Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools for process improvement, originally developed by Motorola in 1986. It aims to improve the quality of process outputs by identifying and removing the causes of defects and minimizing variability in manufacturing and business processes. The term “Six Sigma” refers to the goal of achieving a process that produces no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities, which corresponds to a process that is six standard deviations away from the mean.

A five-step procedure is used to improve process performance, known as DMAIC:

1. Define: Identify the problem, project goals, and customer requirements.
2. Measure: Collect data and determine current process performance.
3. Analyze: Identify root causes of defects and opportunities for improvement.
4. Improve: Develop and implement solutions to address root causes.
5. Control: Monitor the improved process to ensure that gains are maintained.