The GIST of Identifying Potential Causes (Six Sigma X-Factors)

During the Six Sigma activity “Measure – Determine What to Measure” determine potentially pivotal Causes (X-Factors) that people might not otherwise find (through their use, for example, of fishbone diagrams).

Prepare.

1.  Review an introduction to GIST.  Read pages 7-9, 11, and 15 in the book GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time.  (See reference [1] below.) 

2.  Review GIST’s Select Service tool.  Read pages 22-23.

Do the following. 

1.  List key customers for a product or service that the Six Sigma project seeks to improve. 

2.  For each key customer, describe in customer-centric terms at least one endeavor in which the customer can benefit from the product or service.  Consider choosing endeavors that are broader in scope than just “the customer uses the product or service.”  For example, consider selecting endeavors for which the customer’s use of the product or service represents one of several steps. 

3.  For each key customer-and-endeavor pair, identify potential Causes (X-Factors).

     3.1.  Determine the “provider,” “client,” and “endeavor” to be considered in the “Envision Causes” step below.  (See Figure 1, page 8.)  Consider the “provider” to include the product or service; people and organizations that market, sell, support, or use the product or service; people and organizations that develop the product or perform the service; and people and organizations that maintain relationships with the above-selected customer.  Consider the above-selected customer to be the “client.”  Consider the above-selected endeavor to be the “endeavor.”

     3.2.  Envision Causes.  Use the Select Service template.  (See Figure 13, page 22.)  Use the “provider, client, and endeavor” selected above.  For each of the 6 categories in the template, list (as candidate Causes) client activities; product features; service features; work that supports client activities, product features, or services features; or assumptions, goals, skills, or proclivities of people and organizations doing client activities or doing the supporting work.

 

4.  For the Six Sigma project, add, change, or remove Causes (X-Factors), based on the findings.

 

This technique was developed by Thomas. J. Buckholtz.  (See reference [2] below.)

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[1]  Buckholtz, Thomas J., GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time., 2006.  Available as an e-book via Tom’s books.  GIST provides a systems-thinking tool set for pinpointing, communicating, and achieving pivotal “who, what, why, when, how, …” for outcomes, products, services, organizations, teams, relationships, and communication.

[2]  Thomas J. Buckholtz – E-mail: TomBuckholtz@aol.com .  Telephone: 1 650.854.7552.  Website .

Click for information about Thomas J. Buckholtz or his books.

The GIST of Dependencies between Products and Services and Six Sigma Y-Measures and X-Factors

Develop a dependency hierarchy for “Key Factors” – Y-measures, products and services (that a Six Sigma DFSS or DMAIC project can create or improve), and X-factors.

 

For example, during MEASURE, discern the extent to which some X-factors depend on other X-factors.

 

Prepare.

1.  Review an introduction to GIST.  Read pages 7-9, 11, and 15 in the book GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time.  (See reference [1] below.)

2.  Review GIST’s Select Service tool.  Read pages 22-23.

Do the following.

1.  Focus on 1 definition of “the customer” and on 1 definition of “a customer endeavor.”  For example, …

     1.1  List key customers for a product or service that the DFSS or DMAIC project seeks to create or improve.

     1.2  For each key customer, describe in customer-centric terms at least one endeavor in which the customer can benefit from the product or service.  Consider choosing endeavors broader in scope than just “the customer uses the product or service.”  For example, consider selecting endeavors for which the customer’s use of the product or service represents one of several steps.

     1.3  Characterize a composite customer and then a representative endeavor.

 

2.  Recall or generate a list of Key Factors.  For example, to generate Key Factors, use the technique “The GIST of Identifying Potential Causes (X-Factors).”  (See reference [2] below.) 

 

3.  Catalog Key Factors.

 

     3.1  Consider the product or service to be the “provider.”  Consider the composite customer to be the “client.”  (See Figure 1, page 8.)  Consider the above-selected endeavor to be the “endeavor” to use with the template specified below.

 

     3.2  Use the Select Service template.  (See Figure 13, page 22.)  Associate each Key Factor with one of 6 categories in the template.  If more than 1 category seems to apply to a Key Factor, consider developing more-specific “child” Key Factors, with each falling into 1 category; then, consider ignoring the “parent” Key Factor.

 

4.  Recognize dependencies between Key Factors.  Generally, Key Factors in closer-to-Outcomes categories set requirements for and depend on support from Key Factors in farther-from-Outcomes categories.

 

This technique was developed by Thomas. J. Buckholtz.  (See reference [3] below.)

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[1] Buckholtz, Thomas J., GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time., 2006.  Available as an e-book via Tom’s books .  GIST provides a systems-thinking tool set for pinpointing, communicating, and achieving pivotal “who, what, why, when, how, …” for outcomes, products, services, organizations, teams, relationships, and communication.

[2] https://thomasjbuckholtz.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/the-gist-of-identifying-potential-causes-six-sigma-x-factors/ . 

[3] Thomas J. Buckholtz – E-mail: TomBuckholtz@aol.com .  Telephone: 1 650.854.7552.  Website .

 

Click for information about Thomas J. Buckholtz or his books.

The GIST of Products and Services and Six Sigma Y-Measures and X-Factors

Identify, measure, analyze, and optimize “Key Factors” – Y-measures, products and services (that the Six Sigma project can create or improve), and X-factors.

The following applications provide 3 DMAIC examples.

A.  Identify results (Y measures) customers may need to improve.  For instance, during DEFINE, determine pivotal Y’s in more of 6 “service” categories than people might otherwise consider.

B.  Create concepts for product-features and services.  For instance, during DEFINE, envision features or services that would provide essential support to customers or that would foster desirable customer behavior.

C.  Create measures (X-factors).  For instance, during MEASURE, determine pivotal X-factors in more “service” categories than people might otherwise consider. 

Prepare.

1.  Review an introduction to GIST.  Read pages 7-9, 11, and 15 in the book GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time. (See reference {1] below. )

2.  Review GIST’s Select Service tool.  Read pages 22-23.

Do the following.

Follow the “Do the following” process discussed in “The GIST of Identifying Potential Causes (X-Factors).” (See reference [2] below.)  At step 1, consider including “clients of customers” in the list of “customers.”

This technique was developed by Thomas. J. Buckholtz. (See reference [3] below.)

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[1] Buckholtz, Thomas J., GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time., 2006.  Available as an e-book via Tom’s books .  GIST provides a systems-thinking tool set for pinpointing, communicating, and achieving pivotal “who, what, why, when, how, …” for outcomes, products, services, organizations, teams, relationships, and communication.

[2] https://thomasjbuckholtz.wordpress.com/2007/05/14/the-gist-of-identifying-potential-causes-six-sigma-x-factors/ .

[3] Thomas J. Buckholtz – E-mail: TomBuckholtz@aol.com .  Telephone: 1 650.854.7552.  Website .

 

Click for information about Thomas J. Buckholtz or his books.

The GIST of Relationships and Communication – for Six Sigma Projects

Optimize relationships and communication between project constituents (including external and internal customers).

For example, at project-management steps throughout a Six Sigma DMAIC project, use GIST thinking tools to develop and communicate incisive agreements regarding “who, what, why, when, how” between the project team and its clients.

Prepare.

1.   Review an introduction to GIST.  Read pages 7-9, 11, and 15 in the book GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time. (See reference [1] below.)

2.   Review GIST’s Select Relation tool.  Read pages 32-33.

Do the following. 

1.   List the project’s key constituents.

2.   For each relevant pair of constituents, characterize actual, likely, or optimal relationships between the two constituents.  Use the Select Relation template.  (See Figure 24, page 32.)  Complete the sentences suggested by the template.  Consider applying other GIST tools to help complete the sentences.  (See Figure 25, page 33.) 

3.   Use the characterizations to pinpoint and fulfill needs for communication and to achieve effective relationships.

This technique was developed by Thomas. J. Buckholtz. (See reference [2] below.)

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[1] Buckholtz, Thomas J., GIST: Gain Impact. Save Time., 2006.  Available as an e-book via Tom’s books .  GIST provides a systems-thinking tool set for pinpointing, communicating, and achieving pivotal “who, what, why, when, how, …” for outcomes, products, services, organizations, teams, relationships, and communication.

[2] Thomas J. Buckholtz – E-mail: TomBuckholtz@aol.com .  Telephone: 1 650.854.7552.  Website .

 

Click for information about Thomas J. Buckholtz or his books.

Improve Relationships and Communication for Six Sigma Projects

Recently, Ron Fredericks indicated to me potential need for new techniques or tools to help people and organizations optimize relationships and communication during Six Sigma projects.  The following statement (http://europe.isixsigma.com/library/content/c031110a.asp) reinforces such.

“Talk to Six Sigma practitioners and you’ll find a long list of avoidable time consumers. A recent survey of 242 Deployment Leaders, Master Black Belts and Black Belts produced the following list of ‘project extenders:  Lack of reliable data on the process selected for improvement  Re-scheduling of team meetings and ‘toll gate’ reviews  Changes in project scope  Shifting of management priorities  Resistance to change”

I am developing such techniques as applications of GIST (Gain Impact. Save Time.) thinking tools (http://www.embeddedcomponents.com/blogs/2006/12/dr-buckholtz-offers-his-new-ebook-titled-gist/ ).  I plan to provide specifics regarding the new techniques soon.

 

Click for information about Thomas J. Buckholtz or his books.