5 Responses

1. Six Sigma – A measurement of ‘goodness’
   Sue, I can give you a basic explanation!!
   Sigma is a measurement of ‘goodness’, the higher the number the better. Six Sigma relates to a percentage of 99.9996% with an ‘allowed’ defect rate of 3.4 defects per million opportunities (dpm).
   To give an example of a lower sigma rating, four sigma is equal to 99.9% and 6210 dpm (roughly!)
   I could probably get hold of the formula for working out sigma ratings if you wanted. Please let me know!
   I hope this helps.

2. Six Sigma – A measurement of ‘goodness’
   Sue, I can give you a basic explanation!!
   Sigma is a measurement of ‘goodness’, the higher the number the better. Six Sigma relates to a percentage of 99.9996% with an ‘allowed’ defect rate of 3.4 defects per million opportunities (dpm).
   To give an example of a lower sigma rating, four sigma is equal to 99.9% and 6210 dpm (roughly!)
   I could probably get hold of the formula for working out sigma ratings if you wanted. Please let me know!
   I hope this helps.

3. Six Sigma
   Sue

   It’s another quality thing and is heavily sold as a package by Qualtec in the States. I personally don’t like the concept because it appears to go against the idea of “zero defects” if you’re talking TQM etc. There is a lot more information on Qualtec’s web site at http://www.sixsigmaqualtec.com – hope it’s of some help.

4. six sigma
   It is a marketing topic first introguced by Motorola. and now widely acknowedged a useful aim. The basis is Statistical Process Control or SPC. Six Sigma is a reformulation of the aim of statistical process stability. Give me a call if you want to know more about it 01344-382015.

5. I think 6 Sigma is pretty good
   I don’t see it as a marketing thing but as an approach to quality improvement. 3.4 defects per million may not be zero but it’s pretty good! Compare with say the 20% of patients who go into hospital and catch infections whilst there – this is 200 000 parts per million, but seems to be more or less accepted as inevitable.

   In fact if Motorolla and other leading edge manufacturing companies worked with error rates taken as acceptable in the NHS, education, banking, insurance etc then no phones, cars etc would work at all.

   If these other sectors took to 6 Sigma things would be a lot better.

   The Quality Methods Association, email qma@globalnet.co.uk or http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/-qma/sometimes run 1-day workshops on it.