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Ford Maximizes Six Sigma Efforts with Micrografx Solutions

2 October 2000

Ford Maximizes Six Sigma Efforts with Micrografx Solutions; Vehicle Manufacturer Deploying iGrafx Solutions to Black Belts Worldwide

    DALLAS--Oct. 2, 2000--Micrografx, Inc. solutions play a key role in Ford Motor Company's enterprise-wide Six Sigma quality initiative.
    Late last year, Ford launched its Consumer Driven Six Sigma program, which will be implemented in all of the company's divisions, including engineering, manufacturing, sales and service. Six Sigma is a proven methodology used to reduce the defects and risk in business processes and products, resulting in increased customer satisfaction, efficiency, and ultimately higher revenues and profits.
    Under a newly formed global agreement, Ford will deploy a combination of Micrografx solutions including iGrafx Process and iGrafx FlowCharter Professional. Additionally, the iGrafx solutions will be incorporated as part of Ford's standard Six Sigma toolkit for all black belts and master black belts worldwide. Ford plans to train thousands of Six Sigma experts, or black belts, with continued rollout through the company in the years to come.
    "Deploying effective software solutions is a key step in the successful implementation of a Six Sigma initiative," said Dr. Mikel Harry, founder of the Six Sigma Academy and cofounder of the Six Sigma Design Institute. He added, "In choosing the Micrografx six sigma business solutions for its black belts, Ford has selected a high-quality and easy-to-use product that will facilitate the elimination of process and product defects company-wide and thereby increase customer satisfaction. We have also selected the Micrografx six sigma business solutions as the standard for our Design for Six Sigma initiative in order to maximize knowledge transfer and ease of use for product, process and service designers."
    In addition to deploying iGrafx solutions, Ford is working with the Micrografx Training and Consulting Services Group. This group is providing experience and expertise in the implementation of a series of pilot projects to increase the overall value of the six sigma methodology incorporated into iGrafx.
    "By working with our Training and Consulting Services Group, Ford gains the benefit of our experience and is increasing the effectiveness of their initiative," said John Carradine, CFO for Micrografx.