1. The Certified Quality Process Handbook Chapter 6: Continuous Improvement Models (2nd edition)
Chapter 10: Continuous Improvement Models (1st edition) contains most of this material.
Presented by Dr. Joan Burtner
Certified Quality Engineer
Associate Professor and Chair
Dept. of Industrial Engineering and Industrial Management
Mercer University

2. Continuous Improvement Models
“Quality programs that focus on continuous improvement are vital in providing incremental improvement of processes, products, and services…These programs view quality as being measurable in some quantitative way.” (CQPA Handbook, 2nd edition, page 67)
Incremental Improvement on a Continuous Basis
Plan-Do-Check-Act
Kaizen
Breakthrough Improvement
Reengineering
Six Sigma (discussed in detail in Ch. 7 -Process Improvement Techniques)
IDM355 Fall 2016
Dr. Joan Burtner, Assoc. Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Industrial Engineering

3. Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)
Developed by Walter Shewhart
Adapted by W. Edwards Deming as Plan Do Study Act (PDSA)
Most widely known methodology for continuous improvement
See Figure 6.1 on page 65.
Plan
Study the situation
Determine what needs to be done
Develop a plan and measurement process for what needs to be done
Do – Implement the plan
Check
Determine whether the plan worked
Study the results
Act
If it worked, institutionalize/standardize the change.
If it didn’t, try something else
Continue the cycle
IDM355 Fall 2016
Dr. Joan Burtner, Assoc. Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Industrial Engineering

4. Kaizen
Kai + zen (Incremental and orderly continuous improvement) Note that there are other translations for this term.
“When there is a focus on improvement in all aspects of the workplace, problems are not looked at as mistakes, but as opportunities.” (CQPA Handbook, 1st edition, page 68)
Kaizen events or Kaizen blitzes
Generate enthusiasm for rapid results
Requires substantial planning
IDM355 Fall 2016
Dr. Joan Burtner, Assoc. Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Industrial Engineering

5. Reengineering
“When an organization undergoes reengineering, they are seeking drastic improvement results, which often means a paradigm shift has to happen within the organization.” (CQPA Handbook, 2nd edition, page 67 ,1st edition page 72)
Process reengineering is more common than the total organization reengineering described above. Your text describes steps in reengineering as follows:
Map out structure and functions of a process
Identify value-added (VA) and non-value-added (NVA) activities
Eliminate NVA activities (yields less waste and reduced costs)
Results in a new and less costly process that performs the same functions
IDM355 Fall 2016
Dr. Joan Burtner, Assoc. Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Industrial Engineering

6. Introduction to Six Sigma
Description: A collection of tools and techniques for reducing variation (CQPA Handbook, 1st edition, page 370)
A Six Sigma process produces less than 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO)
Six Sigma levels (1 through 6)
3 sigma – 66,800 DPMO
6 sigma – 3.4 DPMO
When you decrease the amount of variation, the process Six Sigma level will increase.
IDM355 Fall 2016
Dr. Joan Burtner, Assoc. Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Industrial Engineering

7. Six Sigma Methodology (Refer to course handout for more details on Six Sigma.
DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
DMADV: Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify
DMAIC applies to existing processes and DMADV applies to design phase in an organization that practices Design for Six Sigma (DFSS)
Six Sigma project personnel
Champions
Master Black Belts
Black Belts
Green Belts
IDM355 Fall 2016
Dr. Joan Burtner, Assoc. Prof. and Chair, Dept. of Industrial Engineering