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Cp is one of the metrics calculated for determining whether your process is capable of meeting customer specifications or requirements. It is useful in comparing different functions and their ability to meet their unique specifications.

Do you feel that implementing change in your organization is going too slowly? So did Jack Welch of GE, which is why GE developed the Change Acceleration Process (CAP). Let’s explore how the concepts of CAP might help your organization.

Cycle time vs. throughput time, do you know the difference? Typically, when we look at the steps of our workflow, you’ll want metrics to gauge effectiveness and efficiency. Depending on the scenario, you’ll want to use one of these two metrics while looking at the work time needed to complete a deliverable. What is Cycle […]

As competitive and market pressures increase, having a clear understanding of product reliability, service life, and expected failure rate is crucial. We explore how by utilising B10 life, we can optimise our product development and satisfy our customer requirements.

Statistics is a branch of math that involves the collection, description, analysis, and inference of conclusions from quantitative data. But what is a statistic? Let’s find out. The word statistic is a word with numerous possible definitions. In its simplest form, a statistic can be defined as a descriptor of a set of data. The […]

Does your data from yesterday represent the current state of your process better than that from a month ago? How can you place more emphasis on it yet still make use of older data? That’s what the Exponentially Weighted Moving Average does. 

Do you know the difference between tangible vs. intangible benefits? Measuring the results of your company’s output can be of vital importance. Understanding how these two measurements line up and differ from one another can help refine productivity. Additionally, failing to pay attention to these measurements could have serious ramifications. What Are Tangible Benefits? Tangible […]

House of Quality? No, this is often referred to as a House of Pain because of the effort needed to complete one. Let’s see if we are just being overly pessimistic. 

Six Sigma at many organizations simply means a measure of quality that strives for near perfection. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for eliminating defects (driving toward six standard deviations between the mean and the nearest specification limit) in any process — from manufacturing to transactional and from product to service.

Use this table to go between and convert Sigma to DPMO to Yield to Cpk.

Null hypothesis vs. hypothesis, which is the right choice? When you get into the different methods of analyzing data, there is no shortage of tools at your disposal. Understanding the difference between a null hypothesis and a hypothesis can make or break your testing and analysis stages. Let’s dive into both of these tools and […]

Lean Six Sigma professionals, much like every other professional, love to talk in acronyms. The acronym of the day is DPMO. Let’s check out what it means.

Defects per opportunity, or DPO, refers to the number of defects that occur in relation to a given number of opportunities for which an error could occur. Let’s consider some of the benefits of measuring and monitoring DPO.

Flowchart vs. process map, what do you choose to use? When it comes to mapping out a project, you’ve got several choices on how to visualize them. If you’ve had trouble deciding on a format for your visualization, then read on. Today’s guide is meant to cast more light on these individual tools and how […]

What is rolled throughput yield? Your company has just announced that its product line has a 100% total throughput rate, touting it as a great win for everyone. However, from your perspective, you see massive amounts of rework being performed, disrupting the production lines, costing additional money, and impacting on-time delivery. If only there was […]

An organization may hear many voices (Customer, Business, Employee, and Process). It is the voice of the customer (VOC) that is the driving voice. Additionally, it is what should be important to the organization and what the organization should focus on. The satisfaction of the VOC needs to be balanced against the Voice of the […]

ZARA changes its clothing designs every two weeks, offering 11,000 distinct garments annually. In comparison, competitors change their designs every three or four months and produce 3-4,000 distinct pieces. This is fast fashion: the business model of replicating high-fashion, luxury-brand pieces quickly and cheaply, making them available to customers while the trend and […]

How do you calculate capability indices? Capability analysis is an essential tool for statistical process control (SPC) and process improvement, applicable to a variety of environments from hospitals and labs to assembly and manufacturing. How to Calculate Capability Indices The formula for calculating a Cpk index is easily found: USL, upper specification limit; LSL, lower […]

The Harada method helps individuals achieve self-reliance which in turn facilitates a company’s process improvement journey. Part One provides an overview of the method and its genesis. Subsequently, part Two presents five templates to use to plan a goal, measure the goal’s progress, and assess success. An example helps illustrate their practical use. As described […]

In today’s fast-paced, technology-driven world, fostering a culture of innovation and agility is essential for startups that want to stay competitive. Startups thrive on innovative ideas, quick pivots, and the ability to adapt to change. This 2014 article raised awareness of Lean Startups. But creating an environment where continuous improvement and creativity flourish […]

Value stream map vs. process map, which is better for you? As with many tools and methods in Six Sigma, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to mapping things out. Both of these tools have specific functions with some overlap. If you’re new to Six Sigma, then you’re in luck. Today, we’re going in-depth into how […]

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a way of identifying the underlying source of a process or product failure. As such, then the right solution can be identified. RCA can progress more quickly and effectively by pairing an Ishikawa diagram. You can also use the scientific method in the form of the well-known plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle […]

Repeatability vs. reproducibility, which should you use? Repeatability and reproducibility are two ways that scientists and engineers measure the precision of their experiments and measuring tools. They are heavily used in chemistry and engineering and are typically reported as standard deviations in scientific write-ups. While these two measurements are both used in many types of […]

Is your data normal? Oh no! Is that a problem? The concept of data normality can be important when using certain statistical tools to make data-driven decisions.

What is non-normal data? Normally distributed data is a commonly misunderstood concept in Six Sigma. Some people believe all data collected and used for analysis must be distributed normally. But normal distribution does not happen as often as people think, and it is not a main objective. Normal distribution is a means to an end, […]

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a structured approach that combines two powerful process improvement methodologies: Lean, which focuses on eliminating waste, and Six Sigma, which focuses on reducing variation and defects. When applied to the Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) function of an organization, Lean Six Sigma provides a robust framework for driving operational efficiency, […]

The customer just called again, wondering if the item they ordered will be on time. Will it? Do your company’s processes make it possible to be on time per the customer’s needs? To know that requires understanding how long it takes to produce the product, and that requires knowing your cycle times.  An Overview: What […]

What are the most common mistakes when using SIPOC? The SIPOC Diagram is one of the most useful tools in your arsenal when it comes to process analysis. It readily allows you and your team to grasp the various elements of a process before diving fully into detail on how everything fits together. That said, […]

One of the best ways to introduce people to new concepts is through a hands-on, team experience. Better yet, a game! Dig out some Legos and let the Lean Lego Game begin!

When learning about Six Sigma, it may help to consider these charts. These detail how Sigma Performance Levels relate to defects per million opportunities (DPMO), and some real-world examples. Sigma Performance Levels Table Sigma Performance Levels – One to Six Sigma Sigma Level Defects (or Errors) Per Million Opportunities (DPMO) Yield (or Produced […]

You are often faced with many options on how to improve the process. Which one is the best? The Pugh Matrix is a simple tool for you to decide which approach — or hybrid of approaches — you should use.

In the world of startups and product development, the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) has become a cornerstone of agile innovation. An MVP is a product with just enough features to attract early adopters and validate a product idea. It allows businesses to test their hypotheses and gather valuable feedback without expending excessive resources. […]

Continuous improvement specialists are challenged to solve problems for their organizations or clients. They have acquired a wide array of tools, methods, and techniques for that purpose. If continuous improvement practitioners can establish the winning conditions for change, they can look forward to successful outcomes. However, the devil is in the details, making continuous improvement […]

If you haven’t paid attention to the news over the last two years, you’ve likely missed the buzz surrounding AI. Artificial intelligence has touched down in a big way over the last couple of years. Products and services like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Google Gemini have entered the cultural zeitgeist. Now, that’s fine and […]

Sigma is the eighteenth letter of the Greek alphabet and is used as a common notation in statistics as a measure of summation and variation.

Learn the benefits of tracking sigma level, including how it is used to understand how the current quality capabilities match with customer expectations, where future process improvement opportunities lie, and how to verify results.

Waste is all around your organization. Using TIMWOODS and DOWNTIME, you will learn how to identify the 8 Wastes of Lean and eliminate it to improve your organization.

Process improvement projects have typically been a labor-intensive and imprecise process. Labor-intensive in that capturing the as-designed vs the actual current-state process required facilitated meetings, interviews, surveys and analyzing operational data over an extended time period. Imprecise in that workers will typically act differently when they know they are being watched and measured. The Hawthorne […]

Lean Six Sigma can assist organizations determine which processes are the best candidates for automation as well as make those processes more automation ready.

Anyone who has worked in manufacturing has probably experienced some level of finger-pointing when shipments fall short of expectations. Though there could be multiple reasons for a missed customer delivery, somehow it is always the other department’s fault. In extreme circumstances, several months of missing targets without effectively defining the root causes and addressing them […]

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are critical to ensuring a project team has the performance data it needs to sustain improvements. With KPIs, a team can evaluate the success of a project against its established goals. Types of Metrics There are two types of metrics to consider when selecting KPIs for a project: outcome metrics and […]

In Part 2 we look at failure rates and material conditions for a surface finish example.

In Part 1, we explore the concept of process capability, including how to calculate it and what to do with non-normal data.

In this case study, the 509th Maintenance Group of the U.S. Air Force used an eight-step continuous improvement approach to balance its resources and meet both flying hour program requirements and aircraft availability. Part 1 focused on steps 1 through 4. Part 2 looks at continuing to make improvements with steps 5 through 8. Step […]

In the Analyze phase of a DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) Six Sigma project, potential root causes of variations and defects are identified and validated. Various data analysis tools are used for exploratory and confirmatory studies. Descriptive and graphical techniques help with understanding the nature of data and visualizing potential relationships. Statistical analysis techniques, […]

In this case study, the 509th Maintenance Group of the U.S. Air Force used an eight-step continuous process improvement approach to balance its resources and meet both flying hour program requirements and aircraft availability needs. This week looks at steps 1 through 4. Part 2 looks at steps 5 through 8. Introduction The B-2 bomber […]

My company benchmarked against other manufacturing businesses before starting its cultural transformation change. They formed a team and visited companies including Toyota, GM, Milliken, Caterpillar, John Deere, Chrysler, Du Pont, and Johnson Controls. After talking to each company about their cultures and continuous improvement processes, my company started to put together a roadmap for transformation. […]

Short production runs are a necessity in high-mix, low-volume manufacturing environments. The trend in manufacturing has been toward smaller production runs, with production runs – as well as products – tailored to the individual customer’s needs. Although this minimizes inventory and improves responsiveness to the customer, it complicates the application of statistical process control (SPC). Classical […]

Some of the complaints commonly levied against continuous improvement deployments is that they focus on the wrong issues, and that projects take too long or require too much investment (time, training and financial) in order to achieve meaningful results. Unfortunately, these complaints are often justified – not because of some fault in the Lean Six […]

Measurement system analysis (MSA) determines whether the measurement system is adequate and confirms that significant error is not introduced to the true value of a process characteristic. MSA is the one of the most misunderstood and underused concepts in Six Sigma. This article highlights two of the common mistakes made during the study and explains […]