Six Sigma help

[stevieb]

I attended a meeting a major client (Central Government) last week, but they are looking for all suppliers to apply SixSigma to the work that we carry out. Given that i am a one man band going up against multinational consultants. I have worked hard to get on this list of 20 companies.

Can anyone recommend me a book or a website for which i can readup on SixSigma?

normally i am not that worried about jumping these hoops but the work is a 7 figure sum over 3 years and could be the final breakthrough i need as an independent consultant to start my own practice employing more people.

[Ash 996 GT2]

A quick google and this came up:-

http://www.businessballs.com/sixsigma.htm

Hope it helps.

[davepoth]

You'll need to be a Black Belt I imagine. It's a complete Crock of st though - basically it's explaining to stupid people how you are supposed to define issues properly before you fix them to make sure you find the right problem.

[Hairy Cornflake]

Stevieb, its not just as simple as reading a book. This is a full problem solving technique. You need to get yourself enrolled on a Six Sigma Blackbelt course and buy some software Minitab or the such.

You will be competing against experienced Blackbelts or even Master Blackbelts.

It sounds like a good contract but might have come at a too early stage for you. The other option is to use an experienced affiliate.

If you need more information pm me.

HTH

[stevieb]

Hairy Cornflake said:

Stevieb, its not just as simple as reading a book. This is a full problem solving technique. You need to get yourself enrolled on a Six Sigma Blackbelt course and buy some software Minitab or the such.

You will be competing against experienced Blackbelts or even Master Blackbelts.

It sounds like a good contract but might have come at a too early stage for you. The other option is to use an experienced affiliate.

If you need more information pm me.

HTH

I know its not as simple as reading a book. But I am the lead Partner (2 others are working with me), i just want to guage how hard it would be for us to adopt, and if it is reasonably straightforward, we are willing to pay for a specilist consultant to work along side us.

Also no other companies have applied the SixSigma Principles to my field of work. It has been put forward as a possbile strategy to manage the quality of our works. We have got ISO 9001 certification which was a big plus for us being so small.

Edited by stevieb on Wednesday 17th November 16:15

[Simpo Two]

Hairy Cornflake said:

Stevieb, its not just as simple as reading a book. This is a full problem solving technique.

Off the wall - if 'Six Sigma' is any good why do we/the country have so many problems?

[ShadownINja]

"Blackbelts" "Master Blackbelts"

Do the originators ever listen to themselves talk? I bet they are the comperes of bullst bingo games that their employees play in their meetings. The true David Brents of the business world.

[ShadownINja]

Simpo Two said:

Hairy Cornflake said:

Stevieb, its not just as simple as reading a book. This is a full problem solving technique.

Off the wall - if 'Six Sigma' is any good why do we/the country have so many problems?

They send in Six Sigma Grandmaster Ninjas for the problems. They will be rolled out in 2012 when the Olympics dies a death.

[Hairy Cornflake]

stevieb said:

Hairy Cornflake said:

Stevieb, its not just as simple as reading a book. This is a full problem solving technique. You need to get yourself enrolled on a Six Sigma Blackbelt course and buy some software Minitab or the such.

You will be competing against experienced Blackbelts or even Master Blackbelts.

It sounds like a good contract but might have come at a too early stage for you. The other option is to use an experienced affiliate.

If you need more information pm me.

HTH

I know its not as simple as reading a book. But I am the lead Partner (2 others are working with me), i just want to guage how hard it would be for us to adopt, and if it is reasonably straightforward, we are willing to pay for a specilist consultant to work along side us.



Also no other companies have applied the SixSigma Principles to my field of work. It has been put forward as a possbile strategy to manage the quality of our works. We have got ISO 9001 certification which was a big plus for us being so small.

Edited by stevieb on Wednesday 17th November 16:15

Without knowing your field of work, Six Sigma is the reduction of variation in a process until it has a long term statistical capability, Cpk of 2.0, or in other words the process only produces 3.4 defects per million opportunities. It can be applied to most processes. Whether it is the right tool for this job, only you will know, but you will need to make substantial savings from using this tool for it to be worthwhile.

Edited by Hairy Cornflake on Wednesday 17th November 16:32

[Podie]

Hairy Cornflake said:

stevieb said:

Hairy Cornflake said:

Stevieb, its not just as simple as reading a book. This is a full problem solving technique. You need to get yourself enrolled on a Six Sigma Blackbelt course and buy some software Minitab or the such.

You will be competing against experienced Blackbelts or even Master Blackbelts.

It sounds like a good contract but might have come at a too early stage for you. The other option is to use an experienced affiliate.

If you need more information pm me.

HTH

I know its not as simple as reading a book. But I am the lead Partner (2 others are working with me), i just want to guage how hard it would be for us to adopt, and if it is reasonably straightforward, we are willing to pay for a specilist consultant to work along side us.



Also no other companies have applied the SixSigma Principles to my field of work. It has been put forward as a possbile strategy to manage the quality of our works. We have got ISO 9001 certification which was a big plus for us being so small.

Edited by stevieb on Wednesday 17th November 16:15

Without knowing your field of work, Six Sigma is the reduction of variation in a process until it has a long term statistical capability, Cpk of 2.0, or in other words the process only produces 3.4 defects per million opportunities. It can be applied to most processes. Whether it is the right tool for this job, only you will know, but you will need to make substantial savings from using this tool for it to be worthwhile.

Edited by Hairy Cornflake on Wednesday 17th November 16:32

It's fine in a manufacturing situation where you're making millions of parts, but the bdisation to make it an alternative form of project management is pretty dire (IMO).

[I Love Lamp]

I've used these guys, top quality, pretty sure six sigma is their specialist area

http://www.100pceffectivetraining.com/

My contact there is Chris, so probably worth giving him a shout.

Edited by I Love Lamp on Wednesday 17th November 17:04

[plg]

Works well for process and system optimisation as "one tool" in a kitbag of tools...

Problem is it gets treated as a panacea, or worse still, misused and mandated on inappropriate programmes.

Large, complex, repeated process that has clearly defined inputs, process and outputs, where repetition is in the 1000's-millions. Great, looks at six sigma.

Complex project to manage, or small scale, complex processes that require judgement by people as you go through - by all means look at elements of six sigma, but please don't enforce it's use.

[northandy]

plg said:

Works well for process and system optimisation as "one tool" in a kitbag of tools...

Problem is it gets treated as a panacea, or worse still, misused and mandated on inappropriate programmes.

Large, complex, repeated process that has clearly defined inputs, process and outputs, where repetition is in the 1000's-millions. Great, looks at six sigma.

Complex project to manage, or small scale, complex processes that require judgement by people as you go through - by all means look at elements of six sigma, but please don't enforce it's use.

Well said, I am a certified 6sigma BB but I agree totally that it's not suitable in some situations, which makes it farcical when you are forced to pretend it's a 6sigma project you are running.

[stevieb]

plg said:

Works well for process and system optimisation as "one tool" in a kitbag of tools...

Problem is it gets treated as a panacea, or worse still, misused and mandated on inappropriate programmes.

Large, complex, repeated process that has clearly defined inputs, process and outputs, where repetition is in the 1000's-millions. Great, looks at six sigma.

Complex project to manage, or small scale, complex processes that require judgement by people as you go through - by all means look at elements of six sigma, but please don't enforce it's use.

Thank you. That sums it up for me. 80% of our work is bespoke development. And only small parts repeatable. I will have a look to see what can be applied but a common sense approach maybe more appropriate

[plg]

Thanks

Just my view; our company are heavily into LEAN/Six Sigma, though we are also quite pragmatic. Projects and improvements are about having the right set of tools and knowing when to apply which one. Jigsaws are great, but good for detail work of complexity. 18" petrol powered angle grinders are great for cutting a hole in a concrete wall. But misapply the tools and the outcome won't be the one you want...

Edit to add: a basic "yellow belt" or similar would allow you to demonstrate that you are applying "six sigma thinking" and "concepts" - and be true - without needing to adopt a full blown and inappropriate methodology to the task in hand.

Edited by plg on Wednesday 17th November 21:44

[Tallow]

Hi there,

I know I'm a bit late putting my two cents in here, but we have to use six sigma extensively at my place. It was something we had to learn too (admittedly a while back now), and something that was, and is, critical to our company and the expectations of our customers.
To be honest, I would say at the stage you are at, black belt training would probably be a bit OTT (I've not encountered anyone doing that in a small company although I'm sure it must happen).
People have to understad about 6 sigma in the context of the products we sell (the reasons are not that interesting so I won't elaborate unless anyone really wants to know why, which I doubt) and that means that Application Engineers and Sales Engineers need at least have a basic understanding. A while ago we looked at books that would be easy to introduce the basics of it to those that needed it, and the two we chose are below. They're not too long or wordy and would almost certainly give you the starting info you need.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Getting-Started-Sigma-Mich...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Six-Sigma-Peter-Pande...

HTH

[Simpo Two]

Tell them you're Seven Sigma.


I bet China doesn't bother with this nonsense. They just make stuff, sell it and get rich. It's that easy.

[Tallow]

Whilst I agree that instigating procedures for the sake of ticking a box is a complete waste of time (lots of companies do this with ISO9001 for instance), there is some benefit to be had in the implementation of six sigma, but I'd say it depends on the type of business you're in.
As Hairy Cornflake mentioned, it is about dramatically reducing the amount of defects generated in a process. That's particularly useful in manufacturing: Whilst the Chinese may well have a large manufacturing output, it's probably fair to say that their quality control and procedures are lagging behind most western manufacturing economies (perhaps with the exception of Chinese made products where the OEM has implemented such procedures for their local suppliers such as cars and consumer electronics that is)...

[johnfm]

Simpo Two said:

Tell them you're Seven Sigma.


I bet China doesn't bother with this nonsense. They just make stuff, sell it and get rich. It's that easy.

yeah, they probably make all those ipads, computers and watches in a tin hut out of straw and old paperclips too.

[Carrot]

Ah good old Sigma.

Bullst speakers teaching retards how to be bigger retards.

Having watched them ruin two previous companies that I worked for, I have nothing but contempt for it. All offence intended.