The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example

The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example

The review of the Improve Phase from pages 111-168 in “The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Guide XL: Combining the Best of Both Worlds Together to Eliminate Waste!” By Ptacek et al. (2011) includes a summary of the chapter, its critique, and its application.(The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Summary

The Improve phase of the Six Sigma methodology determines potential solutions to the identified problem, including the measures for implementing and testing the solution. Ptacek and Motwani (2011) illustrate that this phase comprises the following deliverables: Rapid improvement events, plan-do-check-act (PDCA) process, visual controls, and many others. These deliverables aid in improving the process by ensuring the successful development and implementation of the solutions.(The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Critique

The chapter comprehensively details aspects of the Improve phase in the Six Sigma methodology. Its intended audience is project management students, company management, and employees. It aims to develop potential solutions for the problem outlined during the Define and measure phase (Ptacek & Motwani, 2011). It also forms and implements the selected improvement action plan. The project team utilizes creativity to develop various solutions from the confirmed cause and effect relationship detailed in the Analyze phase. Consequently, the chapter’s authors discussed the workflow deliverable and have extensive experience in project management, especially in applying the lean Six Sigma methodology (Ptacek & Motwani, 2011). Having experience in the methodology contributed to the detailed literature on the Improve phase. (The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Notably, the pros of this chapter include incorporating a detailed view and industry-bound literature on the Improve phase (Ptacek & Motwani, 2011). The authors clearly explained every detail related to the deliverables of this phase, such as the explanation of factors like rapid improvement events, how they are performed, and the lessons to guide the project team. This reduces the complexities of applying the readings in real-world scenarios (Ptacek & Motwani, 2011). Moreover, the chapters incorporate diagrammatic illustrations, which makes it easy for the team to understand and visualize various aspects of this phase. For example, the authors utilized diagrams to illustrate the four levels of visual controls (Ptacek & Motwani, 2011). However, the articles are marred with flaws, like incomplete details of the steps involved in the improvement process. For example, it does not include consultation of the company’s top management when suggesting improvement measures. Patel and Desai (2018) observe that such details are important and must be considered since the project team cannot implement solutions without approval from the important stakeholders and top management. Moreover, some articles are likely to be biased due to the anonymity of their authors. Ptacek and Motwani (2011) confirm that the article on PDCA and 5S programs are anonymous, making it difficult to verify their credibility and qualifications in the concept of the Six Sigma methodology(The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example).

Application

I can apply the Improve phase to eliminate defects while manufacturing window panes in the industry. It will help me develop and implement suitable solutions to the errors that may result in window pane defects, such as producing less durable window panes (Patel & Desai, 2018). Besides, producing durable panes will increase customer satisfaction, improving the company’s reputation and sales. Also, it will help eliminate the costs associated with a large inventory, enabling the company to incur fewer production costs (Singh & Rathi, 2018). However, applying the phase may be challenging since it requires commitment and higher levels of creativity while developing and evaluating solutions. Also, executing the phase is time-consuming. It involves complex procedures requiring the analysis of extensive amounts of empirical data. (The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

References

Patel, M., & Desai, D. A. (2018). Critical review and analysis of measuring the success of Six Sigma implementation in manufacturing sector. International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management(The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example). https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQRM-04-2017-0081

Ptacek, R., & Motwani, J. (2011). The Lean Six Sigma Pocket Guide XL: Combining the Best of Both Worlds Together to Eliminate Waste! Chelsea, MI: MCS Media, Inc. ISBN: 978-1450766340(The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)

Singh, M., & Rathi, R. (2018). A structured review of Lean Six Sigma in various industrial sectors. International Journal of Lean Six Sigma.(The Improve Phase of the Six Sigma Methodology Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example) https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLSS-03-2018-0018