| The debate over whether or not to choose Six Sigma | | | | activities with the vision of the leader of the company. |
| over ISO 9000 is getting more interesting with each | | | | The approach is "how to" rather than "what to" deliver. |
| passing day. In an attempt to determine which of these | | | | The ISO 9000 Approach |
| is the better of the two, it is highly pertinent to discuss | | | | The ISO approach towards quality management |
| that in the context of applicability of them to industries. | | | | concentrates on standardization of the activities of |
| And there exists a huge amount of difference | | | | production. The eight quality principles of ISO 9000, |
| between the approaches of these two methodologies | | | | along with its twenty-four requirements outline business |
| in tackling the issues. | | | | processes. The emphasis here is on the control of |
| Six Sigma - A Critical View | | | | events in each aspect of doing business by |
| Six Sigma utilizes a multi-faceted approach to doing | | | | documenting evidence and reports. The eight principles |
| business with total improvement of the end product | | | | of ISO 9000 include prioritizing customer data, |
| being the goal. In doing so, Six Sigma defines and | | | | purchasing and quality systems, among other critical |
| analyzes the processes critically almost always | | | | aspects. ISO 9000 recognizes each process, whose |
| focusing on process improvements. The statistical | | | | end goals are the same, as an independent entity. |
| tools used in Six Sigma help not just in the adoption of | | | | Documented quality requirements typically decide, |
| processes but are also critical tools of Six Sigma | | | | based on set rules, whether or not a particular process |
| implementation. | | | | adhered to that standard. |
| Process Development Stages | | | | Document and Process Control |
| Let us examine the above statement as applicable to | | | | Maintenance of quality is achieved by adhering to key |
| a process for easier understanding. While working on | | | | process and document control. Operating procedures |
| process improvement, the Black Belts break up the | | | | and process control documents restrict deviations |
| original sequence of different events that comprise the | | | | outside the concepts of what you should be doing in |
| entire process and each event is further subdivided | | | | every process. What-you-should-be-doing is given |
| internally. This enables the "belts" to take an entirely | | | | emphasis under standard conditions rather than dealing |
| different view of the process via the entire process as | | | | with process improvement. |
| a whole. The powerful statistical tools employed at this | | | | Stalwarts in industry are examining the possibility of |
| stage of evaluation make the picture clearer and help | | | | merging the best practices of the two. Several |
| the "belts" to arrive at decisions about the value | | | | industry leaders have already acknowledged the |
| additions those made to the process by different | | | | benefits of using both methodologies to compliment |
| events. | | | | each other. Another view is that, as Six Sigma |
| This principle obviously goes beyond standardizing the | | | | implementation is what you do within your company |
| processes and setting the pathway for being vigilant | | | | (unlike the certification in ISO) the company does not |
| about adherence to the Six Sigma methodology. | | | | get recognition for achieving successful Six Sigma |
| Useless values which have lost meaning make way | | | | implementation. However, as long as the culmination of |
| for more meaningful events and eventually more | | | | a business activity is defined by both methodologies as |
| robust and comprehensive processes. In a Six Sigma | | | | retaining and improving the customer base along with |
| environment, customer demands will assume a key | | | | maximizing the bottom line, rejection of one in favor of |
| role in driving the processes towards aligning all | | | | other will be hard to justify. |