Eston Martz

Statistical technician

For Eston Martz, analyzing data is an extremely powerful tool that helps us understand the world—which is why statistics is central to quality improvement methods such as lean and Six Sigma. While working as a writer, Martz began to appreciate the beauty in a robust, thorough analysis and wanted to learn more. To the astonishment of his friends, he started a master’s degree in applied statistics. Since joining Minitab, Martz has learned that a lot of people feel the same way about statistics as he used to. That’s why he writes for Minitab’s blog: “I’ve overcome the fear of statistics and acquired a real passion for it,” says Martz. “And if I can learn to understand and apply statistics, so can you.”

Wed, 11/23/2016 - 16:25
Controls Charts Are Good for So Much More Than SPCThey help quantify probabilities and determine if results are statistically significant
Tue, 11/07/2017 - 12:01
Control charts take data about your process and plot it so you can distinguish between common-cause and special-cause variation. Knowing the difference is important because it permits you to address potential problems without over-controlling your…
Five More Critical Six Sigma Tools: A Quick GuideGetting familiar with these tools is a good way to get started on your quality journey
Wed, 09/06/2017 - 12:02
The Six Sigma quality improvement methodology has lasted for decades because it gets results. Companies in every country around the world, and in every industry, have used this logical, step-by-step method to improve the quality of their processes…
Five Critical Six Sigma Tools: A Quick GuideWhat they do and why they’re important
Tue, 09/05/2017 - 12:02
Six Sigma is a quality improvement method that businesses have used for decades—because it gets results. A Six Sigma project follows a clearly defined series of steps, and companies in every industry in every country around the world have used this…
Common Words With Precise Statistical MeaningsClarifying the familiar but foreign language of statistics
Wed, 02/08/2017 - 12:02
The language of statistics is a funny thing, but there usually isn’t much to laugh at in the consequences that can follow when misunderstandings occur between statisticians and nonstatisticians. We see these consequences frequently in the media,…
Creating Charts to Compare Month-to-Month ChangeA look at Individuals, I-MR, and time-series charts
Wed, 01/11/2017 - 11:07
A member of Minitab’s LinkedIn group asked how to create a chart to monitor change by month, specifically comparing last year’s data to this year’s data. My last post showed how to do this using an Individuals chart of the differences between this…
Five More Insights From Noted Quality LeadersUsing statistics in innovative ways
Wed, 10/26/2016 - 16:47
At last month’s Minitab Insights conference, experts from a wide range of industries offered some great lessons about how they use data analysis to improve business practices and solve a variety of problems. I shared five tips from quality leaders…
Five Powerful Insights From Noted Quality LeadersMinitab Insights conference gathered problem solvers from diverse industries
Tue, 10/25/2016 - 16:41
If you were among the 300 people who attended the first-ever Minitab Insights conference last month, you already know how powerful it was. Attendees learned how practitioners from a wide range of industries use data analysis to address a variety of…
When Should You Mistrust Statistics?Figures don’t lie but liars figure
Wed, 09/07/2016 - 15:49
A recent post at Ben Orlin’s always amusing mathwithbaddrawings.com blog nicely encapsulates why so many people feel wary about anything related to statistics and data analysis. Take a moment to check it out; it’s a fast read. In all the scenarios…
A Surgeon’s View of Data-Driven Quality ImprovementSeeing is believing, even with ‘little’ data
Wed, 03/23/2016 - 17:41
There’s plenty of noisy disagreement about the state of healthcare, but when you look beyond the controversies, a great deal of common ground exists. Many agree that the way we’ve been doing things is wasteful and inefficient, when healthcare…
Imprisoned by StatisticsHow poor data collection and analysis sent an innocent nurse to jail
Wed, 02/24/2016 - 15:31
If you want to convince someone that at least a basic understanding of statistics is an essential life skill, bring up the case of Lucia de Berk. Hers is a story that’s too awful to be true—except that it’s completely true. A flawed analysis…