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T-5: Six Sigma for Software: The Six Steps to Six Sigma for Software

Dr. Thomas Fehlmann, Euro Project Office (Switzerland)

Half-day tutorial
Date: Wednesday, September 4   Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m.
Tutorial Language: English

Abstract

Since the early 90'ies, Six Sigma has extensively used for achieving total customer satisfaction with innovative products at competitive price. Its objectives are to deliver products when promised, without delivered defects, early life failures, or on-going use failures. The benefits are reduced time-to-market and lower product cost.

However, since measuring the product relative to the customer is one of the key steps towards Six Sigma, its use for software is not widely known, despite the fact that Prof. Akao's QFD in the Broad Sense has taught us how to establish combinatory metrics for software.

This tutorial will address the following questions:

1. WHAT is Six Sigma? Does it apply to software?
2. WHY do we need Six Sigma? Why did it reappear so suddenly?
3. HOW do you implement Six Sigma in the workplace? Can the theory really be put into practice?
4. WHERE has Six Sigma been applied successfully? Are there success stories in software, and in which companies?
5. WHEN should Six Sigma be used? How does it fit into a Quality Function Deployment project?
6. WHO can make an impact using Six Sigma? Do you need to become a Black Belt first? Does the whole organization have to start together?

The attendants will understand how to optimize processes to gain competitive advantage, how to consider the needs of the customers in all aspects of software development, realize the power of software measurements, apply defect elimination techniques early in the life cycle, and achieve defect prevention through root cause analysis (QFD).

About Dr. Thomas Fehlmann

Dr. Thomas Fehlmann obtained in 1981 a Ph.D. in mathematics from the Federal Technical Institute in Zurich (ETH-Z). He then joined the University Of Delaware, Newark DE, as a Visiting Assistant Professor. Back in Switzerland, he went into software development as engineering manager.

In 1990, he became Quality Consultant in the project office of DEC Switzerland. He designed and implemented several quality management systems for systems integration and software development, introduced the QFD blitz for quality planning in IT projects, coached bid managers and project managers and established project controlling, and made various contributions to the development of quality management and techniques.

Between 1996 and 1998, he established and managed Proposal Centers for Unisys Switzerland and Italy.

Since 1999, he founded Euro Project Office, Member of the IT Quality Group. In 2001, he received the renowned Akao price for his contributions to the development of Quality Function Deployment.

Dr. Thomas Fehlmann is a frequent writer, facilitator, and teacher in various aspects of project management, quality function deployment (QFD), risk management, software testing and a busy consultant for various customers in Europe.

Contact

Dr. Thomas Fehlmann
Euro Project Office AG
Zeltweg 50
CH-8032 Zurich
Switzerland
Phone: +41 1 253 1306
Fax: +41 1 253 1364
E-mail: thomas.fehlmann@acm.org
Web: www.e-p-o.com

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