Newsletter Spring 2008

Services Ltd becomes partner of One Six Sigma

 

Services Ltd are delighted to announce that they have entered into a partnership agreement with the information resource company OneSixSigma.com, to provide up-to-date topical information and expertise in the Six Sigma, Lean and Process Improvement areas.

Six Sigma and Lean are areas in which Services Ltd has developed exceptional technical and managerial expertise over the last several years. Our Managing Director, Prof. Tony Bendell is acknowledged as one of the most experienced and knowledgeable practitioners worldwide, frequently speaking on international platforms and being asked to consult personally on programme design and problematic implementation issues. He is supported by a strong team of experience business statisticians, Black Belts and Master Black Belts who have wide experience of application in both manufacturing and transactional areas.

Jenny Levers, Director for Client Liaison and Company Secretary at Services Ltd said, ‘This partnership provides the opportunity for Services Ltd’s distinct approach to Six Sigma and Lean implementation to be made more generally available. Our approach-which focuses on developing Black and Green Belts creative skills, educating them rather than just training them by rote, and importing an up-to-date state of the art statistical toolkit- is unique. We do not believe in a ‘one site fits all’ philosophy, so we spend a large amount of time making sure our programmes are exactly what each individual client needs!’

Jenny can be contacted at jenny.levers@servicesltd.co.uk or on +44 (0)1159455285

Recent Cohort of Services' Six Sigma Black Belts

Prof. Tony Bendell, Managing Director of Services Ltd., has recently accepted a role as Visiting Professor of Quality, Economics and Statistics at the Middlesex Business School, part of Middlesex University.

Tony will help to provide academic leadership for the highly qualified group of business statisticians and economists at Middlesex Business School and may also contribute to MBA developments. It will also provide the opportunity for the development of a major London centre for research into the practice and theory of Quality Management, Six Sigma and related approaches.

Prof. Bendell, who was until recently Director of the Centre of Quality Excellence at the University of Leicester, said, ‘I am delighted that this opportunity has arisen from my friends at Middlesex. This is an excellent business school. Some of the current practice of Six Sigma still leaves a lot to be desired, with out of date methodologies, training by rote, poor theory and practice being commonplace. My new role will provide an excellent platform to continue my campaign against bad practice’.

(Tony can be contacted at Middlesex Business School on t.Bendell@mdx.ac.uk).

Middlesex University Business School is a London-based international business school with extensive professional links and around 5,500 students and staff. With a reputation for teaching excellence and student support, the Business School provides an extremely stimulating environment within one of the liveliest cities in the world.

Excellence Pays!
Professor Bendell speaks at Gresham College

http://www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=108&EventId=598

Whilst many of us believe that the pursuit of Quality and Excellence is worthwhile for its own sake, there is usually a need to put forward a business case for investing resources in improvement. Far too oftern, Quality professionals argue that it is as an inherent truth that Quality pays. Where is the proof?

Until recently there has been, across Europe, very little proof. Now, however, an international team of academic researchers led from the Centre of Quality Excellence at the University of Leicester, has extended work in the United States by Vinod Singhal at Georgia Institute of Technology. Prof. Tony Bendell who was Director of the Centre of Quality Excellence at the time gave a talk on the study and its results at Gresham College, Hallam during late 2007. ( www.gresham.ac.uk/event.asp?PageId=108&EventId=598)

Gresham College has a special place in the City of London, having given free public lectures for over 400 years. The College is named after Sir Thomas Gresham, son of Sir Richard Gresham who was Lord Mayor in 1537/38 and who conceived the idea of building an Exchange modelled on the Antwerp Bourse. Sir Thomas’ fine mansion in Bishopsgate was the first home of Gresham College. It was there that the Professors gave their lectures until 1768, their salaries being met from rental income from the shops around the Royal exchange which Sir Thomas had bequeathed jointly to the City of London and the Mercers’ Company. Int later years lectures were given in various places in the City until the consturction of a new Gresham College, opened in 1842, in Gresham Street. The College has been based at Barnard’s Inn Hall since 1991.

EFQM Courses and Consultancy

New Course

Based on the results of the above EFQM research project, a new three-day course/workshop has been developed by Services Ltd. to identify the basis for successful implementation of Excellence within an organisation. The programme is delivered jointly by Prof. Tony Bendell and Brendan McCarron and allows considerable time for interactive discussion and evaluation of delegate’s own organisational issues, as well as plenary. The programme can be customised and delivered in-house by arrangement.

Other Courses

Two-day EFQM/BQF Licensed Assessor Course

This two-day licensed course provides training for organisational assessment against the EFQM Excellence Model. It revolves around a realistic case study organisation that is assessed by delegates both individually (prior to the course) and then collectively (during the course). The course involves considerable syndicate as well as plenary work.

One-day EFQM Management Awareness Briefing

This one-day workshop is for anyone who needs to understand what Excellence means in the context of their organisation and how the EFQM Excellence Model can be implemented.

One-day How to Organise a Self-Assessment Workshop

This one-day workshop provides the practical tools and approaches which ensure that your self-assessment achieves its objectives. It looks at the different approaches to self-assessment, their strengths and weaknesses, and then considers the best methods of engaging the organisation and how to use the results to best advantage.

ISO Courses

IRCA Registered Auditor/Lead Auditor Course

This newly revised IRCA certificated five-day course is ideal for those responsible for planning, managing and undertaking ISO 9000 Quality Management System Audits. Attendance at an IRCA registered course is mandatory for auditors who wish to apply for IRCA registration.

One-day Introduction to ISO 9001 Briefing

This workshop provides delegates with a good understanding of ISO 9001 and the effectiveness of a well-implemented Quality System. Participation is welcomed at all times during the day and delegates will have various clauses in ISO 9001:2000 explained and discussed in relation to their own work.

One-day Environmental Management Systems Course

This course explains to managers and environmental systems practitioners what an environmental management system is and can achieve within an organisation and outlines current UK environmental legislative requirements.

Dubai Holding

Interest in Organisational Excellence is worldwide and it is particularly noteworthy in fast growing economies, such as that of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Based in Dubai, Dubai Holding is noteworthy for both its varied infrastructure activities and its rapid growth. Prof. Bendell recently had the honour of being invited to chair the inaugural Award Jury for Dubai Holding’s own internal Excellence Award. Prof. Bendell commented, “I am remarkably impressed by the use of the Excellence Model within Dubai Holding. In my role as Chair of the Award Jury, I saw very good application of Excellence principles and practices. The Award process itself was also excellent. In fact, it is the best I have ever seen, not just in the Region but worldwide!”

Six Sigma and Lean

 

 

Professor Tony Bendell and his colleagues at Services Ltd. have been providing training and consultancy nationally and internationally in all aspects of Six Sigma, Lean, Process Improvement and Quality Management for many years. We have trained hundreds of Six Sigma delegates on public and in-house programmes up to Black and Green Belt level.

 

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is probably the hottest improvement approach around today. Developed by Motorola, and applied by Boeing, Kodak, Digital and many others – it was the success enjoyed by GE that brought it to full industry attention. From manufacturing it then moved into the service sector with major verifiable cost savings being achieved, in particular, in financial services. Later applications have covered all sectors including the public sector.

Next Programmes

Six Sigma Black Belt (20-Day Programme)
*21-24 Apr, 12-15 May, 02-05 Jun, 23-26 Jun and 14-17 Jul 2008
*06-09 Oct, 03-06 Nov, 08-11 Dec, 12-15 Jan and 02-05 Feb 2009

Advanced Green Belt (16-Day Programme)
*21-24 Apr, 12-15 May, 02-05 Jun and 23-26 Jun 2008
*06-09 Oct, 03-06 Nov, 08-11 Dec and 12-15 Jan

Transactional Black Belt and Transactional Advanced Green Belt options
(Dates as above)

Green Belt (12-Day Programme)
*21-24 Apr, 12-15 May and 02-05 Jun 2008
*06-09 Oct, 03-06 Nov, and 08-11 Dec 2008

Champion Training (2-Day Programme)
*12-13 Jun 2008
*04-05 Sep 2008

Management Briefing (1-Day Programme)
*16 May 2008
*7 Nov 2008

Lean

All organisations have waste. Some is unavoidable, much is not. These purpose-designed programmes focus on the effective practical methodology for waste identification and removal in organisations of all types in the manufacturing, service and public sectors.

How much waste is there in your organisation?
What can be saved and how?

Next Programmes

Master Lean Belt - Lean Transformation in Service & Manufacturing Industries (10-Day)
*06-08 May & 20-22 May & 10-12 Jun & 04 Jul 2008
*29-31 Oct & 19-21 Nov & 03-05 Dec & 12 Dec 2008

Lean Top-Up for Six Sigma Black and Green Belts (8/10-Day)
*06-08 May & 20-22 May & 10-12 Jun & 04 Jul 2008
*29-31 Oct & 19-21 Nov & 03-05 Dec & 12 Dec 2008

Lean Management for Managers (3-Day)
*06-08 May 08
*29-31 Oct 08

Lean Transformation Executive Overview (1-Day)
*07 Jul 08
*03 Oct 08

New Courses and Programmes

Six Sigma Master Black Belt

Our Master Black Belt Development Programme has been built on our extensive experience and Prof. Bendell’s extensive international knowledge of the field. It consists of an initial seminar/workshop and assessment centre; candidate’s application, skill and portfolio development within their own organisation; tutor assessment and coaching visits and observation; and an end of programme workshop, written test and development seminar. Delegates are assessed throughout the programme and candidates who complete satisfactory portfolios and pass the in-programme assessments and written test will be certificated as Master Lean Belts by Prof. Bendell.

Design for Six Sigma

Whilst the majority of our clients follow the usual industry practice of first applying the Six Sigma DMAIC project-based process improvement approach, before progressing to DFSS, for some organisations DFSS is a natural first stage. This is particularly true in low volume, high margin, high-risk businesses. Occasionally, clients wish to commence DFSS in parallel to starting Six Sigma, and whilst this may be a problematical approach, we can also help with programme strategy, planning, advice and training.

Unlike the Six Sigma DMAIC process improvement approach, there are many approaches to DFSS in common use, and the would-be user has a lot of confusion, complexity and decisions to face. Which approach you wish to apply in your organisation is up to you, but we can advise on suitability and provide the support and training required.

We would be happy to discuss your specific requirements, but one good way of starting is our DFSS Evaluation Package commencing on Wednesday 06 February 2008.

Lean Top-Up for Six Sigma Black/Green Belts

Qualified Six Sigma Black and Green Belts often want or need to know more about the methodological basis and practical application of Lean Methodology than that presented in their Black or Green Belt training. Many such training programmes have limited Lean content, even when part of a labeled Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
With this in mind, Services Ltd. has developed a top-up programme to bring Black and Green Belts up to Master Lean Belt level. The programme is project-based and is of eight days duration for Black Belts and ten days for Green Belts

Services Ltd.’s Global Role

Services Ltd. is delighted to be the international partner supporting the newly established Abu Dhabi Institute for Excellence, dedicated to developing organisational excellence in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the Gulf Region in both the private and public sectors. Prof. Hadi El Tigani, the Director General of the Institute said, “We chose Services Ltd. to work with because of their international reputation, knowledge of the Region and commitment to support Excellence. Prof. Tony Bendell is very well known in Abu Dhabi, commands enormous respect and is a delight to work with. His colleagues at Services Ltd. are all very experienced international consultants and trainers with immense skill, sound judgment and supportive attitudes.”

For the past two years Prof. Bendell and the Services Ltd. team have been supporting a specialist MSc course in Quality Excellence running at the Sudan University of Science and Technology in Khartoum. The course is an important plank in the National Quality Programme and has participants from both the public and private sector. Part of the tuition is provided by Prof. Bendell himself who visits Khartoum every couple of months. Prof. Tony Bendell said, “I really like working with these students. Their commitment to understanding the complex issues of Quality Management and applying them in their own organisational contexts are very real. Sudan is new to the Quality Management and Excellence movement, but with peace, there will be a lot of opportunity for real progress to be made.”

EFQM Project

Detailed results of the international research project on the Business Case for Pursuing Excellence, founded by the British Quality Foundation for Quality Management, is available via the EFQM website www.efqm.org. Prof. Tony Bendell said, “We are very proud of this work. When we started it, we did not realize just how important its results could be. This is the real basis to convince your Managing Directors and shareholders that investing in Quality and Excellence makes outstanding business sense. Now is the time to advocate such change.”

Contacts:

To book a place on any course please contact Jenny Levers at:
Services Ltd., 82 Trent Boulevard, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 5BL, UK
Tel: +44 (0)115 9455285

Fax: +44 (0)115 9817137
e-mail: bookings@servicesltd.co.uk

www.servicesltd.co.uk