| Six Sigma in manufacturing is completely | | | | As with manufacturing, the fundamental step |
| understandable. For the same logic to apply | | | | is to begin with 'the customer is always |
| to software products, it still has a long way | | | | right' approach. You can use a number of |
| to go to establish itself. However, for the | | | | metrics, tools and charts to define customer |
| moment it is safe to assume that there exist | | | | specifications for critiquing and analyzing |
| factors within the software industry that | | | | various parameters such as cost, quality and |
| contribute to the shift that we discussed | | | | schedules at different levels. |
| above. This also makes way for examples such | | | | |
| as constant changing tools like hardware & | | | | There is no reason why Six Sigma will not go |
| software, decline in adherence to procedures, | | | | beyond cosmetic improvements and changes in |
| etc. | | | | the software industry. The 'goal questioning |
| | | | metric' or GQM, may be made use of in |
| Level of CMM© At Which Six Sigma Can Be | | | | combination with other tools. The GQM |
| Applied | | | | technique combines well with the DMAIC model |
| | | | of Six Sigma. This is especially helpful, |
| Six Sigma needs to be applied a bit | | | | especially with Six Sigma being more focused |
| differently when it comes to software service | | | | on data- driven techniques. |
| companies. For a company intending to | | | | |
| streamline their processes, Six Sigma | | | | However, you must keep in mind that when |
| contributes well by way of helping to refine | | | | applying Six Sigma in your organization, it |
| the mechanism. | | | | is necessary that suitability of a chosen |
| | | | tool or technique is established beforehand. |
| It may not seem too practical to talk about | | | | |
| defect-free processes so that you can begin | | | | The Big Question |
| implementation. The need here is the road map | | | | |
| for organizations to work on defect control | | | | The big question as to whether Six Sigma can |
| targets in stages. CMM level 1 and level 2 | | | | really be applied as successfully in the |
| companies may find Six Sigma to be ideal to | | | | software industry as it was to manufacturing |
| augment their framework application | | | | is still being debated. The real challenge is |
| procedures for defect reduction. Levels above | | | | to see if it can be implemented without |
| 3 will have attained the maturity levels | | | | reinventing the wheel. There is also |
| sufficient for immediately implementing | | | | disagreement among leaders in the software |
| framework of measurement practices and will | | | | industry about the need for Six Sigma. |
| proceed further. At the mature levels of CMM | | | | |
| 4 and 5, you can establish the complex | | | | One possible solution is that the proven |
| metrics of 'true' Six Sigma to maximize | | | | processes of CMM, PSP and ISO can always |
| leverage. | | | | contribute while Six Sigma can be used a |
| | | | complimentary tool. Six Sigma in the software |
| Techniques of Six Sigma for Software | | | | industry must have caused a few eyelids to |
| | | | bat in its early days. |