What is Six Sigma?
Six Sigma is a rigorous, focused and highly effective implementation of proven quality principles and
techniques.
• The word Sigma is a statistical term that measures how far a given process deviates from perfection.
• The central idea behind Six Sigma:
• If you can measure how many “defects” you have in a process, you can systematically figure out
how to eliminate them and get as close to “zero defects” as possible and specifically it means a
failure rate of 3.4 parts per million or 99.9997% perfect.
• A Six Sigma defect is defined as anything outside of customer specifications, the strategic intention of the
business or organizational goal.
• The fundamental objective of the Six Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement based six sigma levels strategy that focuses on process improvement and variation reduction through the application of Six Sigma improvement projects.
• This is accomplished through the use of Six Sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC, DMADV DFSS, etc.
As a Philosophy
The philosophical perspective views all work as processes that can be defined, measured, analyzed, improved and controlled.
• Processes require inputs (x) and produce outputs (y).
• If you control the inputs, you will control the outputs. This is generally expressed as y = f(x).sixsigma awareness training
As a Set of Tools
The Six Sigma expert uses qualitative and quantitative techniques to drive process improvement. A few such tools include:
• statistical process control (SPC),
• control charts,
• failure mode and effects analysis,
• process mapping.
• Pareto diagram
• Cause and effect evaluation
• Affinity diagram
• Correlation and regression analysis
• Six Sigma professionals do not totally agree as to exactly which tools
constitute the set.