What is Six Sigma and what are the advantages of six sigma

 Origin Mapping

Starting from the dabbawallas in the busy streets of Mumbai, Lean and Six Sigma approaches have reaped positive results for aerospace companies. 

Mapping the impact of Lean and Six sigma compels digging into the advent of this performance regulatory model.

Rooted 1980s USA, Motorola, a well-known telecommunications company, devised this methodology while trying to counter the kaizen manufacturing model of Japan.

The beauty of globalization lies in the fact that eventually the strategies that were supposed to counter each other eventually merged into one.

A combined model of Lean manufacturing also called kaizen and Six Sigma appeared for the first time in 2002 in a book titled Lean Six Sigma by authors Micheal George and Robert Lawrence Jr.

Lean manufacturing traditionally operated in minimizing discharge in the manufacturing units.

Six sigma focused on quality by recognizing and eliminating ineffective processes in the manufacturing chronologies. 

As a conjugated model Lean Six Sigma employs the DMAIC method that identifies the root cause of the backslides for any manufacturing process with a measurable amount of data. 

Levels of Lean and Six Sigma

Different colors denote the categories of Lean Six Sigma certifications.

The black belt certification represents the highest level, while the green belt reflects beginner-level lean and six sigma skills. 

Based on the impact of the decisions of an individual at various managerial levels, the certification curriculum increasingly emphasizes practical experience and data-driven decision-making skills.

Advantages of Lean and Six Sigma

Strictly from the slant of manufacturing operations, the value added by the Lean and Six Sigma practices echoes along the whole supply chain and its extensions.

Resource Planning

Following the statistical data, the DMAIC practice concludes the standard inventory levels based on the production quantity and delivery deadlines.

Precise Production

Considering the storage capacities and commute limitations, the lean process regulates the production bulks.  

Cost control

A well-researched market analysis rooted in the Six sigma principles enables the identification of low-cost qualitative alternatives in the market. Furthermore, the entire process of individual costs is always kept in check in contrast to the new market developments to ensure reinstating cost-effective recourses.

Accurate commute and delivery

Taking the historical data, the lean and six sigma applications facilitate better route mapping and resource selection to execute quantitative and qualitative deliverance.

Waste minimization and management 

The essence of the Lean and Six Sigma methodology lies in waste management.

The sigma values represent the occurrence of defects or lapses per million operations inversely. In other words, the higher the sigma value, the lesser the wastage. 

In the pursuit of waste minimization, Six sigma involves the rigorous application of statistics and analytical problem-solving methods to map the loose ends. Further, the solution constitutes applying a virtual trial to ensure results before the practical execution of the process. Six Sigma predominantly relies on mathematical accuracy to zero down on the actionable throughout. This results in minimal wastage and deflecting duplication. Best Six sigma certification

Progression

From only being employed in manufacturing units, today, the Lean and Six Sigma model is a one-stop solution for all quality issues across the spectrum of sectors. 

The globalization of the 90s led the markets of the world open for Indian companies. With global ambitions, Indian products for the first time clashed with offshore quality of the commodities, giving rise to the need to scale up the product quality.

This exposure interestingly resulted in the Lean and Six Sigma methodologies trickling into the service industries. This advent led to the discovery of the validity of lean and Six sigma in processes that involved human interactions with the possible variation in the need and supply.

This discovery has piloted the adoption of Lean and Six Sigma in several similar sectors such as banking, healthcare, BPO, etc. 

In conclusion, the need for Six Sigma has grown by leaps and bounds, scaling across the markets. Besides enabling better quality control, it opens doors to specialized roles in Lean and Six Sigma. 

Thus, there is barely any hyperbole in stating that Lean and Six Sigma certifications assure employability.