process improvement

PROCESS IMPROVEMENT

Ryan Endres, PMP

28Oct2009

WHAT ARE SOME PROCESSES AT THE

FPRC?

Certification

Putting things on the server

Eligibility

Development of databases

Inventory to hand off digital item to grader

SIX SIGMA

Six Sigma originated as a set of practices

designed to improve manufacturing processes

and eliminate defects, but its application was

subsequently extended to other types of business

processes as well.

"Six Sigma is the most important initiative GE has ever

undertaken." - Jack Welch CEO General Electric

SIX SIGMA HISTORY

Created by Motorola in the mid 1980’s

By the late 1990’s two-thirds of all Fortune 500

companies were using it.

Local companies:

1. GE

2. Covance

3. Cuna

4. Alliant Energy

Belts: Yellow, Blue and Black

SIX SIGMA PROCESS

Define

Measure

Analyze

Improve

Control

D

M

A

I

C

DEFINE

Define the process you want to improve (this

includes a charter which is similar to one, one

would create for a standard project)

Decrease Time

Decrease errors

MEASURE

This is where you draw out a flow chart of

your process and then pick what you want to

measure (time, number of errors...) and how

you want to plot these items out. Then walk

the process and make your measurements

(gather data).

CURRENT WORKFLOW

ANALYZE

Here we look at the data and the flow chart again to determine the root causes for delays, errors or whatever you were measuring and come up with a value for if it happens how does it effect the process (i.e.: it may delay the process by 3 days). Then create a pareto diagram to determine which root causes you will focus on. Why focus on something that will only have a small return.

ANALYZE OUR WORKFLOW

Work the Stats: Pareto Diagram, Frequency Plots,

Histogram, time series plots, Run charts, Scatter diagram…

IMPROVE

This is where you review the root causes and

then brainstorm possible solutions. Don't

forget to include those wild and crazy ideas to

fix the problems! Then flow chart the new

process.

BRAINSTORMING … CIRCLE IT UP!

STEPS TO IMPROVE

•Online photographer training help

• Translate our photography procedures

•Online help videos

•Include links to online help in queries

•Workflow tracker

CONTROL

We measure the new process and identify

opportunities for further improvement in the

process.

SIX SIGMA IN ACTION!

OIL CHANGE IN A FIGHTER PLANE

HOW LONG FOR AN OIL CHANGE?

~19hrs and walked 17,000 feet to complete

the task

under 4 hrs and ~3000 feet

traveled.

SIX SIGMA IN ACTION

STANDARDIZED TESTING EXAMPLE

15 day Guarantee!

New guy … 7 day Guarantee!

Use Six Sigma … 3 day Guarantee!

Bring in Six Sigma!

DON’T LET YOU PROJECT DI

Define

Measure

Analyze

Improve

Control

Define

Measure

Analyze

Improve

Control

TRY IT OUT….

QUESTIONS