Can anyone define what Six Sigma really is?

[Arvind]

Most recommended technical books on six sigma

Whether beginer or practioner of six sigma tools, following books on six sigma are a single source of most information on technical aspects of six sigma tools.

"Implementing six sigma" Smarter solutions using statistical methods
By
Forrest W Breyfogle III

For DOE advanced applications, I recommend
"Design and analysis of experiments"
By
Douglas Montgomery.

Arvind

 

[WALLACE]

At the end of the day, Six sigma hasn't been allowed to be a successful tool regarding organizational infusion into a business culture.
Many in this thread imply that Upper management have kept a tight reign on the controls and infusion of Six sigma within their particular business environment.
Six sigma has failed to show itself as the excellent tool that it is, by well meaning yet, self serving management who perceive Six sigma as a threat to their ingrained abuses of their particular business systems.
It's the customer who is the geting all the wrong information regarding abuses of the excellent tool of Six sigma. The complexity that has been willfully built into the Six sigma culture is phenomenal to say the least. A walk through a typical machining shop will give any prospective Six sigma user, a real world view of SPC at work. There's been more success using the basic tool box that contains SPC.
Wallace.

 

[wslabey]

GE and its black belts

Thought I would share this update with you. Some of you may already know this. GE's black belts used to be a hot commodity inside GE (and elsewhere). According to my brother-inlaw (who has worked at GE as key manager for the last decade), having a Black Belt or a Master Black Belt in your resume doesn't hold as much status inside GE. During Six Sigma's zenith with Jack Welch at the helm you could pretty much go anywhere in GE. That's not the case anymore.

 

[Statistical Steven]

Thought I would share this update with you. Some of you may already know this. GE's black belts used to be a hot commodity inside GE (and elsewhere). According to my brother-inlaw (who has worked at GE as key manager for the last decade), having a Black Belt or a Master Black Belt in your resume doesn't hold as much status inside GE. During Six Sigma's zenith with Jack Welch at the helm you could pretty much go anywhere in GE. That's not the case anymore.

But it is the case to get out of GE. I spoke to a hiring manager from a 6S consulting firm. She said they only interview SSBB from GE and Motorola. Does not care if you are a PhD in Statistics or have 30 years experience in quality improvement. So the weight is there.

 

[wslabey]

Always good to hear there is job security outside of GE and Motorola for SSBB's.

 

[Carl Keller]

Any company that used the criteria of only hiring a SSBB from Motorola or GE I would not want to work for.

It shows they are completely out of touch with real world data and care only about market perception. (which is completely contradictory to a BB mission)

Your days are numbered with a company like that.

Carl-

 

[Al Dyer]

 

[Statistical Steven]

Where you get your SSBB training is like where you get your degree from....some programs are just better than others.

 

[Carl Keller]

I agree to an extent, however there are a lot of Ivy League lawyers that I would not hire to represent me and quite a few MIT grads that I would not want designing the safety systems of my car.

There are a LOT of other factors to consider when choosing a SSBB.

Besides, with the exception of the ASQ exam, it isn't like you can fail the course. if you pay the money and show up each day, you are gonna pass.

Carl-

 

[TNHunter]

Sad state of affairs

What a sad state of affairs the quality profession has come to. We are no longer truly concerned about continuous improvement, reduction in varation, elimination of defects, etc.. We are more concerned about what color belt we have or whether this latest bell and whistle is an improvement on the last one. The aaddest thing is that management does not follow these things they chase after every bell and whistle there is, looking for that magic potion.

I wonder how many quality professionals have read either Shewhart's, "Economic Control of Quality of Manufactured Product" or Demings, "Out of the Crisis"? I have so called quality professionals tell me that they, (Shewhart and Deming) are irrelevant in TODAYS quality realm.

The tools haven't changed but the way the package them and sell them (for profit) sure has.