Six Sigma in the design of new products and services

In the 1980s, Six Sigma started out as a process that could improve quality and save costs. After the success story of Motorola, leading companies like GE and Honeywell adopted Six Sigma principles to good effect. In the 1990s, the Six Sigma was practiced in non-manufacturing applications, such as software development and financial services. The focus now was to use Six Sigma in designing a new product by taking customer CTQs into consideration from the beginning of the process.

In line with this trend, Six Sigma is now being implemented in programs such as Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), Voice of the Customer (VoC), and new methods to compile customer intelligence including market research, focus groups, and ethnographic research. Usability Views reports:

Originally intended for manufacturing processes improvement, Six Sigma concepts have now been adapted to design new products and services.