| Six Sigma concepts and methodologies certainly help | | | | Make Fact-Based Decisions |
| in reducing defects and increasing efficiencies, but that | | | | You may have plenty of experience in your field and |
| does not mean that we can overlook the need for | | | | may be tempted to use your instincts or gut feelings |
| maintaining operational excellence throughout the Six | | | | when faced with a problem, but this is not the way to |
| Sigma implementation process and beyond. | | | | go because decisions based on emotions can go |
| Explained below are some of the methods and | | | | terribly wrong, especially when you are dealing with a |
| strategies that you can employ for maintaining | | | | complex business problem. When the stakes are high, |
| operational excellence across all the functional | | | | it is always better to rely on hard facts and figures for |
| departments where Six Sigma projects are being | | | | making decisions. |
| executed. | | | | Follow Standard Business Processes |
| Solve Day-To-Day Problems | | | | Innovation may be 'in', but you should use caution, |
| For successful implementations, you need to have | | | | because tweaking existing business processes may |
| adequate resources at your disposal at all times - | | | | not always give the desired results. In worst cases, |
| because you never know when business processes | | | | tweaking can seriously reduce the efficiency of a |
| will be affected by small, frustrating problems. By | | | | particular business process, leading to delays and |
| tackling problems quickly and effectively, you can | | | | missed deadlines, all of which will ultimately negatively |
| ensure that the implementation process is carried out | | | | affect the implementations. Only those alterations that |
| smoothly. You also need to be proactive in identifying | | | | have been tested and approved through Six Sigma |
| potential problems, as not all problems can be solved | | | | testing tools should be implemented. |
| easily once they have actually occurred. | | | | Avoid Repeating Mistakes |
| Follow Specified Plans | | | | You must come to terms with the fact that mistakes |
| Business operations can easily be affected due to lack | | | | will occur no matter how well you plan or execute. All |
| of proper plans such as those related to the | | | | you can do is avoid repeating the same mistakes over |
| procurement of labor and material. If production is | | | | and over again by creating proper logs of each and |
| delayed or is stopped completely due to such reasons, | | | | every activity related to business processes. This will |
| it will eventually affect the Six Sigma implementations | | | | help in ensuring the timely execution of Six Sigma |
| and lead to its delay as well. | | | | implementation projects. |
| Meet Deadlines | | | | The methods and strategies employed for maintaining |
| Meeting deadlines goes a long way in maintaining | | | | operational excellence may vary from industry to |
| operation excellence as the inability to meet deadlines | | | | industry, but the ones stated above are the most |
| can ultimately affect production or the service | | | | commonly utilized and are applicable in almost all types |
| provided to customers. Inability to meet deadlines can | | | | of industries. You need to be prudent while utilizing the |
| have a domino effect, as other projects that are in the | | | | above stated strategies because even the best |
| pipeline may also be affected. This can ultimately delay | | | | strategies can fail due to lack of proper guidance and |
| the ongoing Six Sigma implementation projects. | | | | support. |