In English the 5S are Sort, Set in order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. Though the process has got branded as a 5S process, a closer look by consultants and management gurus have declared this process an amalgamation of best practices in business and have considered the process good enough to be ported to non-manufacturing units as well. The meaning of each process has been adapted to suit non-manufacturing units and they are explained below for easier understanding.

5S #1: Sort

Any office or non-manufacturing unit can first begin to sort out the items which are not related to any business process and red tag them and remove it from the premise to clear up space for processes that need to be done on a regular basis.

For example, it is better to move the large bunch of printing paper into the storage room for access later on instead of stacking then next to the printer. It is unlikely that you will need ALL the paper in one go. Such sorting in each portion of the work space not only frees up valuable space, but also helps in de-cluttering the office bearers minds and free up their time.

5S #2: Set in Order

The governing force being the process of setting in order is efficiency. Business managers can really think and create small processes within their work space which improves efficiency. For example, a draftsman should locate all his stationery within reachable distance but not put more pencils than required on an average day.

Similarly, a retail outlet counter should have all items required to serve a customer at the customer bay to improve efficiency. With a bit of planning the Set in Order step can enhance productivity and reduce confusion and wastage of time and resource to a large extent. Most organized people, use Set in Order not just in the work place, but also in their personal lives and you are likely to see this in action in their house and any other personal space.

5S #3: Shine

Godliness is next to cleanliness ( and vise versa) are really true. Clean office equipment even clean office tables and chairs can make a world of difference to the work atmosphere. Having responsibility to keep office areas and equipment clean can also help in developing a sense of ownership amongst the business managers and the equipment.

The process of Shine cannot be limited to manufacturing processes only. They are very much applicable to offices and non-manufacturing units as work gets done out of these places as well.

5S #4: Standardize

How often have you walked into Pizza Hut outlets and have been impressed by the standardized services and processes? The creation of such a large chain has only been possible by standardization of the best practices identified by the organization.

In spite of standardization, Pizza Huts across the world, have some unique point about each outlet. The reason is behind is that the employees are allowed to innovate within the process. Standardization in non-manufacturing processes is even more important as there is lesser number of automated machines and a number of processes are human-centric.

5S #5: Sustain

Amongst all the steps in the 5S Principal, the fifth is probably the toughest. Sustaining the set processes and then continuing to do so in an ongoing basis, requires a fair deal of discipline and audits. In fact, many consultants feel that it is easier to sustain the 5S code of conduct in a non-manufacturing environment as the business managers are more receptive to change than shop floor managers.

As explained above, it is quite easy to understand that 5S can definitely be used extensively within a non-manufacturing unit to improve efficiency of output of all managers.

Peter Peterka is President of Lean Six Sigma us. For additional information on Six Sigma Green Belt or other Six Sigma Black Belt programs contact Peter Peterka.

Author: Peter Peterka Google

Published 09/3/2008

The post 5S Implementation for the Non-manufacturing sector appeared first on SixSigmaTraining.us.

Medical and technological advances continue to outpace process and education adjustments. Demand and expectations for medical care are increasing. Inefficiency also leads to(causes, brings about, etc.) overcrowded emergency rooms, customer complaints, and lost revenues.

Six Sigma allows a healthcare organization to break through the status quo and achieve real process improvement. Although Six Sigma has its roots in manufacturing, it works just as effectively in a service industry such as healthcare. Healthcare organizations face unique challenges and it’s no secret that they have a harder time applying quality improvement methods. Six Sigma’s comprehensive approach means that its methodology can be successful in healthcare organizations with quick results.

In a healthcare organization, the critical factors in quality and efficiency are flow of information and interaction between people. Transforming the process of this flow yields quality results. Six Sigma achieves documented bottom-line strategic business results by initiating an organization-wide culture shift.

Until a process focus rather than a task focus is developed, the scope and endurance of improvements will be limited. Analyzing and modifying human performance in these environments is complex, but Six Sigma provides the tools and methodology required to achieve significant long-term improvements.

The Six Sigma in healthcare process is a large step toward creating a learning organization through its well-defined road maps and management structure. Six Sigma defines a vision for the future of the healthcare organization, and then it identifies specific goals and establishes quantitative measures to turn that vision into reality. A formal plan is established to identify the overall program goals and timeline that outline the move from current performance levels to Six Sigma performance levels, with tangible, short-term goals in between.

Specific Six Sigma projects are identified and goals defined and tied to a tangible organizational performance measure. A wealth of possible Six Sigma projects within healthcare includes, for example, information flow, surgical site procedures, patient handling, and patient charge items. Any process in healthcare is a candidate for a Six Sigma project.

To successfully implement a Six Sigma program in healthcare requires long-term vision, commitment, leadership, management, and training. What makes Six Sigma successful is well-chosen training and a commitment from the top that is communicated to all levels of the healthcare organization. Financially, the first set of projects usually justifies the entire cost of Six Sigma training. Focusing the Six Sigma tools on virtually any properly scoped project will drive savings to the bottom line and achieve breakthrough change in the healthcare organization.

Experienced healthcare quality management should learn the language of Six Sigma and help integrate new methods into the Six Sigma process to improve effectiveness. Six Sigma is a proven approach to reduce defects and waste, thus saving money. Six Sigma will help healthcare organizations just as it has industrial, service, retail, and financial organizations.

Peter Peterka is President of Six Sigma us and has implemented Six Sigma in Healthcare in a variety of organizations. For additional information please contact Peter Peterka at https://sixsigmatraining.us/

Author: Peter Peterka Google

Published 09/1/2008

The post Why Six Sigma in Healthcare Works appeared first on SixSigmaTraining.us.

Success in managing Six Sigma teams begins with the top of the organization. Company leadership must give the teams the resources and the authority to apply Six Sigma concepts to their daily activities. They must also ensure that organizational goals are aligned with Six Sigma projects and that any roadblocks to Six Sigma deployment are removed.

The proper selection and training of Six Sigma team leaders is also critical as they have the most direct responsibility for managing the Six Sigma team. A Six Sigma Black Belt is the team leader and the key change agent for the Six Sigma process. The role of the Black Belt is to facilitate the Six Sigma adoption as part of the culture.

They lead, and manage Six Sigma teams to sustain significant bottom-line results. Black Belts ideally are people previously experienced in leading cross-functional process improvement action teams who have been trained in the Six Sigma methodology. The Six Sigma Black Belt should demonstrate team leadership, understand team dynamics, and assign team member roles and responsibilities.

Managing a Six Sigma team comes down to two important aspects: leading and mentoring. As the team leader, a Black Belt needs to be directly involved with the project team. This is a crucial element as it enables the business to cut through and implement improvements quickly and efficiently. Six Sigma includes tools and practices that replace reactive habits with a dynamic, responsive, proactive method of management.

As the team leader, the Black Belt must be being willing to adapt to circumstances including the need to accept – and manage – occasional setbacks. This includes handling group conflict and “problem people” and minimizing out-of-control meetings and personal interactions.

The Black Belt must also be a mentor to everyone on the team and develop a mentoring process . They must ensure that proper guidance is given for the new candidates immediately after their training. This will ensure that the course corrections are made regularly and the projects get completed on time.

Six Sigma creates an environment that supports true teamwork and the Black Belt can go a long way toward enabling a positive and productive team environment. During the project, the Black Belt should continually Structure the team and its actions to best utilize the disparity in knowledge and techniques of the team members and increase project member morale.

Always, the Black Belt should look at every circumstance as an opportunity to help instruct and improve the individual team members and the organization as a whole. This is what Six Sigma is all about.

Peter Peterka is President of Six Sigma us. For additional information on Six Sigma Black Belt or other Six Sigma Certification programs contact Peter Peterka at www.6sigma.us

Author: Peter Peterka Google

Published 09/1/2008

The post Managing Team and Six Sigma appeared first on SixSigmaTraining.us.

Political factors that can affect Six Sigma projects include personal resistance to change, inflexible company policies, and incompatibility with existing organizational methods and goals. Not surprisingly, all of these factors also affect business processes of any kind. They are not unique to Six Sigma.

Acknowledge How Politics Work within the Organization

This is one of Six Sigma’s strengths: realistically acknowledging the way politics work in an organization. Six Sigma is not just number crunching. It understands the importance of and encourages the involvement of people throughout and at all levels of the organization working together toward a common goal. Six Sigma projects encourage planning, communication, and openness about processes, procedures, and information.

Many people see change, any change,  loss of their power or a loss of the security of the old way of doing things. Thus, people are prone to defend the old way, out of habit and out of unease. They wonder how change will affect them and what exactly happens behind the scenes and if they don’t know, become apprehensive. This is a problem that can be overcome through communication. Six Sigma successes require clear and open communication at all levels.

Any change in an organization will meet some resistance, either intentional or just from inertia. When management can effectively communicate that it is behind that change and can communicate the positive aspects of the change, resistance and  politics can be countered and overcome.

Problem: Overcoming People not into Six Sigma Projects

Another problem is people who disregard the value and power of Six Sigma and consequently, they are reluctant to support Six Sigma projects. To the uninitiated, Six Sigma may appear similar to or simply an evolution of other quality programs. There have been so many quality improvement fads over the years.

It is not surprising that people are now a little jaded. Others may see Six Sigma as solely another cost-cutting or productivity enhancement fad. This is a short-sighted view. Six Sigma is neither a fad nor just another quality initiative. It is a way of life. It is a multi-level, cyclical movement toward continual process improvement.

The quality improvement fads sell themselves as cheap and easy quick fixes. The reality is that there are no quick fixes to significant process improvement. Six Sigma understands that; it is not a simple quick process. However, the right Six Sigma training and information will help people to understand that Six Sigma is significantly different; it is a robust continuous improvement strategy and process.

Once projects are begun, Six Sigma projects can become a battle of wills for control over which strategy, approach, or tool is used. Team meetings can devolve into arguments over which measurement to use, how it will be calculated, which charts will be generated, whether to use DMAIC or DMADV, etc. Six Sigma is not about making things more difficult.

It is about using common sense to make things easier. It is certainly about recognizing that there is more than one road to improvement and more than one right answer to a problem.

In overcoming political problems, the leadership of senior management is critical. Successful Six Sigma programs are built on a solid organizational foundation. The organizational structure and system needs to be clearly identified and communicated to the entire organization to successfully implement Six Sigma Quality.

Importance of Planning and Training

Becoming a Six Sigma organization doesn’t just happen. Planning and training goes into setting up a successful Six Sigma organization. Employee roles and responsibilities must be established and clearly communicated to all. For many companies successful in Six Sigma, the key factor has been the direct involvement of their top leaders.

Six Sigma is about getting everyone involved. A Six Sigma project forms a team of people who work together to identify problems and develop solutions. Such teams are not isolated teams rearranging the world for everyone else to live in. These teams are serving the organization by employing the skills and tools they have learned to increase quality and reduce defects. Instilling the team concept along with expert training will go a long way toward solving potential political troubles in your organization.

Peter Peterka is a Master Six Sigma Black Belt for Six Sigma us and has implemented Six Sigma in a variety of organizations. For additional information for Six Sigma Training and Six Sigma Consulting please contact Peter Peterka at https://sixsigmatraining.us/

Author: Peter Peterka Google

Published 09/1/2008

The post Six Sigma Projects and Company Politics appeared first on SixSigmaTraining.us.