Improve Phase

Wrap Up and Action Items

 Improve Phase Overview - The Goal

The goal of the Improve Phase is to:

• Determine the optimal levels of the variables which are significantly

impacting your Primary Metric.

• Demonstrate a working knowledge of modeling as a means of process

optimization.

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 2 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Improve Action Items

• Listed here are the Improve Phase deliverables each candidate will present
in a Power Point presentation at the beginning of the Control Phase
training.

• At this point you should understand what is necessary to provide these

deliverables in your presentation.
– Team Members (Team Meeting Attendance)
– Primary Metric
– Secondary Metric(s)
– Experiment Justification
– Experiment Plan / Objective
– Experiment Results
– Project Plan
– Issues and Barriers
It’s your show!

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 3 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Lean Six Sigma Behaviors

• Being tenacious, courageous

• Being rigorous, disciplined

• Making data-based decisions

• Embracing change & continuous learning Walk the

Walk!
• Sharing best practices

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LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 4 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Improve Phase - The Roadblocks

Look for the potential roadblocks and plan to address them before they
become problems:
– Lack of data
– Data presented is the best guess by functional managers
– Team members do not have the time to collect data
– Process participants do not participate in the analysis planning
– Lack of access to the process

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 5 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 DMAIC Roadmap

Process Owner
Champion/

Identify Problem Area

Determine Appropriate Project Focus

Define

Estimate COPQ

Establish Team
Measure

Assess Stability, Capability and Measurement Systems

Identify and Prioritize All X’s

Analyze

Prove/Disprove Impact X’s Have On Problem

Improve

Identify, Prioritize, Select Solutions Control or Eliminate X’s Causing Problems

Implement Solutions to Control or Eliminate Xs Causing Problems

Control

Implement Control Plan to Ensure Problem Does Not Return

Verify Financial Impact

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 6 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Improve Phase

Analysis Complete

Identify Few Vital X’s

Experiment to Optimize Value of X’s

Simulate the New Process

Validate New Process

Implement New Process

Ready for Control

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 7 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Improve Phase Checklist

Improve Phase Questions

• Are the potential X’s measurable and controllable for an experiment?

• Are they statistically and practically significant?

• How much of the problem have you explained with these X’s?

• Have you clearly justified the need for conducting a Designed Experiment?

• Are adequate resources available to complete the project?

• What next steps are you recommending?

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 8 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Planning for Action

WHAT WHO WHEN WHY WHY NOT HOW

A DOE to meet your problem solving strategy

Scheduling your experimental plan

Executing your planned DOE

Analysis of results form your DOE

Obtain mathematical model to represent process

Planning the pilot validation for breakthrough

Present statistical promise to process owner

Prepare for implementation of final model

Schedule resources for implementation timeline

Conclude on expected financial benefits

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 9 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC
 Summary

At this point you should:

• Have a clear understanding of the specific action items

• Have started to develop a project plan to complete the action items

• Have identified ways to deal with potential roadblocks

• Be ready to apply the Six Sigma method within your business

You’re on your way!

LSS Black Belt v12 MT - Improve Phase 10 © Open Source Six Sigma, LLC