Six Sigma 3-14-25

Six Sigma is a quality assurance methodology that helps businesses improve their processes and products. The goal is to reduce defects and errors, and to increase customer satisfaction.  

How does Six Sigma work? 

1.    Define the process or service

2.    Measure how the process is performing

3.    Analyze what's going wrong

4.    Improve the process

5.    Control the process to ensure performance

Six Sigma benefits Improved customer satisfaction, Increased profits, Improved employee morale, and Improved product and service quality. 

Six Sigma applications

Six Sigma is often used in manufacturing, but can also be applied to other industries, such as tech. 

Six Sigma certification

Six Sigma certification is available at various levels, including Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt. 

Six Sigma and AI

AI can be used to help with data analysis, process automation, and predictive modeling. 

The term Six Sigma originates from statistical quality control, a reference to the fraction of a normal curve that lies within six standard deviations of the mean, used to represent a defect rate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_Sigma#:~:text=The%20term%20Six%20Sigma%20originates,to%20represent%20a%20defect%20rate.

Six Sigma was first used in 1920. Lean, a methodology focused on waste reduction, and Six Sigma, which concentrates on reducing defects, naturally complement each other.

https://www.sixsigmaonline.org/six-sigma-history/

ISO 9000 was first published in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a specialized international agency for standardization composed of the national standards bodies of more than 160 countries.

https://www.google.com/search?q=when+did+iso+9000+start

Comments

ISO 9000 required companies to document their processes. This was a “trade barrier” that integrated into the development of Lean Management. Automation applied to manufacturing reduces errors. Computer Integrated Manufacturing was employed in the 1980s to streamline the manufacturing process.

The few manufacturing companies who remained in the US have improved their manufacturing processes using automation. We are more than prepared to re-shore manufacturing in the US. Apple and Taiwan Semiconductor are building plants in the US. Several AI data centers are also planned for construction in the US.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader