Is Six Sigma Fading?

Its soul has remained the same; only the body is changing

Six Sigma evolved during the time of an economic boom. It was the mid-1980s, and companies had begun to feel the effects of stiffer competition. The theory of constraints (TOC) was losing its luster, while the customer began to play a key role for a product or service. Organizations were trying to keep the right balance of demand and supply. There was no universally proven methodology for process improvement that could solve business problems. Management solved issues based on gut feeling and experience.

Customer requirements were hazy. It was difficult to articulate the exact needs of the customer. It was also difficult to convert these needs to process metrics. There wasn’t enough focus on measurement. Data analysis was given low priority.

The professional world needed a breakthrough improvement methodology, a vibrant culture, a seamless philosophy, a shift in thinking, and most important, a customer-focused drive. These needs brought about the birth of Six Sigma, showcased in 1988 when Motorola won the first Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

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Comments

Of course Sick Sigma is fading

Of course Six Sigma is fading - just look at Google trends. In fact, it is crashing rather than fading. People are thankfully waking up to the nonsense that forms its foundations.

Deming and 6 Sigma?

While no Deming expert, I don't think Deming would embrace Six Sigma at all. Even putting aside its emphasize on defect reduction and the nutty 1.5 sigma shift, he was talking about a total transformation of American management (which hasn't taken hold).

Rich D.

Six Sigma solves the wrong problems

In the spirit of Russell Ackoff, six sigma does "the wrong thing, righter." Process improvement does not go far enough to address doing the "right thing." The right things are dependent on the perspective and principles that you build your foundation on. Neo-Taylorism and its effect on the thinking of American management perspective has to be addressed to change the foundation.

Unfortunately, unless six sigma practitioners are addressing the management perspective problem in the US - all the tools and statistics in the world will not teach us to do the right thing.