Six Sigma is a tool for quality improvement. Its main objective is to design and systematize a process or processes in order to eliminate defects and inefficiency. It was originally invented by Motorola, USA in the year 1980s. Later on, it has become popular in the corporate world due to its effectiveness and proficiency.
Six Sigma aims to give incomparable performance, high value and extremely reliable products or services to its target customers. It is considered to be one of the most powerful tool in Total Quality Management.
Though Six Sigma is developed and designed especially for Quality Control, it is also used in many different ways. These include:
– Improving communications with customers, employees and shareholders and;
– Improving the total process of interaction, communication and product design.
Why should Six Sigma be adopted?
– It defines a concrete process for a certain problem.
– Six Sigma is usually adopted since it is a proven tool to solve problems or issues.
– Six Sigma is proven to be consistent with its results.
– It focuses on the bottom line that entails credibility from the top of the organization.
When should Six Sigma be used? And what is six sigma used for?
– It should be used when there is a need to define an unknown cause or situation.
– When issues are not well defined.
– When other approaches to address the issue is inappropriate
– When other problem solving tools fail
– When the situation is complex and has many variables
Six Sigma in layman’s term is a scientific approach to problem solving as it uses data in dealing with all sorts of problem. It is a quantifiable approach in addressing problems.
As mentioned above, Six Sigma has many uses and approach to achieve zero (0) defect/complaint and can be applied to different sectors of industry. Six Sigma is a statistical representation of how processes are performing. Six Sigma defect is defined to anything that is outside of the customer specification. Quality of products and service are improved in order to lessen complaint and achieve total customer satisfaction. All these matter most in Six Sigma application.
As a summary, Six Sigma is used to:
– Maximize customer satisfaction by minimizing defects
– Define and Improve processes
– Improve quality and achieve a zero defect performance
– To Design and redesign processes
– Process management
– To measure data to accurately know how the process is working or whether the quality of the products is in competence level.
– Used in analyzing what are the cause or what is the root cause of a certain defect or issue.
– Improve areas, steps and aspects that need to be improved for a better way of life.
– Control all the designed and implemented processes in order to prevent the old problem from recurring and enjoy the fruits of the improvement made.
Six Sigma is a not a quality tools that should be stopped once a problem is already cured. It is a continuous process for a continuous improvement.
So hopefully by now you see what is six sigma used for.