Six Sigma for IT and ITES

by admindlp231 / On December 11, 2018 / In General

Lean and Six Sigma play a very important role in improving the processes related to software design and development, data warehousing, resource planning etc. There are many incredible lean Six Sigma tools available which are geared to eliminate the waste and streamline the entire IT processes. The Six Sigma is just a play of data and statistics which has proved beneficial for IT and ITES sector over time.

A course on Lean Six Sigma green belt aims to make improvements in the existing business processes that automatically improve the quality of the final product or service. The main objective is to hit the root cause of the problem and design a solution by quantifying it into measurable parameters.

The main issue faced by IT and ITES is the quality issue which is plaguing the ITES sector very badly. Lean Six Sigma intends to improve the overall quality by:

Reducing billing errors and customer churn
Eliminating timeliness of billing
Improving call completion ratio, Average revenue per unit (ARPU), first call resolution (FCR)and turnaround time (TAT)
Enhancing sales Productivity

Challenges in IT and ITES sector and their resolution

The Six Sigma has constantly been growing over time and its application across various sectors has made the transition from using statistical tools to softer tools possible.

DMAIC or Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control (Lean Six Sigma strategy) helps in reducing and eliminating most of the challenges faced by the IT industry such as:

Lengthy projects
Data-oriented tools
Lack of knowledge
Failure to use DMAIC effectively
Six-Sigma as a Project-Based Approach

Now let’s see how DMAIC or the Lean Six Sigma acts as a game changer in IT and ITES industry.

1. Minimize Project Duration

Lean Six Sigma DMAIC approach empowers the employees with exceptional problem-solving tools. The real effect is visible only when these Six Sigma tools/ methodologies/ philosophies are incorporated as a part of employee’s day to day activity. The methodologies should be fully ingrained in the process framework making it a part of the daily business process chores. This helps in reducing the time cycle for executing the projects.

2. Six-Sigma as a Data-Driven Approach

The ITES sector is still growing and developing when it comes to metrics. Many big giants are investing hefty sums to derive potential indicators of organizational health. It is very difficult to create a database for the team as it results in a longer measure phase. Personal opinions take over the charge in case of absence of data which adversely affects the effectiveness of the entire framework.

Six Sigma’s data-driven approach with well-implemented metrics helps to achieve the desired indicators with fewer data-oriented tools.

3. Improve Skills and Knowledge with Minimal Cost

Most of the software engineering processes rely heavily on manual processes resulting in inherent inconsistencies. The latest Lean Six Sigma green belt course focuses on optimizing and automating the learning curve. Six Sigma projects focus on cultural awareness and organizational training. This facilitates the creation of strong processes that reduce waste and enhance learning, resulting in positive outcomes within the ITES sector.

Some effective Lean Six Sigma Tools

Failure mode effect analysis (FMEA)

This tool helps the organizations to identify the overall system architecture in case of any failure and aids in reducing test defects especially in the field and system testing.

Quality Function Deployment (QFD)

This tool is used in the initial phases i.e. requirements gathering and analysis phases. It assists in prioritizing requirements and offer high-level technical solutions to the respective engineers.

Design of experiments (DOE)

This tool is used in the last phase i.e. testing. It helps in identifying test cases that match as per the expectations from the framework. In a complex infrastructure, DOE also assists in the optimization of the software and hardware resources.

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Final Words

Enrolling in Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt courses helps the organizations in improving their bottom lines. Nowadays, many IT companies are reinventing themselves with the help of Lean Six Sigma tools and methodologies.