WHAT IS SIX SIGMA?

Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects in an
A Philosophy
A Metric
A Methodology

make fewer mistakes in all that we do.

A measuring system for process performance
To improve process performance by improving quality and reducing cos

THE GOALS OF SIX SIGMA

To enhance Customer Satisfaction
To improve Product Quality
To reduce Waste
To reduce Cost and improve Yield
To improve the Financial Performance

SIX SIGMA AT VARIOUS MANAGEMENT LEVELS

Executives at the business level can use Six Sigma for improving market share, increa

Managers at operations level can use Six Sigma to improve yield and reduce the labou

At the process level engineers can use Six Sigma to reduce defects and variation and

STRUCTURED METHODOLOGY
This is accomplished through the use of two Six Sigma sub-methodologies: DMAIC and

The Six Sigma DMAIC process (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) is an im
DMAIC
Define the project goals and customer (internal and external) deliverables
Measure the process to determine current performance
Analyze and determine the root cause(s) of the defects
Improve the process by eliminating defects
Control future process performance

When To Use DMAIC

The DMAIC methodology, should be used when a product or process is in existence at your co

The Six Sigma DMADV process (define, measure, analyze, design, verify) is an imp
DMADV
Define the project goals and customer (internal and external) deliverables
Measure and determine customer needs and specifications

 Analyze the process options to meet the customer needs

Design (detailed) the process to meet the customer needs
Verify the design performance and ability to meet customer needs

When To Use DMADV

A product or process is not in existence at your company and one needs to be developed
The existing product or process exists and has been optimized (using either DMAIC or not) an

- Human elements required for 6 Sigma

Strong leadership
Training
Customer focus
Project teams
Culture change
- Process elements required for 6 Sigma
Analysis of variation
Disciplined approach
Quantitative measures
Statistical methods
Process improvement

SIGMA LEVEL
The Term Sigma () is used to designate the distribution or spread about the mean (average
The Sigma Capability (Z-Value) is a metric that indicates how well that process is performing.
A process at Three Sigma level is expected to produce 99.73% observations within the specifi
when there is no shift of process mean from the target value.

Normal Distribution with mean shifted by 1.5

Sigma from the target
Sigma
Poor

Average

Excellent

1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
5.5
6.0

Probablility of Probability of
a Defect
a Success
500000
50.00000%
50.00000%
308538
30.85380%
69.14620%
158655
15.86550%
84.13450%
66807
6.68070%
93.31930%
22750
2.27500%
97.72500%
6210
0.62100%
99.37900%
1350
0.13500%
99.86500%
233
0.02330%
99.97670%
32
0.00320%
99.99680%
3.4
0.00034%
99.99966%
DPMO

Topic
Improvement
Justification
Main Savings
Learning
Project Selection
Project Length
Driver
Complexity

Six Sigma
Reduce variation
Six sigma (3.4 DPMO)
Cost of poor quality
Curve
Various approaches
2 - 6 months
Data
High

Lean
Reduce waste
Speed (velocity)
Operating costs
Long Short
Value stream mapping
1 Week - 3 months
Demand
Moderate

minating defects in any process from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service.

uality and reducing cost

market share, increasing profitability and organizations long term viability.

and reduce the labour and material cost.

ts and variation and improve process capability leading to better customer satisfaction

ologies: DMAIC and DMADV.

ove, control) is an improvement system for existing processes and looking for incremental improve

in existence at your company but is not meeting customer specification or is not performing adequately.

gn, verify) is an improvement system used to develop new processes or products at Six Sigma qual

ds to be developed
either DMAIC or not) and still doesn't meet the level of customer specification or six sigma level

out the mean (average) of any process or procedure.

process is performing. The higher is Sigma Capability (Z) the better is the process.
ations within the specification limits and 0.27% (2700 PPM) observations as non-conformance,

Normal Distribution Centered at the Target

Specification
Limits
1 Sigma
2 Sigma
3 Sigma
4 Sigma
5 Sigma
6 Sigma

Percent Inside
Specifications
68.27%
95.45%
99.73%
99.9937%
99.9999430%
99.9999998%

ppmdefective
317311
45500
2700
63
0.57
0.002

Normal Distribution with mean

Sigma from the targ
Specification
Limits
1 Sigma
2 Sigma
3 Sigma
4 Sigma
5 Sigma
6 Sigma

duct to service.

mer satisfaction

g for incremental improvement.

performing adequately.

products at Six Sigma quality levels.

x sigma level

onformance,

al Distribution with mean shifted by 1.5

Sigma from the target
Percent Inside
Specifications
30.23%
69.12%
93.32%
99.3790%
99.9767%
99.9997%

ppmdefective
697672
308770
66811
6210
233
3.4

44.26%
21.64%
9.29%
3.75%
1.46%