How a company conducts improvement initiatives represents a key yardstick businesses and customers use to measure success.
All of the following programs aim to streamline, integrate, and improve operating processes. The end results should be increased efficiency, reduced costs, better products and services, higher productivity, and ultimately--a healthier, more robust bottom line.
Baldrige National Quality Program (BNQP)
Named for Malcolm Baldrige, who served as Secretary of Commerce from 1981 until his tragic death in a rodeo accident in 1987, the Baldrige Award is given by the President of the United States to businesses -- manufacturing and service, small and large -- and to education and health care organizations that apply and are judged to be outstanding in seven areas. These areas are leadership, strategic planning, customer and market focus, information and analysis, human resource focus, process management, and business results.
The Oklahoma Quality Award Foundation created the Oklahoma Quality Award in 1993 to promote and reward Performance Excellence within our state.
Modeled after the respected and prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the Oklahoma Quality Award is an important benchmark for Oklahoma companies on the path of continuous perfomance improvement.
Six Sigma
Six Sigma represents a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving towards six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process--from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service
A 40 hour (five days, eight hours per day) certification workshop is offered by the University of Oklahoma.
For more information, call 405-325-1964.
Lean Enterprises
Based initially on the Toyota Production System, "lean thinking" represents quality initiatives designed to maximize value and minimize waste. All types and sizes of organizations -- hospitals, banks, manufacturers, and grocery chains, for example -- can go lean.
The OU Lean Institute offers a wide range of training, including:
- Lean Six Sigma White Belt, Green Belt and Black Belt certification
- training in Lean, Six Sigma, 5S and Value Stream Mapping
- facilitation of rapid improvement events
Contact:
Terry Watson
405-815-5206
800-879-6552
