Category: Concepts

The root cause is the true factor that leads to a condition or non-conformance. Let’s look at how root cause compares to symptoms, the benefits of attending to a root cause, and some common tools you can use to uncover the root cause.

When you speak of subgrouping, it is usually in the context of constructing a control chart. Let’s explore the topic in a little more detail. Subgrouping is a technique used in control charts to group data into smaller, more manageable sets or subgroups. The purpose of subgrouping is to increase the sensitivity of the control […]

What does your process look like from 25,000 feet up in the air? Your extended process view can be described using SIPOC, or supplier, input, process, output, and customer. Let’s get in our plane and go up. 

No company is an island. Virtually every business process relies on different types of input, often in the form of physical supplies, that it does not generate internally. The concept of supply chain management (SCM) revolves around controlling and adapting to the way inputs flow into the process and outputs flow out of it. Overview: […]

Do you want to know whether your process is in control or not? Statistical Process Control, or SPC, is the tool you want to learn about, so let’s get started. 

When doing statistical analysis, it is impractical and often impossible to gather all the available data. That is when you would seek to sample the data to analyze it and make decisions about your process. In statistics, a sample refers to a group of individuals, objects, or events that are selected from a larger population […]

In the Analyze phase of DMAIC, you will want to identify possible independent or predictor variables to help explain the relationship with your response or dependent variables. Correlation is a statistical tool to establish the strength of the relationship between your independent and dependent variables. Regression is used to predict your response variable as a […]

Software inspection requires thorough examination in order to be sure that it is safe for release. In order to successfully and reliably conduct such an examination, a plan is required. Overview: What is a software inspection plan? A software inspection plan is a formalized process of inspecting software for any issues. The typical steps involved […]

The dictionary defines a response as a reaction to something. A response variable would be defined as the reaction or effect on a dependent variable as a result of an experimental manipulation of independent variables.  Response variable When discussing Design of Experiments (DOE) and Regression, you can talk about independent variables, also known as the […]

In the spirit of continuous improvement, re-engineering is the process by which you can identify, analyze, and re-design your organization’s core business processes for the purpose of achieving improvements in critical performance measures. Reengineering, also known as business process reengineering (BPR), is a methodology that focuses on the fundamental redesign of business processes to achieve […]

In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations are constantly looking for ways to improve efficiency, cut costs, and optimize their operations. Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that has been widely adopted by companies in various industries to achieve these goals. One of the key concepts in Lean Six Sigma is sufficiency. Overview: what is sufficiency, […]

Ship dates may seem arbitrary, but they can have a major impact on the financial bottom line of your organization as well as how satisfied your customers are. Choosing ship dates that are realistic and that are in sync with when your customers expect products to be delivered is a fundamental part of doing good […]

A saturated design, in the context of Design of Experiments, is a simplified experiment used for screening possible significant factors. It is designed to give you a high-level understanding of the main effect of factors, but not their interactions.

Your design of experiments (DOE) has many variables and a tight budget. How can you balance the process information you need with the limitations of time and resources? You might try using a screening DOE.

The meaning of the word “robust” can shift depending on the context. It can be used to describe an organization that’s grown to a significant size, a person with a lot of natural stamina or the hearty flavor of a gourmet soup. However, in the context of process management, robustness describes the ability of a […]

Defined or assumed conditional liability before the fact – limited to overt practices. Capacity to be responsible assumes the use of adequate expertise and capability.

A scorecard in sports indicates which team is winning by monitoring an important metric such as number of runs, or baskets or touchdowns. Your business scorecard can provide valuable information on how your organization is doing. In business, a scorecard is a tool used to measure and track the performance of an organization or specific […]

Having good products, processes, or quality control is admirable, but striving for robustness is optimal. Getting your systems, operations, processes, or products up to a level where they are robust should be a goal of every organization that hopes to reach and stay at the Six Sigma level. Overview: What is robust? Robust refers to […]

The reliability of an item is the probability that it will adequately perform its specified purpose for a specified period of time under specified environmental conditions. Dr. Lawrence M. Leemis, Department of Mathematics, College of William and Mary, from his textbook titled Reliability: Probabilistic Models and Statistical Methods.

Setting effective goals is crucial to the success of any project, and this is especially true in Six Sigma. SMARTER is a goal-setting framework that is commonly used in Six Sigma to ensure that project goals are well-defined and achievable. Overview: What is SMARTER The term SMARTER stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Evaluated, […]

It is usually impractical to measure everything if you are trying to collect data. That is why you will use an appropriate sampling technique. But how big a sample should you get? Using a sample size calculator will make that task quick and easy. Let’s see how. When you are required to collect data to […]

You want your processes to be able to still function well in the face of changes and variation. Let’s learn some more about how you can develop these robust processes. A robust process refers to a well-designed and reliable process that consistently delivers the desired outcomes, even in the face of variations, uncertainties, or challenges. […]

Red X is an anti-hero and a former “villain identity” employed by Robin of Batman and Robin fame. No, that’s not right. Red X is really a problem-solving methodology developed by Dorian Shainin. Let’s explore this a little further.

If your eyeglasses have the correct prescription, you will have proper resolution and can see clearly and with detail. The same holds true for your Measurement System Analysis and Design of Experiments. Greater resolution means your data can help you see more information about your process.