We all know my affinity for MSA but it wouldn’t be fair if we didn’t talk about the measurements for a bit. Six Sigma is built on measurements and the corner stone of effectiveness is to have measurements that are appropriate. So let’s dig in and figure out what defines appropriate measures.
What makes it appropriate?
There are four key areas to consider when you are trying to determine if your metrics are appropriate:
- Is it sufficient?-When you consider this you will need to look at how available the metric is. Ask yourself if you can readily gather the data. If you have to collect it and the collection times require more energy and resources than you can give, it may be time to rethink this metric.
- Is it relevant?-What will this metric tell you? Does it help you understand or identify your problems? If it doesn’t then maybe you need to take a step back and figure out what you need your metric tell you.
- Is it representative?-When you are looking at this metric, you should see a balanced representation of the people and the steps involved in your process. If you can’t see these things, take another look at your goals. Are you measuring the right things?
- Is it contextual?-When this information is put together with all of the other information you collect, do you see the big picture? In other words is the data painting a picture that makes sense to your and the people involved?
So MSA like everything else in Six Sigma is a tool and the thing that we need to remember is that for it to be effective, we have to make sure we are using it appropriately. Check your systems and let me know how they are working. If they aren’t working, give us a call.
