Winning customer loyalty in an automotive company through Six Sigma: a case study

Six Sigma is a disciplined approach to improving product, process and service quality. Since its inception at Motorola in the mid 1980s Six Sigma has evolved significantly and continues to expand to improve process performance, enhance business profitability and increase customer satisfaction. This paper presents an extensive literature review based on the experiences of both academics and practitioners on Six Sigma, followed by the application of the Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control (DMAIC) problem-solving methodology to identify the parameters causing casting defects and to control these parameters. The results of the study are based on the application of tools and techniques in the DMAIC methodology, i.e. Pareto Analysis, Measurement System Analysis, Regression Analysis and Design of Experiment. The results of the study show that the application of the Six Sigma methodology reduced casting defects and increased the process capability of the process from 0.49 to 1.28. The application of DMAIC has resulted in a significant financial impact (over U.S. $110 000 per annum) on the bottom-line of the company

Strategic Human Resource Management Measures: Key Linkages and the PeopleVantage Model

The field of human resource management faces a significant dilemma. While emerging evidence, theory and practical demands are increasing the visibility and credibility of human capital as a key to organizational success, the measures used to articulate the impact of human resource management decisions remain misunderstood, unwanted by key constituents, or even counter-productive. This article proposes that the key to creating meaningful HR metrics is to embed them within a model that shows the links between HR investments and organizational success. The PeopleVantage model is proposed as a framework, the application of the model is illustrated, and the potential of the model for guiding research and practical advances in effective HR measures is discussed

Software development: A paradigm for the future

A new paradigm for software development that treats software development as an experimental activity is presented. It provides built-in mechanisms for learning how to develop software better and reusing previous experience in the forms of knowledge, processes, and products. It uses models and measures to aid in the tasks of characterization, evaluation and motivation. An organization scheme is proposed for separating the project-specific focus from the organization's learning and reuse focuses of software development. The implications of this approach for corporations, research and education are discussed and some research activities currently underway at the University of Maryland that support this approach are presented

Integrating automated support for a software management cycle into the TAME system

Software managers are interested in the quantitative management of software quality, cost and progress. An integrated software management methodology, which can be applied throughout the software life cycle for any number purposes, is required. The TAME (Tailoring A Measurement Environment) methodology is based on the improvement paradigm and the goal/question/metric (GQM) paradigm. This methodology helps generate a software engineering process and measurement environment based on the project characteristics. The SQMAR (software quality measurement and assurance technology) is a software quality metric system and methodology applied to the development processes. It is based on the feed forward control principle. Quality target setting is carried out before the plan-do-check-action activities are performed. These methodologies are integrated to realize goal oriented measurement, process control and visual management. A metric setting procedure based on the GQM paradigm, a management system called the software management cycle (SMC), and its application to a case study based on NASA/SEL data are discussed. The expected effects of SMC are quality improvement, managerial cost reduction, accumulation and reuse of experience, and a highly visual management reporting system

Using the ISO/IEC 9126 product quality model to classify defects : a Controlled Experiment

Background: Existing software defect classification schemes support multiple tasks, such as root cause analysis and process improvement guidance. However, existing schemes do not assist in assigning defects to a broad range of high level software goals, such as software quality characteristics like functionality, maintainability, and usability. Aim: We investigate whether a classification based on the ISO/IEC 9126 software product quality model is reliable and useful to link defects to quality aspects impacted. Method: Six different subjects, divided in two groups with respect to their expertise, classified 78 defects from an industrial web application using the ISO/IEC 9126 quality main characteristics and sub-characteristics, and a set of proposed extended guidelines. Results: The ISO/IEC 9126 model is reasonably reliable when used to classify defects, even using incomplete defect reports. Reliability and variability is better for the six high level main characteristics of the model than for the 22 sub- characteristics. Conclusions: The ISO/IEC 9126 software quality model provides a solid foundation for defect classification. We also recommend, based on the follow up qualitative analysis performed, to use more complete defect reports and tailor the quality model to the context of us