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Tony Jacowski's Articles in Project Management

  • 5 Steps to Systematic Thinking
    If you frequently find yourself at a loss when it comes to problem solving, then you need to read this article! You will learn how to apply advanced thinking techniques to problems so you come out on top!
  • 6 Career Killers And How To Avoid Them
    Your career is your lifeblood. Don't let it fall victim to these 6 career killers.
  • 6 Ways To Overcome Workplace Stresses
    Is stress on the job ruining your attitude? Are you bringing stress from the office home with you? This article cuts through the fluff to reveal 6 ways that you can beat workplace stress before it beats you!
  • A Practical Approach To The Successful Practice Of 5S
    Most of us would like to work in clean and tidy workplaces. Often the productivity of employees will be affected by how the workplace is arranged. A cluttered, untidy place will put off employees and there will be large amount of waste in such cases.
  • A Six Sigma Guide To "The Belts"
    What is the difference between the six sigma certification belts? Read on to find out!
  • A Six Sigma Training Primer
    The training or education of employees is vital to the success of Six Sigma projects in any organization. Six Sigma training includes imparting knowledge about the various core concepts and techniques of Six Sigma.
  • Adapting to Change is Equally Important as Adopting Change
    Change isn't just a matter of doing things differently. It has to do with the trust the employees have in the management to know that the alteration will be an improvement.
  • Adding Value To The Content Of Six Sigma Project Charters
    The importance of the Six Sigma Project Charter is well understood as it acts as the blueprint for carrying out the implementations. It is only when a well-defined project charter is made available to the implementation team, that the organization can hope to realize all the benefits associated with the Six Sigma implementation project.
  • Advocating The Six Sigma System For Project Management
    Businesses are now witnessing cutthroat competition and they are always working towards strategies so that they stay in the game. The main objective of any business would be to cut down on operational costs, reduce time taken for processing of different commodities and services and ultimately offer the best quality products to customers, with the sole objective of making maximum profits.
  • Aligning Six Sigma With Organizational Goals And Objectives
    Six Sigma has no doubt proved its effectiveness as a quality improvement technique, but business organizations that are implementing it for the first time still need to keep in mind a few basic things in order to ensure that all goes well as planned.
  • An Analysis Of Lean Six Sigma
    Although people can easily confuse Lean Six Sigma to be just like the standard Six Sigma methodology, it is not. Lean Six Sigma is a combination of Six Sigma and the Lean manufacturing tool. When these two processes are combined, the results can be noteworthy.
  • An Overview Of Basic Lean Six Sigma Training Tools And Techniques
    When Six Sigma Training concepts and methodologies were first developed, they were used mainly for reducing the defect rate. However, over the years many new offshoots of Six Sigma have come into existence, obviously because businesses wanted to achieve a lot more than just a reduction in the defect rate.
  • An Overview of Lean Six Sigma Training
    Although the word "Lean" in the phrase "Lean Six Sigma" may appear to be a bit confusing, not to mention misleading, one should remember that it is not all that dissimilar from the standard Six Sigma strategy.
  • An Overview of Lean Six Sigma Training
    Although the word "Lean" in the phrase "Lean Six Sigma" may appear to be a bit confusing, not to mention misleading, one should remember that it is not all that dissimilar from the standard Six Sigma strategy.
  • An Overview of Six Sigma Implementation Teams
    Six Sigma is a real boon to companies in all industries, and it has proven this fact on many occasions. That's because the Six Sigma methodology can work wonders when it comes to improving the quality of products and services by eliminating the defects encountered in any particular business process.
  • An Overview Of Six Sigma Quality Management Systems
    Six Sigma quality management systems can be described as a set of concepts, techniques and methodologies that are deployed by businesses to achieve important organizational objectives such as quality improvements and cost reductions. Such systems were designed and developed for the first time in the late eighties by the Motorola company.
  • An Overview Of Six Sigma Redundancy
    The success of a business is identified by the innovation strategies that it uses in order to ensure a steady growth and make all the provisions for its future developments. Therefore, to assure that the business continues to exist even in an environment of cutthroat competition, it is very important that the business adopts the best innovative techniques to gain an edge over its competitors.
  • Applying Kaizen Principles to Six Sigma Implementation Projects
    Six Sigma helps in improving quality and minimizing defects. However, organizations need to determine unfavorable matters that could surface in the course of the implementation. Usually, these matters have to be resolved by Six Sigma professionals like Black Belts that work with management to finishing the execution in the specified cost and time limit.
  • Applying The Theory of Constraints in Six Sigma Implementation Projects
    The theory of constraints (TOC) is basically a management philosophy, which deals with making improvements in a given system or process. It is based on the premise that if a system or process is to be improved upon, then the first thing that needs to be done is to identify that vital component of the given system that most limits the entire process from achieving optimum efficiencies.
  • Avoiding Risks In Six Sigma Implementations
    Six Sigma can certainly help in reducing operational costs and improving quality, but businesses should never forget that there are inherent risks that need to be eliminated first in order to achieve the Six Sigma goals and objectives.
  • Barriers To Lean Six Sigma
    Lean Six Sigma certainly holds great potential, but businesses should never forget that there are barriers to "Lean" that if not accounted for, can prevent the organization from realizing its full potential.
  • Basic Characteristics Of Six Sigma Deployments
    Since the time it was first deployed in the seventies by the Motorola Corporation, Six Sigma has undergone significant changes over the years. Originally meant for use in the manufacturing industry, Six Sigma is now being deployed in almost all types of businesses, including many belonging to the services industry.
  • Battling Inefficiencies With Six Sigma
    The effectiveness of Six Sigma implementations in large corporate organizations has already been well documented, but if we were given a project to assess it's effectiveness in governmental agencies, we would certainly hit a roadblock because not much information is available as related to the effectiveness of Six Sigma implementations in the non-corporate world.
  • Be Successful In Your Job Search - Avoid These Top 10 Mistakes!
    Take responsibility for the success of your job search. Success begins with knowing the top mistakes made by job seekers and how to make sure that you avoid them.
  • Black Belt Strategies For Small Businesses
    The first company to deploy Six Sigma concepts and methodologies was Motorola. The main objective of the company at that time was to reduce wastage and defects by improving the efficiency of existing business processes. Since that time, this has become a standard and is applicable for both manufacturing industries as well as the services sector.
  • Business Planning With Six Sigma
    Six Sigma is an established methodology and is recognized the world over as a system for business improvement. It also helps to construct a business plan. It is especially helpful to small business owners, as it provides a structure through the DMAIC model to put different activities together in order to show how they interact for achieving business goals.
  • Can Green Belts Shoulder The Responsibility Of Six Sigma Implementations?
    Well, a simple "yes" or "no" will never be sufficient for answering this question, obviously because it all depends on the type of Six Sigma implementation and the skills and talents of Green Belts.
  • Can Six Sigma Help Improve Clinical Results?
    Volumes have been written on the benefits that Six Sigma offers to the manufacturing industry and even to emerging services industries, but if you search to find its applicability in areas such as healthcare, you may not find much information.
  • Choosing The Right Projects For Six Sigma Implementation
    Six Sigma projects are undertaken to bring about changes for the betterment of process, which in turn will improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately profit margins. Project selection is dependent upon various factors like those that have a customer perspective - while some are relevant from the shareholders point of view.
  • Common Mistakes To Avoid During Green Belt Training
    Green Belts play a vital role in Six Sigma implementations, but the problem is that it is not that easy to provide Green Belt training to existing employees.
  • Communication Strategies For Six Sigma Initiatives
    Six Sigma is a proven quality improvement technique; but to ensure its success in your organization, you will have to take care of a few basic things such as providing adequate channels of communication.
  • Concepts for Green Belt Coaching
    Any organization that wants to derive the full benefits of Six Sigma implementation projects first needs to provide the requisite coaching to its employees, especially to selected implementation team members, in order to make them aware about the basic concepts and methodologies of Six Sigma.
  • Consolidating Project Management And Six Sigma
    How consolidating project management and six sigma can help your business.
  • COPQ - A Highly Misunderstood Term
    In most Six Sigma implementation projects, the COPQ (cost of poor quality) is calculated to assess the total value of loss that accrues to the organization as a result of defects. COPQ is useful because it allows businesses to understand the overall impact that the defects might be having on precious organizational resources.
  • Cost Of Poor Quality And Six Sigma
    Top 6 things that cause poor quality.
  • Critical Decision Making With Six Sigma Cause & Effects Analysis
    Six Sigma has many highly effective quality improvement tools in its arsenal, but if we were to list out the best, the Six Sigma Cause & Effects analysis tool would certainly be worth mentioning. This is simply because the cause & effects analysis tool allows for critical decision making, which forms the backbone of most Six Sigma quality improvement initiatives.
  • Cutting Costs With Six Sigma
    Six Sigma is rarely thought of as a method to cut costs. This article shows you how Six Sigma has evolved into an effective cost-cutting tool.
  • Cutting Costs With Six Sigma
    Six Sigma has always been an initiative targeted toward improvement in quality and providing value to the customer. However, it has been observed by several companies including Motorola, and Honeywell, that Six Sigma helps reduce costs as well. The simple philosophy of reducing defects is a deciding factor in cutting costs.
  • Cutting-Edge Methods Help Target Call Center Waste
    There are different activities undertaken in call centers; planning, call routing, after-call operations, research operations on unresolved calls, reporting and staff scheduling. The most important function is the handling of calls, inbound as well as outbound. This function is repeated a number of times throughout the day and needs lots of improvement.
  • Defining Six Sigma Projects
    All Six Sigma projects need to be clearly defined. Here's how to use a charter to make defining your Six Sigma project quick and painless.
  • Deploying Six Sigma QFD
    In today's highly competitive businesses environment, it is not enough for companies just to know their customers; what in fact is required today is the certainty about customer needs and expectations.
  • Design Of Experiments In Marketing
    Six Sigma initiatives ought to be used for marketing. There would not be a better way to explain the association between the needs and wants of a customer and the service/products a company provides than marketing. Nevertheless, there is inadequate data on the crucial Xs that affect the decision making process of purchasing.
  • Design Risk Assessment For Six Sigma
    Implementing Six Sigma can go a long way in reducing the defects in a company's business process and improve the overall efficiency of such processes. However, such implementations take time to show results. In cases where proper methodologies and techniques are not used from the beginning, projects can be delayed even further.
  • Design Risk Assessment In Six Sigma
    Confused about how to assess design risk in your Six Sigma implementation? This article goes in-depth to explain how to assess risk design and the tools to use to accomplish it.
  • Design Risk Assessment In Six Sigma Implementation
    A Six Sigma project is undertaken when a need is felt to bring about changes in an existing process or product design. It may be an entirely new process or product that is designed, or it may be a few improvements or additions to existing ones.
  • Devising Experiments The Six Sigma Way
    The Six Sigma methodology is known the world over for its quality improvement techniques Probably the best-known tool that is used in Six Sigma is the Design of Experiment (DOE) technique, which is employed by Six Sigma analysts in order to determine a correlation between each business process.
  • DFSS - The Secret Behind The Success Of New Products And Services
    Just a few decades back, businesses concentrated more on the profitability aspect when designing new products or services. However, with quite a lot of products and services failing to achieve desired results, businesses were forced to rethink their strategies - and most importantly, identify the main reasons responsible for such failures.
  • DMAIC Project Selection Using A Systematic Approach
    The DMAIC methodology for Six Sigma has been applied well to the manufacturing industry. Its utility as a process has been proved beyond doubt but a systematic approach to project selection is what needs more consideration. While cost and efficiency has to be managed well by the Six Sigma Black Belts, a systematic approach to DMAIC methodology can prove to be highly efficient.
  • Dynamic Personality Types And Career Choices
    Helps Match personality types with career choices which may come up.
  • E-Learning And Six Sigma Certification
    With the technological improvements happening every day, learning with the aid of electronic media is catching on like never before. E-learning, which stands for electronic learning, covers various things like web-based applications, virtual classrooms, learning via Internet, satellite broadcasts, CD-ROMs and so on.
  • Easier Methods For Deriving Six Sigma Benefits
    Technically speaking, the size of an organization does not have any effect on the success of Six Sigma deployments. However, since the general perception is that Six Sigma benefits only large business entities, many smaller businesses often do not take too well to Six Sigma deployment ideas. So, how can smaller businesses get over these negative perceptions?
  • Effective Online Six Sigma Training
    Six Sigma implementation projects are meant for reducing wastage in business processes. However, for ensuring the success of 6 Sigma implementations, it is necessary to provide adequate training to everyone involved with the implementation.
  • Employee Surveys For Six Sigma Success
    For any business, big or small, employees are the most important assets. The morale of the employees is what keeps them going. Employees with low morale will hamper the growth of the business as a whole. These businesses will benefit from undertaking surveys to gauge the morale among the employees of the company.
  • Ensuring Continuity of Six Sigma Implementation Projects
    Six Sigma may be the best available quality management system, but businesses should never forget that the success of Six Sigma implementation projects depends not only on the use of appropriate Six Sigma tools and techniques but also on how efficiently the implementations are carried out.
  • Ensuring Six Sigma Success Through Process Improvement Teams
    Six Sigma project implementations certainly have their benefits, but any business organization that aims to derive such benefits first needs to realize the fact that the implementations are a set of complex processes that can be carried out successfully only by specialized process improvement teams.
  • Ensuring Success Of DFSS Projects Through Resource Planning
    There are many variables that determine the overall success of Six Sigma projects, but if we were to make a list of the top contributors, Resource Planning would certainly make it to the top.
  • Ensuring The Success Of Six Sigma Process Improvement Projects
    Six Sigma process improvement projects rely heavily on the use of scientific tools and techniques, but that is often not enough to ensure the success of such projects, because there is always a human angle involved - such as the needs and expectations of the customers, which can be quite difficult to comprehend and quantify.
  • Escaping Work At Home Scams
    Looking for a legitimate work at home opportunity? Are you having trouble figuring out the real thing from the scams? This article reveals how you can separate the scam artists from the real deal and save your hard earned money!
  • Essential Requirements For Six Sigma Implementations
    Six Sigma implementations have now become quite common and most of them basically lay stress on improving quality, reducing wastage by curtailing the defect rate, and augmenting overall efficiency. By implementing Six Sigma, businesses can now easily hope to achieve near-perfection, i.e. a defect rate that does not exceed 3.4 per million opportunities at any given point of time.
  • Essential Six Sigma Software
    In order to analyze the huge amounts of data collected during Six Sigma implementation, you need to have an automated solution. This article analyzes how Six Sigma software can be of help.
  • Essential Tips For Deploying Six Sigma In Mobile Workforces
    It is often said that over the years, Six Sigma has adapted well to the needs and requirements of the growing services sector, but if you take a closer look, you can easily notice that the results are far from being uniform.
  • Evaluating Six Sigma Certified Team Performance
    Six Sigma projects are not dependent on the best tools and data and the improvement methods as much as they are on the effective teams. All team members contribute to the success of the project. Evaluating team performance follows the same principle as evaluating any performance.
  • Facilitation Techniques For Certified Six Sigma Teams
    Facilitation allows teams to arrive at an outcome for which they take the entire responsibility and are committed to achieving it. The facilitators are the catalyst to create a working and productive chemistry among the members of the project. They bring about the best results in the interests of those involved.
  • Following A Data-Based Approach In The Six Sigma Decision Making Process
    The emergence of Six Sigma as the most successful of all the available quality management systems was mainly due to its inherent characteristics that stressed following a data-based approach to the decision making process.
  • Following a Systematic Approach to Six Sigma Project Implementations
    Businesses may state their own reasons for their successful Six Sigma project implementations, but if you analyze a few success stories, it will not take you long to realize that the thing that is common to all the success stories is the systematic approach of implementing Six Sigma projects.
  • Following The Six Sigma Operational Excellence Code
    Maintaining operational excellence not only ensures the success of Six Sigma implementation projects but also generates confidence among the team members as most of the planned goals and objectives are achieved with ease.
  • Fundamentals Of Six Sigma Training
    Six Sigma concepts and methodologies help in reducing defects and improving the efficiency of existing business processes. The increase in the number of organizations opting for Six Sigma has increased the demand for Six Sigma professionals such as Green Belts, Black Belts and Master Black Belts.
  • Future Of Six Sigma - Different Viewpoints
    Use of Six Sigma can be highly controversial. Here you will learn the many different viewpoints on the future of Six Sigma so you can make an informed decision on implementation.
  • Geographically Scattered Six Sigma Certified Project Teams
    Six Sigma projects are, more often than not, based on the assumptions that the units under consideration will be in close geographical vicinity, mainly in the same physical plant. Leading a Six Sigma team is itself a challenge - and when it comes to managing teams at different locations scattered over vast geographical areas, it becomes even tougher.
  • Guidelines For Implementing Six Sigma
    For many years, Six Sigma has retained its position as the leading quality management methodology. Opinions may vary, but if you look at past records, you will realize that one of the main reasons for its phenomenal success has been its reliance on statistical tools and techniques.
  • Hoshin Planning: Making the Strategic Plan Work
    In the current business scenario, organizations strive towards exceeding the customer's expectations and achieving a competitive edge over rivals. This comes as an outcome of the long term planning, an achievable vision towards the goal and continuous improvement in the processes.
  • How Are Six Sigma Implementations and Motorcycle Rides Related?
    Surprised? Well, don't be - because if you look closely you too can easily understand the applicability of this analogy. You have to look for the philosophy behind Six Sigma implementations, which often gets cloaked due to the sheer number of technicalities involved.
  • How Businesses Can Ensure Continuity Of Six Sigma Implementations
    Over the years, the Six Sigma quality management methodology has no doubt proved its worth. However, businesses should not lower their guard while implementing Six Sigma, because Six Sigma's eventual success depends a lot more on how implementations are actually carried out and not just on the type of tools and techniques utilized.
  • How Lean Six Sigma Training Inspires Quality And Efficiency
    Lean manufacturing is all about ensuring that products move faster through processes. The Six Sigma methodology ensures that the quality and efficiency of the goods being manufactured also improves. Thus, a combination of the two as Lean Six Sigma can bring out key transformations and improve the efficiency of goods and services being provided.
  • How Managers Can Convince Their Peers to Opt For Six Sigma Implementations
    What exactly can managers do to pave the way for Six Sigma implementations? Well, the right thing to do is to market Six Sigma implementation as a profitable business venture.
  • How Simulations Aid Six Sigma Project Executions
    It may be quite difficult to count the total number of technological advancements that have taken place since the start of the industrial revolution, but if we were to prepare something like a "top ten list", the recently developed simulation technology would certainly make it on the coveted list.
  • How Six Sigma Can Help ITIL Service Level Management
    The use of the ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library) has become quite commonplace in the IT sector, simply because it provides the necessary framework for achieving operational excellence.
  • How The Packaging Industry Is Benefiting From Lean Six Sigma
    When the term "Lean" is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is often the names of large manufacturing businesses that rely heavily on Lean Six Sigma for achieving their set goals and objectives.
  • How To Assess The Success Of Six Sigma Implementation
    Have you recently implemented Six Sigma in your organization? If yes, then you must also find out a way to assess its success. Assessing a Six Sigma technology is not the last process post-implementation.
  • How to Choose a Six Sigma Black Belt Project
    If you are a new Six Sigma student, you need to know how to select a Six Sigma Project. Here's a step-by-step guide to selecting a project for the best chances of success.
  • How To Initiate A Six Sigma Project
    Six Sigma has been recognized for years now for its effective management problem solving strategies. One of the major reasons for its success is proper project scoping.
  • How To Make Lean Six Sigma Work For Sales Operations
    Over the years, a wide range of organizations and industries have been effectively executing Six Sigma and Lean in engineering, manufacturing, as well as business processes such as customer service, administration, and finance. Sales departments are the latest addition to the lot. Even though it is the last business area to be added, it is already turning out to be of great value.
  • How To Manage Six Sigma Teams
    The key to successful Six Sigma deployment lies in successful team management. Learn how to manage Six Sigma teams effectively and pick a great Team Lead.
  • How To Turn Resistance Into Support For Lean Six Sigma
    It is a generally accepted theory that people are resistant to change, be it a change in their behavior or a change in their immediate environment. And since Lean Six Sigma aims to achieve both these changes, it is not surprising to find the employees up in arms against the new concepts and methodologies being suggested as part of the ongoing Lean Six Sigma implementation process.
  • How Useful is Six Sigma For The Medical Transcription Businesses?
    Six Sigma and Medical Transcription are not two things that seem very compatible, but they are!
  • Hypothesis Testing and Six Sigma
    Most Six Sigma projects aim at improving the quality of existing business processes by making appropriate changes wherever required. However, before implementing anything, the proposed changes are analyzed using hypothesis testing to ensure that they will be able to deliver the desired results.
  • IDOV Methodology Of Six Sigma
    Some people have never heard of IDOV; however it is one of the most commonly used Six Sigma methodologies. Here we give you everything you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask about IDOV.
  • Implementing Effectual Six Sigma Training Methodologies
    Today, Six Sigma is one of the most popular quality methods used in a wide variety organizations and functions. It employs a statistical unit of measurement for gauging the ability of the process, achieving flawless performance, and eventually, increasing customer satisfaction.
  • Implementing LEAN In Four Simple Steps
    Lean Six Sigma is generally associated with cost reductions and process improvements, but not many know that it can also be used for designing and developing new products and services in line with customer needs and expectations.
  • Implementing Six Sigma in BPO's and Customer Contact Centers
    The Motorola Company implemented Six Sigma concepts and methodologies for the first time in the early eighties, mainly to improve the efficiency of business processes related to manufacturing. Since that time, Six Sigma has undergone major transformations. It has now become possible to use it for improving services industries such as BPO's and customer contact centers.
  • Improving Help Desk Functions by Using Six Sigma Training
    The beauty of Six Sigma Training is that it proves to be the best methodology to bring about changes for betterment in the manufacturing industry as well as the financial, telecom, and health care sectors. At the same time, the Six Sigma methodology can also benefit the services industry for improving customer service processes, problem solving, and internal support services.
  • Improving Sales Through Six Sigma
    With recent advancements in technology, it has now become possible to implement Six Sigma concepts and methodologies even in non-engineering functional departments such as sales and marketing. By implementing Six Sigma, businesses can now streamline their sales and marketing efforts to improve revenues, cut costs and improve the overall efficiency of the sales department.
  • Initiating Six Sigma Pilot Projects
    The effectiveness of Six Sigma projects is easily evident from the increase in the number of businesses that now prefer Six Sigma to other types of quality improvement initiatives such as TQM (Total Quality Management). The best thing about Six Sigma projects is that they can be implemented in all types of industries, large or small.
  • Integrating Lean Six Sigma With CMMI
    Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) is the latest process improvement approach that not only aims at improving standalone processes, but also makes way for the improvement and effective integration of other processes that might be connected to the main process.
  • Integrating Project Management Into A Six Sigma System
    In today's highly competitive environment, businesses are being forced to lower operational costs, reduce cycle time, and offer a diverse product mix to their customers to achieve higher profits and garner a bigger market share.
  • Integrating Six Sigma With Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
    Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) is the latest management concept that aims at making the best possible use of human as well as technological (IT) resources available within a business organization. However, businesses should never forget that SOA might not prove as effective as desired if implemented on a standalone basis.
  • Introduction To Six Sigma Implementation Teams
    Over the years, Six Sigma has certainly proved its worth as a highly effective quality improvement technique. But even then businesses need to take adequate precautions, because the success of Six Sigma implementation projects depends a lot on the skills, aptitude, motivation and approach of Six Sigma implementation teams.
  • Involving Finance In Six Sigma Implementations
    It is common to hear companies claim substantial financial profits by implementing different developmental measures. However, how confident would a company be about the benefits - could it be by generating additional revenue or cost saving to actually affect the bottom line? Keeping this in mind, companies should definitely involve the finance department in deploying Six Sigma.
  • Is Six Sigma Quality Worth The Price to Your Business?
    Read to see if Six Sigma is worth for your bussiness
  • Is Six Sigma The Ultimate Management Tool?
    Find out why Six Sigma is the tool of choice by many of the world's leading organizations!

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