I-TRIZ for Six Sigma Business Process Management

Dr. Elena A. Averboukh

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In this article we summarise our research and application results in using I-TRIZ methodology for customer driven innovation [1] and tools at different phases of Six Sigma Project management and implementation. We discuss the existing bottlenecks of Six Sigma deployments both for improving business processes and/or optimising products/systems. Our objective it to bring both methodologies and their users, i.e. Six Sigma and I-TRIZ together to get a synergy in efficient business improvement. I will appreciate greatly any comments and discussions of this article and hope it may be a first article in a series of the follow-up articles and benchmark studies on training and /or using these methodologies together.

2. Six Sigma Bottlenecks and New Demands for Future Deployments 2.1. Just-in-Time Six Sigma Deployment There are often significant delays in Six Sigma projects and intermediate deliveries. One of the most frequent reasons are decision-making errors leading to rework and time-consuming data collection activities. Some of them are listed below in relation to Six Sigma project phases: Define/Identify Phase o lack of knowledge about the customers, customer profiles and their requirements/wishes/preferences/problems, o poor project selection and/or problem formulation o underestimated secondary problems which may arise during and/or as a result of primary problem solving o poor definition of alternative causes-effects and screening of significant inputs o failures in narrowing the scope of the projects into the wrong direction (phrase is not clear) o limited (non-exhaustive) failure analysis Measure Phase o time-consuming data-collection and measurements o lack and/or high variability of measurement systems (Gage R&R) Improve/Design Phase o lack of really ‘productive’ and/or innovative ideas on improvements (upgrade to 4 sigma level and higher) or competitive (re-) design o time- and labour consuming DOE (Design of Experiments) Verify/Control Phase o non-systematic and limited failure prediction These reasons lead not only to delays, but also increase the Cost of Poor Quality (COPQ) of Six Sigma deployment, particularly due to the consequent rework, i.e. repeated idea collection, screening the

Elena A. Averboukh

I-TRIZ for Six Sigma Business Process Management
1. What is Six Sigma Six Sigma is an acronym for advanced customer driven business process management and leadership strategy. The concept of Six Sigma was born in Motorola in 1986 and since then has been successfully introduced in many big companies (GE, Motorola, Alliance Signal etc.) as well as medium size companies with huge business and financial impacts. Six Sigma implements a systematic approach to improving and leading the business and combined 3 basic concepts, i.e. customer orientation, business process focus and problem solving based on hard facts and measured data. The management strategies are implemented through business-case (metalevel) and relevant spin-off project management, which have a very strong measurable link to the business vision, strategy and business score cards. Six Sigma project management is realised in pre-defined phases, like , e.g. DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control) for process improvement and DMADV (Design, Measure, Analyse, Design, Verify) for design of new products/systems (so-called Design for Six Sigma or DFSS). Diverse tools are used to implement these processes, i.e. analytical tools for problem definition and solving, statistical tools for data measurement, evaluation and processing. statistical process control, process modelling and simulation etc.

Dr. Elena A. Averboukh

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alternatives, measurements and analysis. They also significantly deteriorate overall acceptance and support in further deployments, etc. Demand in additional efficient analytical techniques and tools, which not only accelerate the above decision-making activities but also - make decision-making and problem-solving activities error-prone, - increase their productivity and reduce cycle time, and - increase Roll Throughput Yield of innovative and competitive solutions through the whole six sigma process, is apparent and urgent. 2.2. Low Cost Six Sigma Small and medium size companies or business units, which actively enter Six Sigma community, have extra limitations when deploying Six Sigma methodology, i.e. Personnel is limited and working often overtime. It is often difficult (if not impossible) to find relevant candidates for Black and Green Belts, which could be later involved full or even part time in six sigma projects. Resources, both financial and human, for six sigma projects are extremely limited. Situation when Black and/or Green Belts are alone conducting their projects working overtime is quite usual. Innovative products and services are critical to business survival and should be very fast updated. Big capital investments are often avoided or postponed, even when their ROI (return on investment) is very high and convincing. Therefore following demands for successful and just-in-time Six Sigma deployment become especially critical: a) availability of methods and tools for efficient generating low-cost six sigma solutions, if possible already at early stages of deployment b) solutions have to be innovative and competitive if they relate to (re)design of new product, technology or service c) cycle-time of Six Sigma projects have to be further reduced d) costly errors in decision making, especially at the early phases of Six Sigma projects, which lead to rework (e.g., extra and/or redundant measurements) have to be avoided 2.3. Zero Defect challenges for Forecast-Based Business Processes There are core business processes where the Cost of Defect or Failure is extremely high and critical to the overall business longevity. Those are e.g., a) Forecast-based business development strategic decisions Should the company focus on new products or other growth strategies? What role do new products play in the overall growth strategy? 3
Dr. Elena Averboukh is an industry-funded professor at the University of Kassel (Germany) in Quality and Safety Control Systems and works internationally as a Master Instructor and Master Black Belt for manufacturing, transactional, design and e-business companies. She is a certified instructor in I-TRIZ by Ideation, Inc. and has been training TRIZ for students and industrial audiences since 1996. She serves as a nominated expert of German standardization body DIN in the European (CEN) working groups on system ergonomics and usability. She has two Master degrees in electrical/system engineering and in mathematics/computer science and three Doctoral degrees in process automation, modelling and identification of complex systems and in quality and safety control systems. She may be reached via e.averbukh@ieee.org.