4 Misperceptions About Six Sigma: Dispelling the Myths By Frank Lucer At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Identifying business process inefficiencies and designing creative solutions to eliminate them can have a far-reaching impact on any organization. These are the goals of a Six Sigma initiative. By focusing intently upon specific metrics that are important to quality and gathering data with which to analyze those metrics, a project team can identify problem areas. Once identified, the team can develop strategies that will yield improvements. If those improvements are implemented properly, they'll generate a higher level of quality, reduce lead times, and produce cost savings. And that improves the customer's overall experience.

Having said that, many companies that are unfamiliar with the methodology harbor a number of misperceptions about it. Those misperceptions often discourage them from taking advantage of the discipline. Below, I'll clarify four myths about Six Sigma that continue to confuse many senior managers.

#1 - It Cannot Be Used Outside Manufacturing

The methodology was originally created for a manufacturing environment. So, it's little surprise that many people believe it cannot be applied in other sectors. In reality, there is more opportunity to identify inefficiencies and implement improvements within the service sector. Most organizations in the service industry have never implemented Six Sigma. As a result, there is plenty of opportunity for identifying and eliminating waste. That might include employee errors, long wait times, and other problems.

#2 - It Won't Work For Small Organizations

For the last few decades, the methodology has been primarily implemented within large companies. That's partly due to it having been created for the manufacturing environment. As a result, many small business owners have the mistaken impression that the system will not work for their smaller organizations.

Small companies produce products and services in the same basic way large companies do: through a set of defined processes. If they can streamline those processes and eliminate waste, they'll be more competitive and profitable. Six Sigma can be used to identify and remove waste from any process, regardless of its size and scope.

#3 - It Requires Complicated Analysis

To be sure, the methodology relies heavily on data. By collecting data, setting benchmarks, and testing solutions, the project team can generate improvements that trickle down to the bottom line. That said, the skills and tools required to analyze process-related metrics are relatively low. Far from needing a degree in statistics, black belts and green belts can perform most of the analysis with high-school math.

It's also important to realize that Six Sigma involves much more than mere statistics and analysis. Data is just a means to an end. Equally important is the ability of the project team to work seamlessly with an organization's staff.

#4 - Companies Must Be Able To Commit 100%

Many senior managers are hesitant because they believe implementing a Six Sigma solution within their businesses requires a perpetual and full commitment. In truth, it's not necessary in order to enjoy the benefits of the methodology. Some managers launch a full deployment throughout their entire organization. Others focus on a few critical processes that can yield large savings. One of the advantages of Six Sigma is its ability to fit into an organization's framework at any level. Whether you want to integrate it into every system throughout your company, or on a few select processes, it can be done fluidly.

A growing number of organizations are beginning to realize the long-term advantages of identifying and removing waste from their respective processes. Six Sigma provides a predictable platform from which to drive improvements. Companies that implement the methodology stand to enjoy a significant competitive edge within their space.

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