March 26, 2008
Project Management
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The born leaders belonging to personality types INTJ and ENTJ are the most likely people to be selected to become Master Black Belts. This can be by design or can be pure coincidence. But what one can not disregard is the truth that they are in their positions because of their enviable character that separates them from the crowd. Characteristically, INTJs and ENTJs are strong in intuitive and judgmental abilities which make them stand up for all the right things and know when to act because of their impeccable sense of timing.
Who Are Master Black Belts?
Master Black Belts are experienced trained professionals bestowed with the responsibility of strategic implementation of projects. Their responsibilities encompass the whole gamut of Six Sigma implementation, which includes training the other belts and strategizing on projects within an organization. This unambiguously means that a Mater Black Belt also acts as a watchdog of deployment processes by keeping tabs on integrity issues such as measurements, tollgates etc. Revising and improving training methodology and tools fall under the purview of a Master Black Belt.
A Master Black Belt qualifies for that position through virtues such as problem solving abilities at strategic levels. This calls for qualities such as being forward looking, leadership by self-indulgence and thorough expertise in the intricacies of business processes, Six Sigma implementation techniques and statistical tools. What assumes utmost importance is his or her brilliant analytical abilities to identify problem areas, tackle bottlenecks and other obstacles. Alertness to issues such as integrity misuse and misrepresentation of authority and facts by down line support and line employees is also emphasized.
A Master Black Belt is disposed to train other facilitators of Six Sigma in aspects such as the tools, methodologies, and applications in all functions of the organization. (He/she is assumed to be a resource for employing statistical process controls but typically outside of Black Belt’s purview).
MBB And Upstream Responsibilities
A Master Black Belt occupies an unenviable position within the organization. He or she is the key link between the Black Belts and the Champion. He participates in the project selection by contributing to the company in terms of strategic business point of view.
Briefly, other responsibilities are listed here. The Master Black Belt works in coordination with the Champion to:
1. Create commitment to achieve team and project goals
2. Break down barriers to implementation,
3. Make sure upper management supports team’s endeavors through DMAIC
4. Ensure team leaders are focused appropriately
5. Help transition to process owner once project is complete
6. Acknowledge progress, success, and accomplishments.
A Master Black Belt’s position is not connected to his ranking. Master Black Belts, who are mostly chosen from the middle management, are Black Belts of extraordinary abilities. A MBB trains, coaches and builds the team as a business planner. But at the core of it all, he moves from a focus on “doing” to “working” on the holistic picture of bringing about an entire change of the organization.
Ensuring sustainability, even after transfer from project ownership to process ownership made possible through weaving the visions of management and stakeholders together with the strategic business process is not possible without the essential contributions of the Master Black Belt.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
March 26, 2008
Project Management
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Six Sigma is a powerful mathematical and statistical tool that has its roots deep into the customer-centric approach. The objective is to reduce the output variation and thereby to meet customer specifications by application of the methodology at the process stage ensures the meeting of its target result of 3.4 defects per million parts. The basis of Six Sigma metrics is the measurement of number of standard deviations between the baseline (which is the mean of processes) and customer specifications.
The key to achieving the specified target figures lies in process variation control which depends on statistical tools. Decreasing process variation involves multitasking of various parameters and aspects of a process.
How Can We Devise A Six Sigma Metric?
We can begin by considering a simplified example where there are just 3 tasks, with each having one performance acceptability parameter. It is quite possible for all of them to have a correlation or not at all. When they are all correlated or if at least 2 of them are, you must look into how they behave upon varying the other/s. For example, if heating elongates some other part you will also be interested in knowing whether contracting the second reduces the temperature of the first. Emphasis must be placed on measuring every aspect of the task.
Considerations Before You….
Use Composite Metrics: You can choose to have a composite metric, which in specific areas, like a multivariate environment, might be exclusively helpful. You can consider using the composite metric for calculating overall deviations of a huge number of data over a considerably long period like a month. But you need to be careful to having any one parameter altering the others.
Break Up The Project: If time permits, work strategically on using all three tasks independently by breaking the project into multiple steps and go about working on the metrics one step at a time. In this case, you need to have a thorough understanding of the interaction of process flow and the statistical viewpoints.
Use A DFSS Scorecard: Some experts advocate using a DFSS scorecard. A DFSS scorecard will be extremely helpful when each of the parameters is a variable and when the standard deviations of the parameters are known along with DPMOs.
Some Guidelines
As a general rule, you must pay attention to each metric/parameter irrespective of whether or not you are using it. Analyze all metrics one at a time without overlooking the overall process. A company-wide metric for COPQ may not work very well, as many companies have learned from their costly mistakes. However, if you can, get the values like baseline definitions at the sector levels right. It takes an analytical approach to have an enterprise-wide metric. Some companies are practicing the measurements in percentage points for effectiveness or using the number of people trained.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
March 26, 2008
Project Management
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No one enjoys making a mistake in his or her job hunt at the cost of the job which he or she has applied for. Yet mistakes do happen either because of misconceptions, faulty guidance or advice, or by failing to develop an effective strategy. Furthermore, these mistakes are not just limited to either resume writing or poor interviewing, but a lack of holistic thinking.
The following list is not made in the order of the severity of the mistake, as you never know what mistake may be severe enough to cause you to lose an opportunity. The list is compiled by the different spheres where you can possibly make mistakes. And also there are going to be more than just 10 mistakes in the lists, for they all have enough potential to mar your job prospects.
Top 10 Mistakes In The Job Search
Making Mistakes In The Resume And On Applications
1. Not organizing your resume as the recruiters would like it to be.
2. Not highlighting your skills against must-have requirements, boring self-promotion
3. A simply boring or undeveloped cover letter
4. Sending multiple copies of the same resume
5. Badly formatted resumes and cover letters, with spelling and grammar errors
6. Unprofessional email addresses, font/color selection and unspecific subject lines, such as “resume.doc”
7. Failing to follow directions, either by carelessness or by over-confidence
All these are enough to either disinterest or annoy the recruiter. Just put yourself in his shoes and imagine what you would like in a resume that you would short-list.
Attitudinal Mistakes
1. Presuming entitlement to the job, which reflects badly in interviews and on tests
2. Assuming that you don’t have the proper experience and feeling inferior
3. Trying to play out of your league, presenting false information, inflating titles, etc.
4. Insulting the interviewer or showing either pessimism or career stagnation
5. Applying to jobs you don’t qualify for in hopes of playing the numbers game; wrongly assuming x out of y number of applications must result in interview calls
6. Appearing at interviews at your worst, i.e., uncut nails & hair, un-pressed dress or suit
7. Applying where you don’t want to work or would reject the job if offered, for reasons such as higher salary expectations, etc. This is the result of not researching the position thoroughly
These attitudinal mistakes are much more serious than the mistakes in your resume and it could seriously damage your chances. You attitude is the result of crystallized characteristics which hardly change. At least this is how the interviewers see it.
At The Recruiters’ Office
1. Just showing up for the sake of gaining experience. Interview-attending experiments don’t bolster your skills but wastes recruiters’ time
2. Not trying hard enough to be your best. Not asking clarification on a question if you are unclear about it the first time
3. Bringing up salary issues first (before the recruiter does) or accepting a low salary without discussion
4. Being unable to justify the claims that your resume makes
The biggest of all mistakes is just wondering why recruiters are not responding to your resume. If this is happening to you, don’t just send out more resumes. Get your resume professionally evaluated. If you can correct this one mistake, you will have a lot more opportunities and many more doors will be open to you.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
March 26, 2008
Project Management
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Though measuring results and procedures is extremely important to the proper functioning of any business, there is a problem presented by the common habit of managers to focus on only the most recent results that have been achieved, instead of patterns and trends that explain outcomes over time. There is a great deal of risk involved in centering on only on the most recent measures that have been obtained.
This risk is easy to recognize by anybody who has had to work with statistical process control, as there are always occurrences of error and sudden variation. These errors and variations are the result of having applied a measurement system to the same single item over and over and obtaining different results. Consider testing the acidity level of water, or the voltage of a wire several times in a row, and receiving different readings every time. The same goes for business management.
From improvement and quality strategies such as Six Sigma, managers and other businesspeople can learn to accept the latest measures and results only as the latest piece of a pattern or trend. This allows them to determine the true successes and failures in their business, and put emphasis upon what needs to be done in the future to match or improve upon the effectiveness of their past actions.
By applying control and running charts in order to put the date from their measures in context, discussions can be concentrated on improving processes, rather than just the end product.
The benefit of examining processes through trends and patterns, such as is done with Six Sigma business strategies, is that it becomes much easier to accurately pinpoint strengths and weaknesses within a business. By concentrating on the latest data only, a manager runs the risk of placing too much emphasis on a statistical error, or a simple exception in the type results were achieved. This means that an entire business effort or strategy could risk being altered due to a misinterpretation of the way that company is functioning.
By looking at past performances as well, managers are empowered with more of a “whole” view of the functions of the organization, and can determine how successes may be easier and more effectively achieved in the future.
Properly done, the result of well analyzed statistical patterns and trends will almost always be improved processes and therefore greater business achievements.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
March 26, 2008
Project Management
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Selecting the project becomes the necessary step after identifying the need for process improvement in your business or, for that matter, your department. But selecting a project is a series of complex decision-making processes aided by a variety of tools. A wrong project selection for Six Sigma implementation means the project is not in line with your business. You will end up encountering the same roadblocks and going in circles over and again.
Steps Involved In Six Sigma Project Selection
The steps that need to be taken in selecting a project for Six Sigma vary as per your line of business and the scale of the operation. However, the whole scope of Six Sigma hinges on two key focal points, namely, ‘total customer satisfaction’ and ‘increased return on investment.’ The steps may be formulated, keeping this in view.
1. Put The Customer First: Customer satisfaction being the first focal point, know the critical points to assure quality to drive the project (VOC). Each individual customer has a different point of view about quality and the summation of them can be the first point. Make use of the Pareto Chart for prioritizing the issues.
2. Projects Must Be In Line With Your Business: List the top three roadblocks faced by all the functional heads in your organization. Ensure that the roadblocks are directly concerned with the business. This exercise prioritizes the elimination of such obstacles by everyone.
3. A Good Project Must Be Manageable: A good, realistic project can be actually completed within a reasonable time, say, 6 months. Prolonged projects risk loss of interest and start building frustrations within the team and all the way around. The team also runs the risk of disintegrating.
4. Every Result Must Be Measurable And Tangible: Any project which can’t be measured before and after its completion has no value. Improvement in the bottom line, maximization of customer satisfaction or reduced burden on employees will all be measurable and so will keep the team motivated throughout.
5. Defining The Desired Outcome: This starts by defining the defects first. This also helps keep checks on the project in terms of process capability. This is one way of making the project measurable by progress.
Brainstorming And Using A Questionnaire
Brainstorming by the key personnel and functional heads in your organization is a good idea. Although there is no hard and fast rule as to whether this should precede or follow the internal and external (VOC) survey, it critically examines the steps involved in the process of project selection. However, the questionnaire itself can contain questions, critical of the prevalent scenario. You may include questions on external and internal defects in addition to questions on capacity and efficiency issues. Not the least important questions are the ones on less obvious cost drivers such as wastage.
Process Variation
Take a bite at the variation in process too. Whether it is possible to streamline the process variation and whether understanding the variation help you produce better quality and defect free parts with less input upon completion of the project? Where is the variation originating from, suppliers end or internal?
Wastage can give a deathblow if they are not dealt with properly. Materials, under-utilization of capacity and unreasonable inventory fall into the wastage category.
The sole consideration must be the vision and the dream to realize it. Care must be exercised to avoid wrong selection of the project which can only aggravate the situation and waste the resources of the organization.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
March 26, 2008
Project Management
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Employing Six Sigma for the business environment is for achieving well-defined goals. The project selected for deploying Six Sigma is not self-sustaining and can develop tendencies to get off target following even the slightest let up in its management. The focus of the Six Sigma management committee is to steer the project implementation to meet those stated goals within budget and time constraints.
Six Sigma Project Management Stages
Project management in Six Sigma begins even before selecting a project. In the run up to the implementation, the right kinds of people, who have proven track records, are selected for Black Belt positions. Since Black Belts are the pillars of managing six sigma, it essential that candidates have proven qualities such as attention to detail, tendency toward problem solving and a proclivity for dedicated work.
Organizational clearances, essential for project implementation, have to be sorted out at this stage. Project selection that has a potential for a high payoff cannot be missed out on any account. For example, because of lack of funds or because of organizational stumbling blocks.
Defining Project Goals And ROI
Defining project goals and estimating pragmatic ROI is essential at this stage to set the course for project implementation and for bringing it back to course if an audit shows that deviations occurred during the implementation. This is really important - if deviations are missed it will produce endless financial and customer base losses to the company. Another key aspect is setting practical ROI targets without getting carried away. The bar shouldn’t be set too high and certainly what has not evolved from the “Voice of the Customer”.
Getting Down To Measurements
Measurements are the watchdogs of a project and demand total integrity. This is the area where Master Black Belts and Champions need to concentrate completely. Black Belts can encounter undesirable pressures for misrepresenting facts, which would otherwise expose a few poor performances.
Another issue that needs to be tackled is of a more serious nature. The consultant teams have their interests in keeping the project going on for as long as possible. This fact may be seen in the fact that Black Belts employed at the company do not measure up to the reputation of the consulting firm. From this point of view, it becomes important to double check and get back to the basics to negotiate the names of professionals who are going to be deployed.
Six Sigma Audit By Internal Committee
The internal audit committee must not the audit exercise lightly, as there is much at stake. The audit committee, besides inspecting process records and documented measurements, must place a lot of emphasis on interviewing the internal customers. The interviews should focus on finding the status of efforts at minimizing customer complaints. This is clearly an exercise of contrasting the condition ‘as is’ against ’should be’, which is the goal. The Champion will then take over the matter for brainstorming with the Master Black Belts and Black Belts. The agenda of the brainstorming session should not deviate from discussing the findings of the audit committee.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
March 26, 2008
Project Management
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Gone are the days when people had to calculate the accounts on paper. Regardless of whether you are working in a large or small business institute, if you are good at computers and have a desire for learning, no one can stop you from becoming an accountant. Annual planning of accounts has become a thing of the past in the cutthroat competition of today. To survive in this environment, small businesses need to be agile and must move ahead at a faster pace with sound strategies prepared by management. Everybody has realized that the age-old methods of budgeting are no longer relevant in the markets of today when every thing is moving very fast.
The Differences Budgeting Software Can Make
Some web based budgeting software for small businesses have features like forecasting, analysis, and reporting, in addition to streamlined budgeting. Moreover, they can easily unify a single application. Other facilities include interface, databases, legal consolidation, predictive analytics, dashboards and score carding. Easiness of use and compatibility with popular programs, such as Excel, helps in preparing error free budgets for small businesses.
Budgeting software for small businesses improves performance, because it gives the power of real time planning, analyzing and adapting. Budgeting software is a combination of multi dimensional analysis, real time alerting, workflow management of the business and web-based collaboration all in one place. Some of the advanced software has many additional features, such as functional graphs, tools for radar display and indicators.
No Limitations To Working With The Spreadsheets
Before the advent of budgeting software for small businesses, managers had to work with budgets based on spreadsheets that were hard to manage. However, multi dimensional technology today has outdated them and there are none of the limitations associated with spreadsheets. Its capability, to integrate with the general ledger and other leading applications in the industry, by way of importing the data makes it more useful. One more advantage of using budgeting software is that no matter how unpleasant the budgeting process may look to you, it becomes impossible to delay by giving excuses. That means you cannot avoid facing the situation. However, when you start, you will enjoy doing the work, because the software makes it so much easier.
Finally, when it comes to buying the budgeting software for small businesses, both the traditional market and the Internet offer many options. You should make your choice of software with the priority to have accurate and error free budgeting statements.
David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com
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