well as the mean.
• Plan to get the right data.
• Beware of dogmatism.
• Avoid nonessential bureaucracy.
• Keep the tool box vital.
• 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.
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WHY SIX SIGMA

• 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.

•  

Gerald J. Hahn, 20 Key Lessons Learned, Six
Sigma Forum Magazine, May 2002, pages 28-34.
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FINAL THOUGHTS

• Evolution not revolution
• Serious commitment required
• Results can be stunning