Ken Feldman

The DMAIC methodology (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) is a structured, data-driven approach central to Six Sigma practices and quality improvement efforts across various industries. By clearly outlining steps to understand, address, and control quality issues, DMAIC drives process efficiency, product quality, and customer satisfaction. With artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, DMAIC’s potential is significantly amplified, […]

Lean Six Sigma is a powerful methodology used to improve processes, reduce waste, and enhance quality. It incorporates data-driven decision-making and focuses on optimizing workflows using structured frameworks like DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) and DMADV (Define, Measure, Analyze, Design, Verify). With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the potential of Lean Six Sigma […]

You claim your process yield is 98%. Are you sure? Have you considered your hidden factory? Let’s find out why you should.

Random sampling is a statistical method of selecting a sample of data from a larger set in such a way that each data point has an equal chance of being selected so that the sample represents the population from which it was drawn. What Is Random Sampling? Random sampling is a method of […]

Span is a descriptor of the spread or variation of your data. It is a simple calculation that eliminates the impact of any outliers or unusually high or low values in your data set.

Background At Apex Tools (fictional name), a mid-sized supplier of specialized mechanical components, inventory management and safety concerns had long been interwoven issues. As demand surged, materials flowed continuously into the warehouse, often in excessive amounts, cluttering aisles and creating unsafe conditions. This surplus inventory led to various issues: obsolescence, shrinkage, and frequent safety hazards […]

You can learn a lot about your process by monitoring its change over time. There are different trend charts which will allow you to do that. Let’s look at a few. 

What if you were asked to rate this article on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being you didn’t like it and 5 being you loved it. That’s an example of a Likert Scale.

Data is just data, right? Hardly! We hear about discrete data, attribute data, continuous data, and variable data. Let’s unravel some of the confusion.

Incremental and continuous improvements are great. When appropriate, breakthrough improvement is even better. IDOV (identify, design, optimize, validate) is one tool for accomplishing this. Let’s see how. 

The phrase “it depends” sums up the concept of interaction in the context of Design of Experiments. Interaction is when the effect of one factor on a response variable depends on the level or setting of another factor. 

Your Six Sigma project will usually focus on a process with customers who directly receive the output of your process. But there are also others who will be impacted and have a stake in the outcome of your project. They are called stakeholders, and you need to understand them.

5C is the formal activity of organizing the workplace, and it serves as the foundation of any continuous improvement effort. Explore the 5C framework, and learn how to implement it in your organization.

Some say that Z is the sign of Zorro (Spanish for fox), the fictional sword-wielding masked vigilante who defended and helped the poor. In statistics, it is something different. In statistics, z usually refers to the standardized score or z-score of a data point in a normal distribution. The z-score measures the number […]

To optimize the benefit of your forecasting, you would like your time series values to be independent. Unfortunately, sometimes your values are correlated. This autocorrelation will have an impact on your ability to interpret what the data is telling you. Autocorrelation refers to the correlation between a time series variable and its lagged […]

When someone says your data is skewed, do you get upset? Skewness can be a natural state of your data. Let’s find out more about skewness and what it means.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries worldwide, reshaping everything from customer service to manufacturing, and sparking questions about its potential to replace skilled professionals. Within quality management, particularly Lean Six Sigma (LSS), many wonder if AI could ultimately replace the role of a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt (MBB). As the highest level of […]

Key Concepts Six Sigma is a well-established, data-driven methodology designed to improve processes by identifying and eliminating defects in manufacturing and business processes. One of the key components of Six Sigma is statistical analysis, which helps organizations identify problems and implement solutions. To perform this analysis, Six Sigma practitioners traditionally rely on specialized statistical software, […]

Entitlement is defined as the best performance you can reasonably achieve with the existing process.

What does your process look like from 30,000 feet? Your extended process view can be described using COPIS, or customer, output, process, input, and supplier. Let’s get in our balloon and go up. 

Background FabChip (fictitious name) was a leader in the global semiconductor industry, known for its cutting-edge wafer-fabrication equipment. With the semiconductor sector at the core of everything from smartphones to medical devices, FabChip’s role in supplying this vital technology was crucial. The equipment FabChip manufactured, however, was often large and complex. When it arrived at […]

Have you ever wondered why your doctor may keep you waiting in the waiting room or why you have to fast before doing a blood test? Let’s see if Lean Six Sigma can give you an answer.

One of the important statistical descriptors of your data is its central tendency. Central tendency can be described using the mean, median and mode of the data. The mean is described as the mathematical center of your data. The median is the physical center of your data, and the mode is the most frequently occurring value in your data.

A flowchart is a diagram of a process, using standard symbols to represent a variety of process activities over a specified timeline.