Queuing Theory, Process Capability and Six Sigma - Essay Example

Queuing theory refers to the body of knowledge of waiting in lines. In the service industry queuing consideration are very important in order to provide a quality service. People do not like to wait more than they have to for the delivery of a service. In the medical industry doctors utilize scheduling of visits in order to prevent long waiting times. The patients visits are scheduled at 15-30 minute intervals so that when the patient arrives the person will not have to wait long for service. The doctors that I have gone too are not too accurate in their queuing assessment. They take too many patients per day which disrupts the queuing application. In the banking industry managers utilize service tickets as a method of queuing. Once a person arrives at the bank for service they pick up a number and wait to get called. A third queuing model that I have encounter in the private industry is the use of telephony technology to provide service. Virtual organizations such as EBay utilize these types of systems. 2. “Process capability entails comparing the performance of a process against its specifications” (Nist). The process is considered capable if the output of the process is within the expected parameters. A graphical statistical tool that can be used to determine process capability is a histogram. A histogram is outside process capability if there are outliers present. A few years ago I worked at a company dedicated to manufacturing remote control airplanes. The general manager set up a process capability layout for the product. The different parts of the airplane had to comply with specific size and weight protocols. At the end of the process a quality inspector would check if the parts complied with the process capability. At that point the parts were either rejected or send forward to be packed. The process capability at this company served as the basis for a quality control mechanism. Nist.gov. Assessing Process Capability. Retrieved January 27, 2011 from http://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/ppc/section4/ppc46.htm 3. Six sigma is a term used to describe the quality goal of no more than four defects out of every million units; it also refers to a quality improvement philosophy and program (Chase & Jacobs & Aquilano, 2006). The six sigma quality control system has both benefits and disadvantages. One of the benefits of six sigma is that it allows managers to readily describe the performance of a process in terms of variability and to compare different processes using a common metric (Chase & Jacobs & Aquilano, 2006). Three additional advantages of six sigma are: It places a clear focus on achieving measurable and quantifiable financial returns to the bottom-line of an organization It utilizes the tools and techniques for fixing problems in business process in a sequential and disciplined manner It encourages the application of well-proven statistical tools and techniques for defect reduction through process variability reduction methods (Antony, 2008). Some of the challenges or cons of six sigma are: The challenge of having quality data available The right selection and prioritization of projects The application of six sigma is not viable for all types of businesses. (Antony) Antony, J. (2008). Pros and Cons of Six Sigma: An Academic Perspective. Retrieved January 27, 2011 from http://www.improvementandinnovation.com/features/articles/pros-and-cons-six-sigma-academic-perspective Antony, J. Some Pros and Cons of Six Sigma. Caledonian Business School Retrieved January 27, 2011 from http://www.qualityamerica.com/knowledgecente/articles/Antony_SomeProsandConsofSixSigma.pdf Chase, R., Jacobs,F., Aquilano, N. (2006). Operation Management for Competitive Advantage. 4. The utilization of queuing theory in your company seems to be working very well. I like the fact that in your company the managers have first hand contact with the customer while they are waiting in line. Customers feel like they are important when they are greeted by a member from the managerial staff of an enterprise. In your response you mentioned an alternate benefit of using queuing theory. Companies can use the data in order to predict how much volume of sales they are going to receive daily. The data can be analyzed to determine which days of the week and at what times does the company receive the most volume. 5. Miriam the example you mentioned of your workplace sound like an excellent queuing system. From my experience going to doctors offices it always seems like the doctors do not manage their queuing systems well. My doctor gives me an appointment for 2:00P.M., but when I arrive to his office there are usually over ten people waiting that have an appointment before me. The use of technology at your place of work created an environment in which patients do not have to wait too long. A pediatric office must be hectic because a parent always has to be present for the visit. The doctor has to deal with patient while at the same time attending to the worrying parents. 6. Queuing systems such as the one utilize in your place of work help companies accomplish their daily goals. Queuing systems are not limited to external efforts with customers. Sometimes in circumstances such as in your company managers use queuing system for internal purposes. The use of queuing can help companies planned their daily production. It is common for production to be transferred from one department to another. When such as system exist the utilization of queuing can help organize the flow of work within an enterprise. 7. Process capability deals with comparing the actual results of a firm with the projected desirable results. When there is discrepancy between the actual results and desirable results the company has issues with its process capability. The use of statistical tools can help determine whether the process capability of a firm is being met or whether it has issues. A method that may be used for evaluating process capability is the statistical graphical method knows as a histogram. In the medical profession it is essential to have consistency in the procedures and processes performed by doctors. 8. In your response you implied that in the service industry variability occurs based on the ability or talent of the human worker. This is very true in many different business scenarios. Two people may get to store at the same time. Both individual pick up a number for service. One person leaves in 10 minutes, while the second person is there for 35 minutes. The difference in the time is due to the human factor. The person attending the second customer was slow and inefficient, while the first person was served by a very good employee. 9. The fast food industry in general is extremely efficient at serving its customers. Sometimes it is amazing how fast they are able to prepare a meal for the customer. The same meal would take the customer twice or three as long to prepare if they were at home. Wendy’s a few years ago had an advertising campaign in which they claimed customer would be attended in the self-order window within two minutes. The managers of the Wendy’s had to use queuing theory in order to comply with their claim. Read More