Category: Concepts

Standard operating sheets help keep operations running smoothly. They outline the process steps, timing, and other elements of a given operation and allow employee engagement in the process.

Get a quick primer on Paynter charts, a graphical method for comparing data regarding sub-groups. We look at how Paynter charts compare to KPI data and Pareto charts as well as the benefits of creating and reviewing Paynter charts.

It is important to have a procedure in place to finalize a project. That is where a PSO (process sign off) procedure comes in.

The term COC can mean two different things in Lean Six Sigma management. It can either refer to the “cost of conformance” or a certificate of conformity. Since “cost of conformance” has already been defined on isixsigma.com at the link listed above, this article will discuss certificates of conformity. What Is a Certificate of Conformity? […]

The only acceptable quality level should be zero defects. But that’s not always the case. Let’s learn what an acceptable quality level or limit is all about.

You have probably heard of the acronym PDCA (Deming Cycle) but have you heard of FOCUS PDCA? Read this article and you will understand what it is.

Making data-driven decisions is critical in today’s business environment, but can you trust your measurement system to give you meaningful data? Measurement System Analysis is the tool you need to know whether you can trust your data.

Is assignable cause a bad thing? No, it’s a signal something happened in your process that you didn’t expect. It could be good or bad, but you should find out what happened.

There are times when you may encounter the need to analyze non-normal distribution. Having another option other than the ANOVA test in these types of situations is critical.

Many statistical tests have underlying assumptions about the population data. But, what happens if you violate those assumptions? This is when you might need to use a non-parametric test to answer your statistical question. Non-parametric refers to a type of statistical analysis that does not make any assumptions about the underlying probability distribution or population […]

Your customers often ask, “When will I get my widget delivered?” You respond with, “It depends.” If you know your turn-around time, you might be able to provide a better answer. Let’s learn more about turn-around time.

Your business is at war with waste, defects, and inefficiencies. Let’s attack and defeat your enemy with a lightning-quick attack using overwhelming forces. In other words, a Kaizen Blitzkrieg, or Blitz for short.

I will be the first to admit that I still have a few cases of 8-track tapes. For those too young to know what 8-track tapes are, please ask your parents. As a customer who purchased a lot of music, my needs were simple. I wanted a clearer sound and something smaller to store. The […]

We have all heard the phrase “garbage in, garbage out.” AOQ is defined as the expected average quality level of an outgoing product for a given the value of incoming product quality. 

Fishbone diagrams are used to drill down to the root cause of a problem. The diagram looks like the bones of a fish, where each main bone represents a possible category of root cause, and subsequent drilling down is shown as smaller and smaller bones.

In Six Sigma, you will often hear the phrase, “It worked so well we stopped doing it.” The purpose of a process control plan is to maintain the gains of your project and prevent this from happening. 

Waste is all around your organization. Using the acronym TIMWOOD, you will learn how to identify the 7 wastes of lean and eliminate them to improve your organization.

The purchasing department manager left another message, informing the planning department that they once again sent over a request for a quote that didn’t contain all the information needed to place the order.  It’s a problem that seems to keep repeating, but is it truly that impactful an issue? To better understand the situation, the […]

When you have multiple factors at different levels, it can be challenging to figure out which is the optimal combination. Design of Experiments is one common method you can use. The Taguchi Method is another.

When it comes to getting a task accomplished, having an operations process greatly increases the probability of success.

This article will introduce you to special cause control chart patterns. You will learn why special cause variation is one of the foundational concepts in quality improvement and the use of special cause variation in process improvement.

6W? 5W1H? 5W? The bigger question is, how do you make sure you’re asking the right questions to guarantee you properly solve your problem or execute your project?

What is poka-yoke? Have you ever accidentally microwaved your face? No? You’ve never opened the microwave door while it was cooking and accidentally exposed your face to microwave energy? I know that you haven’t because whenever you open the door, the microwave stops running. There is a switch that triggers when the door is opened […]

The upper specification limit represents the highest limit that a measurement or reading can reach and still be acceptable to the customer. There are several benefits of monitoring USL and determining if a process can satisfy customer requirements.