About Lean Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma is a business philosophy focusing on breakthrough improvement and incorporates Lean Manufacturing tools with Six Sigma methodologies. Lean Six Sigma focuses on reducing variability in a process. In a service or manufacturing environment, a Lean Six Sigma process would be virtually defect free. In one million operations of a process, Six Sigma allows only 3.4 defects. Most companies operate at three sigma, which allows 66,807 defects per million opportunities.
The Six Sigma method is based on the DMAIC model:
- Define: What is the problem?
- Measure: How bad is the problem?
- Analyze: What is causing the problem?
- Improve: How can we fix the problem?
- Control: How can we keep it fixed?
Six Sigma began in the 1980s when Motorola set out to reduce the number of defects in its own products. Motorola identified ways to improve quality, reduce variability in production time and costs, cut waste, and focus on how the products were designed and made. Six Sigma grew from this proactive initiative of using exact measurements to anticipate problem areas. In 1988, Motorola was selected as the first large manufacturing company to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. As a result, Motorola's methodologies became known and were adopted by major American corporations. Today, companies who use the Six Sigma methodology achieve significant cost reductions and customer satisfaction.