Six Sigma for Technical Processes

Book excerpt: Use Six Sigma to achieve and sustain excellence in product development and commercialization! To sustain growth and profitability, companies must tightly align product development and commercialization to fast-changing customer requirements. In this book, Clyde Creveling identifies the four process areas most crucial to doing so-and shows executives and managers how to optimize each of them. Creveling introduces a Six Sigma-enabled workflow that encompasses strategic product/technology portfolio definition and development, research and technology development (R&TD), tactical design engineering processes for commercialization, and operational production and service support. He presents tools, methods, and best practices for selecting the right projects, prioritizing them, and executing them rapidly, consistently, and successfully. Integrate all key technical processes so they work together in harmony Create Phase/Gate control plans for delivering products with minimal risk Establish scorecards for risk management in technical processes Use Six Sigma tools, such as Monte Carlo and FMEA, to improve project management Bring discipline to your product and technology portfolio renewal processes Systematically optimize your commercialization processes Define stripped-down "Fast Track" processes for commercializing high-risk, high-reward opportunities Provide effective operational support after you launch your product Preview the future of "lean" and Six Sigma in technical processes Use lean techniques to streamline repeatable processes such as R&D, product design, and post-launch production engineering support Learn how to manage the risk of doing a fast track commercialization project when you really must cut corners to get a product out into the market before your opportunity evaporates Foreword by John Boselli xiii Preface xv About the Author xxi Chapter 1: Introduction to Six Sigma for Technical Processes 1 Chapter 2: Scorecards for Risk Management in Technical Processes 21 Chapter 3: Project Management in Technical Processes 35 Chapter 4: Strategic Product and Technology Portfolio Renewal Process 51 Chapter 5: Strategic Research and Technology Development Process 95 Chapter 6: Tactical Product Commercialization Process 163 Chapter 7: Fast Track Commercialization 275 Chapter 8: Operational Post-Launch Engineering Support Processes 293 Chapter 9: Future Trends in Six Sigma and Technical Processes 317 Glossary 323 Index 351