In most IT companies, Six Sigma is being implemented in the core processes such as product development and maintenance. Six Sigma helps by eliminating errors during the product development process, which in turn drastically reduces the probability that the product will not find favor with client needs and requirements.
Many IT companies that have successfully deployed Six Sigma are reaping the associated benefits that come in the form of reduced product redevelopment costs and a drastic improvement in the customer satisfaction levels and brand equity.
Six Sigma Tools and Techniques Employed By IT Companies
IT companies utilize a wide variety of Six Sigma tools and techniques, but if we were to name the most commonly utilized tool, it would certainly be the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Most IT companies are employing this tool because it can be used for the effective management of almost all the core IT processes such as new product development, product redevelopment and enhancements and product maintenance.
This tool works by identifying potential errors and bugs that might surface when the product is finally delivered to the client or end-user. This gives IT companies enough time to take corrective action as might be necessary for reducing the probability of bugs and errors.
The Right Method of Using the FMEA Six Sigma Tool
Although it appears a complex tool to use, FMEA in reality is not all that difficult to employ, because it requires users just to have a negative point of view about things in general. So, Six Sigma professionals such as Black Belts who might employ FMEA, just have to try to discover the possibilities that can have a negative impact on the product or process undergoing development.
After the identification process, the tool is used for classifying different problem areas into different categories based on the level of threat posed by each one of them. The overall threat level referred to as the 'Risk Priority Number' (RPN) is calculated by considering all the various aspects such as those mentioned below:
=The probability that a problem will surface (referred to as 'Occurrence')
=The potential impact of a given problem (referred to as 'Severity')
=The probability of finding an appropriate solution (referred to as 'Detention)
The RPN helps because it allows Six Sigma professionals to concentrate more on problem areas that might pose a major risk to the product development process. Potential problem areas thus get eliminated in the developmental stage itself, something that ensures the quality of the final product.
Generally, the overall operational cost of IT companies is less than that of manufacturing companies, but since bugs and errors can easily escalate costs by forcing the company to invest in product redevelopment, it is necessary that IT companies use this tool during the product development process. It is only then will they be able to survive the intense competition and make new inroads into the future.
Six Sigma Information Technology
The basic aim of Six Sigma implementation projects is to reduce wastage of scarce resources by reducing the number of defects to less than 3.4 per million opportunities that exist for such defects to occur. These quality improvement techniques provide accurate results because they make use of statistical analysis tools. These tools are quite effective when it comes to reducing variations in a product or service.
Why Online Training
Six Sigma projects are normally implemented under the supervision of certified professionals such as Green Belts, Black Belts, and Master Black Belts. The services of these professionals are necessary for ensuring that the implementation is completed within the planned schedule and within allocated costs. The only problem is that these professionals often charge hefty amounts as fees, which may not sometimes be too costly for a company. The best option then is to train existing employees so that they can get the requisite certification and in-depth knowledge about Six Sigma concepts and methodologies.
However, enrolling employees for a regular course is not recommended because the costs can be quite high. Another thing is that in regular courses, employees will have to attend regular courses, which will result in wastage of precious productive time. The best option is to provide online training that offers the same level of certification such as Green Belts and Black Belts. Since Six Sigma is currently the highest quality standard, it is always better to opt for reputed online training courses. It would be better if the online training course is nationally recognized and is designed to cater to different types of professionals such as engineers, technical managers, and analysts. Skills developed through the training program will then help these professionals in reducing defects in manufacturing, developing and in providing services.
What To Look For In An Online Six Sigma Course
Six Sigma online courses are selected according to the level of training a company is aiming to provide to its employees. However, it is always better to opt for an all-inclusive online course that covers most of the operations related aspects of a business such as general management, design, production, services, and even customer satisfaction.
The course should also include an introduction to Total Quality Management (TQM), leadership issues in organizations, project handling skills, quality improvement processes, use of statistical tools such as diagrams and charts, and other related topics. Such a course will empower the employees with specialized knowledge and skills that will help them during project implementations.
Online courses for existing employees are increasingly being preferred because companies do not have to spend top dollar for the training. Another reason is that by training their employees, companies are now able to harness their existing talent pool and reduce their dependence on the services of Six Sigma professionals. All these factors indicate that the future certainly belongs to online training.
Tony Jacowski has sinced written about articles on various topics from University, Six Sigma and Information Technology. Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online and certification classes for six sigma pro. Tony Jacowski's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.
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