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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS?
- What are the benefits of implementing the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS program?
- Why should I choose Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS over other programs on the market?
- What specific courses are included in the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS training curriculum?
- What's the difference between public classes and on-site classes?
- Are there any pre-requisites for any of the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS training classes?
- What statistical software do you recommend using with Six Sigma projects?
- Do I need to know how to use SAS or JMP software prior to taking a Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS course?
- Is DMAIC the entire focus of the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS program? What about Lean?
- How extensive is Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS's experience with different sized companies?
- Is Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS able to deliver training world-wide to my global organization?
- What basic process will we go through to start working together with Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS?
- What if I want to just start out with small pilot programs of Six Sigma within my organization?
- What happens if a change in business affects my Six Sigma project?
- What if I don't want to get heavy into statistics? What tools would I use?
- How would I apply advanced statistical tools to my project?
- What is the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS's strategy for handling ineffective project leaders or team members?
- What is the price of the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS courses?
- How do I enroll in a Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS course?
- What is the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS program?
Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS provides a complete solution to guide your organization through Six Sigma projects. We provide training for all levels of your organization as well as Master Black Belt consulting and mentoring services to support your unique process challenges. Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS follows the DMAIC methodology as well as lean concepts to provide you with the total package to meet your Six Sigma goals.
- What are the benefits of implementing the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS program?
The Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS program will enable you to- increase your bottom line
- increase revenue
- decrease costs
- increase customer satisfaction
- provide a well defined, effective, and efficient process
- define and measure relevant key performance indicators (KPIs)
- improve the accuracy of your measurement system
- decrease rework and defects
- shorten cycle times
- reduce inventory
- eliminate waste.
- Why should I choose Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS over other programs on the market?
Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS is- better at helping you make data-driven decisions
- technically superior in curriculum, course content, materials, and tools
- the proven leader in statistical training
- unsurpassed in experienced instructors and consultants.
- What specific courses are included in the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS training curriculum?
While we are continually building our curriculum to provide you with the training options to meet your needs, please view our current course list.
- What's the difference between public classes and on-site classes?
Classes offered publicly are scheduled throughout the year at SAS training centers located throughout the United States. On-site classes are private classes provided for your organization only and can be scheduled at your convenience at your facility or at one of our SAS training centers.
- Are there any pre-requisites for the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS training classes?
No, there are no specific requirements needed prior to taking any of the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS courses. We realize that our students come from various backgrounds and experience levels and tailor our individual courses to fit the needs of individuals.
- What statistical software do you recommend using with Six Sigma projects?
JMP is recommended for the analytical portion of your Six Sigma project. Our training curriculum includes instruction in JMP software.
For some projects we additionally recommend iGrafx for process mapping, process simulation, optimization and value stream mapping.
- Do I need to know how to use SAS or JMP software prior to taking a Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS course?
No previous SAS or JMP software knowledge is needed to gain benefit from our courses. You will be taught what you need to know about the software in the courses.
- Is DMAIC the entire focus of Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS? What about Lean?
The Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS curriculum is a Lean Six Sigma curriculum. Lean is taught throughout the training and in 2006 we will be introducing a separate Lean course module as an additional option. We routinely work with Six Sigma projects mixed with Lean projects so that waste elimination, cycle time, productivity, lead time reduction and inventory minimization can be brought into the project mix simultaneously without needing a separate Lean project deployment plan.
- How extensive is Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS's experience with different sized companies?
The majority of the companies Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS works with are medium to large sized. However, all of our Master Black Belts have extensive experience working with both small and large organizations.
- Is Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS able to deliver training world-wide to my global organization?
Yes. Currently, Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS is able to deliver training programs in Chinese, Spanish and English. However, we are always adding new multi-lingual instructors to our staff. We have completed programs in the US, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Korea, Singapore and various countries in Europe. Due to SAS' international operations, Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS can rapidly extend its capabilities based on customer needs, requirements, location and schedule. We specialize in customizing Six Sigma and Performance Excellence programs to fit your needs.
- What basic process will we go through to start working together with Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS?
Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS will develop a customized road map which details the entire process from concept through completion. Generally you will begin with the Executive Overview training, Champion Training, project selection and then a full project kick-off. You choose the schedule and dates that work for you.
- What if I want to just start out with small pilot programs of Six Sigma within my organization?
Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS supports this approach to slowly introducing Six Sigma into your organization. It is great to build success stories and references before Six Sigma is suggested as a corporate mandate. The ROI you discover will create buy-in from management and will increase the comfort level of all involved parties.
- What happens if a change in business affects my Six Sigma project?
This actually happens quite frequently. Often product development, demand and product mix cause business priorities to change. For this reason, we are extremely careful in helping you select your project and narrow the scope to make sure it will still be viable even if your business changes dramatically. In some cases we still have to alter the project after it has been started, but usually we can change the scope to be more technology or process focused. We strive to minimize the probability of killing a project due to changes in business.
Another common change which affects Six Sigma projects is personnel. Often a team leader or team member has to leave a project. Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS works with you from the very beginning to make sure there are multiple levels of support and sufficient cross-training so that if one person drops out, someone else can immediately step-in. We often suggest that two people from every project attend all training (usually one as a Black Belt and one as a Green Belt).
- What if I don't want to get heavy into statistics? What tools would I use?
To achieve a breakthrough in performance, team members will have to understand at least 80% of the factors that influence performance; therefore, a project typically uses a mix of simple and complex tools matched to the project's needs. Analytical tools most commonly used include Design of Experiments (DOE) and multiple regression. Fortunately, the JMP software used in training makes statistical analysis simple and easy. JMP's powerful visualization tools allow users from all levels of experience to complete analytical tasks crucial to their project.
For example, on a current Lean project, simple process mapping and process review has discovered $1,200,000 of waste in materials management; however by using further analytical tools we are also looking to save an additional $1,000,000.
- How would I apply advanced statistical tools to my project?
Approximately 90% of our Six Sigma projects benefit from advanced statistical analysis which is used to- baseline the project
- assess capability in the Measure section of DMAIC
- analyze data in the Analyze section of DMAIC
- determine root causes
- characterize and optimize performance in the Improve section of DMAIC
- establish controls in the Control section of DMAIC
- What is Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS's strategy for handling ineffective project leaders or team members?
Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS is extremely proactive in its approach to project success in order to help eliminate the possibility of ineffective team members. In the beginning stages of the project, we help you lay out clear escalation paths:- Team -> Black Belt/Green Belt
- Black Belt/Green Belt -> Champion
- Champion -> Managing Director/Vice President
- What is the price of the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS courses?
Check pricing, availability, and schedules for public courses on the Web or by calling 800-333-7660. On-site pricing ranges depending on your customized needs. For inquiries, please contact the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS Education Account Representative.
- How do I enroll in a Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS training course?
Not all courses in the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS curriculum are offered publicly at every SAS training center in the U.S. Schedules vary so please check the current availability on the Web or by calling 800-333-7660. On-site courses can always be arranged at any time. Please contact the Six Sigma and Performance Excellence by SAS Education Account Representative to set-up an on-site class.
