•A statistical measure of the performance of a process or a product
•A goal that reaches near perfection for performance improvement
•A System of management to achieve lasting business leadership and world-class results
Six Sigma is a smarter way to manage, putting the customer first and using facts and data to drive better solutions. Companies that can consistently apply these methods and tools are much better prepared to use change as a core competency of their operations. Six Sigma efforts target a variety of critical business objectives:
•Improving customer satisfaction
•Accelerating process cycle times and time-to-market
•Reducing defects
•Controlling variation and improving predictability
•Reducing costs – without "unintended consequences"
•Improving end-to-end process management and measurement
Improvements in these areas usually represent dramatic financial benefits to businesses, as well as opportunities to retain customers, capture new markets, and build a reputation for top-performing products and services.