CircuiTree - February 2009 - (Page 36)

View From the Middle By Steven Williams The Lean Toolkit, Part I The Lean Toolkit The lean toolkit is comprised of a set of tools that are used in support of the Six Sigma DMAIC process, which is an acronym for deﬁne, measure, analyze, improve, and control (Figure 1). While this toolkit is not all inclusive, the set of tools that will be discussed over my next few columns will allow an organization to move through each of the DMAIC functions and facilitate implementation of any lean initiative (Figure 1). Beginning with this column, and after a brief prerequisite deﬁnition of both Six Sigma and DMAIC, each edition of this next series of columns will focus, in turn, on one of these DMAIC functions. Customer Benchmark Survey The customer benchmark survey is part of the Voice of the Customer program that solicits information from the customer base. The ability to understand value from the customer’s perspective is a critical ﬁrst step in the lean process. I would argue that before an organization can determine what processes need to be improved, it ﬁrst needs to truly understand the customer’s needs as it applies to its product or service. One of the biggest mistakes companies make is trying to deﬁne value themselves; what is the value that they provide to the customer? This can only be deﬁned by their customers through a formal information- What Is Six Sigma? Before we can talk about DMAIC, we need to brieﬂy discuss Six Sigma and how it relates to the DMAIC process. Sigma (σ) is the 18th letter in the Greek alphabet and is deﬁned and used in two different ways. First, as a mathematical measure of the amount of variation in a process. This is normally referred to as the standard deviation of a process; the lower the standard deviation, the better. Second, to describe the quantity of defects a process will produce. This is normally referred to as the sigma level of a process and is a measure of process performance; the higher the sigma level, the better. Although statistics are usually associated with Six Sigma, that is only part of the process; from a high level, Six Sigma is the problem-solving methodology called DMAIC. Figure 1 The Lean Toolkit (Source: SUW 2008) What Is DMAIC? DMAIC is a process that uses a collection of tools to identify, analyze, and eliminate sources of variation in a process. Six sigma can be an intimidating concept to grasp, particularly regarding the statistics and math part of the process. Distilling it down to the most basic level, the key takeaway is that to achieve a Six Sigma level, process variation must be cut in half from that of a Three Sigma level. Let’s now begin with the deﬁne function of the DMAIC process. gathering process such as a benchmark survey. The information gathered from a benchmark survey can provide valuable input on both short- and long-term decision-making in support of increasing customer satisfaction. The survey will not only highlight the areas where an organization holds strategic advantages over the competition but also the areas where the competition is superior. As stated in earlier columns, “perception is reality,” and I would argue that you can’t improve what you haven’t measured. The appropriate lean strategy can only be developed after measuring your customers’ needs, wants, and perceptions. Critical to Quality Identification Once customer needs have been established through the Voice of the Customer program, an analysis of the product/process characteristics that relate directly to meeting these needs must be completed. These characteristics are deﬁned as being critical to quality (CTQ) as deﬁned by the customer. CTQs are the key measurable characteristics of a product or process that directly correlate to a customer requirement. Often a CTQ is not a black and white speciﬁcation; it may need to be translated from a qualitative customer statement into a quantitative requirement. As we move through the various functions of the DMAIC process, how each function interacts and leads into the next should begin to bring clarity to the entire process. The next column will move on to the measure phase and the toolset that supports that function. ■ Steven Williams is the CEC commodity manager for Plexus Corp. (Neenah, Wis.) and author of Survival Is Not Mandatory: 10 Things Every CEO Should Know About Lean (www.survivalisnotmandatory.com). Email: steve.williams@plexus.com Define Toolset This is the phase that identiﬁes the opportunity and the process targeted for improvement. Project Scoping Project scoping is the activity of identifying and documenting the process that is targeted for improvement. Deﬁning the project scope is critical; I think we have all been in meetings where two or three people leave with different impressions of not only the discussion but also of the actions that are to take place going forward. Formalizing the project scope is a key way to ensure that everyone is on the same page and gives the lean team the opportunity to review and assess the project before it ofﬁcially goes live. This would include the initial process performance evaluation, deﬁning of the team, developing a timeline, and attaching preliminary ﬁnancial goals for the anticipated improvement. 36 February 2009 • circuitree.com http://www.survivalisnotmandatory.com http://www.circuitree.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CircuiTree - February 2009

CircuiTree - February 2009 Contents Lead Wire The Wire Tech Talk Flexible Thinking Are Better PCB Design Tools and Manufacturing Enough to Stay Competitive? The Strategist Fein-Lines The Big Deal Over Fine Pitch Assembly Asian Section View From the Middle Market Outlook Technical Product Spotlights Classified Ads Upcoming Events Ad Index

CircuiTree - February 2009

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.