Introduction To Six Sigma

Analysis is at once the most important step and the most daunting for those new to Six Sigma. Too often the first phase of training is to overwhelm people with advance statistics. It is OK to count on your figures! Start where you are and expect that this is the area where you will continue to grow for years to come. What you need most is good old fashioned common sense.

There are three aspects to analysis:

• Data analysis
• Process analysis
• Root cause analysis

The data collected on the measurement phase must be analyzed. That is where the statistics come into play. If you do not have a person on your team who is comfortable with basic statistics arrange to have access to someone in your company with that knowledge. Process analysis requires an ability to visualize and no knowledge of statistics. You should create flow charts of the key work areas under review. All you need is an easel, a marker and the ability to draw boxes and lines. Root cause analysis is critical and it is best done in open meetings with the team. To avoid jumping to pet conclusions you may use techniques like the cause and effect diagnosis. It is a simple technique you can learn from most books on quality management.