Tag: zero defects

Lean Six Sigma is a system that measures how well a process operates, with “six sigma” being the level of perfection in which processes operate at or below 3.4 defects per million units produced. In order to achieve this, companies must eliminate all but the most critical process steps and then re-engineer those remaining steps to be more efficient and effective.

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.

The definition for Six Sigma was clear from the beginning – 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO), allowing for a 1.5-sigma process shift. But the definition for zero defects is not so clear. Perhaps zero defects refers to the domain beyond 3.4 DPMO. Or perhaps it refers to designing defects out of the process or product, […]