Scrap Reduction At EFD

Identify What Is Important

As outlined in the previous article, the first step in our Lean Six Sigma Improvements process is to identify a prospective project. The first thing you need to consider is the “Importance” or “Criticality” of the Project. Simply put, we must select and define a project that is critical to the satisfaction of both your customers as well as your business. Otherwise, there is no point in wasting time, effort and resources on it.

So, what defines the Importance or Criticality of a Project???

Remember the chapter on Basics of Six Sigma? We had briefly covered a concept called “Critical To Characteristic”. These are the characteristics of your process or product that are “critical to” their success.

For ex: From a Business Perspective you may want to concentrate on:

a. Low Defects

b. Shorter Cycle Times and

c. Low Cost

Whereas from a Customer Perspective he may want you to concentrate on:

a. Quality

b. Timely Delivery and

c. Price

These are the Critical To Characteristics for the Process/Product under consideration.

So, after identifying specific CTs, you must identify the business processes that control the performance of these business outcomes. In addition, the business leaders must identify the outputs of these critical business processes that are major contributors to the customer-focused CTs.

A Real Time Example:

Lets us try to understand more about these CTs with a real life example. Lets go back to our Pizza Delivery example we used in the chapter on Measuring Process Capability

Customer Side of the Story:

From a Customer’s Perspective below is what he would want:

1. Quality - Pizza’s must be delivered, hot and along with all accompaniments/sauces etc. A customer wouldn’t want to receive a cold pizza or a pizza with no sauces or drinks. Most importantly he would want to eat only the pizza he ordered. So, orders must not be mixed up

2. Delivery - Pizza’s must be delivered to the appropriate customer’s address and on time.

3. Price - The Pizza must be cost effective and comparable. If we charge Rs. 200/- for a pizza sold for Rs. 150/- by our rivals, then the customer will probably choose them over us. So, the pricing must be competitive

So,

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