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quality improvement, fmea mapping, six sigma, lean six sigma

Quality Improvement: Can EHR Boost FMEA Performance?

Can quality improvement be found through the Electronic Health Record (EHR)? Recent studies are showing that EHR can uncover hidden data overlooked in existing Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). The FMEA tool is used as a systematic, step-by-step approach to identify and understand all possible failures in a process. The FMEA tool then can […]

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Game Plan

What’s the Game Plan?

Browse through any management book these days and you’ll be amazed at the number of concepts that have appeared in the last decade: SWOT analysis, business process re-engineering, CRM, competitive advantage, analysis tools, fix-it tools and measuring tools. One frequently used (and overused) term is strategic planning. Look at any mid-size to large corporation, and […]

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conflict resolution, lean six sigma, 6sigma.us

Conflict: Managing At The Top

Conflict is a natural human condition. That conflict naturally occurs in the business environment. Just like in personal relationships, conflict in business relationships can become a destructive force. This is especially destructive when that conflict occurs between top leaders or the founders of an organization. That negative energy and environment can take a wildly successful […]

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Lean Six Sigma Tools

What are the different Lean Six Sigma Tools?

Tools play a very important role in Lean Six Sigma, as their use help in obtaining cost, speed as well as leaps in quality. Very much like Six Sigma, the DMAIC model is used to make improvements. Today we will look into the tools used in Lean Six Sigma: SIPOC: The full form of this […]

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six sigma training, lean six sigma

Six Sigma Training: Looking Ahead to 2017

Six Sigma Training is going to be epic for 2017 at 6sigma.us. We are excited and fully prepared to offer you more training options, at more locations worldwide, to meet your busy schedule. We have thoughtfully planned and prioritized our training opportunities to ensure you get the highest quality training opportunities for Lean and Six […]

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Quality Function Development, QFD, lean six sigma, lean six sigma tools, 6sigma.us

Quality Function Development (QFD): Translating Customer Demands

Can you get a better understanding of customer demands using the Quality Function Development (QFD) process? Understanding the true needs of the customer can be a touchy process. Typically, business tends to focus on the negatives. Their operational focus is like putting out fires, responding to negative feedback and complaints. Wouldn’t it be nice to […]

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The Cold Shoulder

The Cold Shoulder

Back in the good old days, companies that were persistently conservative and resisted change were handsomely rewarded. Stalwarts like General Motors, Procter and Gamble and Sears Roebuck were empires unto themselves; they tapped their resources to ward off change or to avoid it altogether. This strategy used to work. Not anymore. Change – like death […]

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lean six sigma training, lean six sigma, training, development, career, 6sigma.us

Lean Six Sigma Training: Continuous Building, Continuous Training

Are you getting it right with Lean Six Sigma training? No matter where you are at in your professional development, you can never stop! Success is about continuous improvement through continuous building. Look around you and you will see that people who are achieving high levels of success are continuously and deliberately working on self-development […]

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The More Things Change

The More Things Change…

“…the more things remain the same.” As they gathered around the salad bar, one employee said, “that must be the umpteenth announcement this month.” One of the senior employees smiled. “Don’t worry. It’s all talk. There’s never any follow-through. Trust me, I’ve been here long enough. Things will NEVER change around here.” We remembered conversations […]

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customer experience, voc, customer service, lean six sigma, six sigma , 6sigma.us

Customer Experience: You Get What You Give

How many times have you heard that statement? You get what you give. It is like a life mantra we have heard since our childhood. When you think about the customer experience, the old adage could never be more applicable. The problem is that as we grow, those words of wisdom get diluted in the […]

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Multiple Regression

What is Multiple Regression?

Consider a situation where a number of different factors (called predictor or independent variables) interplay to determine an outcome (called the criterion or dependent variable). Depending on what the factors are different outcomes may be achieved. For example, the price at which a house sells (the criterion) may be determined by a number of factors […]

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non-traditional education, lean six sigma, six sigma, training, education

Non-Traditional Education: How Times Have Changed

Do you remember all the lectures from your parents about education? Yes, those lectures about keeping your grades up in high school, taking college prep courses, then off to a reputable college. The point was, that if you didn’t go to college, then you would never be able to get a good job. For many, […]

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ISO 9000

Process Change? Think ISO 9000!

In their haste to implement changes, a few companies fail to consider ISO 9000. They think that it is a technical standard to be reckoned with and that only certain industries must comply. But for the experienced, the Switzerland-based International Standards Organization (ISO) must occupy a prominent place in company policy and strategy, especially when […]

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gantt chart, lean six sigma, lean, six sigma, lean six sigma tools, leadership, tools, 6sigma.us

Gantt Chart: Charting a Path to Success

Understanding the value of Lean Six Sigma tools is crucial to a practitioner. With a busy practice, keeping up with and accurately tracking the exact location and status of projects is crucial. The Gantt Chart is traditionally display as a bar chart. It shows the tasks of a project, when each must take place and how […]

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Image: Poka Yoke, aka 'Mistake Proofing'

Efficient Use of Poka Yoke

Background With billions invested in manufacturing across the world and a lot of talk about Quality Assurance, there is immense focus on what goes on at the production floor space. ‘Statistical Quality Control (SQC)’, ‘total Quality Management’, ‘Zero Defects’ and techniques for Inspection focus on similar issues: How to reduce the number of errors? How […]

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leadership failure, leadership, lean six sigma, six sigma, business, ceo, management , 6sigma.us

Leadership Failure: Are You Stumbling?

Understanding the Trap Leadership failure can happen more often than you think. According to a recent survey, over 40% of new Chief Executive Officers (CEO) fail within their first 18 months. That is a very powerful statement! Newly hired CEO’s enter the arena with confidence and attitude that is success focused. They wouldn’t have gotten […]

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Kano Analysis

Understanding Kano Analysis

Introduction Products have to be consumer centric. The manufacturers of any product must have a clear idea of what purpose their product is promising to serve. In other words, a clear-cut definition of the functionality of the product is very important. A pudding is good only if the person who is eating approves it (in […]

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leadership, business, project manager, six sigma, lean six sigma, 6sigma.us

Leadership: Developing the Essentials

Are You Preparing? Leadership is often misunderstood. Often times, people define leaders as those appointed to positions of authority above them. It is expected that if you hold a position of authority, then you are a leader. Those same people then follow those in positions above them, with sometimes reluctant obedience. They see that their […]

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Risk Assessment

FMEA: Failure Mode and Effect Analysis – Risk Assessment

Need for Failure Assessment Traditionally, a lot of emphasis was placed on designing a product. Those who planned ahead of time were given a pat on the back. Then, most of the effort was positioned towards manufacturing the product. Lastly, the product was checked for any defects or areas where quality was compromised. This cycle […]

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police officer, hiring, six sigma, 6sigma.us

Hiring a Police Officer: Six Sigma Brings a New Approach

Hiring a Police Officer Hiring a police officer can be a lengthy and costly process. Unlike many traditional professional hiring situations, the process for hiring a police officer is lengthy and detailed. A hiring agency must go through a multitude of steps with excruciating detail to ensure they have a candidate that is suitable for […]

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