Six Sigma For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 1

Better Business and Better Performance: Defining Six Sigma

In This Chapter

Looking at the many definitions and synonyms of Six Sigma

Introducing the proven managerial horsepower of Six Sigma

Recognizing that Six Sigma isn’t just another initiative-du-jour

Identifying a formidable business force

It’s not often that a For Dummies book topic first needs a formal definition. After all, you know in general what gardening, dating, and even marathon training are. But “Six Sigma”? Even if you remember that sigma is the 18th letter of the Greek alphabet, why six of them? And what happened to the first five sigma?

In this chapter, we offer you a foundational knowledge of Six Sigma so that the rest of this book makes sense and you can get the most out of the rest of the book, which ultimately helps your business improve by leaps and bounds.

Discovering What’s Behind the Name

It’s okay if you don’t know what Six Sigma is at all, or don’t understand every aspect of it. That’s because Six Sigma — once a precise, narrowly-defined term — has grown over time to represent a number of concepts: ...