What does "Six Sigma" stand for?
Six Sigma - one of the top 10 quality and management methods worldwide, the name is program. Who remembers a little of mathematics and statistics, already suspects that with the optimization of processes the standard normal distribution plays an important role and thus the characteristic quantity of the "standard deviation" - and already we are with the Sigma (σ). Let's take a closer look:
Faultlessness as maxim
The goal of Six Sigma is almost error-free workflows, products and processes. These require a high degree of process quality. Process quality describes the ability of a process to reproduce the product (or service, process, design, etc.) it requires over and over again without deviation. The higher the degree of process quality, the lower the probability of deviation, the lower the occurrence of errors.
Lean management
Lean Management is not a case of methods, but a philosophy and not only there to optimize processes and achieve short-term success. It is not about the use of tools. Rather, it is about the right way of thinking and acting as well as the empowerment and development of people.
Lean Management refers to the totality of thought principles, methods and procedures for shaping the value chain within a company. The focus on customer benefit or the creation of value for the customer has the highest priority. The result are processes with an enormously high customer orientation.
Process definitions, clear responsibilities, the reaction to mistakes and simple organisational methods lead to stable, efficient and effective processes from which high-quality products and services are created. Kaizen, the improvements in small steps, forms the basis for this.
The focus is always on the customer's wishes or the end-to-end process and how to accomplish them. This means organisation, leadership, cooperation and communication are aligned accordingly. Such an orientation reaches deep into the company and is a change process that matures over years and is improved from the inside out.
The combination of Lean Management and Six Sigma creates a powerful tool for a lean and efficient operation. This means for you:
- Less scrap
- Higher product quality
- Reduction of resource consumption
- Lower costs and lead times