Six Sigma versus Kaizen. Six Sigma Origins. Name represents a rating for manufacturing processes, in which defects appear only three point four times per million. Originated in American company Motorola in the nineteen eighties. Kaizen Origins. Name means good change or change for the better in Japanese. Originated in Japanese company Toyota in the nineteen fifties. Six Sigma The Basics. Focuses on eliminating defects. Data drives change. Results orientated. Decisions are based on facts. Requires structural change. Kaizen The Basics. Focuses on eliminating waste. People drive change. Process orientated. Decisions are based on knowledge and experience. Requires cultural change. Six Sigma Key Points. Critical to quality. term used to describe fundamental customer expectations from a product or service. Quantify everything. Analyzing statistics and data requires everything to be measurable. Focus on financials End results must justify the costs of improvements. Kaizen Key Points. Good things come in small packages. Everyone in a company is encouraged to make small improvement suggestions on a continual basis. Everyone counts in large amounts. whole company must be engaged. All ideas equally considered, with successful ones recognized and rewarded. Take out the trash. Eliminate all waste. any activity that adds time and or cost but not value. Six Sigma Implementation. DMAIC. For fixing existing processes. Define. goals and deliverables. Measure. current performance. Analyze. and determine causes of defects. Improve. process by eliminating defects. Control. future process performance. DMADV. for defining new processes. Define. goals and deliverables. Measure. customer needs and specifications. Analyze. process options. Design. process to meet needs. Verify. design performance. Kaizen Implementation. Holistic culture change required to encourage constant improvement suggestions from those directly involved in processes. All leaders and managers must visibly support and encourage the process. Everyone must actively participate. Communication of actions and results is vital. Six Sigma Structure. Clearly defined roles must be filled. Quality leader. ensures that Six Sigma is implemented in an integrated way. Represents the needs of the customer. Master black belt. ensures quality objectives and targets are set, plans are established, progress is monitored, training and communication needs met. Works exclusively on Six Sigma projects. Process owner. in charge of specific processes. Monitors and evaluates tasks and activities established by master black belt. Black belt. ensures projects comply with methodology. Primary focus is project execution. Works exclusively on Six Sigma projects. Green belt. employee working on Six Sigma projects as well as regular job. Supports black belt. Kaizen Structure. Various options for structure, including Quality Circles Kaizen work groups. consultation groups can be formed to discuss their divisions, departments, teams or processes. External Kaizen experts. can be brought in as fresh eyes. Improvement surveys. should include all employees, and be held regularly and frequently. Suggestion boxes. should be available to all and actively promoted. Six Sigma Used by [1] Motorola, Boeing, Dell, General, Electric, Ford. Kaizen Used by [2] Toyota, General Motors, Canadian Postal Corps, Lockheed Martin, Ford.

References
[1] ‘List of Six Sigma Companies’ at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Six_Sigma_companies (accessed 9 December, 2014).
[2] ‘Companies Using Kaizen’ at https://www.vitalentusa.com/learn/kaizen_list.php (accessed 9 December, 2014).

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