Foundations

Course
expectations
• To develop an understanding of
concepts which serve as a
foundation to understanding and
implementing Six Sigma
• Awareness with respect to origin and
history of Six Sigma.
• The utility and benefits
• Introduction to Six Sigma as
methodology
• The Six Sigma organization
 Contents
ƒ What is a process?
ƒ Processes at different leve`ls
Process health indicators – Measures
ƒ The dashboard
ƒ Baking better cakes – DMAIC Conceptually
ƒ Six Sigma – What, History, Organizational
Charts

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Processes
A process is a naturally occurring or designed sequence of steps or events which produces
some outcome.

A step in a process is a specific task

Pre-heat Gather Prepare frosting Bake batter in

Prepare Batter
Oven ingredients ‘or’ icing Oven for xx mins.

Process Step 1 Process Step 2 Process Step 3 Process Step 4 Process Step 5

The Baking Process

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Processes
Processes are critical constituents of any organization. When processes in an organization
are in sync and each process is performing efficiently and effectively – then the
organization is working at its best performance.

In other words, to improve the performance of any organization, department or function you
need to improve the processes and ensure that all processes work in sync.

L0 Leadership H. R Management Support / Enabling Operation / Production

Develop Provide Monitor

Develop
Organizational Set team goals resources and Performance and
Employees
Goal infrastructure make corrections

Process 1 Process 2 Process 3 Process 4 Process 5

A basic organizational process

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Processes at different levels
Processes are found at all levels of an organization. Processes may have sub processes
within them and processes may come together to form a larger process

L1

Employee Behavioural
Recruitment Administration
Services Training

L2

Indent Source Screen Interview Hire

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Processes at different levels
L2

Indent Source Screen Interview Hire

L3

L4 Maybe, Need based

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Is our process healthy?

So you have a process in place, How do you know it works? Is it effective and is it efficient?

To determine if your process is working properly you should measure to see if each
process step is producing the right output.

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Metrics
The Baking Process

Pre-heat Gather Prepare frosting Bake batter in

Prepare Batter
Oven ingredients ‘or’ icing Oven for xx mins.

Process Step 1 Process Step 2 Process Step 3 Process Step 4 Process Step 5
Measure

Some other Metrics

Temperature Speed – km/hr
in Celsius
Customer Service Rep’s Productivity – Calls/day

Car’s Mileage – km/ltr

Metrics

Train Arrival On-time – Yes/No;

Oven Temp
Average Train Delay – minutes; hours…

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Dashboard
A set of metrics, that provide an instant summary of a processes health. Dashboards are
usually implemented using graphs.

Wastage Customer Satisfaction Scores

96% 95%
94% 94%
8% 93% 92%
7% 91%
5% 88%
4% 4%
3%
2% 2%

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Overhead Expense
68 65 66 76 62 60
55 56 The Dashboard is a key requirement in
identifying improvement opportunities for Six
Sigma Projects.

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Without a dashboard you can’t tell.

000 $

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 DMAIC?
DMAIC is a Six Sigma methodology for improving existing processes.

Define
Define – What’s the problem?

Practical Problem

Measure Measure – Quantifying the problem

Statistical Problem

Analyze – What causes the problem to occur?

Analyze

Statistical Solution

Improve
Improve – Finding a solution to the problem

Practical Solution

Control Control – Keeping the problem ‘fixed’

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005

 Conceptual Summary
L2

Indent Source Screen Interview Hire

96% 95%
94% 94%
93% 92%
91%
88%

Week Week Week Week Week Week Week Week

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Define Measure Analyze Improve Control

6 Sigma Projects

© All Rights Reserved TreQna 2005