The Psychology of Quality and More

Beyond Six Sigma

~ David Straker ~

-- Introduction -- Focusing statistics for value -- Deepening strengths --
-- Adding critical skills -- The bottom line -- References --

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Failure of Six Sigma implementation

http://www.isixsigma.com/forum/showmessage.asp?messageID=12832
 

http://www.isixsigma.com/forum/showmessage.asp?messageID=17410 – a couple of discussion threada on iSixSigma around instances where the approach has failed.

http://www.dieu.dk/email/0202sigma1.asp - gives examples where Six Sigma did not work and points out some of its limitations.

http://www.qualitydigest.com/may00/html/sixsigmacon.html - In an article entitled ‘Who Needs Six Sigma Anyway?’ D. H. Stamatis points out how “Six Sigma presents absolutely nothing new to the quality field of defect prevention”.

http://home.swbell.net/tanavin/sixsigma.htm - ‘deconstructs’ Six Sigma, showing how its reported successes are not reflected in high-visibility adopter’s business results. What it does not explain is how and why Six Sigma succeeds where other programmes have failed.

Companies extending content of Six Sigma

http://www.honeywell.com/sixsigma/ - briefly describes Honeywell’s extended approach to Six Sigma.

http://www.isixsigma.com/library/content/ask-02.asp - article on ‘Lean Sigma’ explaining how Six Sigma lacks tools to address ‘lean’ situations.

http://www.cio.com/archive/120103/sigma.html reports on success in IT and advises taking a realistic and customising approach.

Project management

http://www.microsoft.com/solutions/sixsigma/evaluation/overview/ - describes a Microsoft product aimed at supporting project management.

George Eckes and Sandra Derickson, Six Sigma Team Dynamics: The Elusive Key to Project Success, Wiley, 2002 – highlights the fact that “team dynamics is one of the biggest factors in success or failure of Six Sigma projects”.

People

http://www.isixsigma.com/library/content/c020902a.asp - highlights the need for balance between human and statistical/technical concerns.

Strategy

http://www.qualitydigest.com/june01/html/harrington.html - James Harrington explains how Six Sigma did not help Motorola when they made strategic errors.

Systems

http://smr.mit.edu/past/2002/smr4322.html - Michael (Reengineering) Hammer points out that Six Sigma’ s project focus best works as a part of a larger process-driven programme.

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