This document provides an overview of Six Sigma and its application to software development. It discusses key Six Sigma concepts like DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control), tools used in each phase, and how they can help improve processes and reduce defects in software development. It also covers process maturity models, different types of waste specific to software development, and how Six Sigma principles of data-driven problem solving can help organizations deliver higher quality software and improve customer satisfaction.

1. 1

3. 6σ/ 6Σ -
and its application to software development
S.MUTHUKUMAR
AJAL. A. J
AP – CSE ; UEC
EPGP – IIM KOZHIKODE

4. JIT
6σ
TEI
Kaizen
SPC
Quality
Assurance
ProblemSolving tools
Customer
Satisfaction
Taguchi Methods
4

5. COPQ (Cost of Poor Quality)
- Inspection
- Warranty
- Scrap
- Rework
- Rejects
- More Setups
- Expediting Costs
- Lost Sales
- Late Delivery
- Lost Customer Loyalty
- Excess Inventory
- Long Cycle Times
- Costly Engineering Changes
Traditional Quality Costs:
- Tangible
- Easy to Measure
Lost Opportunities
The Hidden Factory
Hidden Costs:
- Intangible
- Difficult to Measure

6. What are the forms of waste?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Waste of Correction
Waste of Overproduction
Waste of processing
Waste of conveyance (or transport)
Waste of inventory
Waste of motion
Waste of waiting
Waste – absorb resources but creates no value. First step towards waste reduction is
waste identification. Majority of six sigma projects focus on one or more of these areas.

7. Six Sigma - Three Dimensions
Customer
Define
Measur
e
Analyze
Improve
Process A
Process B
Vendor
Control
Driven by
customer
needs
Process Map Analysis
LSL
Led by
Senior
Mgmt
Methodology
Organization
Tools
US
L
•
• ••••
•••••••••••
•
••••••
•
•••••
•
Regression
Upper/Lower
specification
limits
35
100%
30
25
80%
60%
20
15
Enabled by quality
team.
Process variation
40%
10
5
20%
0
0%
L
K
A
Frequency
F
B
C
G
R
D
Cumulative Frequency
Pareto Chart
7

8. On target, minimum process variation

9. A Problem Statement should be SMART:





Specific - It does not solve world hunger
Measurable - It has a way to measure success
Achievable - It is possible to be successful
Relevant - It has an impact that can be quantified
Timely - It is near term not off in the future

10. Booming Software/IT Industry
10

11. Process
Definition &
Standards
Formal
Technical
Reviews
Analysis
&
Reporting
Measurement
Test
Planning
& Review
Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and a methodology for
eliminating defects in any process -- from manufacturing to transactional and
from product to service

12. 

Software safety is a software quality assurance
activity that focuses on the identification and
assessment of potential hazards that may affect
software negatively and cause an entire system
to fail.
If hazards can be identified early in the
software process, software design features can
be specified that will either eliminate or control
potential hazards.
12

13. changes in
business requirements
changes in
technical requirements
changes in
user requirements
other
documents
software models
Project
Plan
data
Test
code

14. programs
The pieces
documents
data

15. Levels of Software Process Maturity
Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI)
15

16. 
Software generally has low product volume
compared with manufactured products
 But
what if we measure units, tests, objects, screens,
functions, etc?

Software development process has very high
variance
 Does
it need to?
 Is that necessarily bad?
16

17. Eight Wastes of Software Developme
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Partially Done Work
Extra Processes
Extra Features
Task Switching
Time
Waiting
Motion
Defects
Underutilization of Employees
Quality
Cost
Note: Seven Wastes of SD defined by Mary Poppendieck

18. 18

19. Six Sigma Improvement Methods
DMAIC vs. DMADV
Define
Measure
Analyze
Continuous Improvement
Reengineering
Improve
Design
Control
Validate

20. Tools for DMAIC
Define
What is wrong?
Benchmark
Baseline
 Contract / Charter
 Kano Model
 Voice of the
Customer
 Quality Function
Deployment
 Process Flow Map
 Project
Management
 “Management by
Fact”
Measure
Data & Process
capability
7 Basic Tools
Defect Metrics
 Data Collection,
Forms, Plan,
Logistics
 Sampling
Techniques




Improve
Analyze
How to get
to six sigma
When and where
are the defects
Cause & Effect
Diagrams
 Failure Models &
 Effect Analysis
 Decision & Risk
Analysis
 Statistical Inference
 Control Charts
 Capability
 Reliability Analysis
 Root Cause Analysis
Systems Thinking

Control
Design of
Experiments
 Modelling
 Tolerancing
 Robust Design
 Process Map

Ishikawa Diagram
(Fishbone)
Display
key measures
Statistical Controls
Control Charts
 Time Series
Methods
Non Statistical
Controls
 Procedure
adherence
 Performance
Mgmt
 Preventive activities
 Poke yoke


21. Improve – Potential Solutions
How can we address the root causes we identified?
Address the causes, not the symptoms.
Evaluate
Clarify
Generate
y = f (x1, x2, x3 . . . xn)
Critical Xs
Divergent |
Convergent
Decision

22. Typical Ishikawa Diagram (Fishbone)

23. Region :
Product :
Number of processes :
Process :
FTE :
S
. UPPLIERS
1. Org 1
2. Org 2
3. Org 3
4. Org 4.
23
Critical to Client Metric
Critical
SIPOC
INPUTS
*Interviews with
the clients,Mails
and Supporting
docs by the client.
•Requirement
Specification.
• The software
with forms and the
requirement
specification.
•The software,
Requirement
specifications,
supporting
documents and
Technical
documents.
•Software with
content,Client
mails mentioning
the competitors.
•Software/
application,
content/functions
to be updated,
re-Analysis
reports.
PROCESS
OUTPUTS
CUSTOMERS
Start
Analysing the requirements
Design and development
Completed
softwares
Coding
Testing
Promotion
Notes
Maintenance and updating
Make any notes here:
End
Tip: First start with Outputs and Customers. Next set process boundaries and do the process map steps and then list inputs and suppliers
1.
2.
3.
Org 5
Org 6
Org 7.

24. Process Map
Process Name:
St
ep
W
ho
1
Analysing the
requirements
2
Design and
development
3
Coding
4
5
Promotion
6
24
Testing
Maintenance
and updating
Elapsed Time
1st week 2nd week 3rd week 4th week 5th week 6th week 7th week

25. Process Map Analysis
1
Process Step
2
3
4
Discussing
with
Specification
the
building
customer
about
Complete
the
Designing
require- analysis
ments
(Inputs)
Design
Materials
Moments of Truth (MOT):
Any time a customer draws a critical judgement, positive or negative, about
the
service, based upon a service experience (or lack of it).
Value-Added (VA):
• Is the customer willing to pay for it?
• Is it done right the first time?
• Essential work that moves one step closer to the final product.
Value-Add Enabler: step that is required to do VA
25
5
6
Developing
7
Total
%
Total
%
Steps
Writing
the
Codes
(by
technical
writer)
Understanding
the design
(by
programmer)
Production
Process
(Outputs)
Products
Non-Value Add (NVA):
Steps considered non-essential to produce and deliver the
product or service
to meet the customer’s requirements. The customer is NOT
willing to pay for the step.

26. “The Speed of the Leader
Determines the Rate of the Pack.”

27.  Focus on customers.
 Improved customer loyalty.
 Reduced cycle time.
 Less waste.
 How Six Sigma can be Beneficial for
You?
 Data based decisions.
 Time management
 Sustained gains and improvements.
 Systematic problem solving.
 Employee motivation
 Data analysis before decision making.
 Faster to market.
 Team building.
 Improved customer relations.
 Assure strategy planning.

28.  Effective Supply chain management
 Knowledge of Competition & Competitors.
 Develop Leadership skill.
 Breakdown barriers between departments and functions.
 Management training.
 Improve presentation skills.
 Integration of products ,services and distribution.
 Use of standard operating procedures.
 Better decision making.
 Improving Projects Planning kills.

29. References
1
2
GE website http://www.ge.com (accessed on 20/Jan/2014)
3
Harry, M., and Crawford. D. (2005), “Six Sigma – The next generation”,
Machine Design, February Issue, pp. 126-132
4
Lucas, J.M. (2002), “The essential Six-Sigma”, Quality Progress,
January, pp. 27-31
5
Motorola website http://www.motorola.com (accessed on 20/Jan/2014)
6
Snee, R. D. and Hoerl, R.W. (2003), Leading Six Sigma: A Step by
Step Guide Based on Experience at GE and Other Six Sigma
Companies, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey
7
29
Dedhia, N.S. (2005), “Six Sigma Basics”, Total Quality Management,
Vol.16, No.5, pp. 567-574
Thawani, S. (2004), “Six Sigma – Strategy for organizational
excellence”, Total Quality Management, Vol.15 No.5-6, pp. 655-664

30. Contact information
AJAL JOSE AKKARA
EPGP, IIM - KOZHIKODE
ec2reach@gmail.com
0487-2350675 - Res
890-730-5642 - cell

31. The Six Sigma Toolbox
 Standard Deviation
 Cause & Effect
 Ishikawa Diagram
 SIPOC
 Pareto Diagram
 80/20 Rule
 Variance Analysis
 Control Chart
 Process Mapping
 Kano Charting
 Failure Mode Effect Analysis