Six Sigma - Statistical Tools - Valid or Hype? Value? Can a CQE do the same?

[Kevin Mader]

Hey Al,

In an article written by James Harrington, he notes that Crosby's Zero Defects is 12 Sigma. Don't be late...

Regards,

Kevin

 

[Rick Goodson]

Al,

You are missing golden opportunities. There can be a killing at 8 sigma and 10 sigma before we move on to 12 sigma.

On a more serious note, the quest continues. I have received three inquiries the last two weeks for six sigma training. Regardless of my explanations, company management continues to seek the golden fleece (pun intended).

 

[Al Dyer]

Thanks guys, I might have to revise my the Gantt chart for global domination. Yes, I still use them along with pareto C,P,U,CP charts.

 

[M Greenaway]

I think that the success of six sigma in gaining management and executive commitment is due to the fact that it talks primarily in terms of profit, which is the language and motivator of these people.

Other initiatives have barked on purley about quality for quality's sake. It almost preached as a religion for which you either have faith, or you do not. As such it is difficult for executives and managers to get overly excited, unless its in their job description. Money on the other hand is a global language and has global understanding, and we are all highly motivated to get as much of it as we can.

I think we could all learn to talk of quality, and continuous improvement in terms of profitability - at the end of the day that is what it is all about.

As for the six sigma tools, yes they are all established methods that can be traced back many years.

 

[Al Dyer]

M.G.,

Good, valid point, money does talk! I agree that in the past continuous improvement might have been more directed by quality gains. Although these do lead to monetary gains the dollar aspect probably should have been more prominent when trying to sell "continuous improvement".

 

[WALLACE]

Ford and Six sigma?

Hey all,
I can comment on Ford's involvement with SS (Six sigma), Though I'm not directly involved within the SS strategy at my Ford location (Windstar).
I spoke recently with a production engineers at the plant who, when asked about the (To date) @ 2 1/2 years implementation of the SS tools and Continuous Improvement projects, he said to me "What are we waiting for?", This statement speaks volumes to me regarding my employers attempts at initialy communicating the tools, techniques and project charters to all at the plant.
Let me give you a bigger picture, the plant has over 2 thousand employees, the majority are production blue collar workers. The biggest hurdle to communicating the SS startegy has been to infuse the tools of SS into the workforce so as to cause a cultural change and foster a partnership of common quality goals and thus the SS strategy is called customer focused SS.
Sufice to say that Ford is in fact diligently using the SS tools very effectively yet, if you were to visit my location and speak with the majority of the production force asking them what SS means to them, you would soon measure the infusion of the SS strategy by the answer of, What's Six sigma?
I won't go on too much yet, I believe that the key to continuous process improvements using the tools of SS is to first of all share the educational knowledge of the power of Statistical thinking, It is well known that Ford was helped along the CI way by Dr Deming and the good Dr's teaching eventually gave way to SS, Dr Deming taught that knowledge of Variation and System thinking were the back bone to any CI initiatives. The SS initiatives that I have seen to date don't give substance to the present and future success of SS and merely tags SS as another fad thig to use such as the ill fated undermined tools of TQM.
Wallace.

 

[Al Dyer]

My Windstar has had 5 recalls to date, how many more are coming? Maybe that ford plant should concentrate on engineering and quality other than making sure the screwdriver is labelled and in the proper place.

 

[WALLACE]

Ford and quality.

Al,
the same type of comment can come from "YES" even a GM or Chrysler vehicle owner.
I have come to realize that the very nature of the big three is to saturate the market place with vehicles regardless of quality (with a small q). Quality with a big Q, is rarely practiced within the big three OEM's.
Why would I say such a thing (Being a Ford employee)? Well, it's quite clear that, we here in North America are the mass producers of the world without limit and market control, In reality we satisfy the most important part of the systems in place at each manufacturer "The stockholder".
The big three OEM's have become the uncontrolable behemoths of the western world placing the customer way down the list of importance.
I can say with experience that Quality systems have done very little to improve quality outputs, "stickers and tags" have no use to the employees who perform the processes that are in essence supposed to deliver Quality to the customer. In view of the lack of Quality outputs from North American manufacturers, a new pro- active approach is needed allowing manufacturing employees at all levels to become more internaly motivated, being allowed to make quality decisions that effect quality outcomes. I laugh out loud when I see the so called Customer focused Six sigma strategy or tragedy at work and to further see that the production employees who are the closest to the customer both internaly and externaly are disgarded and disregarded as being unimportant to the voice of the process until the process fails or is seen to produce defects.
Wow, I'm glad I got that off my chest.
Wallace

 

[Al Dyer]

Wallace,

Respectfully, I was not trying to pick on Ford per se, I'm sure they all do it. Although I still see some in-adequacy in comparing 5S with quality.

I've owned cars from all of the american carmakers. So far in my experience Ford is at the bottom of the list for initial quality on some vehicles.

I drive a 1997 Ranger with 90,000 miles on it and have never had a major problem. My wife drives the Windstar and it is in the shop about 4 times per year.

The one saving grace is that the Ford dealership I work with is top notch and keep me informed of needed information.


How about this, the worst car I ever bought was a Ponrtiac 6000 (used) with 35,000 miles. Brakes, transmission, shocks, gas tank, carb, I finally traded it in for a Ranger.

 

[WALLACE]

Ford has thick skin.

No Worries Al,
I certainly don't take offence to legitimate concerns and complaints against my employer, customers should have more of a voice IMO.
I hope that I gave you a bigger picture of the nature of the auto industry in North America.
I happen to believe that the big three build excellent vehicles yet, It is apparent that the definition of Quality needs to be redifined and standardized within the auto industry, there is no consensus regarding the definition of quality and standardization relating to quality tools and processes, I find a recuring problem of the lack of definitions relating to CP/CPK indices between suppliers and customers, it just causes so much confusion and at the end of the day many quality rejects (Quality inspectors are alive and kicking at Ford)
Wallace..