Six Sigma - Define

Six Sigma Yellow Belt
Module 3: Define
1
Define
1. A3 Problem Solving
2. Voice of the Customer
PROTECT CONTROL SENSE Confidential and Proprietary to Littelfuse. Littelfuse, Inc. © 2017 2
Define Phase Tools & Methods Objectives
▪ Understand the purpose of A3s

▪ Know the steps to fill out an A3 for a project
▪ Understand team dynamics
▪ Understand the various tools for gathering voice
of the customer data
A3 Problem Solving
1. A3 Overview
2. A3 Template and DMAIC
3. Team Dynamics
1. A3 Overview
A3s
▪ Purpose: Provides a mechanism around which a dialogue

and learning can take place
▪ When to Use:
– Before and during the lean/six sigma projects
– Planning kaizen and kaizen blitz events
– Prior to meetings intended to potentially change
processes or protocol
– For annual improvement priorities to support
strategy deployment (hoshin kanri)
A3 General Information
▪ A3 refers to the size of

the paper used
– Approximately 11” x 17” or
29.7cm x 42cm
▪ The benefit to crafting an
A3 is not in the single-
page document, but in
the process of creating it
A3 General Information
▪ A3s are also called “Story Boards”

▪ The Littelfuse A3 Process is based
on DMAIC
– Others are based on
Deming’s “Plan-Do-Check-
Act/Adjust” improvement
cycle
A3 Template with DMAIC Content
A3 – Health Example
Clarifications
▪ Adapt based on the story being told

– Example: conveying a company strategy versus a story
about a quality problem
▪ Ideally the story should be told on one page
– More complicated stories can be told over several
panels/pages
– Visual techniques help to tell the story in a succinct manner
▪ As with all stories, it should flow (beginning, middle,
and desired end state)
▪ It can be an “evolving” story
A3 Timeframe
▪ What is the normal pace for completing an A3?

– Depends on complexity, magnitude, goals, etc
– Filling out an A3 may be difficult when you first begin
using them but it…
▪ Will be powerful
▪ Will get easier over time
2. A3 Template and DMAIC
A3 – Step 1: Title / Heading
▪ Title / Heading
– A3 Title: A single phrase describing the story
– Project Leader: Who is the team leader? Who is taking
responsibility for the problem or proposal?
– Team: Who are the team members, what are their roles
and responsibilities?
– Executive Sponsor: Who is the executive sponsor?
– Date: Date of last revision
A3 – Step 2: Define
▪ Define & State Problem or CI Opportunity (Define)

– Problem Statement: Creates a sense of ownership, focuses the
team, and describes the symptoms in measurable terms
– Scope: Puts boundaries on the project; recommended to note
items not included in order to avoid scope creep
– Goal: Specify desired end state of the project in clear/concise
terms
Gemba Walks
▪ Gemba: A Japanese term meaning “the real place”

▪ In business, the Gemba is the place
where value is created; where the
work is done
– In a manufacturing environment, it refers
to the factory floor
– In an office environment, it could be the
sales department, where a service
provider interacts directly with the
customer
Gemba Walks (Cont’d)
▪ Gemba Walk
– Going to the real place; going to see the problems
– Gather data (not opinions) from all sources
– Gemba walks are not scripted but generalized
questions do exist
Going to the Gemba will reveal problems and

enable the creation of improvement ideas
Conducting a Gemba Walk
Looking for Lean Management
Conducting a Gemba Walk
Looking for Lean Management
▪ Left column
– What you should see when you go to the gemba
▪ Right column
– Questions that you might ask associates in order to
better understand what successes that area is
celebrating, and what opportunities for improvement
exist
Problem Statements
▪ A good problem statement will answer the following

questions:
– What is the problem or defect?
– Where is the defect being observed?
– When was it observed and is there a pattern?
– How Much and to what extent?
– How Do I Know the sources or what standard we are

failing to meet?
Strength of a Problem Statement
+ Invoices from Ford have been shown to contain

an average of 40% more errors when produced in
the latter half of the month as indicated by a high
weekly DPMO.
Invoices from Ford have errors in the latter half of

the month.
- Invoices from Ford have errors.
A Good Problem Statement Decomposition
HOW MUCH
WHAT
WHERE
“Invoices from Ford have been shown to
contain an average of 40% more errors
when produced in the latter half of the
month as indicated by a high weekly
DPMO.”
HOW I
WHEN KNOW
Smart Goals
▪ Effective goal statements are written using the

SMART format:
• Specific: State exactly what needs to be accomplished
S
• Measurable: Quantify the impact and to what extent
M
• Attainable: Stretch goals with ability to achieve outcome
A
• Relevant: Align the goals to organization’s objectives
R
• Time Bound: Established target dates
T
SMART Goals Examples
▪ Increase sales turnover to a minimum of

$2K / month to meet the organization’s
sales forecast by October 31, 2017
▪ Improve the new product development
process by 50% on 5 new products by the
end of 2018
▪ Decrease 15% of the YOY inventory value
by December 31, 2017
▪ Improve the final assembly cycle time
from 0.28 hours to 0.18 hours in 7 days,
August 18, 2017
Project Scope
▪ IN: Defines what part of the process is “in scope”

▪ OUT: Defines what part of the process “out of scope”
▪ Questions to answer:
– Where does the process begin?
– Where does the process end?
– Are there specific areas of the process being focused on?
– Does it includes other process areas outside of your
functional area?
The A3 Improvement Process
DOs DO NOTs
▪ Get messy with A3 ▪ Digitize A3 right away
▪ Pass your A3 around, let it be ▪ Keep only in computer
marked up ▪ Keep A3 a secret; no
▪ Participate in healthy debates discussions
▪ Use brief statements ▪ Write long sentences
▪ Use visual techniques ▪ Only use words
3. Team Dynamics
Team Member Benefits
▪ Opportunity for greater understanding of the

issues affecting their work
▪ Chance to be creative and share ideas
▪ Forge stronger working relations with colleagues
▪ Learn new skills / enhance existing ones
Team Members
▪ There are three places where you should look

for to recruit team members
1) Where the problem is observed or the pain is felt
2) Among those with special knowledge, information, or
skill (Subject Matter Experts)
3) In areas that can be helpful in developing the remedy
Team Diversity
▪ To achieve optimum performance, a team often

needs diversity in the orientation of its individual
team members
– Primarily oriented towards task and target data
accomplishment
– Hold process, planning, and organizational methods
in the highest regard
– Nurture, encourage and communicate well
– Creative and innovative
▪ Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
A Graphical Display of the Team Performances
Recipe for Team Success
▪ Clarity of the project goal

▪ A project plan
▪ Clearly defined roles
▪ Clear communication
▪ Effective meetings
▪ Well defined decision procedures
▪ Balanced participation
▪ Established ground rules
▪ Awareness of the group process
▪ Decisions based on data, not opinions
Voice of the Customer (VOC)
1. Customer identification
2. Critical to Quality (CTQ)
3. SIPOC
1. Customer Identification
Customer Identification
▪ Six Sigma quality is built around the customer

▪ Customers define the quality and set
expectations
▪ A customer can be:
– Internal customers who are in the next process or
department within the same company
– External customers who may be direct or indirect
customer of our company
What Does the Customer Really Need?
▪ Obtain the voice of the customer (VOC) = understanding

what the customer wants and needs
▪ What “service level” does the customer need?
– Desired lead time
– Quality performance
– Targeted cost
▪ Answer the questions; who, when, where, etc.
We apply the Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) tree to answer these questions
2. Critical to Quality (CTQ)
How Do We Make Sure We Deliver What the
Customer Wants and Needs?
How the How the How the How the How the
customer Project Leader Analyst Programmer Business
explained it understood it designed it wrote it Consultant
described it
How Do We Make Sure We Deliver What the
Customer Wants and Needs (Cont’d)?
How the What How the How it was What the

project was operations customer was supported customer
documented installed billed really needed
Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) Tree
▪ Purpose: Translates the initial customer

requirements to numerical or quantified
requirements for the product or service
▪ When to use:
– Establishing the requirements for the project
– Defining the customer requirements for the design
– Understanding what’s important to the customer
Critical-to-Quality Tree Example
Need
Customer says, “I
want a coffee that
tastes good!”
Critical-to-Quality Tree Example: (Cont’d)
Need Drivers
Customer says, “I
want a coffee that TASTE
tastes good!”
Need Drivers CTQs

Customer says, “I Not acidic
tastes good!” Bold / Rich
Need Drivers CTQs

Customer says, “I Not acidic
tastes good!” Bold / Rich
>120 ºF
TEMPERATURE
<150 ºF
COST $2.50
Harder to measure Easier to measure
Critical-to-Quality Exercise
▪ Instructions
– Each team brainstorm one or two CTQ’s for their area
– Define the customer needs, the drivers, and translate into critical
to quality metrics
▪ When finished, each team discuss their CTQ tree
Time duration: 20 minutes
3. SIPOC
SIPOC
▪ Purpose: To identify all relevant elements of a

process improvement project before work begins
▪ When to use:
– Early in the project
– Assessing the suppliers and customers of the process
– Defining the high level process
SIPOC & Elements
Supplier Input Process Output Customer
• The people • The • The series • The product • The person,

or information, of steps that or service process or
organization materials or transforms resulting organization
providing service the inputs from the that
resources provided by into outputs process receives the
(information suppliers by adding • The outputs output
, materials, that is customer are what is • The
or service) consumed value to the important to customers
to the or inputs the can be
process transformed • The customer internal or
by the process external
process must have a
• The inputs defined
are what start and
the process end point
needs to
function
Steps to Creating a SIPOC
1. Create the high-level process map

2. List the outputs from the process
3. List the customers that receive the output
4. List the inputs to the process
5. List the suppliers of the process input
Step 1 – Create the High-level Process Map
Step 2 – List the Outputs from the Process
Step 3 – List the Customers that Receive the
Output
Step 4 – List the Inputs Into the Process
Step 5 – Identify the Suppliers of the Process
Inputs
SIPOC: Feed the Dog
Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers

• Grocery • Go • Open • Dog eats • Dog
store shopping cupboard • Dog • Family
• You • Buy dog • Get bowl fertilizes • Garden
food • Close garden
• Return cupboard
home • Fill bowl
• Put dog • Call dog
food
away
Questions?

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Six Sigma Yellow Belt

▪ Understand the purpose of A3s

▪ Purpose: Provides a mechanism around which a dialogue

▪ A3 refers to the size of

▪ A3s are also called “Story Boards”

▪ Adapt based on the story being told

▪ What is the normal pace for completing an A3?

▪ Define & State Problem or CI Opportunity (Define)

▪ Gemba: A Japanese term meaning “the real place”

Going to the Gemba will reveal problems and

▪ A good problem statement will answer the following

– What is the problem or defect?

– Where is the defect being observed?

– When was it observed and is there a pattern?

– How Much and to what extent?

– How Do I Know the sources or what standard we are

+ Invoices from Ford have been shown to contain

Invoices from Ford have errors in the latter half of

- Invoices from Ford have errors.

▪ Effective goal statements are written using the

▪ Increase sales turnover to a minimum of

▪ IN: Defines what part of the process is “in scope”

▪ Opportunity for greater understanding of the

▪ There are three places where you should look

▪ To achieve optimum performance, a team often

▪ Clarity of the project goal

▪ Six Sigma quality is built around the customer

▪ Obtain the voice of the customer (VOC) = understanding

We apply the Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) tree to answer these questions

How the What How the How it was What the

▪ Purpose: Translates the initial customer

Need Drivers CTQs

Need Drivers CTQs

Harder to measure Easier to measure

▪ When finished, each team discuss their CTQ tree

Time duration: 20 minutes

▪ Purpose: To identify all relevant elements of a

Supplier Input Process Output Customer

• The people • The • The series • The product • The person,

1. Create the high-level process map

Suppliers Inputs Process Outputs Customers

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