What is Six Sigma?

Description

Six Sigma is a quality

management methodology
that provides businesses
with the tools to improve
the capability of their
business processes. This
increase in performance
and decrease in process
variation lead to defect
reduction and
improvement in profits,
employee morale and
quality of product. It is a
quality measure and
improvement program
that was pioneered by
Mikel Harry and
Motorola. It focuses on
the control of a process
until the point of six
sigma (standard
deviations) from a
centerline, or 3.4 defects
per million items. It
includes identifying
factors which are critical
for the quality as
determined by the
customer. It reduces
process variation and
improvement capabilities,
increases stability and
designs systems to
support the six sigma
goal.
The Six Sigma model is a
highly disciplined
approach that can help
companies to focus on
developing and delivering
near-perfect products and
services. It is based on the
statistical work of Joseph
Juran, a Rumanian-born
US pioneer of quality
management. The word
"Sigma" is a Greek sign
used for a statistical term
that measures how far a
given process deviates
from perfection (standards
deviation). If the sigma
number is higher, you are
closer to perfection. One
sigma is not very good; six
sigma is defined as only
3.4 defects per million.
The central idea behind
Six Sigma is that if you
can measure how many
"defects" you have in a
process, you can
systematically figure out
how you can eliminate
them. Thus you can almost
come to "zero defects".

The Japanese origin of Six

Sigma can still be seen by
the system of "belts"
which it uses. If you are
new to Six Sigma and you
go on a basic training, you
get a green belt. Anyone
who has the responsibility
for leading a Six Sigma
team is called a black belt.
Finally there is a special
elite group called Master
Black Belts who supervise
the Black Belts.

Five Steps in Six Sigma. Process

Typically, a Six Sigma process has the following five stages:

1. Definition. The first step in any Six Sigma project is to clarify the problem and narrow
its scope in such a way that measurable goals can be achieved within a few months. Then
a team is assembled to examine the process in detail, suggest improvements, and
implement those recommendations. In the manufacturing world, project managers and
their sponsors typically begin by defining what constitutes a defect and then establish a
set of objectives designed to reduce the occurrence of such defects.
2. Measurement. In the second step of a Six Sigma project, the team gathers data and
prepares it for high-level analysis.
3. Analysis. Once a process has been mapped and documented, and the quality of the hard
supporting data has been verified, the Six Sigma team can begin the analysis. The team
members usually start by identifying the ways in which people fail to act as needed, or by
identifying the ways in which people fail to ensure effective control at each stage.
4. Improvement. Recommend, decide and implement improvements.
5. Control. In the final stage of a Six Sigma project, the team creates controls. These are
enabling the company to sustain and extend the improvements.