The above question ‘should six sigma metrics be different from other industry metrics’ arises from surprising sources. If you look at any quality management tool, be it ISO, Lean Management Techniques or even cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practice, the industry standard for pharmaceutical and healthcare product manufacturers), what meets the eye is the parity of all these tools. The foundation of any quality tool, in its simplest form, is total customer satisfaction.
Six Sigma Versus cGMP
No
one can over emphasize the importance of adhering to quality manufacturing
procedures when it comes to the manufacturing of sterile medicinal products
(medicines manufactured in sterile conditions for admission directly into the
blood stream). The implication of this is that nothing short of the best is
accepted in terms of quality.
cGMP
stresses standardization and compliance to processes verified through
qualitative and analytical metrics. The analytical tools are scientifically
evolved and are validated through market regulators which are also statutory
bodies in their respective countries. Unlike Six Sigma, quantitative tools such
as the ones provided by statistics don’t find much application here. Even
customer concerns are reflected by directives set by regulatory bodies.
If
Six Sigma is any different, it is only in how it deals with various aspects of
doing business. It does not vary in the
goal or end result. Fundamental metrics like DPMO speak to customer
satisfaction levels. In the pharmaceutical industry, as opposed to other
manufacturing industries, a totally different set of metrics is used. Product
efficacies are measured by curative qualities, absence offside effects.
The Big Question
Should
metrics be different for different industries? To a certain extent, yes - in
certain areas you can accept different metrics. As far as the minimizing of
process variation is concerned, the goal should guide the tools. But having
said that, is there still a need for different metrics?
Using The Wisdom; The Best Judge
As
a wise man said, ‘the end result justifies the means’, it should not bother
anyone who wants to use a specific set tools for measuring certain process
criteria. Six Sigma does not restrict the use of differing implementation
procedures. As it is evolved specifically to each project with different
criteria being used, measurement tools invariably vary within the framework of
defined goals. Moreover, choosing a specific metric from among the available
choices is an act akin to adopting an outside metric.
General Rules That Govern the Choice
of Metrics
Metrics
are chosen specifically for each activity or processes based on various
considerations. However, here are a set of general rules that applies to choice
of metrics.
1.
Decision
making processes critically depend on the choice of metric
2.
Contribution
to reduction in errors
3.
Value addition
through ability to categorize measurement for easy interpretation
4.
Contribution
of each individual and a set of metrics geared towards aligning customer
requirements and management vision with processes.
Is
it the metric or the end result that you should be more concerned with? It is
how you use a tool that is important rather than what you use.