Quality Companion: The Solution

What Companion offers to management,

practitioners, and quality leaders.

Jennifer Atlas, Business Development

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Agenda
1. Quick Overview of Roles and the challenges of an
improvement initiative
2. Companion for the Practitioner
3. Companion for the Master Black Belt
4. Companion for the Manager
5. Quick overview of Companion
6. Common Companion Misconceptions
7. The case for consultants
8. Crowd pleasers: Big selling points for Companion

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Green Belt [practitioner]
Generally a part time practitioner who works on project
improvement teams
Basic Statistical analysis (data summaries, graphical
displays, some statistical tests)
Will work on other tools/aspects of the project (Fishbone,
Cause and Effect Matrix, etc)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Black Belt [practitioner]
Generally a full time practitioner who works on a project
improvement team
Statistical analysis skills required (data summaries,
graphical displays, more statistical tests)
Must have good project management skills
May or may not have a Master Black Belt as a mentor-
many smaller organizations train a few people when they
initially start a quality improvement initiative

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Master Black Belt
Assumed to have strong analytical skills, significant
statistical experience
Acts as Mentor to many black belts
Will provide training to GB’s and BB’s
Will be responsible for many projects
Works with stakeholders (project champions, other
management)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Nine High Performance Constructs
Customer Focused Project Management
Business Skills Customer oriented Financial acumen
Innovative Record of Hard work ethic
Quick learner accomplishments Meeting management
System perspective
Technical aptitude Decision Making Team Development
Open minded Coaching skills
Communication Personal courage Collaborative
Active listener Problem solving skills Mentor
Positive Strategic thinker Respected
Speaks clearly
Passion for Excellence Leadership Style
Corporate Compatibility Continuous learner Influencing skills
Ability to lead change Interest in 6 Sigma Self Starter
Adaptable Personal improvement Empathetic
Energetic

Work by Bruce DeRuntz, PhD, ASQ Fellow, CSSBB, CQE

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.
 DMAIC Methodology
Every Project is Different
• Types of Problems, Data, Tools Used, etc.

Each Project follows a general path

• Define a quantifiable defect that is important to the customer
• Measure the level of defects (pain to your customer)
• Analyze what inputs are causing these defects
• Improve the process
• Control the improvement

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 DMAIC

DMAIC has 5 phases, but

D
this can be customized

M
Each phase has multiple
tasks
A

Quality Companion I
Roadmap C

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Some of the other LSS Models
DFSS: Design for Six Sigma

DMADV: Define, Measure, Analyze, Design,

Verify

IDOV: Identify, Design, Optimize, Verify

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Overview: How can Companion Help?

http://www.qualitydigest.com/sept05/articles/03_article.shtml

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Overview: How can Companion Help?
1. Isn’t Six Sigma only for manufacturing stuff?
2. Lack of commitment, too overwhelming!
3. Resistance to change
4. Lack of organizational maturity, e.g. it’s not my job
5. Forcing a project to fit a Six Sigma format (Project
Risk Assessment)
6. Lack of support (Financial Analysis, communicate
success with the Presentation tool)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Overview: How can Companion Help?
7. Diversity in Six Sigma is a necessity
8. Poorly trained in Six Sigma (Coaches & Minitab
training)
9. Failure to communicate (Companion’s project
charter form)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Elements of a project
SIPOC Buffal
o and Erie Cou
nty Recreatio
nal Reservatio
n Process
Suppliers
Input
Process
Citizens Outputs
City of Buffalo Reservation Re Requirements
quests
Clubs Permit reques Customers
t’s
Organizations See Below Rentals Suitable venu
e
Reservations Availability
Permits Payment
Revenue Venue prepar
ation
Customer Satis Venue cleanup
faction Venue oversig
Determine nee Activity (use)
ht
d reporting
(confirm/cance Issue Permit
l)
Receive
Reservation Requirements
/Availability Book
Request Reservation/ Manage
Collect Fees (enforce use)
Mail Facilities
What?
Walk in Where? Collect /refun
d fee Venue/Facility
Phone When? Issue /modify staff
(cancel?) Perm Venue/Facility
How Many? it mgmt.
Update inven
tory
Golf Permits
* Sports Field
s * Courts * P
ools * S helters * Cam
p Sites * Stage
s*

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Elements of a project

P a re to C ha rt of S he lte rs by P a r k
180
160 100

140
80
120

Percent
Count
100 60
80
60 40

40
20
20
0 0
pa r k c om o che stnut em e r y e llicott a kr on spr a gue O the r
C ount 49 46 21 20 14 8 5
Per ce nt 30.1 28.2 12.9 12.3 8.6 4.9 3.1
C um % 30.1 58.3 71.2 83.4 92.0 96.9 100.0
W or kshe e t: W or kshe et 2

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Elements of a project

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Value Stream Map in
Visio

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Presentations throughout the project
Status reports to share with stakeholders

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Using the Tools
The Master Black Belt has to create and manage the
forms
The Black and Green belts have to use the forms, keep
them organized so other members of the team can easily
access them and maintain them (many forms are
updated on a daily basis)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Elements of a project
SIPOC Buffalo
and Erie Cou
nty Recreatio
nal Reservatio
n Process
Suppliers
Input
Process
Citizens Outputs P a r e to C ha r t of S hel te r s by P a r k
City of Buffalo Reservation R Require ments
equests 180
Clubs Permit reques Customers
t’s 160 100
Organizations See Below Rentals Suitable venu
e
Reservations 140 Availability
80
Permits 120 Payment
Venue prepar

Percent
Revenue ation

Count
100 60
Customer Satis Venue cleanu
fac80 p
tion Venue oversig
Determine nee Activity (use)
ht 40
d 60
reporting
(confirm/cance Issue Permit 40
l) 20
Receive 20

Reservation Requirements 0 0

/Availability Book pa r k
C ount
com o
49
c he stnut
46
e m e ry
21
ellic ott
20
a kron
14
spra gue
8
O the r
5
Request Reservation/ Manage
Per ce nt 30.1 28.2 12.9 12.3 8.6 4.9 3.1
C um % 30.1 58.3 71.2 83.4 92.0 96.9 100.0
Collect Fees (enforce utse
W or kshe e t: W orkshee 2 )
Mail Facilities
What?
Walk in Where? Collect /refun
d fee Venue/Facility
Phone When? Issue /modify staff
(cancel?) Perm Venue/Facility
How Many? it mgm t.
Update invent
ory
Golf Permits
* Sports Field
s * Courts * P
ools * Shelters
* Camp Sites
* Stages *

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Quick Overview of Companion

Analysis Capture Tools

Forms

Fishbone

Process Maps

Value Stream Mapping

Presentation Mode

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Quick Overview of Companion
Project Management Tools Task bar

Workspace (displays the

active tool)
Roadmap

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Define 1 Tool

Quality Companion – Project Risk Assessment

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Define 1 Tool
Quality Companion – CT Tree

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Define 1 Tool – High Level Process Map
Quality Companion – SIPOC

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Define 2: Define Defect

Defect Definition helps define the scope of the project

It should be short and clear

Critical to Project success

Example:
Any payment on an invoice that is posted 35 days or more past
the invoice date.

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Define 3: Plan and Document Project
Establish Project Team Members
• Leadership & Functional

Establish initial goals and estimated benefits

Document Defect and Project Scope

Obtain Project Approval

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Define 3 Tool - Project Charter

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 1: Evaluate Measurement System
Evaluate your measurement system so that you can trust
your data

Measuring your Project Output or Project ‘Y’

Statistical Tools are frequently used at this phase

• Gage R&R, Attribute Agreement Analysis, Graphing, etc.

Can you trust your data?

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 1 Tools
Minitab Examples

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 2: Establish Baseline
Establishing the Capability of your output to meet the
expectations of your clients.
• DPMO, Sigma Level, Cpk, etc.
• Extensive use of Minitab capabilities

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 2 Tools - Minitab

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 3: Set Improvement Goals
Re-Evaluate Initial Goals
• Now that you know your true capability re-evaluate your goals,
target dates, and stretch goals

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 4: Map Process & Indentify X’s
Detailed Process Map, Flow Chart, or VSM
• List all the steps of scoped process to improve

List all your inputs and outputs (X & Y)

Characterize the Process

• Step DPMO, Yield TP, Cycle Time

Goal to have a list of potential inputs

• You will whittle these variables down to find the vital few

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Measure 4 Tools
Quality Companion – Process Map

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Analyze 1: Isolate Key Inputs
Start the process of narrowing the list of potential X’s to
vital few.

First Pass – Semi-Scientific Tools

• Quality Companion Soft Tools
• Easy fixes and improvements

Second Pass – Statistical Tools

• Minitab Tools
• Determine Statistical Significance

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Analyze 1 - First Pass Tools

Quality Companion Tools

Fishbone, C&E Matrix, FMEA, Brainstorming

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Analyze 1 - Second Pass Tools

Minitab Tools
• Hypothesis Testing, Regression, Graphical Analysis
• Determine Vital Few
Pareto Chart of Defects
100
400
80
300

Percent
Count

60
200
40

100 20

0 0
Defects s s t i rt r
w ip ke us Pa he
re Cl as Ho Ot
Sc in
g G e et
e
g
iss ky ti v pl
s in M Le
a
fe
c m
is De co
M In
Count 274 59 43 19 10 18
Percent 64.8 13.9 10.2 4.5 2.4 4.3
Cum % 64.8 78.7 88.9 93.4 95.7 100.0

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Analyze 2: Develop Y=f(x) Function

Evaluate how the inputs affect the output

• You have already identified them now just understand affect

Build Mathematical Model – Y=f(X)

• This step frequently employs DOE or Regression

Answers: What inputs can I change to affect my

process output.

Y = f (x)
Process Output Process Inputs
© 2009 Minitab, Inc.
 Analyze 2 Tools
Minitab Tools
• Design of Experiments – DOE
• Regression

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Analyze 3: Determine Optimal Settings
Having established which inputs (Xs) have an affect on
our output (Y), we now determine where to set these
inputs to optimize our desired output.

Change the process to meet customer specifications.

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Analyze 3 Tools

Minitab
• Response Optimizer

Quality Companion
• Documented Settings

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Improve 1: Implement Improvement

Implement the proposed Improvement

• Pilot the improvement
• Training
• Buy-in from Process Owners and Stakeholders
• Document new process

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Improve 1 Tools
Quality Companion – Solution Implementation Checklist

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Improve 2: Validate Improvement

Statistically validate changes to process parameters

• Changes to mean, variation, defect rate
• Compare baseline vs. improved

Statistically validate improvement in performance metrics

• Changes in DPMO, Sigma Level, Capability Metrics
• Compare baseline vs. improved

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Improve 2 Tools

Minitab Tools

Process Parameters
• Hypothesis Tests

Performance Metrics
• Capability Analysis

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Control 1: Implement Control Strategy
Develop a Control Plan
• Make sure project benefits continue
• Quality Companion & Minitab Tools

Implement the Control Plan

Evaluate the Control Plan

Have a set of implemented, documented, and auditable

controls to maintain project benefits

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Control 1 Tools
Quality Companion – Control & Audit Plans

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Control 1 Tools
Minitab – SPC (Statistical Process Control)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Control 2: Close Out Project
Submit Project for Approval
• Project Closure Presentation
• Reviewed by Master Black Belt to make sure the project
followed DMAIC and Statistical Tools were properly used

Obtain Approvals for Closure

• Process Owner, Financial, and Champion Review

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Control 2 Tools
Quality Companion – Project Closure & Presentation

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Complete DMAIC Project

Quality Companion Roadmap

Quality Companion Tools

Minitab Tools

Phases & Tasks

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 The benefits of good documentation

A learning library, Easier to bring new

which leads to easier hires/trainees up to
project replications speed
Improved project
communication
across departments,
upward through
process owners &
champions

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Case for Companion
Management
Implementation

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Companion for the Manager

How to measure the success of your

improvement program?

How to monitor the progress of your
quality initiative?

Provides input on the appropriate
metrics, and how they should be
reported

http://usgovernmentdata.com/yahoo_site_admin/assets/images/gov6_biz2.42115143.jpg

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 How is Companion different?

Compared to Project Portfolio Management platforms like

Primavera and Powersteering, we do not yet have the
enterprise level solution
The seamless connection to Companion is what does
and will differentiate us in this market

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Companion for the LSS Master Black Belt

Companion was designed to allow
MBB to invest their time in more
value added activities.

Companion can be customized to
fit the exact philosophy of a
company.: Collect and report the
relevant metrics

Maintain consistency.

Creates a learning library/project
repository

How to justify the investment in
Minitab products?
http://www.altarum.org/staff-altarum-institute-research-technical-experts/profiles-health-systems-research-professionals/steve-hoeft

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Companion for the Practitioner

http://symbision.nl/wie-wij-zijn/professionals/pieter-close-up/

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Companion for the Practitioner

How to standardize the use of
forms?

What are the tools typically used in
a DMAIC methodology?

How to quickly and efficiently
summarize the results of a project?

5 basic principles: Standardization,
Help, Ease of Use, Structure
(Roadmap), and Monitoring Tasks
and Tools.

Companion provides the soft tools
needed to replace Excel and Visio.
http://symbision.nl/wie-wij-zijn/professionals/pieter-close-up/

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Common Companion Misconceptions

It is an add-in to Minitab

Quality Companion is only for Lean Six Sigma initiatives

Customizing the software is a very difficult task

Customizing is a very easy task

Companion was designed to substitute training, but to
guarantee the success of projects

Extensive learning curve to master Quality Companion

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Pushback- expect it

Why the Green Belt may not value Quality Companion

• “I only need to work on a few tools within the
projects- why learn complicated software for
something I can do in Excel and other things
I already know?”

Show the Brainstorming tools (my opinion only, other

tools may resonate better)

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Pushback- from the Black Belt

Why the Black Belt may not value Quality Companion

• “I already have all of the soft tools I need, and
Minitab. I don’t want to keep my data
somewhere that no one will be able to see it”

Reinforce the idea of the Roadmap, which will keep them

focused on which project phase they are on, as well as
which tools they are using.

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Pushback- from the Master Black Belt

“I was trained at XYZ and we didn’t need it”

Or “I don’t have time to use that”

Again, reinforce the idea of the Roadmap and the

organization it provides. It will save them time when
mentoring multiple BB’s and projects.
The Companion Coaches will be the first line for help, so
the MBB can spend more time mentoring and less time
answering basic questions

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Consultants
Convincing consultants that Companion has value is
harder than we’d like
They’ve already solved the problems of tools and how to
‘do’ Lean Six Sigma
Many push back and tell us “the organization is not ready
for it yet”
Others tell us “they don’t have time to add Companion
into their curriculum” (Materials)
~15% of US consultants we work with have embraced
Companion, most of our consultants are neutral and
have asked about it because of their client requesting it

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 The Consultant Slide Deck
A slide deck is available for consultants to help overcome
the trouble of updating their material
This can be modified as needed by the consultants
We should not share this with customers, as we do not
want to discourage them from using our training services.
It is available on the Minitab Partner Portal.

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

 Big Selling Points for Companion

Provide a general framework that follows your

company’s work methodology (Roadmap). [MBB]

Provide project management tools (Team Members,
Task Manager, Gantt charts). [MBB and
practitioners]

It has the necessary tools (e.g. FMEA, SIPOC,
Process Maps, VSM) to perform Six Sigma, Lean
Six Sigma, and other improvement methodologies.
[Practitioners]

Data sharing within the tools. [Practitioners]

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.

© 2009 Minitab, Inc.