Six Sigma Part 1: Introduction

Six Sigma is a statistical method developed to reduce errors in manufacturing products in the industry. The buzzword of quality management was introduced by Motorola company in 1986. Over the years, error reduction has increased with the advancement of technology and automation in the manufacturing process.

Six Sigma consists of the statistical terminology “sigma” or “σ” known as standard deviation, denoting deviation of absolute value from the actual value. As the level of sigma increases (from one to six), the deviation from the actual value also decreases. For example, the three-sigma level has 93.32% accuracy, while the six-sigma level has 99.9996% accuracy.

Key Principles of Six Sigma (article from simplilearn):

The central concept of Six Sigma is to reduce error and deliver near-perfect goods to the customer. It serves five critical principles for reduction of error and producing near-perfect goods, which are as follows:

[1] Focus on the customer: In Industry, it is a common belief that the end customer is the king. All the new changes in the inventory, warehouse, and manufacturing processes increase customer satisfaction with the product.

 

[2] Identify the Problem: The first step in eliminating junk is to identify it. The error can be due to the manufacturing process, method of automation, quality management issues, etc. The manager has to streamline the process to identify the errors and eliminate them.

[3] Remove the junk altogether: If you can locate the junk and the reason for its cause, work to remove or eliminate them. If you cannot identify junk in the product, look for the change in process, machines, or automation technique to remove the junk.

[4] Keep the ball rolling: Involve all the stakeholders since the error can have a significant impact on the organization's operation. Involve people with specialized training in the processes involved to get the best output possible.

[5] Ensure a flexible and responsive ecosystem: The process of six Sigma affects all the parts of the business, from raw material to final product delivery. Hence, a flexible and responsive ecosystem will allow the entire process to be performed smoothly. 

 

Methodology of Six Sigma:

There are two essential methodologies of Six Sigma- DMADV and DMAIC.

DMAIC stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and control. It is applied to manufacturing the product or the delivery of service.

DMADV stands for Define, measure, analyze, design, and validate. It is applied to design and redesign different product manufacturing or service delivery processes.

This methodology uses various techniques for implementing Six Sigma, which we will explain in the coming blogs. 

There are five different levels of Six Sigma- White belt, yellow belt, green belt, black belt, and master black belt.