Design for Six Sigma

Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma have been established as two the most important initiatives for problem solving. Six Sigma approach is used for defect reduction or error reduction or more accurately variability reduction where as Lean Six Sigma approach is for waste in terms of optimising resources through waste reduction. But often the thought process ponders about why the defects and waste are there in any resource, product, process, competency or software while designing or expanding capacity or procuring or recruiting any outfit for the organisation? Key to the answer lies in criticising the birth giving process in terms of R&D, Projects, Procurement and Hiring. This gave rise to another domain intensive approach called Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) which was essentially a design and development intensive approach.

The problem with the DFSS is unlike Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma, the approach is not universally accepted approach. There are many approaches in the literatures. However, DFSS should not be considered as a problem-solving approach. This is more of a creativity competency … create the scenario in such a manner that the created outfit will not give rise to any defect or waste by birth.

DFSS as an approach if thoughtfully implemented in an Organisation can enable to grow in top line with protected bottom-line. However this approach is not for ongoing manufacturing process or transactional process or service provision process.

Any organisation must estimate the quantum of investment it makes in terms of problem solving in terms of money, resources, manpower and the likes. The same organisation should also do some thoughtful introspection if the design process, expansion process, development process, procurement process or hiring process or the likes can be done in such a way (in fact the DFSS way) then how much quantum of the investment of problem solving can be prevented… The result is quite eye catching…

Previous