The History of Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a quality management program used to measure and improve the operational performance of a company by identifying and fixing defects in the company's product/processes.

Originally, Six Sigma started out strictly as a process variation that would produce no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. However today, Six Sigma is basically the art of producing a product that satisfies the customer in the most cost economical way.

Six Sigma all started at Motorola in the mid-1980s by Bob Galvin and Bill Smith. It was later picked up and followed by other larger companies such as Allied Signal and General Electric. It has since spread like wild-fire to many of the top companies throughout the world.

Six Sigma, although traditionally applied to the manufacturing industry, can be applied effectively in the service industry. In fact, it can be so successful at the service level, it has even been applied in the government sector. In 2000, Fort Wayne successfully implemented the first Six Sigma program at the city level.

Six Sigma Cons

In the statistical profession Six Sigma is still somewhat controversial. Some teachers of statistics are critical of the standard of statistical teaching found in the Six Sigma methodology. Some object to the concept of a single universal standard being applied across the board during implementation. They argue that quality standards should be set on a case-by-case basis using cost-benefit analysis or decision theory.

In some cases it is said that Six Sigma is often implemented to start an “unending cycle of improvement”.

Although there are opinions on both sides of the fence, the savings that have been realized by Six Sigma companies continues to be undisputable.