Proven techniques for improving software and process quality with Six Sigma This practical, in-depth guide explains how to apply Six Sigma to solve common product and process improvement challenges in the software and IT industry. Six Sigma Software Quality Improvement covers Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control (DMAIC), Lean Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), and Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, and Verify (DMADV). Featuring more than 20 success stories from Motorola, IBM, Cisco, Seagate, Xerox, Thomson Reuters, TCS, EMC, Infosys, and Convergys, the book offers first-hand accounts of corporate Six Sigma programs and explains how these companies are successfully leveraging Six Sigma for software process and quality improvement. The success stories reveal how: Motorola minimized business risk before changing business-critical applications TCS improved fraud detection for a global bank Infosys improved software development productivity for a large multinational bank IBM reduced help desk escalations and overhead activities EMC improved development productivity Motorola realized significant cost avoidance by streamlining processes and project documentation Xerox achieved high-speed product development Seagate reduced application downtime and improved availability to 99.99% Cisco successfully reinvented its Six Sigma program Convergys injected Six Sigma into the company's DNA Thomson Reuters' Six Sigma program gathered significant momentum in a short time Six Sigma was successfully applied in many other projects for defect reduction, cycle time reduction, productivity improvement, and more

Since Six Sigma has had marked success in improving quality in other settings, and since the quality of software remains poor, it seems a natural evolution to apply the concepts and tools of Six Sigma to system development and the IT department. Until now however, there were no books available that applied these concepts to the system development p

Practical Support for Lean Six Sigma Software Process Definition: Using IEEE Software Engineering Standards addresses the task of meeting the specific documentation requirements in support of Lean Six Sigma. This book provides a set of templates supporting the documentation required for basic software project control and management and covers the integration of these templates for their entire product development life cycle. Find detailed documentation guidance in the form of organizational policy descriptions, integrated set of deployable document templates, artifacts required in support of assessment, organizational delineation of process documentation.

This proposal constitutes an algorithm of design applying the design for six sigma thinking, tools, and philosophy to software design. The algorithm will also include conceptual design frameworks, mathematical derivation for Six Sigma capability upfront to enable design teams to disregard concepts that are not capable upfront, learning the software development cycle and saving development costs. The uniqueness of this book lies in bringing all those methodologies under the umbrella of design and provide detailed description about how these methods, QFD, DOE, the robust method, FMEA, Design for X, Axiomatic Design, TRIZ can be utilized to help quality improvement in software development, what kinds of different roles those methods play in various stages of design and how to combine those methods to form a comprehensive strategy, a design algorithm, to tackle any quality issues in the design stage.

Six Sigma has arisen in the last two decades as a breakthrough Quality Management Methodology. With Six Sigma, we are solving problems and improving processes using as a basis one of the most powerful tools of human development: the scientific method. For the analysis of data, Six Sigma requires the use of statistical software, being R an Open Source option that fulfills this requirement. R is a software system that includes a programming language widely used in academic and research departments. Nowadays, it is becoming a real alternative within corporate environments. The aim of this book is to show how R can be used as the software tool in the development of Six Sigma projects. The book includes a gentle introduction to Six Sigma and a variety of examples showing how to use R within real situations. It has been conceived as a self contained piece. Therefore, it is addressed not only to Six Sigma practitioners, but also to professionals trying to initiate themselves in this management methodology. The book may be used as a text book as well.

The Practical, Example-Rich Guide to Building Better Systems, Software, and Hardware with DFSS Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) offers engineers powerful opportunities to develop more successful systems, software, hardware, and processes. In Applying Design for Six Sigma to Software and Hardware Systems, two leading experts offer a realistic, step-by-step process for succeeding with DFSS. Their clear, start-to-finish roadmap is designed for successfully developing complex high-technology products and systems that require both software and hardware development. Drawing on their unsurpassed experience leading Six Sigma at Motorola, the authors cover the entire project lifecycle, from business case through scheduling, customer-driven requirements gathering through execution. They provide real-world examples for applying their techniques to software alone, hardware alone, and systems composed of both. Product developers will find proven job aids and specific guidance about what teams and team members need to do at every stage. Using this book’s integrated, systems approach, marketers, software professionals, and hardware developers can converge all their efforts on what really matters: addressing the customer’s true needs. Learn how to Ensure that your entire team shares a solid understanding of customer needs Define measurable critical parameters that reflect customer requirements Thoroughly assess business case risk and opportunity in the context of product roadmaps and portfolios Prioritize development decisions and scheduling in the face of resource constraints Flow critical parameters down to quantifiable, verifiable requirements for every sub-process, subsystem, and component Use predictive engineering and advanced optimization to build products that robustly handle variations in manufacturing and usage Verify system capabilities and reliability based on pilots or early production samples Master new statistical techniques for ensuring that supply chains deliver on time, with minimal inventory Choose the right DFSS tools, using the authors’ step-by-step flowchart If you’re an engineer involved in developing any new technology solution, this book will help you reflect the real Voice of the Customer, achieve better results faster, and eliminate fingerpointing. About the Web Site The accompanying Web site, sigmaexperts.com/dfss, provides an interactive DFSS flowchart, templates, exercises, examples, and tools.

This book aims to enable readers to understand and implement, via the widely used statistical software package Minitab (Release 16), statistical methods fundamental to the Six Sigma approach to the continuous improvement of products, processes and services. The second edition includes the following new material: Pareto charts and Cause-and-Effect diagrams Time-weighted control charts cumulative sum (CUSUM) and exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) Multivariate control charts Acceptance sampling by attributes and variables (not provided in Release 14) Tests of association using the chi-square distribution Logistic regression Taguchi experimental designs

"In this book, I have found answers to key questions and misconceptions about the relationship between Six Sigma and the Capability Maturity Model Integration [CMMI]....Among my key takeaways is that the relationship between Six Sigma and CMMI exemplifies one of the principles of S4/IEE: CMMI provides process infrastructure that is needed to support a successful Six Sigma strategy." —Forrest W. Breyfogle III, CEO, Smarter Solutions, Inc. "Finally, a book that bridges the software and hardware process tool set. To date, there have been hardware and software engineers who for one reason or another have not communicated their process methods. And so, myths formed that convinced the hardware community that CMMI was only for software and likewise convinced the software community that Six Sigma was only for hardware. It is both refreshing and thought provoking to dispel these myths." —Jack Ferguson, Manager, SEI Appraisal Program, Software Engineering Institute CMMI and Six Sigma represent two of the best-known process improvement initiatives. Both are designed to enhance work quality and thereby produce business advantages for an organization. It's a misconception that the two are in competition and cannot be implemented simultaneously. Practitioners originally trained in either CMMI or Six Sigma are now finding that the two initiatives work remarkably well together in the pursuit of their common goal. CMMI® and Six Sigma: Partners in Process Improvement focuses on the synergistic, rather than competitive, implementation of CMMI and Six Sigma—with synergy translating to "faster, better, cheaper" achievement of mission success. Topics range from formation of the value proposition to specific implementation tactics. The authors illustrate how not taking advantage of what both initiatives have to offer puts an organization at risk of sinking time, energy, and money into "inventing" a solution that already exists. Along the way they debunk a few myths about Six Sigma applications in software. While the authors concentrate on the interoperability of Six Sigma and CMMI, they also recognize that organizations rarely implement only these two initiatives. Accordingly, the discussion turns to the emerging realm of "multimodel" process improvement and strategies and tactics that transcend models to help organizations effectively knit together a single unified internal process standard. Whether you work in the defense industry, for a commercial organization, or for a government agency—wherever quality and efficiency matter—you'll find this book to be a valuable resource for bridging process issues across domains and building an improvement strategy that succeeds.

Simple Steps to Improve Patient Safety, Patient Flow and the Bottom Line A Doody's Core Title for 2021! This thoroughly revised resource shows, step-by-step, how to simplify, streamline, analyze, and optimize healthcare performance using tested Lean Six Sigma and change management techniques. Lean Six Sigma for Hospitals, Second Edition, follows the patient from the front door of the hospital or emergency room all the way through discharge. The book fully explains how to improve operations and quality of care while dramatically reducing costs—often in just five days. Real-world case studies from major healthcare institutions illustrate successful implementations of Lean Six Sigma. Coverage includes: • Lean Six Sigma for hospitals, emergency departments, operating rooms, medical imaging facilities, nursing units, pharmacies, and ICUs • Patient flow and quality • Clinical staff • Order and claims accuracy • Billing and collection • Defect and medical error reduction • Excel power tools for Lean Six Sigma • Data mining and analysis • Process flow charts and control charts • Laser-focused process innovation • Statistical tools for Lean Six Sigma • Planning and implementation

Although the Six Sigma Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) methodology is a widely accepted tool for achieving efficient management of all aspects of operations, there are still many unwarranted concerns about its perceived complexity and implementation costs. Dispelling these myths, Six Sigma for Powerful Improvement: A Green Belt DMAIC Training System with Software Tools and a 25-Lesson Course clarifies the long-accepted statistical and logical processes of Six Sigma and provides you with tools you can use again and again in your own "real world" projects—removing any doubts regarding their simplicity and "doability.". Not only does the book provide you with reasons for using the tools, it reveals the underlying doctrines, formulas, and steps required. Although the tools and techniques presented are specifically associated with the DMAIC philosophy, they are applicable across a wide range of management and improvement scenarios. Explaining Six Sigma processes in language that's easy to understand, the book starts with an overview, followed by specific techniques and procedures. It presents detailed, illustrated lesson segments that include an agenda, roadmap, objectives, and a list of takeaway concepts. It also: Provides seven separate Excel tool templates—each with its own user guide and additional smaller tools Presents completed Excel sample workbooks for each tool to facilitate your comprehension and utilization confidence Includes downloadable resources with a PowerPoint-based DMAIC training course, the aforementioned Excel-based Six Sigma tools and workbooks, and extensive instructor’s notes embedded in each lesson Trained as and employed as a Black Belt and later as a Master Black Belt, the author presents doctrines and procedures with a strong pedigree and history of success. The book uses hundreds of figures and tables to illustrate key concepts and also makes them available in full-color on the downloadable resources. This is also true of the figures in the user guides that document the accompanying tools. For each of the tools, the book includes a completed sample workbook. The PowerPoint and Excel lessons and tools are provided in both 2007 and 97-2003 versions.