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Anyone with six sigma experience?

bahester

bahester

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I've just started a six sigma class this semester, and it's only been 2 classes so far but this is the most intrigued I've ever been about a class. Something about it just makes so much sense to me, and there seems like a lot of potential to be made in the field. I know my professor does a lot of six sigma training for companies around the RTP area, and just got back from doing some with IBM. I think at the end of the course we have the option, if we want, and if we can pass the tests, to pay (for a much reduced price through the University) to become Green and Black Belt trained. I just want to hear if anyone else has any experience with this. It sounds like something I'm pretty interested in so far. Installing JMP 9.0 Pro on my computer right now in prep for our next class on Friday.
 
For those not in the know (like me); http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigma

As a huge Pink Floyd fan, the name jumped at me as they were "Sigma 6" before PF.........not that has anything to do with this thread......LOL
 
Yes. I was forced to do it as part of my last company.

Meh
 
Good ole six sigma. Glad to hear you enjoy it; I too enjoyed those courses back in the day. I, however, came out on the other side of the spectrum from you. I now see the "current version" of purported six sigma as little more than a glamorized form of quality control and improvement that has been largely oversold by the "consultants" that make their living on selling something old, but wrapped in new fancy paper (i.e. exotic terms, etc.). I have no doubt that six sigma can and does work for specific systems within a company. However, at times it potentially stifles many of the aspects that previously made the company great. Indeed, numerous companies that adopted some form of six sigma are struggline mightly and, unfortunately, are having to seek bankruptcy protection or other forms of relief (not saying six sigma is the culprit).

I think it is awesome that you are interested in six sigma. I think it would be interesting to be involved in it... In another life, I wouldn't mind working with it. I would, however, be focused on improving the idea rather than implementing it.
 
interlooper said:
Good ole six sigma. Glad to hear you enjoy it; I too enjoyed those courses back in the day. I, however, came out on the other side of the spectrum from you. I now see the "current version" of purported six sigma as little more than a glamorized form of quality control and improvement that has been largely oversold by the "consultants" that make their living on selling something old, but wrapped in new fancy paper (i.e. exotic terms, etc.). I have no doubt that six sigma can and does work for specific systems within a company. However, at times it potentially stifles many of the aspects that previously made the company great. Indeed, numerous companies that adopted some form of six sigma are struggline mightly and, unfortunately, are having to seek bankruptcy protection or other forms of relief (not saying six sigma is the culprit).

I think it is awesome that you are interested in six sigma. I think it would be interesting to be involved in it... In another life, I wouldn't mind working with it. I would, however, be focused on improving the idea rather than implementing it.
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Thanks for the honest answer inter. I too have heard that it's been taken over by the consultant world, packed with fancy terms. It just seems really interesting to me. It seems like so many places are so inefficiently ran today, it's something I have an interest in. We'll see how the class goes. Seems like it's dying down quite a bit from the 80s and 90s, but maybe there will still be some interest in that field when I graduate. We're learning the Lean portion of it too.
 
It's a great way to stream line a very large company to maximize productivity and space
 
Used it for years at <enter big yellow company here>. Works well when used properly, embarrassing when used improperly. By well I mean it helps control the project, stop scope creep and helps prove out the ideas. By embarrassing I mean it's overkill for common sense, makes you hate Excel and makes people hate you when you use facts and data instead of their "feelings".
 
My buddy's sister works for GE Medical and she's a black belt.

I think I could take her.

Kevin
 
Roger.Willson said:
Used it for years at <enter big yellow company here>. Works well when used properly, embarrassing when used improperly. By well I mean it helps control the project, stop scope creep and helps prove out the ideas. By embarrassing I mean it's overkill for common sense, makes you hate Excel and makes people hate you when you use facts and data instead of their "feelings".
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I hear that. Seems like enough companies don't use common sense to give the six sigma'ers the ability to come in and do work. I absolutely love excel though, and VBA.
 
Tadashi70 said:
It's a great way to stream line a very large company to maximize productivity and space
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Thats my general understanding of it. I have an Uncle that does this type of consultant work for large healthcare producers. It's interesting to hear him talk about how inefficient some of their processes are.
 
I would think to you it is a win/win situation. You enjoy what you know about it and more importantly it is a resume enhancer. My daughter recently completed black belt training which her company paid for even though she has an IE degree from Tech. So there are companies who value the training and in the current job environment it doesn't hurt to have an edge.
 
Esox said:
My buddy's sister works for GE Medical and she's a black belt.

I think I could take her.

Kevin
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hell yeah you could, your a red belt
 
bahester said:
Thanks for the honest answer inter. I too have heard that it's been taken over by the consultant world, packed with fancy terms. It just seems really interesting to me. It seems like so many places are so inefficiently ran today, it's something I have an interest in. We'll see how the class goes. Seems like it's dying down quite a bit from the 80s and 90s, but maybe there will still be some interest in that field when I graduate. We're learning the Lean portion of it too.
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You got that right. It is a good thing to have an interest in... there are always companies that are ran inefficiently... and many of them pay very good money to fix those inefficiencies.
 
In the Marines we actually are required to attend these classes, I already have my green belt in what the Marine Corps calls "Airspeed" which takes the Six Sigma, Lean, and Theory of Constraints and puts them all together. Its a great deal, cause I have heard that these classes are very expensive in the civilian world.
 
mayday1775 said:
In the Marines we actually are required to attend these classes, I already have my green belt in what the Marine Corps calls "Airspeed" which takes the Six Sigma, Lean, and Theory of Constraints and puts them all together. Its a great deal, cause I have heard that these classes are very expensive in the civilian world.
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I'm not sure of the exact numbers, but I know to take it here, and be black belt certified it's somewhere in the $10k range. And I've heard thats relatively cheap, not 100% sure though.
 
Lefty78 said:
I would think to you it is a win/win situation. You enjoy what you know about it and more importantly it is a resume enhancer. My daughter recently completed black belt training which her company paid for even though she has an IE degree from Tech. So there are companies who value the training and in the current job environment it doesn't hurt to have an edge.
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This was actually my thinking too. It can only help. My resume is decent from a work experience and related knowledge standpoint, but my overall GPA leaves a little to be desired. Hopefully all my knowledge in CAD, some programming, Six Sigma, etc. plus a few years of Engineering related work experience will help.
 
interlooper said:
You got that right. It is a good thing to have an interest in... there are always companies that are ran inefficiently... and many of them pay very good money to fix those inefficiencies.
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Really appreciate your input!! Once again shows how awesome and honest the people here are.
 
It really changed how smoothly our supply and maintenance departments worked. By measuring how much it would cost to repair an item vs purchasing a new item, or changing the priorities of items so that only the most critical items are repaired first, raised our aircraft readiness by something like 15%.
 
mayday1775 said:
It really changed how smoothly our supply and maintenance departments worked. By measuring how much it would cost to repair an item vs purchasing a new item, or changing the priorities of items so that only the most critical items are repaired first, raised our aircraft readiness by something like 15%.
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That's pretty cool. The whole push vs. pull theories seem pretty interesting. Needless to say I went to buy the book today and it was actually a package of 5 books. 2 for green belt certification, 2 for black belt, and 1 lab book, whew! Looks interesting for sure.
 
bahester said:
Really appreciate your input!! Once again shows how awesome and honest the people here are.
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The problem with the system is people don't know when to stop, if you use TOC, no matter what you change you will just move the bottle neck to somewhere else in the chain.
 
mayday1775 said:
The problem with the system is people don't know when to stop, if you use TOC, no matter what you change you will just move the bottle neck to somewhere else in the chain.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that makes sense. I guess to me, it seems like a logical way to think of things, which my brain can process well.
 
If nothing else, it will something to put on a resume, and you just might get a few skills out of it.
 
We have the Lean version in the Government. I personally think it is a total waste of time. I feel a lot more can be accomplished by simply asking the employees for input on what needs to be improved, implementing the good ideas and rewarding the employees appropriately instead of wasting a bunch of time and money on an elaborate program.
 
Sorry about the short answer, my phone died. I was going to say it started out a good concept but the efficiency consultants have taken it over and now it gets used in a way I don't think was intended, to justify downsizing and push productivity limits of people. Just my 1/4% of a penny.
 
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