Six Sigma

What is Six Sigma?

 Six Sigma is a data-driven and highly disciplined methodology focused on process improvement and variation reduction.

It aims to

• Reduce variation.
• Reduce defects.

Origin – Six Sigma was first developed and popularized by Motorola in the 1980s. It was created by engineer Bill Smith while he worked at Motorola and initially focused on improving manufacturing processes. Later, it gained wider recognition and was popularized by companies like General Electric under the leadership of Jack Welch.

Key Goals – Reducing defects, improving quality, and Enhancing efficiency.

Key Principles of Six Sigma: DMAIC

• Define
• Measure
• Analyze
• Improve
• Control

Define – In this phase, the project team defines the problem, the project’s scope and its objectives. They also identify the customers’ requirements and expectations. It’s crucial to clearly coherent the problem and establish a project charter.

• Project charter
• SIPOC
• CTQ (CTQ Tree)
• CTQ Specification
  • Measure
  • Defect definition
  • KANO status

Measure – Once the problem is defined, the team collects data and measures the current process to quantify its performance. This phase involves identifying key process metrics and creating a baseline to understand the process’s current state.

• Data collection Plan
• Measurement system analysis
• Data Collection
• Basic statistics
• Graphical summary
• Baseline evaluation

Analyze – In the Analyze phase, the team analyzes the data so collected to identify the root causes of the problem. Various statistical and analytical tools are used to identify the areas where the process can be improved.

• Process analysis
• Data analysis
• Cause and Effect diagram
• Cause validation
• Collect data and perform suitable analysis to identify root causes

 Improve – After identifying the root causes, the team now focuses on generating and implementing solutions to address these issues. The aim is to make improvements in the process based on data-driven decisions. Processes like experimentation and testing may be used to find the most effective solutions.

• Solution generation
• Risk analysis
• Piloting
• Evaluation of pilot results
• Full scale implementation planning

Control – In the Control phase, the team establishes methods and tools to monitor and sustain the improvements. Control charts, standard operating procedures and ongoing data collection are put in place to ensure that the process remains stable and within acceptable limits.

• Standardisation
• Monitoring mechanism
• Before and after comparison
• Cost benefit analysis
• Project closure

DMAIC is a cyclical process and the team can go through these phases repetitively if necessary with an aim of making improvements. The main aim of DMAIC is to drive process improvements, reduce defects and enhance the quality of products or services with minimum variation.