Six Sigma

Six Sigma (6σ) is a set of techniques and tools for improving the process. It was introduced by American engineer Bill Smith in 1986 while working at Motorola. A six sigma process is a part where 99.99966% of some feature creation opportunities are expected to be statistically error free.

Six Sigma strategies seek to improve product quality by identifying and removing the causes of errors and reducing variability in production and business processes. It does this by using empirical and statistical value management methods and by hiring people who serve as six Sigma specialists. Each of the six Sigma projects follows a defined approach and has specific quality targets such as reducing pollution or increasing customer satisfaction.

The term six sigma is derived from the statistical modeling of manufacturing processes. The maturity of the manufacturing process can be described by the Sigma rating which indicates the percentage of its yield or defect-free products - in particular, how many standard deviations of a general distribution match the fraction of the error-free results within

In recent years, Six Sigma has evolved into a more general business-management philosophy, focusing on meeting customer needs, improving customer retention, and improving and sustaining business products and services.