<strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> analysis—a reaction often described as “protectingone’s own turf”).6. An adequate business case needs to be made for <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>application at the start.7. There is no process-owner involvement and buy-in upfront(at project onset).8. Management shows insufficient recognition of <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>process success.9. No charge number established for <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> billing costs;insufficient program funding.After carefully weighing of all issues brought to light fromthe investigation, three main areas for improvement wereidentified: project selection, resource allocation and generalprogram support.Modification SolutionsTop+ <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> TeamIssues identified by the investigation led to an overhaul of the<strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> process with several enhancements. The first majorimprovement was establishing a small group called the Top+<strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> Team, composed of engineers with a strong <strong>Six</strong><strong>Sigma</strong> background. Within GT, this team is charged with <strong>Six</strong><strong>Sigma</strong> program management and is identified as the directcontact for all Belts within engineering. Monthly metrics(process scorecards) identify targets, such as measuring:Fig. 1. Improved product selection processFig. 2. Improved project implementation26 | Technology Century | OCTOBER–NOVEMBER 2006
number of projects completed; business benefit; project rejectionrate; Belt utilization rate (comparing the number oftrained <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> Belts with the number of projects in progress);project duration; and project milestones (actual datescompared with planned dates).Program enhancements include a Siemens Intranet Website listing the Top+ Team’s contact information, an FAQ linkand general information about <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> and program objectives.Within the scope of improvement, two additions werealso made to the existing <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> process with the goalsof improving management buy-in, resource allocation andproject selection. Figure 1 shows the enhanced project selectionprocess ensuring that new projects are consistent with businesspriorities and therefore guaranteeing the project’s importanceto all involved organizational levels.The Top+ <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> Team derives project ideas from auditresults, incoming technical issues and R&D projects withthe help of the respective process owners (a process owner isresponsible for the GT component or process tackled by the <strong>Six</strong><strong>Sigma</strong> project). In preparation for the biweekly GT managementand direct staff meeting, each promising project idea iscomprehensively defined and presented in a standardized way.The meeting agenda includes identification of the businesscase; problem statement; proposed process Belt; process owner;and project cost and funding source. During the meeting,each process owner defends his or her project idea, and staffdecides on action for the project idea, as well as identifyingthe funding source and resources. This process enhancementensures adequate funding, management support and prioritythroughout the <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> project duration.Project Understanding and OwnershipThe second major improvement is illustrated in Fig. 2. In theDMAIC process, the “improvement” step is divided into twoparts: the concept for improvement, with a staff managementrelease, and the implementation of a pilot trial after release.The Belt prepares standardized slides for a fifteen-minutestaff presentation, explaining in a concise way the problemstatement of the project, the business benefit, analysis results,derived improvement options, the selected option and animplementation plan.The advantage of the additional step is manifold: Theprocess owner presents the project, rather than the Belt, whichforces the process owner to take ownership and interest in theproject. Management release guarantees that the projectresult is consistent with business strategy (the big picture),and established business processes. Management review canbe seen as an equivalent to a technical design review on abusiness level. To facilitate the process further, a Web-baseddatabase with an electronic workflow has been developed,which manages all tollgates and approval signatures, stores theentire project documentation, gives the belt access to necessarytemplates, and forms and serves as a knowledge database.A Resulting Success Rate of Over 90%After the new improvement modifications were implemented,measurement results showed that, from twelve approvedSiemens GT projects completed, only one project was rejected(this project was rejected because a similar project wasunexpectedly opened on a company-wide level, making theGT project unnecessary). The new <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> yield rate of theimproved process after implementation was greater than 90%.This yield rate of 90% has been sustained since implementationof program improvements until the present. It should benoted that a constant emphasis on the process isnecessary to prevent the program from deteriorating.It was a long road to the establishment of <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> methodologyas an integral part of Siemens GT day-to-day business.The effort and the methods implemented ensure aself-sustaining improvement program that is a prerequisitefor a successful business culture of <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>. Presently,Siemens Gas Turbine Engineering division has trained 20%of its staff as <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> Green Belts and Black Belts whoactively support the program. Success speaks for itself: TheSiemens GT <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong> program alone has produced savingsin the (three-digit) millions of dollars, specifically in the categoriesof nonconformance, cost-avoidance, and asset managementand cost savings.Antje Lembcke, BS in environmentalengineering, MBA, Certified Black Belt, ishead of engineering services and processes,Siemens Power Generation, Orlando,Florida. Ms. Lembcke has eight years ofexperience in process reengineering andquality and six years in <strong>Six</strong> <strong>Sigma</strong>.Her degrees are from the University ofWeihenstephan, Germany, and the Universityof Central Florida.Hans-Juergen Kiesow, PhD in mechanicalengineering, Certified Green Belt, is headof gas turbine engineering, SiemensPower Generation, Inc., Orlando, Florida.Dr. Kiesow has 30 years of experiencein engineering, with 17 years of specialinterest in organizational behavior.www.esd.org | The Engineering Society of Detroit | 27
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