What is Six Sigma?

SIGMA is a set of methodologies used by businesses to achieve an extremely low failure rate in any process. The term comes from the mathematical use of Sigma in statistics as a standard deviation. Six sigma is therefore six standard deviations. In practice, due to drift plus or minus 1.5, this condition actually means less than 3.4 failures per million. It is an extremely low failure rate, but has been shown in industry over the past 20 years. Its insistence on a high level of quality control and subsequent justification, when Motorola reached these levels, led to the spread of the system throughout the production world. Since then, the basics of the system have been successfully applied in many other areas of business, including customer service, transaction business and service industry.

The term failure is defined in every industry and product line and simply means a defect that customers consider critical. Six Sigma attempts to reduce these defects to a level below 3.4 failures per million.

There are two main methodologies in Sigma. The first is the DMAIC process: define, measure, analyze, improve, control. The second is the DMADV process: define, measure, analyze, design, verify. DMAIC is used for already established processes that do not meet the specifications of the system to help bring them to the threshold. DMADV is used to develop new products or processes to ensure that they meet the world at six sigma quality.

There are three main certification levels of six sigma championships: green belts, black belts and master black belts. To achieve each evaluation, the person must undergo extensive traning in the techniques and methodologists of the system and then pass the certification test. According to some research, black belts will save companies on an average of $ 200,000 to $ 300,000 (USD) for a project and are able to complete up to six projects a year.

General Electric is a poster-liThe Six Sigma movement, with estimated savings of over $ 10 billion USD for the first five years after the implementation since 1995. Their determination to reduce the change of each transaction from implementation led not only to increased profits, but also to improved public image and customer relationship.

SIX SIGMA values ​​are direct and incredibly useful for businesses of all sizes. By tirelessly focusing on the quality and decrease in product consistency changes, the system promises better business.