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LeveragingShaininforQuickerandMoreEfficientProblemSolving:ADiscussion
withHaDao,DirectoratSSA&Company
Contributor:HaDao(/contributors/497hadao/)
Posted:09/14/20095:04:00AMEDT

(/contributors/497hadao/)
RatethisInterview:(3.7Stars|18Votes)

Tags:rootcause(/search/rootcause/)|HaDao(/search/hadao/)|Shaininproblemsolving(/search/shaininproblemsolving/)|Shainin
(/search/shainin/)|Lean(/search/lean/)|problemsolving(/search/problemsolving/)|structuredinnovation(/search/structuredinnovation/)|process
improvement(/search/processimprovement/)|SixSigma(/search/sixsigma/)|Innovation(/search/innovation/)|Methodologies,StatisticalAnalysis,and
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TodaysbusyProcessExcellenceprofessionalsneedsolutionstotheirprocessimprovementproblemsnotinweeksormonths,butindays.Shainin
canhelptoaccomplishthistask.InthisSixSigmaIQinterview,HaDao,DirectorforSSA&Company(formerlySixSigmaAcademy),explainshow
theShaininmethodologycanbeleveragedformoreefficientandquickerproblemsolving.
PleasetalkabitaboutyourProcessExcellencebackground.
IworkasaDirectorforSSA&Company(formerlySixSigmaAcademy).SSAisaglobaloperationconsultingfirm.Iworkwithdeploymentteamsto
achieveprocessimprovementsthroughconsulting,training,projectexecutionandchangemanagement.Itrain,coachandmentorBlackBeltsMaster
BlackBelts,andChampionsusingLeanSixSigmatosolveproblems.
PriortojoiningSSA&Company,IworkedastheManager,InnovationandContinuousImprovementMethodology(I&CIM)forDelphiCorporation.In
thisposition,IprovidedleadershiptodeployLeanSixSigma,DesignforSixSigma(DFSS),andShaininProblemSolvingfor$3billionmultibusiness
unitsglobally.Ispecializeinprovidingproblemsolvingexpertisetosolveurgent,criticalandchronicmanufacturingandtechnicalproblems.
Earlierinmycareer,IalsoworkedasMasterBlackBeltandShaininRedXMasterforsevenyearswithDelphiCorporationandGeneralMotors,where
Itrainedteamstosolvechronictechnicalproblems.Ialsoexecutedandledteamstosolveover100projects,whichtogetherdeliveredover$50million
insavings.
Withmorethan25yearsofexperience,ImcertifiedasaLeanSixSigmaMasterBlackBelt,ShaininRedXMasterandrecognizedbytheAmerican
SocietyforQualityasanASQFellow.
DefineShainin.Howdoesitfallwithintherealmofstructuredinnovation,andwhywouldProcessExcellenceprofessionalschoosetouse
thismethodoverotherprocessimprovement/structuredinnovationmethodologies?
StructuredInnovationisaboutdoingsthingsdifferentlyanddoingthingssignificantlybetter.Inthissense,Shaininfitsthatdescriptionverywell.Shainin
isallabouttechnicalproblemsolving.Itsastructuredproblemsolvingmethodthatcombinesengineeringinsightwithstatisticalthinkingtosolvetough
technicalproblemsquicklyandefficiently.
ShaininusesaradicallydifferentapproachwhichiscalledtheYtoX(orEffecttoCause)toconvergeontherootcause.Thisisahugeparadigmshift
ofthetraditionalapproachofXtoY,whichislistingofpotentialcauses(Xs)throughbrainstormingandengineeringjudgmentthentesttoseeiftheXs
haveaneffectontheY.
WhyisaYtoXstrategysoefficient?Likereverseengineering,itstartsoutwithawelldefinedeffect,Y,whichisameasuredresponsethathas

engineeringleverageandrevealsinsightintothephysicsofthefailure.ShaininalsocombinestheYtoXapproachwithtalkingtothepartstechnique
byforcingthepartstorevealtheinsightsandcluestothenatureoftheproblem.Asyouknow,mosttoughproblemsofteninvolveinteractionsthatare
notyetunderstoodorrecognizedthroughexperiencealone.Byaskingcleverquestionsofthebestandworstexamples,thecausedrivingthe
differencesisrevealedintheanswers.
Duringtheprogressivesearchinvestigation,eachstageisdividedintonaturalbucketsorsplitsofcauses.Byleveragingthecontrasts,thesebuckets
areprogressivelyeliminatedtoconvergeonthedominantcause,whichiscalledtheRedX.CombiningYtoXstrategyandtalkingtotheparts
techniqueprovidesaverypowerfulproblemsolvingstrategy.
HowmayShaininbeusedtohelpcomplementotherstructuredinnovation/processimprovementmethodologiessuchasLeanSixSigma?
ShainincanbeusedtocomplementtheLeanSixSigmamethodology.IhaveworkedwithmanyclientsinwhichShaininproblemsolvingskillsallows
theGreenBeltsorBlackBeltstofindanderadicaterootcausesofproblemfasterwithfewerresources.ShaininisparticularlypowerfulintheAnalyze
phaseoftheSixSigmaDMAIC.Shaininfindstherootcauseextremelyfast,mostofthetimesindaysinsteadofweeksormonths.Shainincantake
yourLeanSixSigmaprogramtothenextlevel!
WhataresomeofthemostbasictoolsthatShaininemploys?
Letmedescribesomeofthebasictoolsastheyoccurintheproblemsolvingprocess.
ShaininusestheProblemDefinitionTreetoconvertbusinessproblemstohighvalueprojects.ThenitusesProjectDefinitionTreetoconvertaproject
toawelldefinedYorresponsewithengineeringleverage.ItusesStrategyDiagramtoidentifymostleverageddirection.Isoplotisthenusedtomake
surethemeasurementsystemiseffective.CluegenerationtoolssuchasComponentSearch,GroupComparison,PairComparisonareusedto
convergeontheRedX.Bvs.WconfirmationtestisthenusedtoconfirmtheRedX.ToleranceParallelogramisusedtosetthepropertolerance.Pre
Controlisusedtokeeptheproblemundercontrol.Thesearesomeofthebasictools.
Takemethroughabriefcasestudytoshowhowsomeonecanemploysomeofthesebasictools.Howdidyougettotherootcauseofthe
problem?Whatwastheendresult?
Severalyearsago,Iwasinvolvedinabrakeleakscase.Thisiswhenyouaredrivingdowntheroad,steponthebrakesandnothinghappens.Itsnot
agoodthing.
Shaininwasusedtosolvethishugebrakeleakswecalleditaspillonadrumbrakeapplicationofamajorautomotiveoriginalmanufacturer(OEM).

ThisleakproblemwascausingtheOEMtoholdvehicleshipmentsandrequiredveryexpensiveandtimeconsumingrepairattheendoftheproduction
line.UsingtheShaininYtoXapproach,progressivesearchandtalktothepartsinvestigativetechnique,theRedXwasquicklyfoundtobesurface
imperfectionofthesealinginterfacewhichwascausingtheleaks.TheRedXwasconfirmedwithstatisticalconfidenceandcontrolledwithinafew
days,allowingtheplanttoresumenormalproductions.Savingsandcostavoidanceexceededonemilliondollarsannually.Thisisatypicalcasestudy
whereatoughprojectissolvedveryquickly.
HowcanacompanygetstartedwithusingShainin?WhatsortoftrainingisinvolvedwithmasteringShainin?
YoucangettheShaininskillsthroughtraining,coachingandprojectwork.ShaininofferscertificationlikeSixSigmaprogram.Therearethreelevelsof
competencyorbelts.ThefirstisApprenticeLevel(likeGreenBelt).ThesecondlevelisJourneyman(likeBlackBelt).AndthehighestlevelisShainin
Master(likeMasterBlackBelt).SimilartoLeanSixSigma,inadditiontothetrainingintheclassroom,workingonprojectsandcoachingarethemajor
componentsofgainingtheShaininskills.
WhatarethekeytakeawaysofShaininthatProcessExcellenceprofessionalsshouldsharewiththeircompanies?
ShaininiscomplimentarywithSixSigmaprogramsandLeaninitiatives.Shaininsupportsthecustomerfocus,datadrivenprojectbasedimprovements
andseniorleadershipengagementfoundinallsuccessfulperformanceimprovementprograms.Shaininwilltakeproblemsolvingtothenextlevel,
findingtherootcausemuchfasterandwithfewerresources.
AsaLeanSixSigmaMasterBlackBeltworkingwithmanyclients,IhaveseenfirsthandthatShainintechniqueshavesolvedmanytoughtechnical
problemsindays,notweeksormonths.Andmanyproblemsweredeemedunsolvable.IwouldencourageProcessExcellenceprofessionalsto
considerShainintechniquesthenexttimetheyfaceaverytoughproblemthatneedstobesolvedfast.
InterviewbyGennaWeiss(mailto:genna.weiss@sixsigmaiq.com)
Contributor:HaDao(/contributors/497hadao/)

(/contributors/497
hadao/)

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Itstimeforanewdiaperchangingprocess

Learningfroma"failfast,failoften"culture

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AndrewParrisCongratulations,Diana,andawarmwelcometo

TomGIhavereadmanyarticlesontheimportanceofleaving

Owen!Blessingstothefamilyinthejoyfuladventureof

fearbehindandembracingtheinevitablemistakesthat

InnovationvsContinuousImprovement

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LotharKochActually,thatisnotwhathashappene,historically.

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