Corporate Leadership Profile

Rx for Success

Merck & Co. Inc., the third largest U.S. drugmaker, is applying Six Sigma tools across the business as part of a restructuring plan to revitalize drug development and accelerate the process of going from test tube to pharmacy. The company shaved nine months off bringing its first-in-class HIV drug Isentress to market – one example of how cycle time and organizational improvements are impacting Merck's pipeline and its bottom line.

Strategy

Best Practices in Certification

Methodology

Orientation Program Eases Black Belt Transition

Research

Six Sigma Certification

An iSixSigma survey shows that certification is the norm for Six Sigma practitioners; 77 percent of respondents are Green Belt, Black Belt or Master Black Belt certified. But how someone is certified and what certification means are just some of the areas where there is – dare we say it – variation. Some interesting findings from the survey:

• 63 percent of respondents reported that their company has its own Six Sigma certification program.
• The minimum financial benefit, on average, required per project for Black Belt certification is $181,563.
• 12 percent of respondents reported that Black Belts at their company receive a monetary reward of $1,000 or more for achieving certification.

"Final Tollgate" Project Example

Cost Analysis Requirements Document

The cost analysis requirements document (CARD) is used by the Army and the Department of Defense to determine the cost for new systems and equipment, or the cost of upgrades to existing programs. If the CARD does not arrive when expected, it can delay the review for large Army purchases. To address this concern, the Army launched a project to reduce the cycle time of the CARD development process by 30 percent.