This strategy collects data to determine the efficiency of processes and to work on improvements to ensure overall quality. To carry it out, it is necessary to complete five essential phases. Learn about them below.
All companies need to improve the quality of the products and services they offer to their customers, reducing potential problems and the costs involved. Therefore, they are always looking for ways to continuously improve their processes and procedures. In this case, it is relevant to know what the term Six Sigma is about and what its purpose is.
Learning about Six Sigma is useful for improving service and manufacturing processes , which is why it is part of the Certificate in Business Process Improvement from Southern New Hampshire University . This tool is very important to help companies in any industry improve their operational efficiency, so it is necessary to discover it.
What is Six Sigma Methodology?
It is a strategy that was created to reduce variability and minimize or eliminate defects in the manufacturing of products or services, meeting what customers expect. The method involves collecting and leveraging various data from repetitive business processes to improve efficiency and ensure overall quality , reaching as close to perfection as possible.
The Six Sigma methodology, as a concept, was created by engineer Bill Smith and Dr. Mikel Harry , who led a team of technical professionals at the Motorola company in the 1980s. This control tool seeks to detect a total of 3.4 defects per million opportunities , so that errors can be corrected before they occur.
The idea that Smith and Harry put forward for the name of this method is related to the Greek letter Sigma —σ—, which represents a statistical unit of mediation. In this sense, it is used to define the standard deviation —quantifying the variation or dispersion of a set of numerical data— of a population. This is the essence of Six Sigma.
You should know: What is a continuous improvement process?
What is Six Sigma for?
In general terms, it seeks to optimize processes within companies to achieve a high level of performance. Six Sigma improves any procedure by implementing new management systems, after having solved the problems detected. The methodology is very effective in operations where individual steps can be isolated, examined and improved.
It focuses on understanding the needs of customers, in order to collect information that will then be statistically analyzed in order to find opportunities for improvement. When the method has been implemented, quality control is not required, since the processes are executed with the highest levels of performance expected. This is how Six Sigma allows the following results:
Ensure quality assurance in every workplace.
Train staff to specialize in how to improve quality.
Promote the achievement and maintenance of business sustainability and profitability.
Analyze, design, develop and evaluate processes, products and services.
Stages or phases
The quality management model represented by the Six Sigma method cpa email database corresponds to five phases that must be applied to each process and are concentrated under the acronym DMAIC — define, measure, analyze, improve and control in English. This system allows unproductive processes to be eliminated by implementing the stages in the following way:
Define
In this first phase, the project is defined, which involves the selection of the processes to be evaluated, considering the function, scope and expected results. In this way, the objectives to be worked on are set, which must be sufficiently clear to direct the entire strategy.
Measure
The next most important thing is to know the current status of the problem that is affecting the process to be improved. To do this, each part must be classified and evaluated to identify the variables that will be measured. In addition, the key aspects and relevant data obtained must be documented.
Analyze
Thirdly, the data obtained must be considered, which represents the information that will be analyzed and interpreted to compare the current situation with what has previously affected the process. With this, it is possible to discover the causes that generate the identified failure, based on the evaluated parameters.
Improve
Without a doubt, the objective of this method is to improve, so in this step, actions are carried out that allow the modification or redesign of processes. Thus, the changes that the current system needs begin to be implemented, involving the personnel who are directly related to the areas involved.
Check
Finally, the last phase focuses on establishing measures that guarantee the effectiveness and continuity of the new processes that resulted from the improvement. The implementation of information collection systems is required to constantly monitor and assess the indicators of the optimized process.
Keep reading to find out what are the steps to improve processes?
Using the Six Sigma methodology, it is possible to organize the administration of the company focused on results and automatically improve processes by standardizing the way in which activities are carried out. This reduces problems and creates increasingly effective controls that can be sustained over time.