Author name: Forrest Breyfogle

Creating Profitable-Green-Business Strategies

Uncategorized /

Many businesses adopt Green strategies as part of their business plan in an effort to be good stewards of the environment and their community. No one can argue that this is not a good thing to do. However, often these efforts can become a silo activity relative to other organizational initiatives, resulting in a significant negative impact to the corporate financials. Because of the economic implication, this approach for implementing Green could jeopardize future environmental-improvement efforts. VIEW NOW, and learn about an alternative business system approach to integrating Green strategies with other organizational strategies so that created environmental-enhancement efforts either improve or do not degrade the current financials. Described is a methodology for targeting Green efforts so that there is success, while maintaining or enhancing overall business benefits.

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Log Transformation: Non-Normal Data, To Transform Or Not To Transform

Performance Measurements, Process Metrics /

This article was written as an alternative approach to analyzing non-normal data to that which was presented by Dr. Don Wheeler in a previous Quality Digest newsletter. This article illustrates, from a high level, or 30,000-foot-level, when and how to apply transformations and present results to others so that the data analysis leads to the most appropriate action or nonaction. Statistical software makes the application of transformations simple.

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Enhanced Business Strategy Model for C-Suite Leadership

Business Management System, Integrated Enterprise Excellence /

Executive leadership needs to assess its business system, especially in times of economic challenge, to determine if its current management system can handle the increasing complexity of business. What organizations need is an enhanced methodology that provides the framework for leadership to systematically understand and manage its organization through an ever-changing environment. This paper describes a 9-step Integrated Enterprise Excellence business management governance system. This system is more than a problem solving project execution system such as Lean Six Sigma or Lean kaizen events. Provided in this 9-step methodology is a system that goes beyond the balanced scorecard and truly integrates (predictive) scorecards, (analytically/innovatively determined) strategic planning, and business process improvement efforts so that the business as a whole benefits and moves toward achieving the three Rs of business; i.e., everyone doing the Right things and doing them Right at the Right time.

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Lean Six Sigma Training Objectives: What is Good Training for Your Situation

Lean Six Sigma, Process Improvement Training and Certification /

One of several lean six sigma training outcome-desires should be chosen before one selects what lean Six Sigma training program to undertake. It is important to consider whether a simple “certification” stamp is desired or a true understanding of how to effectively apply lean Six Sigma techniques to improve processes and their metrics.  If only

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Enhanced Lean Six Sigma Leadership Training

Lean Six Sigma, Process Improvement Training and Certification /

Effective Lean Six Sigma Executive and Lean Six Sigma Champion training is essential for a successful deployment. However, one needs to closely examine not only the content of this training but the strategy for the deployment of the Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques. Consider how many Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belts and Lean Six Sigma Black Belts are now losing their jobs in these tough corporate economic times. What does this tell us? In my mind, what we are experiencing is the ramifications of executive management not realizing the value of process improvement effort from their Lean Six Sigma deployments. We would think that when times get tough financially Lean Six Sigma work should be in even more demand but that is not the case. Why is there a title of a Lean Six Sigma Champion? This white paper suggests that there are basically three reasons and has a description of the deployment scope and benefits for each alternative.

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Enhanced Approach to Address Strategic Planning Issues and Challenges

Business Management System, Integrated Enterprise Excellence /

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) might be created for tracking how well an organization is moving toward achievement goals aligned to executive-retreated-worded strategies. The balanced scorecard and hoshin kanri are techniques that are to then provide a vehicle for aligning organizational-chart work efforts to these executive retreat strategies and goals. Traditional management systems might also use red-yellow-green scorecards or dashboards to assess how well every business area is doing relative to achieving their individual business goal. However, what is the implication of this business management approach? Does it lead everyone in the organization to do what is best for the business as a whole? What is really important for success is that the business moves toward achievement of the 3 Rs of business; i.e., everyone doing the Right things, and doing them Right, at the Right time. This whitepaper describes a Corporate Performance Management (CPM) system that helps organizations move toward achievement of the 3 Rs of business through a no-nonsense framework for: establishing a predictive value chain scorecard system; incorporating effective analytics using such tools as Theory of Constraints (TOC) to determine where improvement efforts should focus; conducting analytically/innovatively strategic planning efforts to identify targeted areas for improvement that help the entire business; utilizing a business improvement system so that the enterprise as a whole benefits. This Integrated Enterprise Excellence (IEE) business management system goes beyond the balanced scorecard and a Lean Six Sigma project-based improvement system.

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Evaluating Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt Course Options

Lean Six Sigma, Process Improvement Training and Certification /

Many appreciate the advantages of Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification (MBB certification). There are many sources for Master Black Belt training; however, not all training is created equal. In addition to certification, attendees need to consider their reason for taking the training and what long-lasting skill sets do they expect from the MBB certification training. This whitepaper discusses the following five reasons for Master Black Belt certification, which can help individuals and organizations determine what approach is best for them: (1) Achieve Master Black Belt certification quickly for resume building; e.g., job-security attempt or loss of job. (2) Learn how to use Six Sigma statistical tools better for project execution. (3) Learn how to use Lean tools better for reduction of waste through kaizen events. (4) Apply a roadmap for project execution of the integration of Lean and Six Sigma tools so that the right tool is used at the right time. (5) Apply Lean, Six Sigma, Theory of Constraints (TOC), and beyond the balanced scorecard tools for not only the execution of improvement projects but also application of the tools at the business level as well.

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Enhanced Key Performance Indicators In Business Reports

Key Performance Indicators, Performance Measurements /

Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) are being used as financial and non-financial measures or metrics that are to help organizations define and evaluate their progress towards long-term goals. However, metrics that focus on performance to goals are subject to being changed over time as objectives/leaders change and are also dependent upon management opinions or intuition at some point in time. A system that resolves this issue applies at the enterprise level such statistical analytical and non-statistical tools as Lean, Six Sigma, and Theory of Constraints (TOC) with a blending of innovation. This system centers on first creating an effective long-lasting, value-chain, non-siloed measurement system that has predictive metrics. This system, when integrated with strategic planning and business improvement efforts, can help organizations move toward achievement of the 3 Rs of business; i.e., everyone doing the Right things, and doing them Right, at the Right time.

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Design of Experiments (DOE) Data Analysis: A Development Example

Business Intelligence and Analytics, Design of Experiments /

Design of Experiments (DOE) can be used within a Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) Define-Measure-Analyze-Design-Verify (DMADV) roadmap in both the Design (for optimization) and Verify (for design testing) phases. In this example, which is taken from a book, the application of a DOE is illustrated for verification test of the product design robustness to customer environmental conditions and future product configurations. The described technique is useful for capturing no trouble found issues before products are shipped.

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