Introduction of DFSS and QFD

Happy new year, begin with the new course "Product Excellence using Six Sigma" (PEUSS), at first I think the course is quite similar to the PIUSS previous course. However, after the introductory class on Monday, I realized that the content of the cours is very different.

The PEUSS seems to focus on Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) which is the methodology that be used for applying in creating new products, processes, or even service. The DFSS is using the concept of DMADV (define, measure, analyze, design, and verify), while the classic six sigma using the concept of DMAIC (define, measure, analyse, improve, and control). The different between the DFSS and the classic six sigma is that the DFSS is used for applying in the new things, while the classic six sigma is using for an improvement in existing products, processes, and service. However, from my research, it is significant to know that DFSS also can be used to apply in the existing product, and process too.

Moreover, for the yesterday class with Paul about QFD or the Quality function deployment, I think it was an interesting workshop. it is a necessary tool for DFSS. As the DFSS methodology tends to focus customer needs and wants, the QFD is created to be the tool to help the company with new products, processes, and service be able to meet the customer requirements. However, in the real- world business, it seems like most of companies are not using the QFD. WHY?? it is because doing the QFD is very time consuming and also expensive. Due to in order to get the voice of customers, the companines have to do researches (such as creating focus groups, and interviews). Nevertheless, in my opinion, i think it is better for the company to spend their large amount of time and money on doing the QFD because I think it would be better than their new products, processes, or services failed. This is because if the companies not decide to pay at the first glance for the QFD, they also have to pay later for doing the classic six sigma for improving and solving their issues on the products.

In addition, another problem for doing the DFSS (or even the QFD) is communication problem. It is nearly impossible for one person to transmit a sentence to another ten to twenty people and come up with the exact words and sentence. This is because each person listen and interpret differently. It is same as a process in a company. When the company makes a research or listen to the voice of customers, each department understand differently and convey in the different way/ information. Therefore, it is quite hard for the design team/ company to come up with a new product, process, or service to come up with the exact outcome that meet all customer requirements.

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 08 Jan 2014 14:36 |  Tags: Peuss |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Reflection on PIUSS course

After finished the PIUSS course, and submitted the PMA, it makes me realized that Lean and Six Sigma methodologies are very useful for being applied in the management field in any organizations. By integrating these concepts, it could help the organization eliminate wastes and reduce variation in business processes. Besides manufacturing and transactional industries, the methodologies can be applied in service industry. Through my PMA, from reading in many literatures, it seems like to combine these two methodologies together is quite difficult, and somehow confused, due to traditionally, they were developed from totally different roots. However, in these days, many organizations are successful from deploying the LSS approach for achieveing continuous improvement in terms of quality in products, service, and processes. Some tools and teachniques of LSS are utilized for particular problems and opportunities. Many literatures and research papers mention that it is better for organizations to deploy LSS methodologies rather than deploy only either Lean or Six Sigma.

To sum up, I think I am enjoyed studied in this course, especially the teaching style (for instance, the plane manufacturing line, and helicopter experiment). Also, I really enjoyed doing PIUSS PMA due to I think the Lean Six Sigma approach is very beneficial for my business, as well as, it is interesting topic which I chose to be a topic for my dissertation.

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 22 Dec 2013 23:44 |  Tags: Piuss Lss |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

PLANE production line competition

Today, the PIUSS class was very excited....I love when we play a game and competition, its fun.

Since yesterday that we had a plane manufacturing line, my role was to be a disassembler. I remember that the first plane that I had to disassemble was very hard, due to tools is very small and bolts were very small. I thought that might be because it was the first, so I still not familiar with it. However, after the third one afterward, I could do it very fast, may be around one to two minutes per one plane. After finished producing all planes, observators analyzed the process of each operator and said there were still some defects in some areas, motion was still very slow, transportational problems, and also big finger problem. Therefore, both separated team had to come up with solutions to solve those problems. At first, our team came up with having a transporter to give each operator materials but actually that solution was not that work due to in the production line, it is better to have 6 operators rather than 5. And for today, the real competition came, the winner was the second group who could produce less defects and less waste. However, from what I got from this compeition is that by comparing only the results/ outcomes only cannot judge that which team is better, but it depends to judge by looking at the working process, and steps of producing, assigning the roles. From this, I remind me of one mini- project in the Paul course that by applying the Deming theory, an organization or a manager should focus on quality management of working process, not just only results or targets . This is because if we are not concerning about the process, how they can the processes used to achieve be improved or be solved the problems.

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 20 Nov 2013 00:38 |  Tags: Piuss |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

CBE PMA

After finished the CBE course, it is the time for PMA.....

In these days, I have to research alot of the information about the EFQM, the system of profound knowledge, learning organization, organizaitonal learning and transformation. However, there is one thing that I think it is very useful and can be used in the Process improvement of Six Sigma course which is the theory about the Deming's system of profound knowledge. However, from the information that I researched, in the 4th point of the SoPK which is the psychology, it mentions about 'the phenomenon of 'overjustification'. it is the situation when someone achieve or do something well with their pure sheer pleasure without wanting to get any reward, but the organization or managers give them the rewards without concern about that....thus, this cause that person feel that he/she is not respected, and their achievement is meaningless. I agree with many literatures that it is better to encourage someone with intrinsic motivation rather than extrinsic motivation.

But I wonder how can we know that the one who did good or achieve have intrinsic or extrinsic motivation?? they aim for rewards or they want to do good because they enjoy doing it or have sheer pleasure???? So, how can I know????????? This is because each person have different thought, different idea, and different needs...

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 12 Nov 2013 21:18 |  Tags: Pma Cbe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

SoPK, Six Sigma and Transformation System

This is my second day of studying in Process Improvement of Six Sigma course. I found it is very useful to study about the theory of Six Sigma and transforming an organizational system. Besides this, the Deming's system of profound knowledge is also applied with the Six Sigma to contribute the transformation system. Since yesterday class, I found it is very confused when the lectuerers mixed up the three models together, which are The SoPK, Plan-Do-Check-Act model, and DMAIC model which is in the six sigma application. Honestly, I am still confused on how they mix up together and how its mutually help to create the transformation.

However, after researching last night for preparing the presentation on this coming thursday and discussing with my team members, I notice that these the model of six sigma and SoPK is very similar that they are based on the Total Quality Management (TQM). The SoPK can be used as the foundation of the TQM theory, and then planning for the transformation by applying the Plan-do-check-act model before implementation the transformation.

From my understanding, I think the SoPK is the basis that the leaders or managers and the individuals or employees need to concern due to it is the essential areas that can help in transforming and continuously improve performance of the organization. The appreciation of system, it mentions that the system in the organization should be run independently, which means that every department, every devision and everyone should work together in the same direction in order to achieve the same ultimate goal. As everyone understand in the same points and work in the same way, it could reduce the waste and lead to better performance. Secondly, the knowledge of variation, the organization should concern that there are two types of causes, common and special, which it is the role for the leaders who have to motivate the employees to reduce the signal or special causes and trying to improve the performance. Thirdly, the theory of knowledge, in order for the enterprise to be transformed, innovation should be created by having knowledge and learning. Therefore, it is the roles of leaders to motivate and increase employee's effort to learn and gain knowledge, which might come from providing them more working experience or let them learn from the fault. Lastly, Psychology, the most important point for the managers to consider. The managers should encourage the workers to have their own intrinsic motivation to learn or improve their performance, rather than using extrinsic motivation like rewards.

From researching more details about the SoPK and the Six Sigma, I find it is more interesting........I think I could gain alot of useful stuffs from this course.....

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 12 Nov 2013 18:18 |  Tags: Sigma Mbe Six |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Excellence Models Presentation & Leadership

Yesterday presentation...three excellence models (Deming, Malcolm Baldrige, and EFQM)

After researched and gave presention about these three models, I think I got tons of knowledge especially about how to be a good leadership in the company and how should I manage and control workers. After the presentation and what Paul said in the class, I could summarize that these three models are the excellence models , which each of them is focusing or processing in different ways, but all of them maintain the same one highest goal which is to satisfy customer. Deming (in Japan) put more focusing on the quality control, while the Malcolm Baldrige and EFQM are devloped from Deming and also focusing quality plus self- assessment. From Paul's opinion that he thinks Deming is the best and most advanced model, I agree with this point. but I also think that EFQM is also not worst because EFQM is developed from Deming which is the originality, so EFQM concept should be more advanced and worldwide and gets updated idea from new generation of people which could be more adaptive in the current organization. However, I could say that every models are good, and adaptive but its also depend on the type of the organization whether it suit to which models and also the organization environemnt. For example, the organization that has to deal with European partnership or customer, it needs the EFQM models.

Besides the presentation, there was also a debate about knowledge of leadership or manager. it said that to be a manager or leader, that person should know everything, and solve every problems, so that person should learn everything that they should know. In my opinion, I think it is true that to be a manager, that person should know everything that occur inside the organization. I think it is not necessary for the manager to go for study on that subject. For example, being a manager in manufacturing company, it is not needed to study engineering, or chemistry. I agree with Paul mentioned that being manager does not need to study everything because we are not going to be a engineer or workers on that area but we are going to be a leader. it is better to learn about leadership and management. And I totally agree what he said that when employees have problems on their field, it is the role of leader to motivate and encourage them to solve their own problems, not go to solve problems for them.

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 26 Oct 2013 16:59 |  Tags: Leadership Cbe Excellence Models |  Comments (1) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

ISO 9000 Vs. Self– Assessment

Another blog that planned to blogging since yesterday is about the ISO 9000 Vs. Self- assessment!!

What I got from the presentation, I totally agree with most of the people who said that ISO 9000 is just only the marketing tools which cannot really tell that the company has high quality. However, the company with ISO could gain much more customer reliable that those that do not have it. Because of this advantage, many companies just let the auditting company to come inside for audit in order to get the ISO. But after the auditting and get ISO, the manager and people in the company just return to act and work usually. I think it is much more better for the companies to have self- assessment within their organizations instead of externally auditting for ISO, due to the self- assessment can assess the performance of the overall organization and can tell on what companies need to improve, which I think this is more useful.

Therefore, to summarize for this presentation, I think it is might be better for the company to have self- assessment due to it could provide improvement, while auditting just like comparing the company performance with the standard or criteria to see whether the company do this and that or not.....THUS, Self- assessment is BETTER!!

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 26 Oct 2013 01:21 |  Tags: Iso9000 Cbe Mbe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Our second seminar…Co–operation

Our second seminar...Yesterday!!!

Actually, I planned to blogging this since yesterday but due to I had to edit some parts and prepare for the presentation until 2am, so I didnt have enough time to blogging on what I planned to blog....

So, about the second seminar, "WHY SHOULD BUSINESS COMPETITORS CO-OPERATE TO ACHIEVE A WINNING SITUATION??" In my opinion, I think this topic is such a good one and very interesting. During the seminar, I got many more knowledge about this on why the competitors should be co-operated. From the presentation about this from three teams, every team shared almost similar ideas and reasons, which I can be summarized that, firstly, by co-operation could help both companies get mutual benefits, such as they could exchange their resources and reduce their cost. Secondly, they could be able to increase trust from customers which resulting in increasing sales. Thirdly, by co-operating, both sides could be able to share their knowledge in order to come up with better sales and profits, and lastly, by doing this, the companies could be able to have higher power to bargain the regulation (such as in term of pricing, etc.) with the goverment. I totally agree with all of these reasons. However, after the seminar presentation, Paul said that what every team presents was refered to the co-operation by emerging, which is opposite from what he told us to do!!! By the way, from the presentation, there are some points that is right to support the reason for the seminar's question. Paul also said that besides the advantages of co-operation, there are also disadvantage of doing co-operation which is that when the co-operated companies have more power both in customer markets and governemt regulation, they could use co-operation in the negative way by acting themselves like monopoly.

By the way,,,now, I still believe that co-operation and emerging have kind of the same purposes, and the reasons for co-operation could be shared for being the reasons for emerging of companies.

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 26 Oct 2013 00:38 |  Tags: Co-Operation Cbe Mbe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

cooperative or competitive??

Today, No CBE class!!!

BUT......

this morning I went to Mindmapping workshop with Paul Roberts. He talked about mindmapping, which I think it is very useful for helping me in doing the PMA and dissertation. While he was talking about mindmapping, in my plan was starting to think of how to plan my PMA, I was thinking that what questions I need to set up in order to cover all answer the question in PMA. And then that time, there was a lot of things come up in my mind. After that, I also think of how I am going to find information, and the plan. I think it is really worked to do mindmapping.

Then after the workshop, I came back to searching for the information for our second seminar.

Why do business competitors sometimes co-operate to achieve a winning situation??????

.....so, WHY??

From my research, there are many articles talking about cooperative and competitive. Some people say that it is better for companies to be competitive, while some say it is better to be cooperative. However, if ask me, I would say that it is better to be cooperative...This is because no one would get lose, both side or everyone get benefit, so this means win- win situation. Both of them would be able to gain benefits, which could be in term of interests, sales, market share, and resource from another side.

Okay, I will end up my blog for today!! and will continue it tomorrow after the class,,, :)

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 23 Oct 2013 21:44 |  Tags: Cooperative Cbe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

first day of presentation!!

Yesterday, I forgot to write the blog,,, after long long day of presentation. From the presentation (yesterday), I have learnt many things from the Measurement of Result presentation and Organizational Learning. In the same topic, each group can understand and explain differently. This might be because we didnt get lectures about this topic before, like when we do in Bachelor Degree. When students take lecture, everyone seems to understand in the same way. However, study here is not the same. The students read and make understand by themselves, and try to share what they have learnt and experience within the team and among teams, which I think somehow it a good way of learning because the students could be able to think and gain new ideas from friends.

From the Measurement of results presention, I have gained more knowledge and understanding about Balanced Scorecard, EFQM, Deming's Theory, and Statistical Process Control (SPC). The SPC Model is quite new for me but after discussing with my members in the group, I think it is a very useful model that can be used in many business areas, especially in manufacturing field. Greame also explained us more about Noise and Signal in the process compareing with target.

Besides the Measurement of Result presentation, the Oraganizational Learning also gave me much much more knowkedge which I can use it to adpate in the real- like business. There is one group that provided us examples of Microsoft and Apples and applied them with OL theory. I think it was very useful and make me more understand, even at first its quite hard to get it. Also, the presentation also makes me more understand that OL is very critical for an organization due to it could directly be a part that improves and drives the company (enablers) to process and get the more improved result (indirectly).

Jitiwan Nitiyotin : 23 Oct 2013 18:59 |  Tags: Ol Mbe Cbe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem