Ten commandments for successful implementation of Design for Six Sigma

Abstract

PurposeThis article aims to provide Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) practitioners, researchers and academicians with Ten Commandments to successfully deploy projects.Design/methodology/approachThe commandments are the brainchild of four authors' experience and expertise for more than 15 years of DFSS deployment in the spectrum of fields as a consultant, researcher, academic and Master Black Belt in Six Sigma and general quality management and engineering disciplines. Thus ascertained commandments were validated and classified through the “Delphi Study” to ensure its applicability.FindingsThe Ten Commandments from authors' perspective include: alignment of DFSS with organisational strategy; top management support and involvement; listening to the voice of the customers (VOC); effective training programme for right project teams; project selection and prioritisation; linking DFSS with ISO international standards; linking DFSS with organisational learning and innovation; linking DFSS with the 4th Industrial Revolution; effective use of DFSS methodology and the integrated tools within the methodology and reward and recognition schemes.Research limitations/implicationsThe commandments presented in this article are the authors' personal experience in different industrial scenarios and settings and demographical locations. The authors are planning to conduct a longitudinal survey to understand further insights of these commandments with the input of several DFSS Black Belts and Master Black Belts, academicians and leading researchers from various countries.Originality/valueAll the organisation's stakeholders can use this article as general guidelines to ensure effective deployment of the DFSS approach.

Application of Design for Lean Six Sigma to strategic space management

“…In this case, the business and its strategic goals provide the basis for the voice of the customer approach that DMADV espouses rather than the shortterm and incremental problem-solving offered by DMAIC or standalone usage of tools such as 6S. Gijo et al (2021) highlight various techniques that can be used to understand the VOC, and they distinguish between the qualitative and quantitative techniques. Of the quantitative techniques, the Kano Model and QFD (Quality Functional Deployment) can be utilised to gather the customers' requirements and transfer them into technical data (Gangurde and Patil, 2018).…”

“…Among the ten reasons for improvement projects to fail that was put together by Antony and Gupta (2019) is a selection of methodology and associated tools that are faulty. Gijo et al (2021) pointed out that the understanding of different DFSS methodologies, such as DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyse, Design, Verify) or DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control), among many other proposed methodologies and customising it based on the organisational needs will reinforce the productivity and performance. DMADV methodology is more suitable for creating new processes, whereas DMAIC is suitable for solving problems within existing processes (Cudney and Agustiady, 2017).…”

How project management principles affect Lean Six Sigma program and projects

“…be done with the right organizational structure and management, what means Master Black Belts, Black Belts, Green Belts and Champions well trained and with their roles defined (Coronado & Antony, 2002;Galli, 2018d;Gijo et al, 2021). When benchmarking successful cases as General Electric and Motorola, Handerson et al (2000) clearly demonstrate the attention and the care took with training competences and team formation, meaning that organizational structure management is a key factor handled by companies that well implemented Lean Six Sigma programs.…”

“…Due to this a Lean Six Sigma approach (SSA) code was created in order to understand if the research is focused on the program structure and success or on isolated project efforts. The code is resumed in: program implementation (SSA01); project development (SSA01); (Antony & Banuelas, 2002;Gijo et al, 2021).…”

GD (Generative Design) Applied to a Plastics Recovery Drone (PRD) Using IDeS (Industrial Design Structure)

“…Ikumapayi et al and E.V. Gijo et al [8,9] compared the results produced in the field of Six Sigma by the most recent methodologies that help organizations to reduce defects whilst reducing overall cycle time.…”