Overview
Challenges Faced Today Offer Solutions for Tomorrow
Six Sigma has come a long way from statistically oriented tools to today’s “not so data driven” tools like Lean and quality function deployment (QFD). The application of Six Sigma across different sectors has made this change from statistical tools to softer tools possible. The methodologies and framework have, ironically, occasionally lagged behind as they cope with different industries. DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) is applied the same way in the information technology (IT) services sector as it was in manufacturing. Some of the challenges facing Six Sigma in the IT sector are:
- Lengthy projects
- Data oriented tools
- Lack of knowledge in a knowledge-based industry
- Failure to properly use DMAIC in a software development project
- Six-Sigma as a Project Based Approach
Historically Six Sigma has been termed a project-based approach to improvements. Each project, however, could take between five weeks and six months. In the IT services sector the length of the project is often too long to realize the benefits. Projects are completed, resources are re-aligned and team members are transferred to other teams or sent to onsite assignments. These changes affect the cohesiveness of improvement teams. Many Six Sigma projects are either delayed or canceled due to lack of participation.
Minimize the Project Duration
A revised approach to Six Sigma should include a DMAIC life cycle of not more than three weeks, and the complete Six Sigma project should not take longer than three to five weeks. Six Sigma remains a project-based approach, but shortening the duration of the projects will eliminate frequent changes at the organization level, and teams will see projects through to completion. Six Sigma methodology and tools must be ingrained into the process framework so that it becomes part of “business as usual.” This reduces the cycle time for executing projects.
A successful Six Sigma program empowers employees with problem solving tools. The benefits of Six Sigma are realized when employees or teams use Six Sigma tools, methodologies and philosophies as part of their day-to-day activities. Though not project-based these improvements drive the true bottom-line.
Six-Sigma as a Data Driven Approach
The IT services sector as a whole is still evolving when it comes to metrics. Companies are investing huge amounts of effort in arriving at “good indicators” of project/organizational health. It is difficult to have a database created for a team, which results in a longer measure phase. In the absence of data, personal opinions take over and adversely impact the effectiveness of the framework. As projects stretch and lose their focus, teams lose faith in Six Sigma.
The strength of Six Sigma lies in the data driven approach, hence it has to be supported by a well-implemented metrics program throughout the organization. With the inclusion of Lean in the Six Sigma framework, practitioners can use fewer data oriented tools.
Six-Sigma Professes Y = f (X)
Software engineering activities are largely manual and are greatly dependent on the skill of the developer. The IT sector is knowledge base driven – organizations are investing huge amounts of money in finding skills outside the organization or developing them internally. Six Sigma offers little in terms of improving the productivity of engineering teams – a team’s productivity increases as it moves up the learning curve.
Improve Skills and Knowledge with Minimal Cost
The software engineering process rests heavily on manual processes. Results have some inherent inconsistencies because of the varying capabilities of individual developers. The new approach has to focus on automation and optimizing the learning curve. With the majority of the organization’s costs going toward manpower, increasing employee knowledge is core to management. Companies are focusing on support functions such as organizational training and cultural awareness classes. Six Sigma projects create strong processes that enhance learning and reduce costs without compromising the efficacy of the function. A focused application of Six Sigma concepts in developing the knowledge management processes would yield positive results within the services sector.
Choosing the Methodology
Unlike repetitive manufacturing processes, software development is an engineering activity and, therefore, DMAIC fails to help achieve improvements by inculcating quality into the software engineering process. Some companies are exploring options of inculcating Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) tools/methodologies into the software engineering process – these still need to be integrated with the software engineering frameworks like the capability maturity model integration (CMMi) and ISO (the worldwide federation of national standards bodies for approximately 130 countries). It is important to remember software engineering activities are not repetitive; the true benefit lies in integrating tools into the frameworks like CMMi and ISO.
Organizations are working on applying Six Sigma tools as part of the software engineering practices. Some of the tools that have a wider application can be:
- Failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) helps organizations reveal the overall system architecture for any kind of failure and helps reduce potential test defects especially in system and field testing.
- QFD used during the requirements gathering and analysis phases help prioritize requirements and high-level technical solutions by providing engineers leads into areas to be considered in the system.
- Design of experiments (DOE) is used in test phases to identify test cases that best match the expectations from the system. This is a useful approach when there are multiple interactions between the features of a product. DOE can also assist in optimizing software and hardware resources in a complex infrastructure project.
Although only a few tools are mentioned here, that does not limit the applicability of other Six Sigma tools in an IT service organization. As industry awareness grows, more tools are used.
Conclusion
Changes in the application of Six Sigma tools and methodology are evident in many different forums. Change will only become more prevalent as the need for being more competitive becomes a reality. Like any initiative in a business sector, process improvement managers need to transform Six Sigma to suit their industry needs. Six Sigma experts must tailor the tools for successful deployment and thereby help organizations improve their bottom lines. Today companies that have reached the pinnacle are re-inventing themselves and Six Sigma will find its place throughout IT service organizations.
Applying Lean Six Sigma in an Automated IT Process
In the last several years, companies have had notable results using Lean Six Sigma in transactional and administrative processes. Recently Medtronic has successfully adapted Lean Six Sigma to apply to even a wholly automated electronic IT process.
Applying Six Sigma to Software Implementation Projects
Two project scenarios demonstrate how Six Sigma can address common pain points in software implementation – defining customer requirements and making accurate estimates.
Australian Bank to Revamp IT with Lean Six Sigma
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Case Study: Applying Resource Modeling to IT Problem
Using resource models to manage the utilization of human resources can lead to higher service levels, lower costs and other benefits. This case study within the field of information technology shows the mechanics of building such a model.
Controlling Change in IT Departments Using DMAIC
During a Six Sigma project at an information technology (IT) department, there are many good reasons why a process or a system needs to change. There also are a few bad reasons – bad, but unavoidable. It’s up to the…
Controlling the Process That Controls Business Processes
The same methods (Lean Six Sigma) which transformed manufacturing and transactional processes into smooth, high efficiency processes also will work in software and IT, if adapted to recognize the differences in these processes.
Core Set of Effectiveness Metrics for Software and IT
A basic-yet-powerful set of metrics gets to the heart of measuring organizational efficiency and effectiveness in software and IT organizations. These metrics also facilitate effective application of Six Sigma in software and IT organizations.
Creating a More Accurate IT Availability Definition
Although IT reported values for application availability might be numerically correct, they may not be a true representation of the situation. For more accurate predictions, use outside-in and rolled-throughput approaches.
DMAIC Case Study: Improving System Availability
A leading environmental services company used DMAIC to improve the availability of an internal software system. The goal was to reduce system downtime and reduce defect resolution time, thereby increasing return on investment and user satisfaction.
Exploring Defect Containment Metrics in Agile
While Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) and Agile software development seem to have different orientations, there is more linkage than meets the eye. Considering defect containment metrics, there is a positive tie between these two bodies of experience.
Leverage ITIL and Six Sigma Together to Maximize Outcome
The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Framework is a set of best practices that facilitate delivery of high quality IT services. Combined with Six Sigma, ITIL serves as a model that prompts organizations to use maximum synergy.
Objective Defect Evaluation Leads Improvement Efforts
In order to objectively analyze and take corrective action in instances where the best improvement project is not immediately visible, assigning severity, failure effect and end effect numbers to each option may help practitioners make the next move.
Optimizing Software/IT Role in a Typical Organization
In software and IT projects most failures are related to the lack of an understanding of what the customer really expects the system to do (operational requirements) and why (business results). But a program like Six Sigma can resolve many issues.
Problem Management: Coordinating ITIL and Six Sigma
Applying both the Information Technology Infrastructure Library and Six Sigma to the many requirements businesses are considering information technology (IT) functions can help IT units provide the best value to their companies and their customers.
Process Improvement and Technology: The Virtuous Cycle
Implementing the “virtuous cycle” can help a business ensure that its IT organization can best fulfill its challenge of driving most of the process improvements in throughout the business as well as improving its own processes.