| The size of the business is also not an issue anymore, | | | | complex and managers just cannot afford to risk it all |
| as is evident from the ever-growing number of sole | | | | on their personal experience and gut feelings. |
| proprietorships and small and medium sized businesses | | | | Continuous Quality Improvements |
| that have successfully deployed Six Sigma. So, how is | | | | All Six Sigma deployments stress continuous quality |
| it that Six Sigma is so very versatile? Well, there are | | | | improvements, something that makes them far more |
| many reasons for this, but the main reason is that | | | | effective than any other type of quality improvement |
| even after years of evolution, the basic characteristics | | | | technique. It makes it possible for businesses to |
| of Six Sigma still remain the same. | | | | improve their product offerings in line with changing |
| Even basic objectives such as improving quality, | | | | customer needs and requirements. |
| increasing efficiency, and achieving a near-perfect | | | | This in turn allows them to remain competitive in the |
| defect rate that does not exceed 3.4 per million | | | | marketplace, a prerequisite for ensuring success in the |
| opportunities that might exist for such defects to | | | | long run. |
| occur, continue to remain the same. These objectives | | | | Communications |
| along with the basic characteristics form the core of | | | | Since Six Sigma deployments involve all the various |
| Six Sigma deployments even today. | | | | stakeholders such as employees, deployment team |
| Businesses that want to ensure successful Six Sigma | | | | members, Black Belts and other Six Sigma |
| deployments will have to consider these factors | | | | professionals, departmental heads, senior managers, |
| before actually starting the deployment process. For | | | | and top management, it becomes necessary for |
| better understanding, let us discuss some of the most | | | | businesses to provide an effective communications |
| prominent characteristics of Six Sigma deployments. | | | | platform that enables the free flow of information. |
| Data Driven Approach | | | | Businesses that emphasize communication during |
| Following a data-driven approach is inherent to all Six | | | | deployments find it easier to take timely decisions, a |
| Sigma project deployments and is one the main | | | | prerequisite for successful Six Sigma deployments. |
| factors responsible for Six Sigma's phenomenal | | | | Effective communication also aids the timely |
| success as a quality improvement methodology. It | | | | procurement of men and material as might be required |
| helps because when decisions are based on hard | | | | during the deployment process. Considering all these |
| facts and statistics, the chances of errors and | | | | factors, it would not be wrong to say that effective |
| inaccuracies are reduced dramatically. | | | | communication is one of the most prominent |
| This is applicable even more so in high-tech industries, | | | | characteristics of Six Sigma deployments. |
| where business processes have become quite | | | | |