PDA

View Full Version : Six Sigma and Lean


ThaSaltCracka
08-16-2005, 07:05 PM
I am thinking of doing some independent research and reading some books on these particular topics. Mostly to try and see if I can try and apply some of the principles from either of these to my current job. Anyone with some opinions on this, or some personal experiences with it.

Here is the book I am thinking about getting. (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0684810352/103-7431362-8087053?v=glance)

ThaSaltCracka
08-16-2005, 07:08 PM
I am replying to this to add that I work for a high tech industry company that is not very big, actually only about 20 or so employees. We do a lot of precision soldering and a lot of work with microscopes. I want to learn more about this because I do purchasing and inventory, and think this may benefit me.

IndieMatty
08-16-2005, 07:09 PM
Check monster.com if recruiters are looking for six sigma experts. When I was looking for work last in 2001; the market was in high demand for Six Sigma peeps.

I began some study of the first few concepts then decided I liked smoking pot better.

nolanfan34
08-16-2005, 07:12 PM
When I saw this thread title, I was pretty sure this must be some rap group that I've never heard of.

ThaSaltCracka
08-16-2005, 07:13 PM
I am not looking for a new job, just curious if this may be benefitial to me at my current job.

ThisHo
08-16-2005, 07:29 PM
I'm not an experton 6sigma and don't know much about LEAN, but I do work in quality and I can tell you this about any quality system :

if the upper management won't support it then it is doomed to fail.

I am sure that there are some useful concepts in LEAN that if applied properly will be beneficial, but finding them, applying them, and getting buy-in from others at your biz may be more hassle then its worth.

ThisHo

ThaSaltCracka
08-16-2005, 07:31 PM
I would really only need to get 3 people to agree with me to make this work, but your comments are valid.

DVC Calif
08-16-2005, 07:44 PM
I'm not familiar with that book but I think a better approach to learning about quality management is to start at some of the websites of the QMS organizations.

Baldrige National Quality Program (http://www.quality.nist.gov/)

Network for Excellence (http://www.networkforexcellence.org/)

American Society of Quality (http://www.asq.org/)

The ASQ site also has a link to recommended books, with this looking like a good basic primer on Six Sigma:

Getting Started in Six Sigma (http://qualitypress.asq.org/perl/catalog.cgi?item=P1178)


Have fun, Steve

RacersEdge
08-16-2005, 09:24 PM
I would go with The Machine That Changed The World first - it's the prequel to Lean Thinking.

I would get this book (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0071373144/qid=1124241573/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/103-6686216-1728640?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

to get a good feel for Six Sigma projects.

Lean is about efficiency (speed).

SS is about effectiveness (quality).

Probably good to pick which improvement would be best for your company.

Barry
08-16-2005, 09:48 PM
I went through that book and it was pretty good. I'm not sure that I remember the title right but "The Six Sigma Way" by Pande was pretty decent too.

benfranklin
08-16-2005, 09:49 PM
Most of these things are fads, and are poorly understood and implemented by management. Here's all of them in one book if you want a short-cut: Fusion (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/193219102X/qid=1124241793/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-0440223-4341639?v=glance&s=books)

I worked for a large telecom company many years ago that went nuts on TQM because the Chairman of the Board thought it was great stuff. I got assigned to a project, and about 10 of us spent a ton of time and travel expensive going through TQM training. When we got to the actual project, the Sr. V.P. in charge told the project team leader what results he wanted, and we jumped through all the TQM hoops to produce that result.

I worked for another company that spent a bunch of time and money implementing ISO 9001, another process without content if not done right. It was a start up company that went broke because they spent more time on process and image than they did on the product. The problem with fad programs is that they focus too much on the process and not on real innovation or thought.

Tom Peters did an article some time back making fun of Motorola, where the chef in the employee cafeteria strived to turn out Six Sigma chocolate chip cookies, apparently with little regard to how they tasted. Every experience I've ever had with fad programs is that the time and effort would be better spent taking care of business: make the product or service the best you can, keep costs in line, and market it properly.

RacersEdge
08-16-2005, 10:19 PM
The good part is that each iteration of techniques should get better. I never used TQM, but I do know it was about improving for the sake of improving. In SS, every project must be tied to specific benefit to the business - usually in hard dollars.

The stats assocaited with SS have been around forever - it's really just industrial engineering with project mamngenet tied to it.

The best thing to do is imo is take the ideas that make sense form Lean and SS and use them. Don't worry about having techically correct projects - just use the tools you need to get your results.

Books could and have been written on this topic.

ThaSaltCracka
08-16-2005, 10:24 PM
hmm....looks like this weekend I will be doing some reading at Barnes and Nobles.

siccjay
08-16-2005, 10:24 PM
[ QUOTE ]
When I saw this thread title, I was pretty sure this must be some rap group that I've never heard of.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought it was going to be a drink.