Unraveling Six Sigma

They are all methods that help reduce redundancy and waste in business processes. Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, and Kaizen are all proven techniques that help save on cost and generate fast returns on investment. Starting with Six Sigma, let’s take a brief tour around the principles and techniques that each method uses, and the benefits that accrue from their implementation.

Six Sigma principles and techniques include:

• Reduction in variation
• Regression analysis
• Variance analysis (ANOVA)
• Design/Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (MAIC)
• Focus on the project
• Measurement system assessment
• Statistical process control
• Stability of processes
• Response Surface Methodology (RSM)
• Evolutionary Operation (EVOP)
• Design of experiments
• Taguchi Methods
• Yellow, green, black, and master black belts
• Root cause analysis and tests of hypothesis
• Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Watch this space for a detailed explanation of each of these principles. In the meantime though, let’s take a look at the benefits that arise from practicing Six Sigma methods:

• Fifty percent decrease in costs
• Reduction in the waste chain
• Better grasp of the needs of customers
• Improvement in delivery and quality performance
• Provision of critical process inputs to keep up with varying customer demands
• Development of robust products and processes
• Improvements with available internal resources