Six Sigma is a data-driven methodology for improving business processes and reducing defects. It uses a five-phase approach called DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) to systematically identify and eliminate defects. Six Sigma aims to achieve 3.4 defects per million opportunities to guarantee complete customer satisfaction. It requires commitment from top management and training employees in Six Sigma techniques to achieve its quality goals.

1. SIX SIGMA
MOST POWERFUL BUSINESS PROCESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY

3. SIX SIGMA DMAIC TECHNIQUES
Define - Putting together a team, listing the stakeholders and analyzing their
expectations, developing project goals, and preparing a detailed chart of
suppliers-inputs-process-output-customers (SIPOC).
Measure - Collection of all relevant data, evaluation of collected data, and
failure-mode-and-effects-analysis (FMEA).
Analyze - The source is analyzed first, followed the analysis of process.
Collected data is analyzed after that. The analysis of resources follows this.
Finally, the communication channels and their effectiveness are analyzed.
Improvement - Concentrates on all possible improvements that could be
made to reduce all the defects that had occurred so far or the defects that
are likely to occur in future.
Control - ensures that the modifications to the processes work on a
continuous basis.

4. SIX SIGMA DOCTRINES
 Continuous efforts by the organization and its personnel in the achievement
of predictable and stable process results, such as process variation reduction, etc.
 All manufacturing processes and even standard business practices possess
characteristics that could be measured, analyzed, controlled, and improved constantly.
 Achievement of sustained and continuous quality improvement necessitates total
commitment from everyone in the organization, starting at the top level management
staff.
 Clear focus in the achievement of quantifiable and measurable financial results from
projects executed under 6 Sigma.
 Higher prominence to strong, committed, and passionate management support and
leadership attributes.
 Creation of special infrastructure groups for leading and implementing the 6 Sigma
techniques, such as ‘Yellow Belts’, ‘Green Belts’, Black Belts’, ‘Master Black Belts’,
‘Champions’, etc.
 Unambiguous commitment in making decisions to improve process quality and
reduce defects, based on verifiable data, instead of guesswork and assumptions.

11. How does Six Sigma help in
business process improvements?
 Six Sigma methodology focuses on the customer requirements and the approach
is data-driven for solving problems and reducing defects or errors in business
processes.
 The attainment of 3.4 defects per million opportunities is a great milestone in
quality assurance of any organization, guaranteeing complete customer satisfaction
and 100% employee participation.

12. Does Six Sigma involve only
statistical data?
Actually it is not so.
The Six Sigma principle is entirely about understanding customer needs,
expectations, and specifications.
The statistical data are only the tools to evaluate and analyze the business
problems and execute improvements in business processes.
The main aim of Six Sigma is to fix business problems hurdles and problems once
for all.

13. Can all types of projects be
brought under Six Sigma?
It is possible to bring only those projects under Six Sigma where the
product or service quality, the cost of the product or service, and the
delivery schedules are not able to come up to customer expectations
and the causes as well as solutions are not clear.
To solve these problems, Six Sigma uses the techniques of
Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC),
Design for Six Sigma (DFSS), and Discover unnecessary
steps in business processes and eliminate them (Lean Six Sigma).
In fact, within any organization, each project is considered
individually for Six Sigma adoptability.

14. Important Checklists for Six Sigma
 Since the ultimate aim of Six Sigma is to reduce defects to 3.4 DPMO to achieve
total customer satisfaction, the management should first become familiar with Six Sigma
methodology and then educate all the employees in the organization in achieving this stupendous
target.
 External expert consultants on Six Sigma could be engaged for training the key management
personnel initially about Six Sigma.
 Six Sigma program requires focus on developing unique organizational culture and motivating the
employees to accept change management principles open-heartedly.
 Right type of communication is very important, since introduction of Six Sigma in business
processes to raise quality assurance levels is a major initiative in change of procedures, approaches,
and attitudes.
 Overcoming employee resistance is important. Hence, project teams are created to induce creative
thinking, active participation in problem solving, and offer innovative solutions to hurdles in any stage
of business process.
 The management should also be decisive on the extent of Six Sigma implementation. Depending
on the present business process conditions and the size of operations, each company should decide
the areas of applying Six Sigma on a priority basis, instead of blanket introduction.
 Key personnel should be identified, selected, and trained thoroughly in Six Sigma techniques and
implementation and also in acquiring leadership qualities. It is always ideal to train from the top,
since the higher levels would be able to clear the doubts of lower level personnel, who would find it
more difficult to understand the principles of Six Sigma.

15. CONCLUSIONS
 Six Sigma methodologies were mainly designed to improve business process
with the chief aim of enhancing the quality of outputs and reducing defects
the lowest possible level.
 The advantage of Six Sigma is the utilization of sound quality management methods, with
statistical data collection to minimize defects and output variations.
 The percentage of defects in the first Six Sigma level is as high as 70%, while they are
reduced to 0.00034% when the sixth level is reached. This result might appear very difficult to
achieve but several large organizations like GE and Ford and even smaller business houses had
been able to reach sixth level of Six Sigma after persistent efforts and employee cooperation.
 Balanced scorecards use simple colored boards to indicate the performance of each
employee. This helps them to improve their work levels to progress from red to green in balanced
scoreboards.
 Strategic planning is integrated into Six Sigma implementation to achieve total customer
satisfaction through the linking of key elements, activities, strategies and management vision.
 Certain deficiencies in Six Sigma and its strong emphasis on process control had lead to
alternative techniques such as Multivariable Testing (MVT), behavioral approach, and Capability
Maturity Model Integration (CMMI). However, integration of these approaches with 6 Sigma
optimizes the potential of 6 Sigma and yields maximum results.