Design for Six Sigma Using IDOV

Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) is an approach for designing and re-designing services and products for the commercial market. The goal for DFSS in these situations is to bring new services and products with an optimized sigma level for every customer requirement. A company can then offer reliability and reduce the defect level before something is even on the market.

One of the ways in which DFSS is best accomplished is using IDOV, a methodology used for designing services and products to meet these stringent Six Sigma standards. IDOV is an acronym for Identify, Design, Optimize, and Verify. These are the four phases of the process, which parallel the four phases of the traditional Six Sigma methodology known as DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control).

IDOV and DMAIC share a lot of similarities, which begin with the ‘Identify’. During this initial phase, team members begin making the connection between the design and the Voice of the Customer. The team should form a charter and gather VOC while also developing critical metrics.

The second phase of IDOV is known as the Design phase. There is a huge emphasis on critical metrics during this time and this phase consists of deploying these. During the design phase, team members should also be developing alternative concepts and evaluating those, as well as identifying functional requirements. Based on these requirements, a best-fit concept should be chosen.

Optimize is the third phase in IDOV and requires the use of process capability information and a statistical approach to tolerance. As the name of this phase suggests, it’s all about making this the best design for your service or product. Detailed design elements are added, the performance of the service or product is predicted, and the design is optimized.

The final phase in the IDOV acronym of the Six Sigma Methodology is called the validate phase, and as you might guess, it involves the testing and eventual validation of the design. Formal tools should be employed at this point for increased testing. The team wants to be sure the design meets the standards of Six Sigma before forging ahead with production. Feedback should be solicited and shared with the manufacturing departments and the sourcing for the service or product. Once actual development occurs, any future improvement suggestions made from these departments should be noted and considered for implementation.

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Learn How Six Sigma Training Can Help Your Business

In order to understand six sigma training, you need to understand its basic goals. This is a method of producing a quality product with the minimum amount of time, movement, people and material possible. It is a method used to save money and increase productivity. A common term that will be heard when discussing this methodology is the world of lean manufacturing.

The training that is involved with the Six Sigma process means that each person learns how the system is done and why it is important. If the participants do not understand the how and why of the system, chances are the training will not be successful. Additionally, once your employees are trained in this manner other educational opportunities will be more useful as well.

The idea behind this methodology is quality improvement. After all, having a product with good quality is always important to the success of any business. Once you have learned the various ideas included in this methodology, you will see a great improvement in the quality of your products. There are various ways the training can be provided. There are online courses that can be taken or you could have a Six Sigma consultant come into your place of business and work with your employees.

When you implement the various processes that are encouraged through this type of methodology, you gain better quality as well as save time and money at the same time. Additionally this concept is very flexible and can be used in any industry. Because it is not brand specific or targeting any particular industry, it can easily be redirected to help in whatever industry you may be involved in.

It has been used by many various successful organizations throughout the world. The automotive industry as well has turned to this type of training to assist in their quality control. Lean manufacturing is a process of eliminating all excess movement and material from the production line.

For example, if your product is produced in various stages, each step is placed in line so that the part is simply moved from one to the next without having to wait for movement of supplies and so on. Any extra parts that may have previously been found at the work stations are placed back into inventory until there is a need for them.

Additionally, many factories have an abundance of inventory in storage. This means that there are many dollars being used up by excess inventory and space to keep it that may not be required for several months. Instead, a system is implemented with the assistance of the Six Sigma Methodology to bring in material as it is needed thereby reducing the dollars tied up in inventory stock as well as freeing floor space for other uses.

Learning how all of these tools and methods are put together to create better quality products and services as well as saving time and money in the process is known as six sigma training. As one receives the various certifications, their knowledge, expertise, and experience grow. The Six Sigma Master Black Belt is the individual with full knowledge in the subject, and usually will be a mentor to others to help improve production at other facilities.

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