Design for Six Sigma

Challenge 

Have you ever decided to improve a business process only to discover that no process exists?  Has your process been through many cycles of improvement yet cannot achieve the performance your customers demand?  Are your new products or services incapable of producing the desired results? 

In many organizations, particularly in service businesses or transactional process areas, processes have never been formalized.  When you ask three people how the process works, you get three different answers.  It becomes apparent that no systematic and repeatable process exists.  To use process improvement techniques here will be futile or, at a minimum, frustrating.  

In contrast, organizations that have well-defined processes and have been improving them for many years, sometimes reach a point of diminishing return.  The performance they or their customers demand is not achievable or the cost of doing so is prohibitive. Often newer technology or approaches have been developed that should be considered.  In this case it is often worthwhile to start again with a blank sheet of paper or at least go through a major process redesign.    

Solution 

Our Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology is used to create or substantially redesign a new product, service or process.  Designs are created that optimize performance and consistently minimize cycle time, reduce costs and fully meet or exceed customer requirements and competitive challenges.  In short, DFSS does it right the first time.  It focuses on designing quality in early in the development process when the associated costs are the lowest.
 
Approach 

The first step in any project is deciding if it is an improvement project or one that requires (re)design.  Our consultants are skilled in helping organization through this sometimes difficult decision. Do we have a process?  Is it capable of meeting customer requirements? Do we need to develop a new product or service?  These are some of the questions we will be asking.  

If it is decided that a new or modified product, service or process is needed, we will help form a team, charter a DSFF project, and provide training/facilitation as required to ensure the project meets its goals.  Our DFSS methodology uses a set of tools and analytics to provide consistent, reliable, manufacturability or serviceable products/services that meet or exceed customer requirements. 

For new product or service designs, we will integrate the DFSS project with the exiting New Product Development (NPD) process.  With DFSS, the up front time investment is generally greater than with older approaches, but by fully evaluating customer needs, market conditions, competitive offering, etc., it eliminates most post launch problems, and overall costs are much less.  Key elements of our DFSS approach include:  

p      Designing the production and delivery processes at the same time with the product or service.  

p      Designing to eliminate variability and ensure customer requirements are achieved 

p      Designing with an understanding of process capability  

p      Leveraging suppliers by including them early in the design phase 

DFSS uses our five-phase DMADV process.
 

Results 

Doing the right things right, the first time creates significant value for both your organization and your customers.  It goes a long way to eliminate post-launch firefighting, which frustrates both customers and designers.  When done right, DFSS ensures that:  

p      Customer needs are met the first time; reducing costs of rework and customer dissatisfaction

p      Product/service development cycle time is reduced; increasing speed to profitability

p      Designs are robust and tolerant to process variation; customer needs met every time

p      Controls are installed throughout the process; reducing risks of product/service failure