Variation and defects. They are the bane of all manufacturing companies. They signal an absence of efficiency, a neglect of productivity, and a total disregard for cost effectiveness. Who is seen as the rescuing knight in shining armor? Sir Six Sigma!

Fundamentally, Six Sigma (always capitalized, mind you) is a data-based discipline, a collection of principles, and a set of tools designed to identify and eliminate defects by minimizing process variability.

Who could argue against the Six Sigma payoff, with its confidence-building rigor and mathematical prowess? What gets measured gets done... at least at work. It’s the manufacturing version of motherhood and apple pie. Countless organizations have trained countless employees to “Think Six Sigma.”

All disciplines carry a set of beliefs that form paradigm-shaping outcomes. With their proper application, they can enable a person to see opportunities otherwise unseen and thus missed. A Six Sigma-trained professional can spot a source of defects or process variability faster than a person who doesn’t have those tools.

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