Category: Concepts

When you hear the word variance, you can think of it in terms of finance or statistics. In statistics, variance is a calculation describing the spread, or variation, of the data around the average, or mean, of the data.

Is there a simple graphical tool for looking at a series of linked hierarchical activities? Yes, a tree diagram would be a good one to use. Let’s see how it would work. If you have a series of hierarchical tasks and subtasks to complete before you reach some objective, then a tree diagram would allow […]

Defects in quality put a severe dent in the potential profits of companies all over the world year after year. Having an understanding of the total probability of defect puts the power in an organization’s hands to make improvements and reduce the chance of its customers receiving faulty products.Knowing the total probability of defect for […]

It’s not practical to measure every value in a population, whether it be people or all the jars of peanut butter you produced. Taking samples helps. But if your samples are biased and don’t represent the population, then you have a biased statistic or estimator. Let’s learn how you can calculate an unbiased statistic.

Proper WIP management creates both quick wins and long term improvements. Here’s what you need to know.

Gain a better understanding of value stream mapping and how you can use it in your business. We’ll cover the flow, department interactions, bottleneck identification, and key metrics — as well as a few best practices.

Visual Quality Document

Do your processes deliver value for your customer? How do you know if what you do is valued by your customer? Let’s find out.

Are you ready to dust off your calculus differential equations and Laplace transformations? No? Then we will have to provide a simpler discussion of what a transfer function, or Y=f(X), is all about. 

Sometimes you really need to look at problems in a creative and innovative manner. TRIZ is a problem-solving approach that fosters invention for project teams who have become stuck while trying to solve a business challenge.  TRIZ (Teoriya Resheniya Izobretatelskikh Zadach) is a problem-solving methodology that was developed in the former Soviet Union by Genrich […]

Being busy and working hard don’t necessarily mean what you are doing will have value to your customer. Let’s see why not.

In an organization, it is important that there are members of a team to look to when leadership is required. These members may rise to this higher level of responsibility naturally through their skills or personalities, or they may be put in such a position by management.Being a team leader requires more from you than […]

A good introduction to dealing with variables in a data set is to start with univariate statistics. The analysis of this type of data is the simplest. When analyzing variables in a data set, you will conduct either multivariate, bivariate, or univariate analysis. This will be dependent on the number of variables and how many […]

An SS product report is a critical document that summarizes the results of the product development process, including quality, reliability, and performance. Understanding SS Product Reports The Six Sigma methodology is a highly effective process improvement approach that has been widely adopted across various industries. It provides a data-driven and customer-focused approach to reduce defects […]

If you hear someone say, “Darn, I didn’t expect that to happen”, they are probably experiencing an unintended consequence from some action they took. No one plans for things to go awry, but unfortunately, they do.

Spread comes in a variety of forms. It refers to the variation of the data and can be calculated in a number of different ways. Let’s explore these.

When workers lack motivation, this can be incredibly frustrating. There can be a temptation to address these frustrations using terms that one has heard elsewhere. Take care to keep criticism constructive, to be very aware of how certain terms are used culturally, and to avoid them if they could be inappropriate. When workers have used […]

Webster’s dictionary defines stratification as: formed, deposited, or arranged in stable layers or strata. That’s interesting, but how does it apply to Six Sigma? Let’s find out.

If your machines are not working, you can’t produce products for your customers. Your customers will likely not remain your customers for very long. Let’s see how Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) can keep your equipment up and running. Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) is a maintenance strategy aimed at maximizing the productivity of equipment, machines, and […]

The system audit is a beneficial and needed tool to evaluate business processes to determine how efficiently they work. This article provides the understanding needed to correctly execute the methodology.

What do you picture when you hear the word stable? Words such as steady, consistent and minimal variation may come to mind. These words could also apply to your process. Let’s see what a stable process means. 

Six Sigma without variables is like a recipe without ingredients. Understanding how variables align with Six Sigma is paramount to the success of any business. Learn how variables can highlight your process’ capabilities and limitations. What are Variables in Six Sigma? Variables are essential to Six Sigma. By measuring, analyzing, and controlling the variables that […]

It is important that you clearly specify your expectations about a company process or product. These detailed expectations are called specifications and serve as a guide as to how well you are satisfying both internal and external expectations. A specification (spec) is a detailed description of the requirements, characteristics, and features of a product, service, […]

Do you remember the days of having to get off the internet when your mother had to use the phone? How about waiting to watch a video while an advertisement seems to buffer endlessly? Advancements in the telecosm have made the amount of bandwidth across all mediums feel infinite in comparison to the early days […]