Lean Six Sigma

[Phaedrus]

Our company is putting all of us through "Yellow Belt" certification in Lean Six Sigma, and after completing the first module, I feel compelled to make two observations:

First, it is apparently very good information. While our company doesn't do any of these tasks very well, I have personally done something very similar within my own "universe". The idea of rationalizing processes for correcting systems and process errors is a terrific concept.

Second, could they have possibly made this stuff more difficult to understand? This is basically good information that is concealed within b.s. buzz-words, poorly structured sentences, and reinvented language. They have propietarized the language to the extent to where the curriculum is almost worthless.

I write training scenarios for a living, and I would fire people who wrote this poorly, if they worked for me.

I'm interested in if anyone else on the forum has been subjected to these courses and concepts. Thoughts?

 

[jdoggivjc]

Our office tends to do the green belt and black belt courses, and it's usually followed by co-workers attempting some awkward martial arts-esque gestures.

 

[cycloneace55]

As a trained Six Sigma Black Belt I for one hate the unneeded use of buzz words that make common sense logic confusing. Buzz words in business today has made listened to a report or presentation like listening to a foreign language. The concepts on Six Sigma are solid and when you boil it all down to actual english it is easy to understand, the trick is finding someone who will train that way.

 

[iceclone]

The buzz words are necessary to disguise the fact that everything is either common sense or 70+ year old statistical methods being repackaged for the umpteenth time. Buzz words sell books and "training."

 

[HOTDON]

The endless acronyms get me. I'm a Reliability Engineer and am going through the same thing. The program is called RPM, my portion is RFM, we're working on BOMs, RATs, RPO, and data in MP2. Yikes!

I should add that it is already showing results at my plant and I'm very hopeful that it will continue to do so exponentially.

 

[Wesley]

We began implementing this concept lst year as the concept for the year from Toyota. This year it is Good to Great. Still trying to get past quality circles and ISO.

Cut to the chase to make all improvements possible to be more efficient, then use buzz words to proliferate the brain with what a novel concept so that eou think you are doing something new and wonderful.

Just do things cheaper better faster and be more consistent.

 

[clones_jer]

we have it. Kaizans like crazy ... good concept, poor execution

 

[mramseyISU]

I'm getting audited by our internal ISO team tomorrow supposedly. Can't wait for that.

 

[CycloneErik]

Our company is putting all of us through "Yellow Belt" certification in Lean Six Sigma, and after completing the first module, I feel compelled to make two observations:

First, it is apparently very good information. While our company doesn't do any of these tasks very well, I have personally done something very similar within my own "universe". The idea of rationalizing processes for correcting systems and process errors is a terrific concept.

Second, could they have possibly made this stuff more difficult to understand? This is basically good information that is concealed within b.s. buzz-words, poorly structured sentences, and reinvented language. They have propietarized the language to the extent to where the curriculum is almost worthless.

I write training scenarios for a living, and I would fire people wrote this poorly, if they worked for me.

I'm interested in if anyone else on the forum has been subjected to these courses and concepts. Thoughts?

"I write training scenarios for a living, and I would fire people wrote this poorly, if they worked for me."

Hehehehehhehe, So, should this post be a pink slip?

Sorry. Worked all night, so it seems really funny.

 

[4VR4CY]

ING is big into Six Sigma here in Des Moines. I haven't worked for any companies that have it.

 

[Gink]

 

[ColoradoClone]

Yeah, I think six sigma isn't what it's cracked up to be. I think you'll find that something like 49 of the forbes top 50 don't use it.

 

[whirlybirds]

All this does is allow a company to fire you for something that’s corporate managements fault…. Or at least that’s they way it works here at Vermeer in Pella

 

[Flag Guy]

As a trained Six Sigma Black Belt I for one hate the unneeded use of buzz words that make common sense logic confusing. Buzz words in business today has made listened to a report or presentation like listening to a foreign language. The concepts on Six Sigma are solid and when you boil it all down to actual english it is easy to understand, the trick is finding someone who will train that way.

Isn't Lean six sigma already something of a buzz word? I've never taken six sigma training but I remember my statistics professer talking about that and ISO this and ISO that and Six Sigma....sounded like a bunch of bull**** thats good to have on a resume (the principals might be there, but the rest is repackaged bull**** that'll be ditched in a few years for the newest repackaged bull**** program...)

 

[Cy Heavy]

I work at a small company and have always kinda laughed at trainings like this, as well as cube's and ID badges...probably why I make significantly less than my wife who works at Wells Fargo and goes through Office Space environment every day!

 

[Phaedrus]

"I write training scenarios for a living, and I would fire people wrote this poorly, if they worked for me."

Hehehehehhehe, So, should this post be a pink slip?

Sorry. Worked all night, so it seems really funny.

HAHAHAHAHA! Now THAT is f'in funny, dude! +rep to you!

 

[Phaedrus]

The buzz words are necessary to disguise the fact that everything is either common sense or 70+ year old statistical methods being repackaged for the umpteenth time. Buzz words sell books and "training."

I tell you, the entire thing is dangerous close to "Taylorism". And, of course, the problem with Taylorism is that it tends to ignore individuality and creativity, as well as differing basic motivations for work.

And Taylorism dates form 1880s or so.

 

[dosry5]

I have a yellow belt in tae kwon do.

 

[rbrook]

Six Sigma is a good concept but what bothers me is that some people take it to the extreme and it can become what I call "analysis paralysis". What I mean is that some managers will throw out all common sense, and will spend so much time and money analyzing something to point that they have so much data that they can't make a decision, therefore "analysis paralysis". I fight this all time. Especially when I know I could have solved it in a couple hours and these people take weeks. Drives me nuts.

 

[iceclone]

I tell you, the entire thing is dangerous close to "Taylorism". And, of course, the problem with Taylorism is that it tends to ignore individuality and creativity, as well as differing basic motivations for work.

And Taylorism dates form 1880s or so.

Excellent observation. When they were writing books on these types of manufacturing philosophies back in the 80s and early 90s, they did not hide how they were derived from Taylor's work. In fact, it was usually featured prominently. Perhaps the Taylor references have been dropped as the "curriculum" has been adopted in non-manufacturing environments, but the close connection remains.