Our customer, Delphi, has asked us to do a "6 sigma Tree". Does anyone have experience and insight regarding 6 Sigma Trees? It seems to me to be Delphi's CA/8D d'jour.

I just asked a Delphi guy out on our shop floor if he'd ever heard of a six sigma tree, and he said, "no, I never heard of that".

However, a google search turned up isixsigma.com's definition of a "tree diagram" as follows:

Breaks down or stratifies ideas in progressively greater detail. The objective is to partition a big idea or problem into its smaller components, making the idea easier to understand, or the problem easier to solve.

Perhaps that is what is being referred to.

Fault tree analysis (shot in the dark).

I just looked at the Delphi Covisint Supplier Community Portal (whew!) and found no references or updates to any of their Supplier requirements.

Let us know if you find out from some other source than the Cove.
Bill

So now the Six Sigma juggernaut is claiming they originated "trees". What next?!? :frust:

Here is a pic of a basic 6 sigma tree.

Dave

Dave,

I saw that one when I was searching google, and it does appear to be a rudimentary fault tree diagram (as Ben suggested).

SteveTIB -

Why don't you ask your customer what it is they want?

Probably way to simple.

Are you thinking it is better to get numerous opinions from this forum and hope you maybe get what they want?

If you are too shy to ask them to clarify specifications and requests that are unclear to you, will you long remain a supplier to them?

SteveTIB -

Why don't you ask your customer what it is they want?
I echo Dave Strouse. This is all part of Contract Review. Delphi is unfair when they "assume" all suppliers live and breathe the Delphi program.

My complaint with customers like Delphi almost always concludes with some variation of "When [b]I become Ruler of the Universe . . . ."

I echo the comments of Dave strouse and Wes. Ask them what they are after in clear terms. If they can't provide you the information on how, where, what this Tree is or is supposed to look like, then I would suggest using the Fault tree analysis. I am currently supplying Delphi and have not heard of this. :confused:

Our customer, Delphi, has asked us to do a "6 sigma Tree". Does anyone have experience and insight regarding 6 Sigma Trees? It seems to me to be Delphi's CA/8D d'jour.
Delphi was/is pushing "Shainan" methodology which included the tree. Someone said they assume suppliers are on the same wavelength which is absolutely true. Currently not "required" for answering complaints, but I'm wondering if they didn't think you had thought through all the possible 'root causes.' What proceeded the request? Is it a repeat failure?

I do not work for Delphi, but used to. While they did go through problem solving form/formats and methods, there does seem to be a lack of any of those approaches in the smaller shops. I'm not saying thats you particular case, but some small suppliers need alot of coaching in getting to root causes.

Shainan, Sick Sigma, Kemper-Tregoe, 5-Why ...... There are all sorts of "methodologies" out there to assist an organization with root cause analysis. If I have 10 customers and each customer has a different flavor for wanting to "see my work" (am I back in grade school? :vfunny: ), there is a cost for training people in each "flavor" that is, IMO, completely non-value added. If I have an effective method/process for root cause analysis in place, I'm not about to upset the apple cart because my customer expects to follow what he deems as "THE WAY". I think it's great that my customers have stumbled across a way to help themselves, but just because it works for their company doesn't mean it will, necessarily, work in mine. Plus, at least in my company, an "opportunity" may need a different plan of attack than another. My issue is that once I've reached the root cause, I've got to sit down and convert what we did into their format. LUDICROUS!! :mad:
Most of the time we employ multiple "methodologies" in problem solving. I agree that this should be handled at Contract Review, but when we're talking about a part (or process) that was "Contract Reviewed" 15 years ago and the customer says "I don't care - this is now", I shake my head in wonder.

Sorry for the ranting but I sure feel better :o I know the "customer is still the customer" but it sure can get to ya' sometimes.

Bill

Bill - Good post. You hit the nail on the head with methodologies being forced on suppliers. The current covisent system does not require the "tree" as far as I know. They are looking for root cause and verification of the corrective action. That's why I suggested that possibly the customer didn't feel the root cause was identified and was suggesting a method.

In so far as corrective actions are concerned... my understanding is that they currently require what I call "3 x 5-whys" in their prescribed format.

It could be the "tree" you're looking for if not the "fault tree analysis."

Here is a pic of a basic six sigma tree.
Thanks for the tree diagram, Dave!
I echo the comments of Dave strouse and Wes. Ask them what they are after in clear terms.
I've tried that and many times it comes to pass that they don't know what they want or if they do they can't express it. This is in general, not just related to six sigma. Ford is famous for this on my list.