Why is 6 Sigma called that?

It's called Six Sigma because the term sigma refers to one standard deviation in a data set. The idea is that six such deviations should occur before the process results in a defect. When a process achieves Six Sigma, it reaches a point where only 3.4 errors per one million process events result in a defect.
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Why we called Six Sigma is Six Sigma?

The etymology is based on the Greek symbol "sigma" or "σ," a statistical term for measuring process deviation from the process mean or target. "Six Sigma" comes from the bell curve used in statistics, where one Sigma symbolizes a single standard deviation from the mean.
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What does the 6 in Six Sigma stand for?

Six Sigma is a statistical benchmark that shows how (well) a business process works. 2 As mentioned above, an error happens when an event occurs with six standard deviations from the mean with no more than 3.4 occurrences per million events.
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What is the meaning of Six Sigma?

Six Sigma is a business methodology for quality improvement that measures how many defects there are in a current process and seeks to systematically eliminate them.
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Where did the term Six Sigma originate?

The term Six Sigma comes from statistics, specifically from the field of statistical quality control, which evaluates process capability. Originally, it referred to the ability of manufacturing processes to produce a very high proportion of output within specification.
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Why is it Called Six Sigma?



Why is Six Sigma not seven sigma?

The more number of standard deviations between process average and acceptable process limits fits, the less likely that the process performs beyond the acceptable process limits, and it causes a defect. This is the reason why a 6σ (Six Sigma) process performs better than 1σ, 2σ, 3σ, 4σ, 5σ processes.
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Who invented 6 Sigma?

In 1986, Bill Smith and Mikel Harry, two engineers at Motorola were accredited to having developed “Six Sigma”, and in 1995, Jack Welch made it the central business strategy of General Electric.
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What are the main concepts in Six Sigma?

Key Concepts of Six Sigma
  • Critical to Quality − Attributes most important to the customer.
  • Defect − Failing to deliver what the customer wants.
  • Process Capability − What your process can deliver.
  • Variation − What the customer sees and feels.
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What has replaced Six Sigma?

Agile. Agile has been compared to both lean and Six Sigma, but it is important to understand that agile is not a methodology, per se. Instead, agile is a set of principles that began in the software development world and quickly spread to other business disciplines.
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Why is Six Sigma important?

One of the reasons why implementation of Six Sigma is important is that it helps in reducing defects. Using Six Sigma techniques, employees are able to identify problem areas as well as recurring issues that affect the overall quality expectation of a service or product from a customer's viewpoint.
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Why is Six Sigma better than 3 sigma?

Level of accuracy

The biggest difference between the two Sigma levels is the degree of accuracy between outcomes. Three Sigma allows for a greater number of defects per million, whereas Six Sigma requires near-perfect accuracy. This means that many companies consider anything below Six Sigma to be unacceptable.
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Is Six Sigma still relevant?

Short Answer: YES! The results of Lean Six Sigma can be unbelievably great, and any investment will be worth it…that is IF the goal is meaningful results.
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What is a sigma Black Belt?

The Certified Six Sigma Black Belt is a professional who can explain Six Sigma philosophies and principles, including supporting systems and tools. A Black Belt should demonstrate team leadership, understand team dynamics and assign team member roles and responsibilities.
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Why some people think Six Sigma is not working anymore?

Incorrect Scope. Almost invariably, the failure of any Lean Six Sigma project can be traced to a scope that was too broad. Trying to minimize variation in an entire product, for example, is so defocused that little improvement can happen in any part of the product.
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What is a Kaizen Six Sigma?

Kaizen in relation to Lean Six Sigma

Kaizen and Lean Six Sigma are both methodologies to increase customer satisfaction, to realize lasting improvement of company results and to continuously improve in constructive ways. In both cases, this is about the reduction of squandering and variation.
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Why is Kaizen better than Six Sigma?

Kaizen tries to improve the business as a whole by creating a standard way of working, increasing efficiency and eliminating business waste. Six Sigma is more focused on quality output (the final product). This is facilitated through finding and eliminating the causes of defects.
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What are 7 principles of Six Sigma?

Let's explore the ground principles of Lean Six Sigma.
  • Focus on the customer. ...
  • Map the value streams to understand the work process. ...
  • Manage and improve the process flow. ...
  • Remove non-value-added steps and waste. ...
  • Manage by fact and reduce variation. ...
  • Involve and equip people in the process.
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What are the pillars of Six Sigma?

There are 5 key principles of Six Sigma:
  • Focus on Customer Requirements: ...
  • Use data to identify the variation in the process: ...
  • Continually improving the process to eliminate the variation: ...
  • Involve people from different levels of management and process: ...
  • Be flexible and thorough:
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What is the symbol of Six Sigma?

6σ is the symbol for Six Sigma. The symbol “σ” is the lower case of the Greek letter Sigma (upper-case Σ), and is used in Statistics to denote standard deviation or to grade the maturity of a process.
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Who is known as father of Lean?

Ohno Taiichi (大野耐一, Ōno Taiichi, February 29, 1912 – May 28, 1990) was a Japanese industrial engineer and businessman. He is considered to be the father of the Toyota Production System, which inspired Lean Manufacturing in the U.S. He devised the seven wastes (or muda in Japanese) as part of this system.
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What came first Lean or Six Sigma?

Lean has its origins in Japan, while Six Sigma has its roots in the US from the 1980s (when we can trace the origins to Motorola).
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Why is Six Sigma not 5 sigma?

Because six is better than five. Six Sigma- 3.4 defects per million opportunities – or 99.9997% error-free. Five Sigma 230 defects per million opportunities – or 99.8% error-free. Four Sigma 6,200 defects per million opportunities – or 99.4% error-free.
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Is there 7 Sigma possible?

Given where the world is right now, many followers of Six Sigma (including myself) would say that a capability of 7-sigma is pessimistically possible, but not pragmatically probable.
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Can you go beyond Six Sigma?

Beyond Six Sigma

Six Sigma should be recognized and celebrated for what it is: a data-driven approach to streamlining production and manufacturing. For industries and businesses outside of manufacturing, though, teams should explore more flexible project management or process improvement methodologies.
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Which is better Six Sigma or PMP?

Because of this, both PMP and Six Sigma approaches complement each other. In fact, both methodologies play a key role in a thriving business model. Six Sigma is stronger in achieving better quality outcomes while Project Management Professionals strive to meet a deadline and manage risk.
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