Visual Six Sigma: Making Data Analysis Lean

5.6. Revising Knowledge

At this point, Jane is confident that she has identified a number of Hot Xs. She is ready to move on to the Revise Knowledge step of the Visual Six Sigma Data Analysis Process.

To find conditions that will optimize the pricing process, as well as to ensure that no significant Xs have been overlooked, Jane decides that she will involve her team members and a larger group of sales representatives in discussing her observations and conclusions and in suggesting ways to improve the pricing process. After all, the sales representatives are the ones working with the pricing management process on a daily basis, and Jane knows that their knowledge and support will be critical when she moves into the imminent improvement phase of this project.

Once this is accomplished, Jane will meet with Bill to formulate an improvement plan. She intends to monitor pricing over a short pilot period in a limited market segment to verify that the improvement plan will lead to sustainable benefits before changes are institutionalized.

5.6.1. Identifying Optimal Strategies

Jane sets up a number of workshops where she presents the findings of her data analysis. She is delighted and even surprised by the enthusiastic feedback that she receives. Typical comments are:

• "I really like what you showed me.... It's simple to understand and tells a really clear story."

• "I've been frustrated for a while. Now at last I can see what is going on."

• "At last—someone prepared to listen to us—we've ...