The Challenge: Oakley Headquarters at One Icon in Foothill Ranch, California, faced a challenge with its new Six Sigma Black Belts. Although the company had three Black Belts, they required additional skills development and guidance to enhance their effectiveness in implementing Six Sigma methodologies.
Insights: Recognizing the need for skills development, Carlos Conejo took on the role of Master Black Belt to guide Oakley’s Black Belts through a 13-week course. Projects were selected in 12 different areas of the company. The insight was to divide the projects strategically among the Black Belts, focusing on areas such as the Paint Line, Lens Coatings Lab, Quality Lab, Prescription Lab, and New Product Introduction.
The Solution: Carlos enlisted each of Oakley’s Black Belts, dividing and conquering the project management aspects. The 13-week course covered a comprehensive range of Lean Six Sigma principles. Projects were executed simultaneously across different departments, allowing for a holistic approach to improvement. The collaborative effort aimed at improving processes in critical areas of Oakley’s operations.
The Results: The impact of Carlos Conejo’s guidance and the Black Belts’ efforts was profound. Significant improvements were observed across all projects, with many showing a remarkable 50% or more improvement! Notably, the lead time in the prescription area was reduced from 5 days to 2 days in order to meet Lens Crafters Customer Service level needs and compete effectively with Maui Jim’s, who already boasted a lead time of only 2 days. The projects not only delivered $12 Million in improvements, but also elevated the Lean Six Sigma knowledge and data analysis capabilities of Oakley’s Black Belts, making them more adept at driving continuous improvement within the organization. The collaborative and strategic approach under Carlos Conejo, Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt’s, guidance showcased the effectiveness of Lean Six Sigma in achieving measurable and impactful outcomes.
