With a variety of software packages to choose from, companies embarking on the Six Sigma journey should have less trouble reaching their destination.
While many companies have just begun exploring the possibilities of Six Sigma, its benefits and its challenges, some companies have been working for years to improve their offerings to help others achieve the Six Sigma goal of 3.4 defects per million opportunities. As a result, a growing number of Six Sigma software products are hitting the market. Offerings vary widely, from systems that help users during the product and process design phase of a project, to those that focus on improving existing processes. But all have the same goal--to help the customer achieve Six Sigma. Here is a look at a just few of the latest offerings.
Pulse it
Motorola Inc. (Schaumburg, IL) has two software offerings in the Six Sigma arena: Manufacturing Intellitrak and Manufacturing Pulse. Intellitrak has been around since the beginning of Six Sigma, according to Michael Motherway, product manager at the company's Elk Grove Village, IL, facility.