Como empezar six sigma

How Do I Get Started? by Staff Writer

One of the most frequently asked questions about Six Sigma is simply "How do I get started?" Although it's not difficult to learn about the world of Black Belts, DMAIC, and sigma-level calculations, figuring out exactly how to enter into that world can be perplexing. If you suspect that Six Sigma might be for you, what are the first steps you should taketo find out for certain?
First understand that, for the most part, companies, not individuals, get involved in Six Sigma. While individuals can take courses at colleges, via the Internet, or through some specialized training firms, it's impossible to get the practice you will need without having actual projects to run. To make a real start, you need to belong to and gain the support of a companythat can implement a Six Sigma program.
Other than the necessity of a company affiliation, there are no firm or universal prerequisites to pursuing Six Sigma. Some statistical knowledge helps, as does familiarity with quality principles and a thorough understanding of the processes you wish to improve. Virtually any employee from any department, however, can succeed in a Six Sigma trainingprogram, becoming a Green Belt, Black Belt, or Champion, as long as he or she has the willingness and ability to learn. 
Step 1: Research
At this early point, focus your research efforts on gaining a solid understanding of what Six Sigma is capable of achieving. Avoid handbooks and textbooks that go into detail on the methodology and its application—these resources will be useful for your Black Beltsand Green Belts once your implementation has begun. Try to accumulate a few books or articles that fall under each of the following categories:
• General introductions to Six Sigma. Read one or two introductory books that describe the methodology in basic terms, address the questions of who should consider Six Sigma and why, and offer insight on how to prepare for an implementation. You caneasily find these books in your local public or university library, as well as through popular retailers. These discussions tend to remain generalized rather than offering very specific examples or evidence of Six Sigma at work, so you’ll want to continue your own research in that direction. 
• Examples of organizations that practice Six Sigma and the projects they conduct. Articles publishedin trade journals or business magazines, or on sites like this one, will offer detailed descriptions of programs and projects and give you a better idea of how Six Sigma works at real companies. Larger Six Sigma organizations, like GE and Honeywell, have space on their Web sites devoted to their Six Sigma programs. To find printed articles, try searching the electronic databases (e.g., EBSCO,ProQuest, or more industry-specific databases like IEEE Xplore) at your local public or university library.
• Documented savings and performance results. Again, individual articles in periodicals and on Web sites are good sources for learning about specific organizations’ Six Sigma results. The case studies on this site, for example, walk you step-by-step through projects and explain how resultsare achieved. Be alert to seemingly inflated claims of savings or unrealistic successes, but don't let skepticism interfere too much with your progress. Analyze your research findings more closely if you decide to implement your own program.
When you feel that you have a basic understanding of what Six Sigma is and what it can do, it’s time to turn your attention inward. Examine your ownaspirations and your organization’s performance to determine whether Six Sigma might be appropriate at this time. Don’t worry about analyzing actual business metrics yet. You’ll do a more rigorous self-assessment as a first step if you decide to implement.  
• Is there a need for Six Sigma? Think about the behaviors of your customers and any feedback you have received. Are they satisfied? Are they...