Lean Six Sigma..and final thought on PIUSS

Last entry for process improvement class.

Both lean and six sigma concepts are not Specified for manufacturing industry only. Both concepts are widely use in many industries and countries already. From my research, I guess for lean six sigma is still at the early stage of it. Most of authors lean toward the integration of lean and six sigma will create a superior process improvement or enhancing results as the organisations can focus both reduction in waste and variations at the same time.

Honestly, I know nothing about six sigma or lean before this class. It is a new knowledge for me. Heard of their names before but never know what are they for. And in class experience also amazing. Some of the experiments brought back all the high school memory of math and statistic. Helicopter experiment was fun. through learning by doing helps me understand all the concepts better as I can see how it’s really work.

: 04 Jan 2015 23:18 |  Tags: Lean Mbe Piuss Sixsigma Taguchi |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Lean vs Six Sigma

Some thoughts about lean and six sigma. We all know that it helps organization in terms of cost reduction, improve process and product, increase profit. But what is the differences?

from the research, this is what I have learn

lean:

• eliminate waste
• flow of work, value stream, pull system, reduce waste and identify value added
• focus on workflow
• direct: better flow
• indirect: less variations, high quality

six sigma:

• reduce variations
• DMAIC: define, analysis, improve, and control
• focus on problem, using statistic
• direct: high quality product
• indirect: reduce waste, increase productivity

: 03 Jan 2015 19:20 |  Tags: Lean Mbe Piuss Sixsigma |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Taguchi: Helicopter Experiment

Fun, stress free, no drama, and learning: everything in today class!!!

Today class is something you can have fun and still being able to learn at the same time. So creativity toward helicopter design -width, length for wing ans stem. some failure in our prototype but thats ok. We are not an expert!!

Being able to experiment and understand how Taguchi theory works was super fun. I was a bit confused during the lecture. But once I had a chance to work on the experimental, it was all clear. The factors, interaction, noise and confirmation!!

I think it is a good experience to do something like this, instead of learning from lecture only and understand only theory. But now we know how it can actually work in real life. I didn't do a proper math calculating for quite some times already, so it is good to bring all the memory back!! hahaha

Learning can be fun!!

: 27 Nov 2014 23:42 |  Tags: Mbe Piuss Sixsigma Taguchi |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Recap: PIUSS study week

After such a longggg time...I guess it's time for me to wrote something down!!!!

Recap on PIUSS study week: one tough and exhausted week

2 presentations and pma due date, not a good combination. However, I got to learn so much. We needed to learn about six sigma in such a short period of time. 2 days for preparation was super little amount of time but we managed to do it.

Thanks to all team members as we learned so much from each other. Each person did a research and we gathered together to share all the stuff that we found and brainstorm all the ideas and spent super late night together!!! prepared and rehearsed until 11 pm!!! Many dramas but eventually I think we learned to respect each other opinions and allow each other to express them.

: 27 Nov 2014 23:31 |  Tags: Mbe Piuss Sixsigma |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Wider perspective

Based on today presentations, we can see how we interpreted differently and what we find. I find it very useful. To listen to other view points on the same topic, it gives you more ideas and different perspective that you might not think about.

From presentation and discussion, I found that when Graeme was talking about 'target' is very interesting to me. I never think about bad side of target before and I think most of us didn't think about it. I would think that... well, you have a target to achieve, so your job is to achieve it. But from today discussion, make me think in different way. When you set a target, I guess sometimes it is like you set a limit and can stop you from improving it as you already acheived it. It's only pass or fail. And people then start to play a game just to get on the target (not above target) because you know that once you reach the target, boss will be satisfy with you already and why you want to do above target? You have your budget for this year, but then there is still some omney left, want you gonna do? Use it!

It's really change my view on target.

: 15 Oct 2014 00:18 |  Tags: Cbe Mbe |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Past to Present

Something just pop up to my mind about critical thinking and time management. Just want to share my experience and reflect on it.

I guess when you are doing your bachelor degree. You would try to put as many references as much as possible to make your work look credible. There would be some critical thinking in it but not so much, as you are just finding many sources to put all your work together. Time management, you kinda know when is your assignment due or when you are going to have an exam.

However, once you enter to real working life...all of these are really important. Critical thinking is very essential. When you need to offer your client a work, you need to understand their business, how we can apply our theory to their business, what are the implications, what are the alternatives and its advantages and disdvantages of each alternative. My senior used to say that we need to put on our client's shoes. I still think that I critical skill is not wide enough. Once you proposed your work to your boss and being able to listen to his perspective, you will be quite surprise that 'why i didn't think of that'. But I think that is something that come with an experience as well, if you have chance to interact with many clients and done so many projects, then you will have wider perspective.

Also with time management, you don't know how importmant it is until you have a lot of work that you think 24 hours is not enough. In university, you know kinda have exact timeline know when you gonna have what. But in working life, I think specially for consultant life, we do have exact timeline but the new project can coming in anytime. So you need to be able to prioritize your work very well (but sometimes you can't manage timeline very well as there will be some variation like mismatch schedule between us and client). And actually time management is something that I am still struggling with. Not sure that word 'NO' that Paul taught us in class can apply to my situation because I think all the works that my boss gave me are important but urgent or not is another thing. One time that I had too much work that someday I don't have time to sleep or slept for only few hours and rarely see my parents that is when I start to say 'No' because my don't think my body can handle it anymore and i think I want to have time with my parents as well.

I guess my reflection on these is that you wouldn't know how these skills are useful until you have a chance to really use it and apply it. I think this year would be a one tough year!!! as both skills are something that would have to improve on and something that I would like to be better at.

: 14 Oct 2014 23:58 |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Back to 7th of Oct, Knowledge + Friendship as Present

Well well well, it was my birthday.....

What a productive day ever... came to lecture room where Haji already had all the stuff he wanted to say on the board. 2 hours discussion, just to brainstorm that we all were on the right track. Whatever I don't understand from reading moodle by myself, were all clear after group discussion. I guessed this is how you learn for your master degree. Not only from text book that you read hundred times and you still don't understand. But more like, from whatever all of us learnt putting into one piece of understanding.

More knowledge today, apart from mini project that we needed to do. There are so many models and practices out there. One more model from Haji... DMAIC, I think the ideas behide all the models are all the same, improvement for an excellence.

Deming: Quality start at the top... I do believe that it's true. Sustainable business needed a good management team and leadership skill.

I also didn't put too much interest in variation at first. But after today class, I think it's really important. Not just know that there is varation but what is it, what its cause, and what can it lead to. I think it can make a big different for business improvement.

I guess today present would be knowledge and friendship (we were sticked together from 9.30 till 16.00, I guess we are super close now!!!)

And I'm so sorry to my giffgaff giraffe team, I just told u guys at the end that it was my birthday!!!

: 09 Oct 2014 17:51 |  Tags: Birthday Cbe Study |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

First Day of CBE Class!!

First day of actual formal CBE class!!

I'm learning a lot today. Many view points, comment, vdo, audio clip, and assignments all in one day. So many mini projects that we need to do for only 2 weeks so TIME MANGEMENT is really important now. 2 weeks is such a short period.

First thing first (from what I have learnt today) ....employee come first! and I do agree with the idea, if we don't have an employee who satisfy with their job, how can they really perform (giving service or provide a produce) to satisfy the customer. Also Kano theory, very interesting. true true true, can't agree more with spoken and unspoken related to the expectation leading to satisfaction.

Also I like the idea that no one can motivate you, it's your choice you chose to do?!? I guess it is more like creating environment that make them to like and feel motivated to do - part of the team, commitment, and contribution ?!?

Lastly with Deming cycle concept, I guess I would need to try to understand with the concept of not 'pay for performance'. Come from reward field, It's abit hard to change my mind set. I would say that I think money might not be the long-term way to retain their staff. Kind of creating loyalty, ownership, or bonding would make them stay for long-term. However, they still need some recognition and money might be one of the option?!? I don't know, I guess there are still a lot more for me to learn to "Creating Business Excellence"

oh oh oh, and I hope I can organize well enough to finish all the work on time and working super well with my team.

: 06 Oct 2014 22:35 |  Tags: Cbe |  Comments (4) |  Close comments |  Report a problem