There are several places from which ideas for Six Sigma projects can be obtained.

VOC (Voice of the Customer)

We can listen to the "pain" the customers are experiencing and then launch Six Sigma project to attack these pain areas. The "pain" areas can usually be classified as related to product/service features, quality, timeliness, cost, and service. By solving these problems our customers will be more satisfied with our products / services. It is a lot easier and cheaper to sell products / services to existing customers than to constantly seek out new customers.


VOB (Voice of the Business)

We can talk to senior managers in the company about what problems / issues keep them awake at night! These "pain" areas are usually related to growth, cost of products / services, cost of quality (rework / scrap / warranty), financial issues such as profitability, cost of capital, carrying cost of inventory, accounts receivables, payables, employee retention issues, new product introduction times, and a host of other issues! By focusing Six Sigma project on these issues, we will enable the company to effectively compete in the global marketplace.


VOP (Voice of the Process)

We can also get Six Sigma project ideas by mapping the current business processes and looking for areas which are clearly non value added from either the customer's or business's point of view. Sometimes, there is no point asking customers or business managers what is the problem, when it is clear what the issues are just by mapping the process.

Hopefully, when we use the above sources, we get several ideas to pursue. We need some mechanism to rank and prioritize the projects so that only the best projects are selected for launch. In one of the subsequent posts, we will discuss a project selection matrix.

I fully agree with you, If a person focus on VOC, VOB, or BOP. Definitely person will get many ideas and projects to work opon to solve the issue by useing six sigma methodology.

Thanks a lot for opening this very important discussion topic. Hopefully, subsequent discussion will guide us further in initiating a project. Eagerly waiting to have more information.

Hi SJ,

 

The information is very vital not only for the selction of the projects but also during the identification of the area's of improvements duirng a project.

I would be looking forward to yuor guidance on Project Selction matrix.

 

Thanks,

Nirankar

Process improvement is a continuous process and avenues of improvements will always be there.

 

For instance, in an educational institution, there are several processes where improvements are possible.

 

When students undertake Green Belt training in B-Schools, it will indeed be ideal to engage them in institutional projects.

 

This ensures an inexhaustible pool of process improvement projects that can give tangible benefits to the institute and adequate exposure to the students.

Six Sigma includes various concepts and is not limited to any domain / sector.

 

It primarily involves the following 3 :

 

1. Process Improvement

 

2. Problem Solving

 

3. Data driven decision making.

 

These points cover the complete scenario in any business environment.

 

As mentioned above, it is not limited to any organization but also applicable in the educational institutes.

I completely agree with Aauysh.

 

Six Sigma basically deals with the above three pointers, and any process improvement area can be a good source of six sigma project.

 

As processes are common in any organisation . We can find good source of six sigma projects across various industry domains.

I Agree.

 

Customers (Internal and External) are the biggest source of ideas..  This captures both VOC and VOB..

 

Cost of Poor Quality is a source as well...