Section 4

LSSBB Advanced Nonstatistical Tools

 

INTRODUCTION

Having the right tool makes the difference between success and failure.

—H. James Harrington

In this section we present the key body of knowledge for advanced nonstatistical tools that all LSSBBs will be using the most often. In Section 5 we present the advanced statistical tools that are used most often by LSSBBs. In these two sections we provide you with the tools to solve your most difficult problems and take advantage of the many opportunities to improve your processes. The tools in these two chapters are in addition to the tools that a potential LSSBB should already have mastered as an SSGB. As an LSSBB, it is essential that you are competent at using these tools in order to lead your LSS project teams. We liken using just the basic Green Belt tools to improve complex opportunities for improvement to trying to build a house using just a yardstick, hammer, and handsaw. It can be done, but the quality of the results will be poor, it will take a long time to do it, and the costs will be high. Today a professional builder wouldn’t think about building a house without using power saws, power hammers, power screwdrivers, and laser measurement tools. If you use these power tools to build a house, the result will be that the construction will be done faster, with higher quality and lower costs. Similarly, these additional tools provide the LSSBB with the means and power to define the very best solution to complex situations.

The tools in Section 4 are presented in alphabetical order. Most of these tools are first defined, and then you are instructed on how to use them. Next, you are provided with examples of how they have been used before. The content of the chapters that make up this section include

  • Chapter 7: “Black Belt Nonstatistical Tools (A through M)”
    • 5S
    • Benchmarking
    • Bureaucracy elimination
    • Conflict resolution
    • Critical to quality
    • Cycle time analysis and reduction
    • Fast-action solution technique (FAST)
    • Foundation of Six Sigma
    • Just-in-time
    • Matrix diagrams/decision matrix
    • Measurement in Six Sigma
  • Chapter 8: “Black Belt Nonstatistical Tools (O through Q)”
    • Organizational change management
    • Pareto diagrams
    • Prioritization matrix
    • Project management
    • Quality function deployment
  • Chapter 9: “Black Belt Nonstatistical Tools (R through Z)”
    • Reliability management systems
    • Root cause analysis
    • Scatter diagrams
    • Selection matrix/decision matrix
    • SIPOC
    • SWOT
    • Takt time
    • Theory of constraints
    • Tree diagram
    • Value stream mapping

 

OVERVIEW

There are three main objectives for learning the LSSBB methodology:

  • To master two systematic approaches to problem solving that have a very good track record of producing excellent results—DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control) and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify)
  • To master a number of very effective tools that can be used to solve problems
  • To master the way to apply LSSBB methodology to bring about transformation within an organization

To become an SSGB, you learned how to use the DMAIC approach to problem solving that was developed to minimize process variation. In addition, you were introduced to the following basic problem-solving tools:

Note: In addition, an SSGB was introduced to many statistical tools.

As an active SSGB, we hope you have had a chance to use most of these tools in solving problems within your organization. The tools that were presented in the SSGB classes are the most commonly used tools, and they are designed to solve most of the problems that are assigned to a Six Sigma Team.

As an LSSBB, you will be required to have expanded skills that will prepare you to solve the most complex problems. You will also learn how to effectively use the DMADV problem-solving approach that focuses on designing a total new process or product. DMADV is the Six Sigma approach to adapting process re-engineering to the Six Sigma philosophy. DMADV is used when the DMAIC approach will not produce the required level of improvement. It is designed to bring about a drastic improvement in performance. While DMAIC focuses on reducing variation, DMADV focuses on changing the performance level of the product or process. Figures S4.1 and S4.2 will help you understand the difference between the results of decreasing variation and improving the total process.

In the case of decreasing variation, the centerline remains the same but the amount of variation above the centerline is greatly reduced. In the case of total process improvement, the focus is not on decreasing variation but changing the position of the centerline.

As an LSSBB, you will need to understand the following 26 advanced nonstatistical tools. (In Section 5 we will discuss the additional advanced statistical tools that an LSSBB needs to understand and be able to use.) These 26 tools can and should be applied to both the DMADV and DMAIC problem-solving approaches. In fact, an LSSBB is often required to teach these tools to the members of a Six Sigma Team when they are needed to solve a problem. So it is imperative that as an LSSBB you understand these tools thoroughly. It is for this very reason that we have set aside a large part of this book to discuss these 26 tools. You will find all of these tools useful in working with both the DMAIC and DMADV methodologies.

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FIGURE S4.1

Reduced process variation.

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FIGURE S4.2

Setting a new level of performance.

  1. 5S
  2. Benchmarking of processes
  3. Bureaucracy elimination methods
  4. Conflict resolution
  5. Critical to quality
  6. Cycle time analysis
  7. Fast-action solution technique
  8. Foundations of Six Sigma
  9. Just-in-time
  10. Matrix diagrams/decision matrices
  11. Measurement in Six Sigma
  12. Organizational change management
  13. Pareto diagrams
  14. Prioritization matrix
  15. Project management
  16. Quality function deployment
  17. Reliability management systems
  18. Root cause analysis
  19. Scatter diagrams
  20. Selection matrix
  21. SIPOC
  22. SWOT
  23. Takt time
  24. Theory of constraints
  25. Tree diagrams
  26. Value stream mapping

For ease of reference, the tools are presented in alphabetical order rather than in the order they would be used in solving a problem.

 

WHERE ARE THESE TOOLS USED?

Table S4.1 defines what phase in the two Six Sigma methodologies that each GB and LSSBB tool is most apt to be used in. This does not indicate that the tool should be used each time a project goes through the indicated phase; in fact, some of the tools may not be used in 1 in 10 projects that go through the indicated phase.

 

SUPPORTING SOFTWARE

The tools that we present in the next chapters use many different types of graphs, tables, charts, diagrams, and statistical formulas that are time-consuming to use and prepare. To aid you in using these tools, a number of software packages are available, and newly upgraded ones are coming out all the time.

The two most frequently used software applications for statistical analysis are Minitab and JPM/SAS. These software applications give thorough statistical analysis results. They are both advanced tools, and users should have more than an introduction to statistics understanding in order to avoid making invalid decisions.

Software applications have been written for many Six Sigma tools. Software has been written to help use the tools listed in Table S4.2.

TABLE S4.1

Basic Tools

Tool D M A I C   D M A D V
Affinity diagrams X   X
Benchmarking of processes X   X
Brainstorming X   X
Bureaucracy elimination methods X   X
Cause-and-effect analysis X   X X X
Check sheets X   X X
Conflict resolution X X X X X   X X X X X
Cycle time analysis X   X X X
Failure mode and effects analysis X X   X X X
Fast-action solution technique (FAST) X X X X X   X X X
Five S’s X X X X   X
Flowcharts X X X X   X X X X X
Foundations of Six Sigma X   X X X
Force field analysis X   X
Graphs and charts X X X X   X X X X
Histograms X X X   X X X X
Kano model X   X X
Matrix diagrams/decision matrices X   X
Measurement in Six Sigma X   X X X
Nominal group techniques X X   X X
Organizational change management X X   X X
Pareto analysis X X X   X X X
Plan-Do-Check-Act X X X X X   X X X
Prioritization matrix X   X X
Project management X X X X X   X X X X X
Quality function deployment X   X
Reliability management systems X X X   X X X X
Root cause analysis X X X   X X X X X
Scatter diagrams X X X   X X X X
Selection matrix X   X X
SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer) X   X
SWOT X   X
Theory of constraints X X X   X X X X
Value stream mapping X X X X   X X X X X
     
5W’s X X X X   X X X X
5W’s and 2H’s X X X X   X X X X

Many applications cover more than one of these categories. While many different companies offer specialized and global applications, there is no one program in a category that is best. The choice of a program is dependent on the individual and/or company’s preferences. The applications listed here are not meant to be all-inclusive, and they are only offered as a reference for what is available at the writing of this book.

TABLE S4.2

Tools with Software Programs Available

Affinity diagram/KJ analysis Pareto
Analysis of variance (ANOVA) Poka-yoke
Brainstorming Process mapping
Capability indices/process capability Project charter
Cause and effect QFD/House of Quality
Control charts Regression
Design of experiments (DoE) Risk management
FMEA Sampling/data
Graphical analysis charts SIPOC/COPIS
Hypothesis testing Statistical analysis
Kano analysis Value stream mapping
Measurement systems analysis (MSA)/gauge R&R Variation
Normality Templates

While it is impossible to describe all of the software applications that are available, the following list is a sample of functions for which applications have been written. The software in each category is listed in alphabetical order:

________________

* MATLABTM is a registered trademark of The MathWorks, Inc.

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