The Essence of Six Sigma

The Six Sigma Concept

• Six Sigma is a quality management methodology developed at Motorola in the late 1980s.

• Harmon and Pande and Hopp describe six sigma as the latest development in an evolutionary process that began with Scientific Management and continued through lean manufacturing and TQM.

• The essence of Six Sigma is to improve a process to the extent that there is only the tinniest probability that it will produce Unsatisfactory outputs.

• Probability – because there is no certainties in this sort of work.

• Pande and Hopp identify six themes in Six Sigma:

o Genuine focus on the customer
o Data and Fact driven management
o Processes as the key to success
o Proactive management
o Boundaryless collaboration
o Performance combined with tolerance of failure


(source: BPP Learning Media)

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