Category: Resource Pages

During the month of August – while many are taking time off to enjoy summer – we will be offering a resource page on a different topic each week. The resource page features an overview of the week’s topic and links to the best related content across iSixSigma. This week’s topic is the Pugh matrix. […]

During the month of August – while many are taking time off to enjoy summer – we will be offering a resource page on a different topic each week. The resource page features an overview of the week’s topic and links to the best related content across iSixSigma. This week’s topic is 5S. 5S is […]

During the month of August – while many are taking time off to enjoy summer – we will be offering a resource page on a different topic each week. The resource page features an overview of the week’s topic and links to the best related content  across iSixSigma. This week’s topic is takt time. What […]

The distribution of data can be categorized in two ways: normal and non-normal. If data is normally distributed, it can be expected to follow a certain pattern in which the data tend to be around a central value with no bias left or right (Figure 1). Non-normal data, on the other hand, does not tend […]

A popular means for identifying the causes of a particular problem, or effect, is the aptly named cause-and-effect diagram. As the completed graphic resembles the bones of a fish, it is also commonly referred to as a “fishbone” diagram (Figure 1). The head of the “fish” is the problem statement, such as “late delivery of […]

As parents of young children know, “Why?” is one of the most frequently asked questions they hear. And not just once. A girl asks, “Why is the sky blue?” and will proceed with further “Why?” demands to each subsequent answer for as long as the parent is willing (or able) to play along. As frustrating […]

FMEA is a risk assessment tool. Through the structured approach of an FMEA, improvement teams identify possible ways in which a product or process can fail, specify the subsequent effects, quantify the severity of those potential failures, and assess the likelihood of their occurrence. FMEA can be used to rank and prioritize the possible causes […]

The capability of a process, statistically speaking, is the ability of that process – based on historical performance – to achieve measurable results that satisfy established specifications and statistical limits. In a nutshell, process capability indicates how well a process is able to perform its specified purpose. Why is process capability important? When the capability […]

Traditionally, Lean Six Sigma (LSS) training has been delivered in classrooms, provided either by a company’s in-house experts or by a training or consulting firm. In the past 20 years, however, technology has taken training out of the classroom and online. Anyone with Internet access can learn the methodologies and tools of LSS. Now, individuals […]

One of the most popular search terms on iSixSigma.com is total quality management (TQM). The best TQM references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Comments of – and on – Dr. James Harrington Debating the Origins of TQM Definition: Total Quality Management Introduction and Implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) Newspaper Aims […]

One of the most popular search terms on iSixSigma.com is SIPOC (suppliers, inputs, process, output and customers), a process mapping tool. The reverse of SIPOC, COPIS (customer, output, process, input, supplier) is also a frequently searched tool. The best SIPOC/COPIS references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Better Involvement/Requirements with LURE and […]

Is leadership from the bottom-up better than top-down? How can employees convince and excite their leaders about the opportunities waiting for them with a Lean Six Sigma deployment? The best leadership references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Ask the Expert: The Topic – Six Sigma and Employees Developing Change Leadership by […]

Do I need to be certified? Which company or organization should certify me? Is there a single certification standard? Does experience outweigh a need for certification? These are questions that have been asked and answered for years across iSixSigma.com. The best certification references on iSixSigma can be found at the following links: Is there a difference between […]