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What is Six Sigma?
Six Sigma, created by the Motorola Corporation, is a five-step methodology used to understand customer requirements and to map, analyze, measure and improve processes in order to deliver 99.9997% defect-free products and services, improve cycle time and eliminate non-value added activities.
More information Glossary of TermsCEO VIEWPOINT With Rick Murrow of Air Academy
Let’s take a look at Air Academy’s history and approach, some of the top tips can make a real difference to any deployment and to a company considering it…
CEO Rick Murrow answered the below questions live on a conference call...
Q1: So what got you and Air Academy Associates where you are today?
“The company was founded in 1990 by Dr. Mark Kiemele and Dr. Steve Schmidt. At that time, each already had over 20 years experience as a leader deploying improvement methodologies. Little did they know that using the Statapult Catapult (developed in conjunction with a client) in their approach to Design of Experiments to demonstrate reduction in process variation and optimization of the product or service would achieve industry-wide recognition within a decade.”
“Our philosophy includes KISS, an acronym that stands for Keep It Simple Statistically and Keep Innovation Simple and Systematic.”
“One of our strengths is that our knowledge-based management strategy makes practitioners of managers and leaders. We don’t dumb down Lean Six Sigma. Rather, we foster the ability to solve problems with the appropriate level of tool. Some problems can be solved with graphical tools while others need the capability offered by Design of Experiments.”
“Air Academy’s desire to build and sustain relationships helps us better understand our customer’s needs. We strive for consistent quality. Our consultants are as effective in the classroom as they are solving problems. We know that if our client is successful – we will be successful.”
“We help our customers put into practice our TAG Line: Simplify, Perfect, Innovate.”
“Tell us about how you came to be part of Air Academy.”
“I met Steve Schmidt in 1966 as a cadet at the US Air Force Academy. I have known Mark Kiemele since 1981.”
“In 1993 I was Director of Quality in Europe responsible for the organizational strategic planning model …creating a vision for improved processes and enhanced capability. A couple of years later, I continued using the methodologies of Lean and Six Sigma at 39 Air Force locations in the United States improving processes ranging from aircraft phase maintenance to hospital administration to finances to logistics.”
“In 1998, as Vice President of Quality Systems at GE Capital Mortgage, I truly saw the benefit of increased leadership and management involvement in a Lean Six Sigma deployment. By June 1999 Air Academy had grown to a level where it was supporting scores of clients. Dr Kiemele was the President, and he invited me to become part of Air Academy Associates management team and a Senior Consultant. I was excited to be part of an organization that truly believes in relationships and making it right for the customer.”
Q2: What advice would you give a VP potentially deploying?
“It is most important for a business to recognize it’s a journey, not a one time event. You must determine the Need, the Vision and the Plan prior to embarking.”
“Identify what the need is … are you doing this to be faster, to have better quality, is it cost-centered, or is it to reduce inefficiency? Is it to help generate revenue or cut expenses? If so, Lean Six Sigma can improve processes as well as provide better products and services for your customers.”
“From management’s view point, create your vision --what do you want to look like a year from now?”
“Your Plan should include acceptance by and support of business leaders and managers to ensure the speed of your roll out.”
“4 things should be paramount for consideration:”
1. Executive Ownership – whether at the business unit level or higher, executive ownership enhances deployment; leadership alignment increases the capability to drive improvement through the value stream.
2. Effective Support Structure – When setting up a Lean Six Sigma Infrastructure capitalize on existing business structure. Operationalize …give existing process workers, process owners, and managers a skill set that will allow them to improve processes and produce better products and services. Review of improvement projects can be accomplished at normal business reviews.
3. Roll-Out Integration – Your deployment should be integrated with your existing business objectives and initiatives. The result is synergistic and competition for time and resources is reduced.
4. Right Project and People – Select the right people … methodical, analytical (not necessarily a Math wizard), logical and proactive. Select the “right” projects … they should be linked to your business strategy, i.e., increased profit margins, increased revenue, decreased expenses, operational excellence, etc. Linking to your strategy will drive your top level indicators. If projects are chosen smartly, improving the process yields enhanced business results.”
“If you get these four principles incorporated into your plan, then you can embark…”
Q3: What are some top tips for our readers out there?
“Well I could repeat the last four since they are so important, but what springs to mind is that Lean Six Sigma doesn’t run on its own. You’ve got to be dedicated, engaged, and focused on the positive impact goals.”
“Here are a few really top tips:
1. Leaders should reinforce the importance of Lean Six Sigma to their organization in their regular communication and in the ways that they manage their business and people.
2. A scorecard helps to identify and prioritize the improvement projects that will have the greatest impact on strategic objective and desired business results.
3. Maintain a line of site to the progress and hold Champions and teams accountable for timely execution.
4. Ensure projects are tightly linked to business unit budgets and the bottom line.
5. Organizations should take a structured approach to how they allocate resources to support Lean Six Sigma efforts …make sure you have the right materials and software; it’s very important that the software is user friendly and can be used by the organization … Excel-based software provides that capability. 6. View the approach as a framework with a robust toolset and then apply the relevant tools to the improvement opportunity.
7. Success is enhanced by coaching on projects …at first, outside coaching may be needed; once sustainability is reached, coaching should be accomplished from within.
8. Lastly, constantly assess your Lean Six Sigma deployment to ensure it is on track.”
Great thanks to Kathi Swagerty for setting up the interview and Dr. Rick Murrow for providing such concise and beneficial answers to my questions; this must surely reflect the clarity and effectiveness of Air Academy’s solutions!
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