In This Chapter

Using a Web portal Perusing publications ^ Joining associations and societies

Using the services of trainers and consultants

Hether it’s the statistics, the projects, the deployment planning,

WW Applications, leadership, management, or support — Six Sigma is

Hard. No doubt about it. It’s big and it’s complicated, and you need lots of

Smarts (or, at the very least, this book) to pull it off. But while you may be blazing new trails through your own life and organization, thousands of people have forged similar trails before you. You can trod merrily on the

Bleached bones of those who have gone before.

There are many, many places to go for all kinds of help on every subject.

Academics, corporations, societies, associations, practitioners, consultants,

And authors — they’re all out there and available to assist you, with knowledge, education, training, consulting, tools, technologies, and publications.

We’ve organized them into ten groups.

Colleagues

Chances are, you know someone who has been involved in Six Sigma, perhaps even a specialist of some type. If you’re working in a company that’s deployed Six Sigma, you have Champions, Master Black Belts, and Black Belts all around

You. You then also have reference material at your fingertips.

Even if you don’t know of anyone personally, you may be surprised by just how few degrees of separation lie between your interest and a Six Sigma

Expert. Ask your friends and associates, at your church or at the ballgame.

Try shouting "Six Sigma" in a crowded movie theater! You know people who know Six Sigma; you just have to ask around.

Six Sigma Corporations

Hundreds of corporations have deployed Six Sigma, including corporations in every industry and every corner of the world. Many of them will openly meet

With you to discuss their experiences and offer advice. Several, like pioneer Motorola, have consulting groups that offer this advice as a service. Don’t

Hesitate to consider calling on a company that’s been through the process

And ask them about it.

Associations and Professional Societies

Several associations and professional societies cater to the Six Sigma industry and audience. These associations offer a variety of services to members,

Including access to knowledge and information, such as white papers and case studies, special events, contacts, and discounts on materials and services. If you’re entering the Six Sigma world, membership to one of these is highly recommended.

The International Society of Six Sigma Professionals (ISSSP): ISSSP is the premier industry organization that caters to the professional.

F American Society for Quality (ASQ): ASQ is the largest quality association in the United State, with over 100,000 members.

Six Sigma Benchmarking Association: This association conducts

Benchmarking studies, shares best practices, and facilitates process

Improvement and total quality.

F American Statistical Association (ASA): ASA is a scientific and educational society that promotes statistical practice, applications, and research;

Publishes statistical journals; and improves statistical education.

The Royal Statistical Society (RSS): RSS, based in the U. K., is the world’s oldest quality association. RSS publishes a journal, organizes meetings, sets and maintains professional standards, accredits university courses,

And administers examinations.

Conferences and Symposia

Numerous organizations regularly sponsor conferences and symposia around the United States and the world on topics in Six Sigma, quality, and Business

Process Improvement. These conferences are outstanding forums for meeting

With peers, surveying product and service providers, and attending seminars on current topics of interest.

Major Six Sigma conferences include the following:

F ISSSP Conferences: ISSSP holds several conferences annually.

F The International Quality and Productivity Center (IQPC): IQPC provides tailored conferences and hosts numerous Six Sigma conferences

Worldwide.

American Society for Quality (ASQ): ASQ hosts a large annual

Conference.

F Worldwide Conventions and Business Forums (WCBF): A conference organization that hosts topical Six Sigma conferences.

Ixperion: This group hosts focused conferences, primarily in Europe.

Check the Internet for more information about these groups.

In addition to these major industry events, many minor events of topical interest occur regularly. These events are hosted by associations, consultancies,

And tool vendors. You wouldn’t want to miss the International Conference on Axiomatic Design, for example!

Publications

At last count, we place the number of books on Six Sigma at over 200 titles. You can find them easily through iSixSigma or directly on Amazon. The authors of these tomes are usually consultants and practitioners who have published works based directly on industry experience. The works in general are grouped by topic; choose the ones that best suit your needs:

F Guide books: How to implement Six Sigma in your company

F Pocket guides: Handy little reference books that you can literally stick in

Your pocket

F Management books: Stories and advice on how to manage Six Sigma

Initiatives

F Handbooks to be used as tools: Detailed, mathematically rich volumes on every statistical tool and topic

Technology books: Books about the technical and management tools

Web Portals

The fastest access information is right at your fingertips. Web portals aggregate vast sums of information and whisk you directly to the source with the

Click of your computer mouse. We recommend the Web as the starting point for outside help.

Google: There’s no bigger access point to the world’s information. We

Mentioned in Chapter 1 that the term "Six Sigma" returns over 2 million hits on Google. But that’s only the starting point. Try entering ANOVA, And Google returns 2 million hits on that! How about something more esoteric? Six Sigma Black Belt Yields 9,000 places to go. How about Run charts? 1,200 responses. Or Six Sigma online training: 700 hits.

Google is a portal of awesome power.

V ISixSigma: The Six Sigma industry has its own commercial portal, www. i s ixsi gma. com. iSixSigma provides extensive free information on almost any Six Sigma topic. Content on the site focuses on three primary areas: information, community, and supplemental services. You

Can find products, tools, hire a Black Belt, and even find a job. The site also includes chat rooms, forums, and libraries.

Periodicals

Several publications support the Six Sigma industry. The larger and more significant journals include the following:

ISixSigma Magazine: The publishing end of the Web portal

Six Sigma Forum – The magazine of the American Society for Quality (ASQ); directed at the Six Sigma audience

International Journal of Six Sigma and Competitive Advantage: A

Practical and research-oriented journal that addresses new Six Sigma

Developments, thinking, tools, techniques, and methodologies that improve business and organizational performance

V Quality Progress: The quality publication of the ASQ

F Quality Digest: An independent magazine about the business of quality

Technology Vendors

An increasing number of software and technology products related to Six Sigma (see Chapters 11 and 12) are on the market. These tools are powerful

And enable your initiatives. These vendors sell the software, provide product training, and assist with implementation and integration in your environment.

Technology vendor products and services come in several categories:

Process modeling and simulation Statistical analysis Process management and execution Program portfolio and project management

Consultants

Help is on the way. Numerous consultancies cater to supporting Six Sigma initiatives. These consultancies can help you with every aspect of your interest — everything from "Should I consider a Six Sigma initiative?" to "How do I run a process simulation?" and everything in between.

The consultancies fall primarily into three categories:

Large scale consultancies from Big-6-type firms: These firms have Six

Sigma expertise but also tend to provide enterprise-class coverage of

Topics in business process management and information technology systems integration.

Six Sigma consultancies: The industry boasts several dozen firms who cater specifically to Six Sigma implementation and support.

Boutiques: Numerous highly focused one-person firms dot the landscape; these consultants provide specialized assistance in specific

Topics and areas.

Six Sigma consulting is expensive. Don’t be surprised to pay $3,000 or more per day for experienced senior consulting. It’s worth it — if you can afford it.

Six Sigma Trainers

Training in the principles and practices of Six Sigma is a commodity industry with numerous providers. Training is available on every conceivable topic

And through multiple modes, including traditional classroom, computer-based training, and asynchronous learning networks. Several firms license training materials and train a company’s trainers.

Training providers come in three flavors:

F Academics: More and more colleges and universities offer Six Sigma training. This is usually offered through the College of Engineering or

TheBusiness School, and is either part of the regular undergraduate or graduate curriculum or offered as an outreach through a professional

Development center. Contact your local college or university for more

Information.

F Training consultancies: Most of the Six Sigma consulting firms also offer training. Unlike many academic sources, consultancies train on both technical and non-technical topics. In addition, they often tailor

Thetraining curriculum to the needs of a particular business.

V Online training: Growing in popularity, online training is increasingly available on topics in Six Sigma. Online courses are available through

Universities and several of the training consultancies, and is also offered

By firms that specialize in online curriculum.