With annual revenues of $14 billion and 78,000 employees, Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) must continually improve processes, reduce costs, and cut waste to remain competitive in the global information technology services arena. In 1998, CSC, on the advice of clients such as Raytheon and DuPont, started a grassroots Six Sigma program, a process improvement methodology that helps organizations cut costs while improving quality, customer satisfaction, and cycle times. Today, Six Sigma, along with Lean and other best quality practices, permeates the entire CSC organization.

Since 2003, Robert Bryant has been vice president of Six Sigma and Quality Assurance for CSC's Global Infrastructure Services Group. He has led more than 200 Lean/Six Sigma projects at CSC, reducing internal and client costs by more than $100 million in both hard and soft savings. According to Bryant, a Six Sigma Black Belt can save an organization about $230,000 a project. He says, "Lean/Six Sigma tools and concepts have sparked performance improvements in practically every division of our company, while helping us deliver substantial cost savings to CSC clients across industry lines."

Bryant's job includes ensuring accounts achieve quality certification, such as ISO and Malcolm Baldridge, overseeing quality certification programs for employees, improving customer satisfaction, and measuring performance. The results of the programs he leads at CSC are evident everywhere in the company. For example, CSC helped a U.S. government agency increase customer satisfaction and save $2.8 million through a continuous service improvement program.

To help clients integrate and carry out both Lean and Six Sigma, Bryant has developed a robust Lean/Six Sigma program, which trains, develops, and deploys certified experts across the globe. The company has 150 Six Sigma Blackbelts and 1,500 Six Sigma Green Belts.

On the other hand, Bryant will be the first to admit that many IT organizations, such as CSC, have begun from the ground to convince senior management to get on board with Six Sigma. In fact, Bryant recently presented "Implementing Six Sigma in IT from the Ground UP" at one of the few Six Sigma conferences devoted to IT.

Bryant has devoted a good part of his career to the arduous task of becoming an expert on more than 20 other areas of quality expertise, along with becoming a Six Sigma Master Blackbelt. However, the philosophy of quality improvement -- namely, delivering good results -- also permeates other aspects of Bryant's life. Despite a several physical disability, he persevered as he trekked mile after mile on a row cycle across the U.S. This feat earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and national media attention. Bryant is also a licensed minister who has written three inspirational books. Despite his busy professional schedule, he finds time to do motivational speaking throughout the year.

Now, join Robert Bryant as he talks about what role Six Sigma plays at CSC, why you should become certified in Six Sigma, why medium size companies are slow to adopt Six Sigma for IT, how to select process improvement tools, and just how to survive the daily ups and downs in life.

Bio

Robert Bryant is vice president of quality, process improvement and the Six Sigma Master Blackbelt for Computer Sciences Corporation. He has lead than 200 Six Sigma projects at CSC. His job includes ensuring accounts achieve quality certification, such as ISO and Malcolm Baldridge, improving customer satisfaction, and measuring performance. In addition to Six Sigma, Bryant 20 other areas of quality expertise include the Capacity Maturity Model Integrated Auditor, Value Stream Mapping, LEAN, Process Mapping, Quality Functional Deployment, Root Cause/Risk Analysis, and Analysis of Variation. Besides being involved in technology, he is also a licensed minister and has written three inspirational books. A physically disability did not keep Bryant from completing a 3,200-mile trek across America on a row cycle. This endeavor earned him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records and nationwide press coverage. Three days after this event, the flag flew over  the Capital in Washington in his honor.

Resources

CSC's Lean/Six  Sigma Program Delivers Better Processes, Less Waste

Production Credits

Elizabeth Ferrarini, Producer
Dana  Farver, Executive Producer, Communities Editor-in-Chief
Tom  Parish, Audio Producer, Show Host
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Scott Ebner, Web Developer