第六十八篇The Six Sigma Revolution
本帖最后由 小编D 于 2013-3-27 14:33 编辑
请对以下文章有翻译兴趣的组员留下你的预计完成时间和邮箱地址，以便小编登记翻译者信息以及文章最终完成时间
提供：275641119 翻译：依然恬静 校稿：spear
The Six Sigma Revolution
六西格玛革命
Why Six Sigma?
为什么要用6sigma?
For Motorola, the originator of Six Sigma, the answer to the question "Why Six Sigma?" was simple:
survival. Motorola came to Six Sigma because it was being consistently beaten in the competitive marketplace by foreign firms that were able to produce higher quality products at a lower cost. When a Japanese firm took over a Motorola factory that manufactured Quasar television sets in the United States in the 1970s, they promptly set about making drastic changes in the way the factory operated. Under Japanese management, the factory was soon producing TV sets with 1/20th the number of defects they had produced under Motorola management. They did this using the same workforce, technology, and designs, making it clear that the problem was Motorola's management. Eventually, even Motorola's own executives had to admit "our quality stinks,"
对6sigma的创始者摩托罗拉来说，“为什么要用6sigma”这个问题的答案很简单：生存。Motorola之所以走近6sigma是因为在激烈的市场竞争中一直受到可以以较低的成本生产出较高品质产品的外国公司的冲击。二十世纪70年代，一家日本公司在接手摩托罗拉的生产Quasar电视工厂时，迅速地对工厂的运作方式进行了巨大的变革。在日本人的管理下，工厂很快以生产不良率为摩托罗拉管理下的1/20制造出电视机.他们使用相同的车间、技术和设计做到这一点，清楚地表明摩托罗拉的管理是问题的根源。最终，连摩托罗拉的管理层都不得不承认“我们的品质很烂”。
Finally, in the mid 1980s, Motorola decided to take quality seriously. Motorola's CEO at the time, Bob Galvin, started the company on the quality path known as Six Sigma and became a business icon largely as a result of what he accomplished in quality at Motorola. Today, Motorola is known worldwide as a quality leader and a profit leader. After Motorola won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988 the secret of their success became public knowledge and the Six Sigma revolution was on. Today it's hotter than ever.
最终，在二十世纪八十年代中期，摩托罗拉决定严肃看待品质。那个时期摩托罗拉的首席执行官（CEO） Bob Galvin，开始了公司的质量之路，这就是被大家熟知的6 sigma，并且成为为他在摩托罗拉品质管理上取得成绩的主要业务图标。今天，摩托罗拉作为质量领先者和效益领先者闻名于世。摩托罗拉在1988年获得波多里奇国家质量奖后，他们成功的秘诀得到了公众认可，6 Sigma变革就开始了。今天，6 Sigma比以往更加热门。
It would be a mistake to think that Six Sigma is about quality in the traditional sense. Quality, defined traditionally as conformance to internal requirements, has little to do with Six Sigma. Six Sigma is about helping the organization make more money. To link this objective of Six Sigma with quality requires a new definition of quality. For Six Sigma purposes I define quality as the value added by a productive endeavor. Quality comes in two flavors: potential quality and actual quality. Potential quality is the known maximum possible value added per unit of input. Actual quality is the current value added per unit of input. The difference between potential and actual quality is waste. Six Sigma focuses on improving quality (i.e., reducing waste) by helping organizations produce products and services better, faster and cheaper. In more traditional terms, Six Sigma focuses on defect prevention, cycle time reduction, and cost savings. Unlike mindless cost-cutting programs which reduce value and quality, Six Sigma identifies and eliminates costs which provide no value to customers: waste costs.
以传统理念来思考6 sigma是关于品质的看法可能是一种误解。品质，传统定义为与内部需求相符，与6 sigma几乎没有关联。6 sigma 是帮助组织赚更多的钱。与6 Sigma的目标相适应，我将品质定义为是通过创造性努力的方式增值。品质有两个特性：潜在品质和实际品质。潜在品质是已知的每个投入单位最大可能的增值。实际品质是当前每个投入单位的增值。潜在品质和实际品质之间的不同在于浪费。6 sigma专注于通过帮助组织更好、更快、更低成本地生产产品和提供服务来提升品质（比如，减少浪费）。更通俗地说，6 Sigma关注于防止缺陷、缩短周期以及节约成本。与那些减少价值和降低品质的削减成本的愚蠢方法不同，6 sigma识别和消除无法为顾客提供价值的成本：浪费成本。
For non-Six Sigma companies, these costs are often extremely high. Companies operating at three or four sigma typically spend between 25 and 40 percent of their revenues fixing problems. This is known as the cost of quality, or more accurately the cost of poor quality. Companies operating at Six Sigma typically spend less than 5 percent of their revenues fixing problems (Figure 1) . The dollar cost of this gap can be huge. General Electric estimates that the gap between three or four sigma and Six Sigma was costing them between $8 billion and $12 billion per year.
对非6 sigma的公司来说，他们的成本经常非常高。运行于3或4个Sigma的公司通常要花费25%～40%的收入来处理问题。这被称之为品质成本，或者更确切地说是劣质品质成本。运行于6 sigma的公司通常的花费不到5%的收入来处理问题（图一）。这种差距间的成本是巨大的。通用电气评估3到4个Sigma与6个sigma的差距是每年浪费80亿美元至120亿美元。
Figure 1: Cost of Poor Quality versus Sigma Level
图一：劣质品质成本与Sigma水平对比
What is Six Sigma?
什么是6 sigma？
Six Sigma is a rigorous, focused and highly effective implementation of proven quality principles and techniques. Incorporating elements from the work of many quality pioneers, Six Sigma aims for virtually error free business performance. Sigma, is a letter in the Greek alphabet used by statisticians to measure the variability in any process. A company's performance is measured by the sigma level of their business processes. Traditionally companies accepted three or four sigma performance levels as the norm, despite the fact that these processes created between 6,200 and 67,000 problems per million opportunities! The Six Sigma standard of 3.4 problems per million opportunities is a response to the increasing expectations of customers and the increased complexity of modern products and processes.
6 sigma是经过证实的质量原则和技术的严格、专注和高效率应用。结合来自很多品质先驱的成果中的因素，6 sigma将目标定位在事实上错误的自由企业绩效。Sigma，是一个统计学家用来在任何过程中量测差异的希腊字母。使用其业务流程的6 sigma水平来衡量一个公司的绩效。传统公司接受以3或者4 个 Sigma的绩效水平作为常态，即使事实上这些流程在每百万个机会中产生6,200 到 67,000 不良。在每百万机会中产生3.4个不良的 6 Sigma水平是增长中的顾客期望和增加的现代化产品及流程复杂性的反映。
If you're looking for new techniques, don't bother. Six Sigma's magic isn't in statistical or high-tech razzle-dazzle. Six Sigma relies on tried and true methods that have been around for decades. In fact, Six Sigma discards a great deal of the complexity that characterized Total Quality Management (TQM) . By one expert's count, there were over 400 TQM tools and techniques. Six Sigma takes a handful of proven methods and trains a small cadre of in-house technical leaders, known as Six Sigma Black Belts, to a high level of proficiency in the application of these techniques. To be sure, some of the methods used by Black Belts are highly advanced, including the use of up-to-date computer technology. But the tools are applied within a simple performance improvement model known as DMAIC, or Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control. DMAIC can be described as follows:
如果你在寻求新技术，就不必烦恼。6 sigma的魅力并不在于统计技术和让人眼花缭乱的高科技。6 sigma 依靠几十年来有突出经验的可靠而正确的方法。实际上，6 sigma 摒弃了大量具有全面质量管理（TQM）特征的复杂性。据一个专家统计，有超过400 种TQM的工具和技术。6 sigma采用少量行之有效的方法并在内部的技术领导者中培训小部分骨干达到一个在应用这些技术上高度熟练的程度，称其为6 sigma 黑带。可以肯定的是，黑带应用的一些方法是很先进的，包含最新的电脑技术的应用。但是这些工具在一个简单的业绩改善模式中应用，称其为DMAIC的模型，或者定义-测定-分析-改善-控制。DMAIC可以作如下描述：
D 定义改善活动的目标。高层目标将是组织的战略目标，比如较高级的ROI（利润率)或者市场占有率。在运行层，目标可能是增加生产部门的生产能力。在项目阶层目标可能是减少缺陷水平和增加产能。运用数据挖掘方法来识别潜在的改善机会。
M 量测现存系统。建立有效的和可靠的方法来帮助监控前面一个步骤定义的面向目标的流程。以确定当前基准开始。使用考察和描述的数据分析来帮助你理解数据。
A 分析系统来识别消除系统或过程的当前绩效和期望目标之间的差距的方法。应用统计工具来指导分析。
I 改善系统。在找出新方法来把事情做得更好、更便宜或更快过程中发挥创造性。使用项目管理和其他计划及管理工具来应用新方法。使用统计方法来证实改进。
C 控制新系统。通过修正补救和刺激系统、制度、流程、MRP、预算、运行说明和其他管理体系来使改善系统制度化。你可能希望应用诸如ISO 9000之类的体系来确保文件的正确性。
Infrastructure
基础架构
A very powerful feature of Six Sigma is the creation of an infrastructure to ensure that performance improvement activities have the necessary resources. In this author's opinion, failure to provide this infrastructure is the #1 reason why 80% of all TQM implementations failed in the past. Six Sigma makes improvement and change the full-time job of a small but critical percentage of the organization's personnel. These full time change agents are the catalyst that institutionalizes change. Figure 2 illustrates the required human resource commitment required by Six Sigma.
6sigma一个很强大的功能是创建一个基础架构来保证业务改善活动有必须的资源。以笔者的观点，无法提供这个架构是过去80%的TQM实施失败的首要原因。6 sigma 进行改善并改变了很少但是很重要的组织人员的专职工作。这些全职变革促进者是变革制度化的催化剂。图二显示了6 sigma所需的必须人力资源委派。
Figure 2: Six Sigma Infrastructure
图二：6 sigma 架构
Leadership
领导阶层
Six Sigma involves changing major business value streams that cut across organizational barriers. It is the means by which the organization's strategic goals are to be achieved. This effort cannot be led by anyone other than the CEO, who is responsible for the performance of the organization as a whole. Six Sigma must be implemented from the top-down.
6 sigma包含改变主要业务价值流，这需要越过组织障碍。这就意味着，通过它可以达成组织的战略目标。这个尝试必须由首席执行官（CEO）领导，其对作为一个整体的组织绩效负责。6 sigma必须从上而下实施。
Champions and Sponsors
倡导者和发起者
Six Sigma champions are high-level individuals who understand Six Sigma and are committed to its success. In larger organizations Six Sigma will be led by a full time, high level champion, such as an Executive Vice-President. In all organizations, champions also include informal leaders who use Six Sigma in their day-to-day work and communicate the Six Sigma message at every opportunity. Sponsors are owners of processes and systems who help initiate and coordinate Six Sigma improvement activities in their areas of responsibilities.
6 sigma倡导者是理解6 sigma并坚信可以成功的高层人士。在一个比较大的组织，6 sigma需要一个全职的、高层的倡导者，比如一个执行副总裁。在所有的组织中，倡导者也包含日常工作的领导者，他在每天的工作中应用6 sigma并且在任何机会下交流6sigma信息。发起者是过程和系统的“业主”，他们在其负责的领域帮助发起并协调6 Sigma改善活动。
Master Black Belt
黑带大师
This is the highest level of technical and organizational proficiency. Master Black Belts provide technical leadership of the Six Sigma program. Thus, they must know everything the Black Belts know, as well as understand the mathematical theory on which the statistical methods are based. Master Black Belts must be able to assist Black Belts in applying the methods correctly in unusual situations. Whenever possible, statistical training should be conducted only by Master Black Belts. Otherwise the familiar "propagation of error" phenomenon will occur, i.e., Black Belts pass on errors to green belts, who pass on greater errors to team members. If it becomes necessary for Black Belts and Green Belts to provide training, they should do only so under the guidance of Master Black Belts. For example, Black Belts may be asked to provide assistance to the Master during class discussions and exercises. Because of the nature of the Master's duties, communications and teaching skills are as important as technical competence.
黑带大师是技术处于最高水平并且熟悉组织架构的人。黑带大师提供6 sigma流程的技术领导。因此，他们必须了解黑带的所有知识，同时理解作为统计方法基础的数学理论。黑带大师必须能够在异常情况下辅导黑带正确应用这些方法。任何可能的时候，统计技术培训都应该只能由黑带大师实施。否则，相似的“错误问题传递”的现象将会发生，比如，黑带将错误传给绿带，而绿带将把更大的错误传给组员。如果有必要由黑带和绿带提供陪需，他们必须在黑带大师的指导下的进行。比如，在课堂讨论和练习时黑带可能被要求协助黑带大师。因为黑带大师的职责，交流和培训技巧同技术能力一样重要。
Black Belt
黑带
Candidates for Black Belt status are technically oriented individuals held in high regard by their peers. They should be actively involved in the process of organizational change and development. Candidates may come from a wide range of disciplines and need not be formally trained statisticians or engineers. However, because they are expected to master a wide variety of technical tools in a relatively short period of time, Black Belt candidates will probably possess a background including college-level mathematics and the basic tool of quantitative analysis. Coursework in statistical methods may be considered a strong plus or even a prerequisite. As part of their training, Black Belts receive 160 hours of classroom instruction, plus one-on-one project coaching from Master Black Belts or consultants.
黑带资格的候选人是得到同行人的高度评价、技术为本的人。他们必须积极参与组织变革和发展过程。候选人可能来自一个较宽的学科范围，并不需要必须是正规培训过的统计专家或者工程师。但是，因为期望他们在相对较短的时间内掌握多种多样的技术工具，黑带候选人可能要具备一个包含大学水平的数学知识及定量分析基础工具在内的背景。统计方法方面的课程可能被认为一个有力附加条件甚至先决条件。作为培训的一部分，黑带们接受160小时的课堂授课，外加黑带大师或者顾问们一对一的项目辅导。
Successful candidates will be comfortable with computers. At a minimum, they should understand one or more operating systems, spreadsheets, database managers, presentation programs, and word processors. As part of their training they will be required to become proficient in the use of one or more advanced statistical analysis software packages. Six Sigma Black Belts work to extract actionable knowledge from an organization's information warehouse. To ensure access to the needed information, Six Sigma activities should be closely integrated with the information systems (IS) of the organization. Obviously, the skills and training of Six Sigma Black Belts must be enabled by an investment in software and hardware. It makes no sense to hamstring these experts by saving a few dollars on computers or software.
成功的候选人应熟悉计算机。至少，他们应该了解一个或更多的操作系统、电子表格、数据库管理、报告程序和文字处理。作为培训的一部分，要求他们称为使用一个或多个先进的数据分析软件包的能手。6 sigma黑带围绕从组织的信息库中提取可操作知识展开工作。为了保证得到必须的信息，6 sigma活动应该与组织的信息系统（IS）紧密结合在一起。很明显，6 sigma黑带的技能和培训必须通过软硬件方面的投资起作用。在电脑和软件上节约少量的金钱而使这些专家无法作为是毫无意义的。
Green Belt
绿带
Green Belts are Six Sigma project leaders capable of forming and facilitating Six Sigma teams and managing Six Sigma projects from concept to completion. Green Belt training consists of five days of classroom training and is conducted in conjunction with Six Sigma projects. Training covers project management, quality management tools, quality control tools, problem solving, and descriptive data analysis. Six Sigma champions should attend Green Belt training. Usually, Six Sigma Black Belts help Green Belts define their projects prior to the training, attend training with their Green Belts, and assist them with their projects after the training.
绿带是有能力建立和推动6 sigma团队并从设想到完成对6 sigma 项目进行管理的6 sigma项目领导者。绿带培训包含5天的课堂培训，并且与6sigma项目结合起来。培训包含项目管理、品质管理工具、品质控制工具、问题处理和分类的数据分析。6 sigma的倡导者需要加入绿带的培训。通常在培训之前，6 sigma 黑带帮助绿带确定其项目，同他们的绿带一起参加培训，并且在培训后协助他们完成项目。
Staffing Levels and Expected Returns
人员水平和预期收益
As stated earlier in this article, the number of full time personnel devoted to Six Sigma is not large. Mature Six Sigma programs, such as those of Motorola, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, AlliedSignal, and others average about one-percent of their workforce as Black Belts. There is usually about one Master Black Belts for every ten Black Belts, or about 1 Master Black Belt per 1,000 employees. A Black Belt will typically complete 5 to 7 projects per year. Project teams are led by Green Belts, who, unlike Black Belts and Master Black Belts, are not employed full time in the Six Sigma program. Black Belts are highly prized employees and are often recruited for key management positions elsewhere in the company. After Six Sigma has been in place for three or more years, the number of former Black Belts tends to be about the same as the number of active Black Belts.
正如前文所述，全职从事6 sigma的人员数量并不大。成熟的6 sigma项目，比如摩托罗拉、通用电气、 Johnson & Johnson、 AlliedSignal以及其他一些公司，平均大约有全体员工总数的1%是黑带。通常，一个黑带大师带领大约是个10黑带，或者大约每1000个雇员中有一个黑带大师。一个黑带通常每年完成5～7个项目。项目组由绿带领导，绿带与黑带和黑带大师不一样，他们并不是6 sigma项目中的全职雇员。黑带是被高度重视的雇员，经常从别处招聘过来担任公司内部重要的管理职位。在6 sigma适当切入3年或更久之后，之前的黑带数量趋向于与有效黑带人数相当。
Estimated savings per project varies from organization to organization. Reported results average about US$150,000 to US$243,000. Note that these are not the huge mega-projects pursued by Re-engineering. Yet, by completing 5 to 7 projects per year per Black Belt, the company will add in excess of US$1 million per year per Black Belt to its bottom line. For a company with 1,000 employees the numbers would look something like this:
每个项目的估计节约开支因组织不同而不同。已经知道的结果是平均大约15万到24.3万美元。注意，这不是通过改建继续进行庞大的巨型项目。然而，按照每个黑带每年的最低限度即每个黑带每年完成5～7个项目，公司将增加超过100万美元收入。对于一个拥有1000个人的公司来讲，数字看起来似乎与下列数字类似：
Master Black Belts: 1
黑带大师：1
Black Belts: 10
黑带：10
Projects: = 50 to 70 (5 to 7 per Black Belt)
项目：=50～70（每个黑带5～7个）
Estimated saving: US$9 million to US$14.6 million (US$14,580 per employee)
预期节约开支：9，000，000到14，600，000美元(每个雇员14,580美元 )
Do the math for your organization and see what Six Sigma could do for you. Because Six Sigma savings impact only non-value added costs, they flow directly to your company's bottom line.
为公司作作数学运算，看看6 sigma能为你们做些什么。因为6 sigma的节约只影响非增值成本，他们直接流向你们公司的底线。
Implementation of Six Sigma
6 sigma的实施
After over two decades of experience with quality improvement, there is now a solid body of scientific research regarding the experience of thousands of companies implementing major programs such as Six Sigma. Researchers have found that successful deployment of Six Sigma involves focusing on a small number of high-leverage items. The steps required to successfully implement Six Sigma are well-documented.
在经历了20多年的品质改善后，参考实施诸如6 sigma之类的主要项目的上千家公司的经历，形成一个科学研究的可靠架构。研究者发现成功的6 sigma部署专注于关注少量的高层次因素。这些成功实施6 sigma所必须的步骤被很好地记录下来。
Although the approach is simple, it is by no means easy. But the results justify the effort expended. Research has shown that firms that successfully implement Six Sigma perform better in virtually every business category, including return on sales, return on investment, employment growth, and share price increase. When will you be ready to join the Six Sigma revolution?
虽然方法很简单，它绝不容易。但是付出总有回报。研究表明，成功地实施6 Sigma的企业在几乎每一个业务部门都表现得更好，包括销售收益、投资收益、就业增长以及股价上升。你何时会加入6 Sigma革命中来？
请对以下文章有翻译兴趣的组员留下你的预计完成时间和邮箱地址，以便小编登记翻译者信息以及文章最终完成时间
提供：275641119 翻译：依然恬静 校稿：spear
The Six Sigma Revolution
六西格玛革命
Why Six Sigma?
为什么要用6sigma?
For Motorola, the originator of Six Sigma, the answer to the question "Why Six Sigma?" was simple:
survival. Motorola came to Six Sigma because it was being consistently beaten in the competitive marketplace by foreign firms that were able to produce higher quality products at a lower cost. When a Japanese firm took over a Motorola factory that manufactured Quasar television sets in the United States in the 1970s, they promptly set about making drastic changes in the way the factory operated. Under Japanese management, the factory was soon producing TV sets with 1/20th the number of defects they had produced under Motorola management. They did this using the same workforce, technology, and designs, making it clear that the problem was Motorola's management. Eventually, even Motorola's own executives had to admit "our quality stinks,"
对6sigma的创始者摩托罗拉来说，“为什么要用6sigma”这个问题的答案很简单：生存。Motorola之所以走近6sigma是因为在激烈的市场竞争中一直受到可以以较低的成本生产出较高品质产品的外国公司的冲击。二十世纪70年代，一家日本公司在接手摩托罗拉的生产Quasar电视工厂时，迅速地对工厂的运作方式进行了巨大的变革。在日本人的管理下，工厂很快以生产不良率为摩托罗拉管理下的1/20制造出电视机.他们使用相同的车间、技术和设计做到这一点，清楚地表明摩托罗拉的管理是问题的根源。最终，连摩托罗拉的管理层都不得不承认“我们的品质很烂”。
Finally, in the mid 1980s, Motorola decided to take quality seriously. Motorola's CEO at the time, Bob Galvin, started the company on the quality path known as Six Sigma and became a business icon largely as a result of what he accomplished in quality at Motorola. Today, Motorola is known worldwide as a quality leader and a profit leader. After Motorola won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988 the secret of their success became public knowledge and the Six Sigma revolution was on. Today it's hotter than ever.
最终，在二十世纪八十年代中期，摩托罗拉决定严肃看待品质。那个时期摩托罗拉的首席执行官（CEO） Bob Galvin，开始了公司的质量之路，这就是被大家熟知的6 sigma，并且成为为他在摩托罗拉品质管理上取得成绩的主要业务图标。今天，摩托罗拉作为质量领先者和效益领先者闻名于世。摩托罗拉在1988年获得波多里奇国家质量奖后，他们成功的秘诀得到了公众认可，6 Sigma变革就开始了。今天，6 Sigma比以往更加热门。
It would be a mistake to think that Six Sigma is about quality in the traditional sense. Quality, defined traditionally as conformance to internal requirements, has little to do with Six Sigma. Six Sigma is about helping the organization make more money. To link this objective of Six Sigma with quality requires a new definition of quality. For Six Sigma purposes I define quality as the value added by a productive endeavor. Quality comes in two flavors: potential quality and actual quality. Potential quality is the known maximum possible value added per unit of input. Actual quality is the current value added per unit of input. The difference between potential and actual quality is waste. Six Sigma focuses on improving quality (i.e., reducing waste) by helping organizations produce products and services better, faster and cheaper. In more traditional terms, Six Sigma focuses on defect prevention, cycle time reduction, and cost savings. Unlike mindless cost-cutting programs which reduce value and quality, Six Sigma identifies and eliminates costs which provide no value to customers: waste costs.
以传统理念来思考6 sigma是关于品质的看法可能是一种误解。品质，传统定义为与内部需求相符，与6 sigma几乎没有关联。6 sigma 是帮助组织赚更多的钱。与6 Sigma的目标相适应，我将品质定义为是通过创造性努力的方式增值。品质有两个特性：潜在品质和实际品质。潜在品质是已知的每个投入单位最大可能的增值。实际品质是当前每个投入单位的增值。潜在品质和实际品质之间的不同在于浪费。6 sigma专注于通过帮助组织更好、更快、更低成本地生产产品和提供服务来提升品质（比如，减少浪费）。更通俗地说，6 Sigma关注于防止缺陷、缩短周期以及节约成本。与那些减少价值和降低品质的削减成本的愚蠢方法不同，6 sigma识别和消除无法为顾客提供价值的成本：浪费成本。
For non-Six Sigma companies, these costs are often extremely high. Companies operating at three or four sigma typically spend between 25 and 40 percent of their revenues fixing problems. This is known as the cost of quality, or more accurately the cost of poor quality. Companies operating at Six Sigma typically spend less than 5 percent of their revenues fixing problems (Figure 1) . The dollar cost of this gap can be huge. General Electric estimates that the gap between three or four sigma and Six Sigma was costing them between $8 billion and $12 billion per year.
对非6 sigma的公司来说，他们的成本经常非常高。运行于3或4个Sigma的公司通常要花费25%～40%的收入来处理问题。这被称之为品质成本，或者更确切地说是劣质品质成本。运行于6 sigma的公司通常的花费不到5%的收入来处理问题（图一）。这种差距间的成本是巨大的。通用电气评估3到4个Sigma与6个sigma的差距是每年浪费80亿美元至120亿美元。
Figure 1: Cost of Poor Quality versus Sigma Level
图一：劣质品质成本与Sigma水平对比
What is Six Sigma?
什么是6 sigma？
Six Sigma is a rigorous, focused and highly effective implementation of proven quality principles and techniques. Incorporating elements from the work of many quality pioneers, Six Sigma aims for virtually error free business performance. Sigma, is a letter in the Greek alphabet used by statisticians to measure the variability in any process. A company's performance is measured by the sigma level of their business processes. Traditionally companies accepted three or four sigma performance levels as the norm, despite the fact that these processes created between 6,200 and 67,000 problems per million opportunities! The Six Sigma standard of 3.4 problems per million opportunities is a response to the increasing expectations of customers and the increased complexity of modern products and processes.
6 sigma是经过证实的质量原则和技术的严格、专注和高效率应用。结合来自很多品质先驱的成果中的因素，6 sigma将目标定位在事实上错误的自由企业绩效。Sigma，是一个统计学家用来在任何过程中量测差异的希腊字母。使用其业务流程的6 sigma水平来衡量一个公司的绩效。传统公司接受以3或者4 个 Sigma的绩效水平作为常态，即使事实上这些流程在每百万个机会中产生6,200 到 67,000 不良。在每百万机会中产生3.4个不良的 6 Sigma水平是增长中的顾客期望和增加的现代化产品及流程复杂性的反映。
If you're looking for new techniques, don't bother. Six Sigma's magic isn't in statistical or high-tech razzle-dazzle. Six Sigma relies on tried and true methods that have been around for decades. In fact, Six Sigma discards a great deal of the complexity that characterized Total Quality Management (TQM) . By one expert's count, there were over 400 TQM tools and techniques. Six Sigma takes a handful of proven methods and trains a small cadre of in-house technical leaders, known as Six Sigma Black Belts, to a high level of proficiency in the application of these techniques. To be sure, some of the methods used by Black Belts are highly advanced, including the use of up-to-date computer technology. But the tools are applied within a simple performance improvement model known as DMAIC, or Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control. DMAIC can be described as follows:
如果你在寻求新技术，就不必烦恼。6 sigma的魅力并不在于统计技术和让人眼花缭乱的高科技。6 sigma 依靠几十年来有突出经验的可靠而正确的方法。实际上，6 sigma 摒弃了大量具有全面质量管理（TQM）特征的复杂性。据一个专家统计，有超过400 种TQM的工具和技术。6 sigma采用少量行之有效的方法并在内部的技术领导者中培训小部分骨干达到一个在应用这些技术上高度熟练的程度，称其为6 sigma 黑带。可以肯定的是，黑带应用的一些方法是很先进的，包含最新的电脑技术的应用。但是这些工具在一个简单的业绩改善模式中应用，称其为DMAIC的模型，或者定义-测定-分析-改善-控制。DMAIC可以作如下描述：
D 定义改善活动的目标。高层目标将是组织的战略目标，比如较高级的ROI（利润率)或者市场占有率。在运行层，目标可能是增加生产部门的生产能力。在项目阶层目标可能是减少缺陷水平和增加产能。运用数据挖掘方法来识别潜在的改善机会。
M 量测现存系统。建立有效的和可靠的方法来帮助监控前面一个步骤定义的面向目标的流程。以确定当前基准开始。使用考察和描述的数据分析来帮助你理解数据。
A 分析系统来识别消除系统或过程的当前绩效和期望目标之间的差距的方法。应用统计工具来指导分析。
I 改善系统。在找出新方法来把事情做得更好、更便宜或更快过程中发挥创造性。使用项目管理和其他计划及管理工具来应用新方法。使用统计方法来证实改进。
C 控制新系统。通过修正补救和刺激系统、制度、流程、MRP、预算、运行说明和其他管理体系来使改善系统制度化。你可能希望应用诸如ISO 9000之类的体系来确保文件的正确性。
Infrastructure
基础架构
A very powerful feature of Six Sigma is the creation of an infrastructure to ensure that performance improvement activities have the necessary resources. In this author's opinion, failure to provide this infrastructure is the #1 reason why 80% of all TQM implementations failed in the past. Six Sigma makes improvement and change the full-time job of a small but critical percentage of the organization's personnel. These full time change agents are the catalyst that institutionalizes change. Figure 2 illustrates the required human resource commitment required by Six Sigma.
6sigma一个很强大的功能是创建一个基础架构来保证业务改善活动有必须的资源。以笔者的观点，无法提供这个架构是过去80%的TQM实施失败的首要原因。6 sigma 进行改善并改变了很少但是很重要的组织人员的专职工作。这些全职变革促进者是变革制度化的催化剂。图二显示了6 sigma所需的必须人力资源委派。
Figure 2: Six Sigma Infrastructure
图二：6 sigma 架构
Leadership
领导阶层
Six Sigma involves changing major business value streams that cut across organizational barriers. It is the means by which the organization's strategic goals are to be achieved. This effort cannot be led by anyone other than the CEO, who is responsible for the performance of the organization as a whole. Six Sigma must be implemented from the top-down.
6 sigma包含改变主要业务价值流，这需要越过组织障碍。这就意味着，通过它可以达成组织的战略目标。这个尝试必须由首席执行官（CEO）领导，其对作为一个整体的组织绩效负责。6 sigma必须从上而下实施。
Champions and Sponsors
倡导者和发起者
Six Sigma champions are high-level individuals who understand Six Sigma and are committed to its success. In larger organizations Six Sigma will be led by a full time, high level champion, such as an Executive Vice-President. In all organizations, champions also include informal leaders who use Six Sigma in their day-to-day work and communicate the Six Sigma message at every opportunity. Sponsors are owners of processes and systems who help initiate and coordinate Six Sigma improvement activities in their areas of responsibilities.
6 sigma倡导者是理解6 sigma并坚信可以成功的高层人士。在一个比较大的组织，6 sigma需要一个全职的、高层的倡导者，比如一个执行副总裁。在所有的组织中，倡导者也包含日常工作的领导者，他在每天的工作中应用6 sigma并且在任何机会下交流6sigma信息。发起者是过程和系统的“业主”，他们在其负责的领域帮助发起并协调6 Sigma改善活动。
Master Black Belt
黑带大师
This is the highest level of technical and organizational proficiency. Master Black Belts provide technical leadership of the Six Sigma program. Thus, they must know everything the Black Belts know, as well as understand the mathematical theory on which the statistical methods are based. Master Black Belts must be able to assist Black Belts in applying the methods correctly in unusual situations. Whenever possible, statistical training should be conducted only by Master Black Belts. Otherwise the familiar "propagation of error" phenomenon will occur, i.e., Black Belts pass on errors to green belts, who pass on greater errors to team members. If it becomes necessary for Black Belts and Green Belts to provide training, they should do only so under the guidance of Master Black Belts. For example, Black Belts may be asked to provide assistance to the Master during class discussions and exercises. Because of the nature of the Master's duties, communications and teaching skills are as important as technical competence.
黑带大师是技术处于最高水平并且熟悉组织架构的人。黑带大师提供6 sigma流程的技术领导。因此，他们必须了解黑带的所有知识，同时理解作为统计方法基础的数学理论。黑带大师必须能够在异常情况下辅导黑带正确应用这些方法。任何可能的时候，统计技术培训都应该只能由黑带大师实施。否则，相似的“错误问题传递”的现象将会发生，比如，黑带将错误传给绿带，而绿带将把更大的错误传给组员。如果有必要由黑带和绿带提供陪需，他们必须在黑带大师的指导下的进行。比如，在课堂讨论和练习时黑带可能被要求协助黑带大师。因为黑带大师的职责，交流和培训技巧同技术能力一样重要。
Black Belt
黑带
Candidates for Black Belt status are technically oriented individuals held in high regard by their peers. They should be actively involved in the process of organizational change and development. Candidates may come from a wide range of disciplines and need not be formally trained statisticians or engineers. However, because they are expected to master a wide variety of technical tools in a relatively short period of time, Black Belt candidates will probably possess a background including college-level mathematics and the basic tool of quantitative analysis. Coursework in statistical methods may be considered a strong plus or even a prerequisite. As part of their training, Black Belts receive 160 hours of classroom instruction, plus one-on-one project coaching from Master Black Belts or consultants.
黑带资格的候选人是得到同行人的高度评价、技术为本的人。他们必须积极参与组织变革和发展过程。候选人可能来自一个较宽的学科范围，并不需要必须是正规培训过的统计专家或者工程师。但是，因为期望他们在相对较短的时间内掌握多种多样的技术工具，黑带候选人可能要具备一个包含大学水平的数学知识及定量分析基础工具在内的背景。统计方法方面的课程可能被认为一个有力附加条件甚至先决条件。作为培训的一部分，黑带们接受160小时的课堂授课，外加黑带大师或者顾问们一对一的项目辅导。
Successful candidates will be comfortable with computers. At a minimum, they should understand one or more operating systems, spreadsheets, database managers, presentation programs, and word processors. As part of their training they will be required to become proficient in the use of one or more advanced statistical analysis software packages. Six Sigma Black Belts work to extract actionable knowledge from an organization's information warehouse. To ensure access to the needed information, Six Sigma activities should be closely integrated with the information systems (IS) of the organization. Obviously, the skills and training of Six Sigma Black Belts must be enabled by an investment in software and hardware. It makes no sense to hamstring these experts by saving a few dollars on computers or software.
成功的候选人应熟悉计算机。至少，他们应该了解一个或更多的操作系统、电子表格、数据库管理、报告程序和文字处理。作为培训的一部分，要求他们称为使用一个或多个先进的数据分析软件包的能手。6 sigma黑带围绕从组织的信息库中提取可操作知识展开工作。为了保证得到必须的信息，6 sigma活动应该与组织的信息系统（IS）紧密结合在一起。很明显，6 sigma黑带的技能和培训必须通过软硬件方面的投资起作用。在电脑和软件上节约少量的金钱而使这些专家无法作为是毫无意义的。
Green Belt
绿带
Green Belts are Six Sigma project leaders capable of forming and facilitating Six Sigma teams and managing Six Sigma projects from concept to completion. Green Belt training consists of five days of classroom training and is conducted in conjunction with Six Sigma projects. Training covers project management, quality management tools, quality control tools, problem solving, and descriptive data analysis. Six Sigma champions should attend Green Belt training. Usually, Six Sigma Black Belts help Green Belts define their projects prior to the training, attend training with their Green Belts, and assist them with their projects after the training.
绿带是有能力建立和推动6 sigma团队并从设想到完成对6 sigma 项目进行管理的6 sigma项目领导者。绿带培训包含5天的课堂培训，并且与6sigma项目结合起来。培训包含项目管理、品质管理工具、品质控制工具、问题处理和分类的数据分析。6 sigma的倡导者需要加入绿带的培训。通常在培训之前，6 sigma 黑带帮助绿带确定其项目，同他们的绿带一起参加培训，并且在培训后协助他们完成项目。
Staffing Levels and Expected Returns
人员水平和预期收益
As stated earlier in this article, the number of full time personnel devoted to Six Sigma is not large. Mature Six Sigma programs, such as those of Motorola, General Electric, Johnson & Johnson, AlliedSignal, and others average about one-percent of their workforce as Black Belts. There is usually about one Master Black Belts for every ten Black Belts, or about 1 Master Black Belt per 1,000 employees. A Black Belt will typically complete 5 to 7 projects per year. Project teams are led by Green Belts, who, unlike Black Belts and Master Black Belts, are not employed full time in the Six Sigma program. Black Belts are highly prized employees and are often recruited for key management positions elsewhere in the company. After Six Sigma has been in place for three or more years, the number of former Black Belts tends to be about the same as the number of active Black Belts.
正如前文所述，全职从事6 sigma的人员数量并不大。成熟的6 sigma项目，比如摩托罗拉、通用电气、 Johnson & Johnson、 AlliedSignal以及其他一些公司，平均大约有全体员工总数的1%是黑带。通常，一个黑带大师带领大约是个10黑带，或者大约每1000个雇员中有一个黑带大师。一个黑带通常每年完成5～7个项目。项目组由绿带领导，绿带与黑带和黑带大师不一样，他们并不是6 sigma项目中的全职雇员。黑带是被高度重视的雇员，经常从别处招聘过来担任公司内部重要的管理职位。在6 sigma适当切入3年或更久之后，之前的黑带数量趋向于与有效黑带人数相当。
Estimated savings per project varies from organization to organization. Reported results average about US$150,000 to US$243,000. Note that these are not the huge mega-projects pursued by Re-engineering. Yet, by completing 5 to 7 projects per year per Black Belt, the company will add in excess of US$1 million per year per Black Belt to its bottom line. For a company with 1,000 employees the numbers would look something like this:
每个项目的估计节约开支因组织不同而不同。已经知道的结果是平均大约15万到24.3万美元。注意，这不是通过改建继续进行庞大的巨型项目。然而，按照每个黑带每年的最低限度即每个黑带每年完成5～7个项目，公司将增加超过100万美元收入。对于一个拥有1000个人的公司来讲，数字看起来似乎与下列数字类似：
Master Black Belts: 1
黑带大师：1
Black Belts: 10
黑带：10
Projects: = 50 to 70 (5 to 7 per Black Belt)
项目：=50～70（每个黑带5～7个）
Estimated saving: US$9 million to US$14.6 million (US$14,580 per employee)
预期节约开支：9，000，000到14，600，000美元(每个雇员14,580美元 )
Do the math for your organization and see what Six Sigma could do for you. Because Six Sigma savings impact only non-value added costs, they flow directly to your company's bottom line.
为公司作作数学运算，看看6 sigma能为你们做些什么。因为6 sigma的节约只影响非增值成本，他们直接流向你们公司的底线。
Implementation of Six Sigma
6 sigma的实施
After over two decades of experience with quality improvement, there is now a solid body of scientific research regarding the experience of thousands of companies implementing major programs such as Six Sigma. Researchers have found that successful deployment of Six Sigma involves focusing on a small number of high-leverage items. The steps required to successfully implement Six Sigma are well-documented.
在经历了20多年的品质改善后，参考实施诸如6 sigma之类的主要项目的上千家公司的经历，形成一个科学研究的可靠架构。研究者发现成功的6 sigma部署专注于关注少量的高层次因素。这些成功实施6 sigma所必须的步骤被很好地记录下来。
- Successful performance improvement must begin with senior leadership. Start by providing senior leadership with training in the principles and tools they need to prepare their organization for success. Using their newly acquired knowledge, senior leaders direct the development of a management infrastructure to support Six Sigma. Simultaneously, steps are taken to "soft-wire" the organization and to cultivate an environment for innovation and creativity. This involves reducing levels of organizational hierarchy, removing procedural barriers to experimentation and change, and a variety of other changes designed to make it easier to try new things without fear of reprisal.
- Systems are developed for establishing close communication with customers, employees, and suppliers. This includes developing rigorous methods of obtaining and evaluating customer, employee and supplier input. Base line studies are conducted to determine the starting point and to identify cultural, policy, and procedural obstacles to success.
- Training needs are rigorously assessed. Remedial skills education is provided to assure that adequate levels of literacy and numeracy are possessed by all employees. Top-to-bottom training is conducted in systems improvement tools, techniques, and philosophies.
- A framework for continuous process improvement is developed, along with a system of indicators for monitoring progress and success. Six Sigma metrics focus on the organization's strategic goals, drivers, and key business processes.
- Business processes to be improved are chosen by management, and by people with intimate process knowledge at all levels of the organization. Six Sigma projects are conducted to improve business performance linked to measurable financial results. This requires knowledge of the organization's constraints.
- Six Sigma projects are conducted by individual employees and teams led by Green Belts and assisted by Black Belts.
Although the approach is simple, it is by no means easy. But the results justify the effort expended. Research has shown that firms that successfully implement Six Sigma perform better in virtually every business category, including return on sales, return on investment, employment growth, and share price increase. When will you be ready to join the Six Sigma revolution?
虽然方法很简单，它绝不容易。但是付出总有回报。研究表明，成功地实施6 Sigma的企业在几乎每一个业务部门都表现得更好，包括销售收益、投资收益、就业增长以及股价上升。你何时会加入6 Sigma革命中来？
没有找到相关结果
已邀请:
RSS Feed
26 个回复
依然恬静 (威望:0) (广东 中山) 电子制造 工程师 - 初步品管人
赞同来自: