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Process Improvement requires ‘solution thinking’

By on January 26, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

Solution thinking often means being “creative”

It is useful to think about looking elsewhere for ideas as Benchmarking and looking within the team for ideas as Creativity

Many people, technical thinkers in particular, but others as well, often view all kinds of “creativity” on projects negatively; we want hard facts and analysis, “Creativity” has the reputation for being wild, uncontrolled, undisciplined; the generation of new ideas that were of limited (or no!) practical use

But remember, you have not improved something until you have created something new.

Green and Black Belts will learn that creativity can be managed. It can be focused. It can be the reason that the Lean Six Sigma project succeeds.

Creativity is a skill which anyone can learn to do better, the creative process can be accelerated and directed.

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Don’t get stuck in ‘methodology wars’

By on January 25, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

It is easy to get stuck in deciding what methodology to use.

Yet the underlying activities are very similar.

The real work is in using the DMAIC methodology and LSS Black belts should always be able to use any sensible methodology;

  • If you try to make improvements or solve problems without a methodology, you will probably jump to conclusions or you may become lost.
  • All improvement methodologies cover the same basic sequence of events, see also PDCA
  • Methodologies designed to react to new problems, such as DMAIC, include containment actions to quickly stop the customer being affected.
  • Use the Lean Six Sigma methodology, it will lead to innovation.
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DMAIC is a team-based problem solving methodology.

By on January 24, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

Teamwork divides the task, but doubles the success.

It is imperative that the project team comprises of the necessary cross-functional members that may have an influence on the problem solving process

  • Recommended team size is between 6-8 members
  • The team can evolve over time. Only invite those who are needed to specific meetings
  • The team must be supported and empowered by Senior Management

The team roles must be clearly defined:

  •  Project Sponsor
  •  Team Leader – Black Belt or Green Belt
  •  Team Members – Yellow Belt or Green Belt
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Green Belt Training Sessions in Krakow and Warsaw

By on January 23, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

the next green belts sessions have been booked in March and May for the Polish participants. the green belt weeks can be used at the same time as the 1st week for the future black belt trainees. all sessions will be conducted in the Novotel Conference Centres in Krakow and Warsaw. starting Mondays at noon and ending Fridays’ at noon, after the Green Belt examination. Polish candidates can book for special prices. all material and training is in english. coaching in polish is available. pls look for the details on the site.

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Determine the ‘maturity’ of your processes.

By on January 23, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

What’s the point of all this?

If you determine the ‘maturity’ of your processes, you can do several things:

  • compare your processes against each other, determine the worst processes and prioritise them for improvement
  • compare your processes against other organisations, either for your own understanding of the level of your processes or for use in competitive tender situations

e.g. US Dept of Defense requires subcontracted software development organisations to have a CMMI Maturity Level of 5 in order to be even considered

  • Monitor improvement of your processes over time and obtain feedback as to the effectiveness of your improvement actions
  • Use it as a baseline to prevent process maturity from slipping backwards

 

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Process Assessment and Process Maturity.

By on January 23, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

Black Belts using the Lean Six Sigma methodology for innovation and process improvement need to carry certain elements during de phases of a project, e.g.

Process Assessment:

  • Compare characteristics of a process or set of processes against defined criteria to obtain a value or score of the maturity, robustness, compliance, etc. of the process(es).
  • Assessment is a generic term that includes process audits, quality audits, evaluations, etc.

Process Maturity:

  • A measure of (usually) the control and management of a process or processes against a scale from ‘chaos’ at one end to continuously improving’ at the other.

These two:

  • give information for decisions on improvement priorities
  • enhance the drivers to improve – ‘You get what you measure’

 

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Error-proofing, or ‘Poka Yoke’ is a technique for eliminating errors.

By on January 21, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma, Uncategorized

‘Poka Yoke’ is a technique for eliminating errors, used by Black Belts for solution generation and preparing implementation;

such that it is …Impossible to make mistakes, …Inexpensive, …Very effective, …Based on simplicity and ingenuity.

“poka” means an inadvertent mistake, “yoke” means to prevent, it originates by mr. Shigeo Shingo (1909-1990) in Japan.

Error proofing is a very simple technique.

You should keep it in mind at all times, but particularly when you are designing the solution or the improvement

Ideally you should prevent all possibility of the problem occurring, elmination;

If you can’t do this, you should then try to

  • flag (identify quickly, every time the problem occurs),
  • facilitate (make it difficult to create the problem)
  • mitigate (reduce the effects when the problem does occur)

…in that order!

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Fehlervermeidung, "Poka Yoke"

By on January 21, 2012 in Lean Six Sigma @de, Uncategorized

“Poka Yoke” ist eine Technik zur Vermeidung von Fehlern, welche von Black Belts zur Lösungsfindung und Vorbereitung der Implementierung verwendet wird. Idealerweise wird es dadurch unmöglich, Fehler zu machen. Es ist preiswert, … sehr effektiv, … basierend auf Einfachheit und Genialität.

“Pokal Yoke” bedeutet, unbeabsichtigte Fehler zu verhindern.  Dieser Ansatz stammt von Shigeo Shingo (1909 – 1990) aus Japan.

Fehlervermeidung ist eine einfache Technik. Sie sollten Sie zu jeder Zeit im Auge behalten, insbesonderem beim Entwerfen der Lösung oder der Verbesserung. Idealerweise sollten Sie verhindern, dass alle Variationen und Möglichkeiten der Fehler auftreten können.

Wenn dies nicht zu 100% möglich ist (die Wahrscheinlichkeitstheorie gilt wie immer auch hier), sollten Sie versuchen:

  • Identifizieren (schnelles Identifizieren, jedes Mal wenn das Problem auftritt)
  • Erleichtern (machen es schwierig, einen Fehler zu machen)
  • Fehlerauswirkung mindern (Minderung der Auswirkungen, wenn der Fehler auftritt)

… In dieser Reihenfolge!

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Can PMP certification boost your salary and make you a more appealing job candidate?

By on January 21, 2012 in Project Managment, Uncategorized

The first step to finding out is learning what PMP certification is. PMP stands for Project Management Professional. Obtaining PMP certification means that you have taken the necessary steps to prove that you are an expert at managing projects.

PMP certification focuses on all the vital components of a professional project, including budgeting, managing scope, design, scheduling and quality control. Many of these qualities are developed over time. You may already possess all or many of them. If you do, then obtaining PMP certification should be your next goal.

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