ISO 18404: Quantitative methods in process improvement
ISO 18404: Quantitative methods in process improvement - Six Sigma -: Competencies for key personnel and their organizations in relation to Six Sigma and Lean implementation.[1].[edit]
Overview[edit]
ISO 18404 is an international management system standard, which offers certification for both Six Sigma and Lean, and Lean & Six Sigma combined.
The British Standards Institute (BSI), the national standards body of the United Kingdom, led the technical development and publication of this standard. ISO 18404 provides the competency based framework that both organisations and individuals can be assessed and certified by. These competencies are based on core abilities expected for current industry accepted roles and levels. Certification is achieved through assessment against the Royal Statistical Society’s Sector Scheme (RSS 18404[2]). Certification for organisations is based on their management system for undertaking Six Sigma or Lean methodologies.
The Standard and Scheme covers the requirements for:
- Six Sigma: Green Belts, Black Belts and Master Black Belts;
- Lean: Practitioners, Leaders and Experts;
- As well as, combined Lean & Six Sigma competencies.
ISO 18404 is intended for use across business sectors; such as, manufacturing, finance, construction, health care, utilities and public services. The standard aim is to provide a single international defined framework of competencies that all groups can use to ensure they provide high quality services with high competent employees. To achieve this, the standard provides in detailed tables with the level of competencies required at each level: These are published in the Standard’s Annexes[3].
Authors and ownership[edit]
- The International Standards Organization (ISO) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. The work is a collaboration from international organizations, governmental and non-governmental bodies.
- The British Standards Institute (BSI) is a core partner with ISO. BSI is the national standards body of the United Kingdom and a globally recognised leader, which underpinned through its prestigious Royal Charter. BSI led the technical development of ISO 18404 through its MS/6 Technical Committee: Methodologies for business process improvement using statistical methods[4]
- The Royal Statistical Society (RSS) is the owner of the Sector Scheme, called RSS 18404. It is responsible for its overall operations, maintenance of the Scheme, and the qualification and monitoring of the participating certification bodies. Organisations in the UK can be certified against ISO 18404 through the RSS 18404 Scheme. The Scheme is the only way organisations and individuals can be certified against ISO 18404 in the UK. Thus the Scheme provides a level of assurance on the skills of certified Six Sigma and Lean professionals and on organisational level best practices, which were not previously available.
ISO Standards Group[edit]
ISO 18404 is part of the Lean Six Sigma group of standards designed to improve processes, reduce waste and enhance customer satisfaction. These are: Lean Six Sigma methodology (ISO 13053-1:2011); Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques (ISO 13053-2:2011); and appropriate competencies for key personnel and their organizations (ISO 18404). Both parts of ISO 13053 provide important components to building the overall competencies in ISO 18404.
The Lean Six Sigma group of standards continue to develop: with the recent BSI publication BS 8624 Continual improvement – Methods for quantification – Guide; and revisions to 13053-1 under way and 13053-2 planned. In addition, ISO provide a wide portfolio of management systems standards that compliment and underpin this group; such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
Levels[edit]
ISO 18404 defines the requirements for the attainment of specific levels of competency with regards to Six Sigma, Lean, and Lean & Six Sigma in their organisations and individuals. The levels covered are: Green Belt and Lean Practitioners; Black Belt and Lean Leader; Master Black Belt and Lean Expert.
Yellow Belt is not covered in ISO 18404, although may be considered as part of the revision (second edition). Also, the standard excludes Design for Six Sigma.
How to Become Certified[edit]
Both organisations and individual Lean and Six Sigma professionals can be certified under ISO 18404 based on the Royal Statistical Society UK’s official certification Scheme (RSS 18404[2]). This is currently being evaluated by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as the basis for accredited certification. Organisational certification of the organisation’s management system for Lean and/or Six Sigma implementation is similar in nature to all management system certification under ISO standards, such as for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001. Certification is on a three year cycle, with annual surveillance. Certification should be undertaken only by an accredited certification body which is participating in the Scheme. Currently, BSI is leading as the pilot certification body for this, but ultimately certification will be possible by any certification body that has signed up for the Scheme and is appropriately accredited by an IAF member accreditation body. Whilst certification might be offered by other bodies, this will not have the same levels of recognition or rigour.
The certification bodies participating in the Scheme have certain obligations and necessary requirements, particularly in reporting. Lead Auditors must have undergone additional specialist training provided by the Royal Statistical Society[5]. Certification of an organisation under ISO 18404 requires prior certification of some key employees as Lean and/or Six Sigma professionals by the Royal Statistical Society, its overseas designated partners or, to a limited extent, approved training organisations under the Scheme. Such certification is available to candidates whether or not they are from a certified organisation, but the typical three year duration of certification is reduced to one year if they are not from an already ISO 18404 certified organisation. Such individual certification is entirely based on assessment of competence, as this is the defined basis for qualification contained in ISO 18404. Competences are assessed through submission of a portfolio of evidence of practice based on the competency requirements in the Annexes to ISO 18404. In addition, candidates attend an actual, or live virtual, assessment centre at which they present, are interviewed in detail and undertake a written test.
Whilst alleged certification for individuals against ISO 18404 requirements has been offered by some other bodies, this is specifically not recognised under the Scheme and in some cases is exam based, in conflict with the competency requirements defined in ISO 18404 itself. Certified organisations under the Scheme can themselves certify their own Green Belts and Lean Practitioners, the lowest of the three levels of Lean and Six Sigma professionals in ISO 18404. These are certified on a one year cycle. Similarly, annual surveillance of the middle level of professionals, Black Belts and Lean Leaders, is also carried out by the certified organisation.
History[edit]
- Draft ISO/DIS 18404:2014(E): 2014-12-10
- ISO Member Consultation Open: 2014-12-10
- ISO Member Consultation Closed: 2015-02-10
- ISO Public Consultation Closed: 2015-03-12
- First edition of ISO 18404:2015(E) published: 2015-12-01
- Second edition of ISO 18404 is planned.
Applications / Case Studies[edit]
- Gilbert & Goode Construction, Cornwall: Construction Training Group and Acorn Blue. http://www.gilbertandgoode.co.uk/home.php[6][7]
- Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA); the first government entity worldwide to achieve ISO 18404. https://www.dewa.gov.ae/en/about-us/media-publications/latest-news/2019/07/dewa-is-the-first-government-organisation
Relationship to other ISO / BS standards[edit]
The following referenced documents are essential for the application of ISO 18404.
- ISO 13053-1, Quantitative methods in process improvement – Six Sigma – Part 1: DMAIC methodology.
- ISO 13053-2, Quantitative methods in process improvement – Six Sigma – Part 2: Tools and techniques.
- ISO 9001:2015, sets out the criteria for a quality management system, whose certification is linked to ISO 18404.
- ISO 14001:2015, Environmental management Systems (EMS).
- BS 8624. Continual improvement - Methods for quantification
Other Associated Standards[edit]
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
- BS 5700, Guide to the selection of charting methods and capability assessment for use in statistical process control
- BS EN ISO 9001, Quality management systems – Requirements
- ISO 13485, Medical devices – Quality management systems – Requirements for regulatory purposes
- ISO 14001, Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
- ISO/IEC 27001, Information technology – Security techniques – Information security management systems – Requirements
- ISO 22514-5, Statistical methods in process management – Capability and performance – Part 5: Process capability estimates and performance for attributive characteristics
- ISO 45001, Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
Notes[edit]
- Six Sigma (a trade mark of Motorola, Inc.)
External Links[edit]
- https://www.iso.org/
- https://www.bsigroup.com/
- https://rss.org.uk/
- https://www.iso.org/standard/62405.html
- https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:18404:ed-1:v1:en
References[edit]
- ↑ "ISO 18404: Abstract". Unknown parameter
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additional references and citations[edit]
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