Leading Six Sigma – A Step‐by‐Step Guide Based on Experience with GE and Other Six Sigma Companies

Citation

Kuei, C. (2004), "Leading Six Sigma – A Step‐by‐Step Guide Based on Experience with GE and Other Six Sigma Companies", International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 467-468. https://doi.org/10.1108/02656710410530136

In the past few years, much has been written concerning Six Sigma practices in large firms, manufacturing companies, and service organizations. Businesses around the world are also becoming increasingly aware of the strategic role of Six Sigma quality management in taking performance improvement to a new level of effectiveness. To achieve Six Sigma quality, the system and structures of an organization must be changed to respond rapidly, correctly, and profitably to market demands and customers’ needs. Further:

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  people advance the system;

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  knowledge completes people; and

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  guidance is the gate to knowledge assets.

Snee and Hoerl, who have involved Six Sigma deployment processes in General Electric (GE) and other organizations, noticed the paucity of practical guidance on the deployment of Six Sigma. It is therefore their intent to write a book to address issues such as how to launch the Six Sigma initiative, manage the important aspects of the initiative, maintain the momentum over time, and institutionalize Six Sigma. Readers who open the cover of Leading Six Sigma – A Step‐by‐Step Guide Based on Experience with GE and Other Six Sigma Companies will find that institutionalizing Six Sigma helps prevent organizations from making strategic gaffes, and enables them to significantly enhance the probability of success.

To be of use, a book on such a popular topic must strike a good balance between guidance and inspiration, philosophical points and practical engagements, theoretical propositions and proven methodologies, continual growth strategies and creative development programs, and design process and detailed implementation steps. To respond to this extensive topic and challenge, Snee and Hoerl started the story by reviewing the history of Six Sigma quality management and how it has evolved. They discussed different ways to view a Six Sigma system. This was followed by a discussion of recent advances and experiences of Six Sigma in GE and Grace (an international specialty chemical and material company). Less successful Six Sigma deployments were also reported. Snee and Hoerl then suggested that three key factors were relevant in explaining successful Six Sigma deployments: leadership, top talent, and supporting infrastructure. These critical strategic factors were then integrated into a grand strategy for deploying Six Sigma. Institutionalizing Six Sigma, as a consequence, will require a three‐pronged approach. The elements include:

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  launching the initiative;

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  managing the effort; and

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  sustaining momentum and growing.

The objective of such a strategic initiative is threefold: to control performance variations, to help employees grow into effective and knowledgeable managers, and to enhance a firm's capability and capacity to excel on all dimensions of quality. The outputs of such a strategic intent usually include a much higher “Sigma” score and softer benefits such as better‐satisfied customers and more proactive suppliers and employees.

In the remainder of the book, Snee and Hoerl discussed thoroughly integration and leadership issues. For the former, the emphasis is on the integration of Six Sigma with process management systems, ISO 9000‐2000 systems, and the Baldrige assessment criteria. For the latter, the focus is to help readers understand Six Sigma solution tools such as process maps, cause and effect matrices, measurement system analyses, capability analyses, failure mode and effect analyses, multi‐vari studies, design of experiments, and control plans. Their approach is particularly suited for those readers who hold executive or managerial positions. In this context, Snee and Hoerl also used a case study to highlight the DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, design, and verify) process with a particular emphasis on the tools used in each phase. Anyone engaged in the Six Sigma approach will find this step‐by‐step approach friendly and applicable to their situations.

At the end, the book supplies a significant amount of information on frequently asked questions. This concluding section appears to be grounded in solid research and practical experiences. Readers can consolidate learning and understanding through this kind of practical engagement and fine touch.