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Feature Articles
Strategy
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Setting the Black Belt Path
By Susan Cucuzza and D. Lynn Kelley
March/April 2010 | Volume 6, Number 2
When Black Belts at Textron Inc. began expressing dissatisfaction with the repatriation experience, leaders of the company's Six Sigma program took action. They launched a new process for developing Black Belts that puts greater focus on career development and planning.
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Brewing Up Leadership
By Scott Winston
November/December 2009 | Volume 5, Number 6
Sometimes companies get so focused on cost savings and operational efficiences that they fail to consider the impact the changes have on the customer experience. Using personal observations from a coffee shop, the author explores this damaging phenomenon, and what organizations can do to avoid it.
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A Stronger Chain
By Sue Reynard
May/June 2009 | Volume 5, Number 3
To get the most out of their value stream, some
companies are wielding Six Sigma and Lean to
strengthen their supply chain. Collaborative
efforts with suppliers and customers can help reduce waste and variation, and cut costs. While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for
building stronger links in the chain, simple
steps can help a company get started.
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Stimulating Creativity
By Dan Quinn
July/August 2008 | Volume 4, Number 4
Ten key operational levers built into a quality
effort can dramatically improve results and
act as catalysts for innovation. The levers include:- Involving frontline employees
- Buidling individual accountability into projects
- Contributing to a spirit of play
- Enabling cross-fertilization
- Encouraging rapid decision making and rewarding the right things
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The Culture Chasm: Doing vs. Being
By Gianna Clark
January/February 2008 | Volume 4, Number 1
Not all companies applying Six Sigma can be touted as a success story. Sure, some can brag about improved processes and impressive financial returns, but many of those companies are just "doing" Six Sigma. Between them and the companies that are "being" Six Sigma, there is a striking difference: cultural transformation. Ten critical factors indicate whether a company is "doing" or "being" Six Sigma.
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The Business Belt
By Michael Pestorius
November/December 2007 | Volume 3, Number 6
A Black Belt needs more than statistical expertise to integrate Six Sigma into daily business operations. Today's Black Belt must posssess the pedagogic skills of a tutor and the business acumen of an executive.
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TRIZ: The Science of Creativity
By Katie Barry, Ellen Domb and Michael S. Slocum
July/August 2007 | Volume 3, Number 4
Today, more and more companies are turning to TRIZ, the "Theory of Inventive Problem Solving." Predicated on the study of problem-and-solution patterns, TRIZ brings creativity to the level of science. Using the TRIZ method can accelerate a project team's ability to solve problems creatively. And because of its structure and algorithmic approach, TRIZ provides reliability, predictability and repeatability. TRIZ is increasingly common in Six Sigma processes, in project management and risk management systems, and in organizational innovation initiatives.
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The Power of Project Replication
By Sue Reynard
May/June 2007 | Volume 3, Number 3
To Pankaj Aggarwal, the director of innovation and
continuous improvement for global electronics giant Delphi Corp., and Catharine Johnston, executive vice president of business and organizational excellence for resort and adventure travel company Intrawest, the case for project replication is clear. Increasing numbers of companies are in the same position, wanting to leverage the outcomes from local projects on a broader scale. Aggarwal and Johnston share how they do it.
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Building a Solid Foundation for Lean Six Sigma: 10 Factors to Assess and Address
By Mary Federico
March/April 2007 | Volume 3, Number 2
A company must understand its organizational readiness and process maturity before launching Lean Six Sigma. By looking at these 10 factors, a company can get a good sense of where it is, what it is up against and what it needs to do to lay a solid foundation for success:- Leadership Support
- Organizational Culture
- Case for Change
- Resources
- Alignment
- Process Definition
- Process Measurement, Monitoring and Control
- Customer Focus
- Causal-driven Operations Planning
- Continuous Improvement and Problem Solving
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The Perfect Storm
By James Torok
January/February 2007 | Volume 3, Number 1
Read about the forces in statistics, process improvement and quality management that culminated in the phenomenon of Six Sigma. Far from slowing down, the methodology appears to be gaining strength on its path. The most notable current trend is Lean.
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The Future of Six Sigma
By Joseph A. De Feo, Don Linsenmann, Gianna C. Clark and Lucien P. Gochett
November/December 2006 | Volume 2, Number 6
Next year Six Sigma turns 20. This approaching milestone leads inevitably to the reflection on where the methodology will go from here - How will it evolve? Where will it be applied? What will be its emphasis? We asked three deployment leaders and an industry expert for their thoughts. here are their responses:
- Joseph A. De Feo, President - Juran Institute
- Don Linsenmann, VP and Corporate Champion, Six Sigma - DuPont
- Gianna C. Clark, Managing Director, Six Sigma - Dominion
- Lucien P. Gochett, Senior Director, Business Process Improvement - Fidelity Investments
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