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56 August 31, 2006 2:55 Fortifying Six Sigma with OR/MS Tools
that data be collected in an accurate and scientific manner. The combination of defect
elimination, variation diminishing, and more accurate scientific data collection allows
forecasting to be conducted more easily and effectively, which will, in turn, help to
improve the effectiveness of production and service planning, operations scheduling
and management. On the other hand, if the processes are erratic, then forecasting
and subsequent production and service planning and operations scheduling will be
much less effective or useful. Important applications of forecasting techniques within
the context of operations management include demand forecasting, yield forecast-
ing, and inventory forecasting which is essentially the conjunction of the first two.
In addition, forecast results are important inputs to other OR/MS techniques such as
mathematical programming, queuing, simulation and modeling.

5.3.2 A roadmap that integrates OR/MS techniques
In the development of the new curriculum, we also consider the deliverables for each
of the DMAIC phases. Table 5.3 presents a matrix relating the deliverables and an
integrated toolset following the DMAIC roadmap.
The type of training BBs should receive is a function of the environment in which
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theywork, andtrainingcurriculashouldbedesignedaccordingly.Itisalsoimportant
in the presentation of the tools to provide roadmaps and step-by-step procedures for
each tool and each overall method. 25 The characteristics of Six Sigma that make it
effective are the integration of the tools with the DMAIC improvement process and
the linking and sequencing of these tools. 25 While most curricula proposed in the
literature manifest their integration, 26,27 the linking and sequencing of the tools is
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less apparent. In this chapter, leveraging on previous programs and our consulting
experience, a sequence of deliverables and the associated tools needed in a typical
BB project is conceived, bearing in mind the tasks that need to be accomplished in
DMAIC phases and the applicability of traditional Six Sigma techniques together with
those techniques outlined in Section 3.1.
Table 5.3 presents a matrix that summarizes the DMAIC framework for both manu-
facturing/operational and transactional environments. The vertical dimension of the
matrix lists the deliverables in each DMAIC phase and the horizontal dimension lists
the tools/techniques that could be used to serve the purposes in the vertical dimen-
sion. The flow of deliverables is self-explanatory as they represent tasks/milestones
in a typical DMAIC process. The toolset across the horizontal dimension has been for-
tified with OR/MS techniques to meet the higher expectation of Six Sigma programs
in delivering value to an enterprise. It should be noted that while it is conceivable that
a specific OR/MS technique could be applied in multiple phases, we have made each
basic OR/MS technique appear with intentional precision within the DMAIC process
correspondingtoitsmajorareasofapplicationforthepurposeofconciseness.Through
experience, literature and case study reviews, these are the areas where a majority of
Six Sigma projects would benefit from the proposed OR/MS tools. Nonetheless, the
placement of various techniques is by no means rigid, due to the broad scope of cover-
age in Six Sigma projects. The matrix can be used as a roadmap for BBs to implement
their projects and as a training curriculum for a new breed of Six Sigma BBs. While
more elaborate techniques can also be included, it is felt that the current toolset is the
most essential and can be covered in a typical 4-week training program for BBs.