Published on 10/1/2007

The prospect of implementing Six Sigma in your organization can be daunting, specifically with the time investment involved. This article explores some basic techniques that can be used to reduce both the time and cost of Six Sigma implementation.

Short Cuts To Six Sigma Success

Six Sigma is usually associated with the complete overhaul of existing business processes, to reduce shortcomings and improve the quality of goods and services. Due to this belief, many companies with insufficient resources often avoid implementing the Six Sigma concepts and methodologies in their business processes. These companies are often unaware that the Six Sigma concepts and methodologies can also be implemented with innovative shortcuts. These shortcuts are known to have the same affect on the quality as the standard Six Sigma implementation processes.

Avoid Time Consuming And Costly Implementation Processes

The standard Six Sigma implementation techniques involve expenses on the technique applied for assimilation of customer input. This is done with the intention of designing new products and processes, for the benefit of the clients. The basic problem is that it is a tedious task to quantify customer input, which is often as vague as ‘more stylish’, ‘less expensive' or ‘better than X brand’.

A company that does not have the adequate resources to quantifying such vague requirements can simply skip this step and move on. There is not much to lose, since it is an established fact that most customers look for quality, affordability and style. It is often a waste of valuable resources when companies spend large amounts of money on understanding these common requirements of customers, over a period of time.

Avoid Standards And Generalizations

In large organizations, the top executives spend a lot of time on the implementation of the Six Sigma projects. However, in small and medium sized companies, the top executives are often too busy to look into the Six Sigma programs. Six Sigma projects can be successfully implemented even without the support of the top executives. It is a general misconception that Six Sigma programs can only be executed when everyone, from executive to clerk, is involved in the project.

Opt For The Most Cost Effective Six Sigma Training

Although it is necessary to provide training to employees involved in the Six Sigma implementation project, companies often go overboard by following the set standards of 160 to 240 hours of Black Belt training. Conscientious employees do not require such extensive training, as they are already aware of the quality expectations of them. Companies can save time and reduce training costs by opting for training programs that concentrate more on the techniques that are new and haven’t been addressed before.

The most cost-effective way is to opt for the online training programs. They are not only less expensive but also enable employees to access the information and learn in their free time. In this way, companies can ensure that the productive time of employees is not wasted on Six Sigma training.

Use Innovation And Creativity Wherever Possible

Although Six Sigma methodologies make use of the latest statistical tools and techniques, most of the basic quality improvement concepts and philosophies are based on motivation. Instead of using the set standards, companies can devise their own innovative methods and techniques that could help in achieving the same results. In this way, companies can easily tap into the benefits associated with Six Sigma programs in a shorter time span.