8/15/17

Significance of Six Sigma

Six Sigma represents a stretch goal of six standard deviations from the
process mean to the specification limits when the process is centered,
but also allowing for a 1.5 sigma shift toward either specification limit.
This represents a quality level of 3.4 defects per million.

LSL USL

Significance of Six Sigma

Sigma Level PPM
6σ 3.4 PPM
5σ 233 PPM
4σ 6,210 PPM
3σ 66,810 PPM
2σ 308,770 PPM
1σ 691,462 PPM

Significance of Six Sigma

IRS – Tax Advice USA
Related
(Phone-In)
PPM Restaurant
Bills Doctor Prescription Writing
1,000,000
Payroll Processing
100,000
Wire Transfers
10,000
Airline Baggage Handling
1,000 Purchased
Material
100 Lot Reject Rate Best-in-Class
Domestic
Avg. Airline Flight
10
Company Fatality Rate
1 (0.43 PPM)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Sigma Scale of Measure = Ability of process to perform
without defects

1
 8/15/17

Significance of Six Sigma

99% defect-free 99.99966% defect-free
At least 200,000 wrong drug prescriptions 68 wrong drug prescriptions each year
each year
One short or long landing at major airports
Two short or long landings at major airports
each day each FIVE YEARS

5,000 incorrect surgical procedures every 1.7 incorrect surgical procedures every week
week
Seven lost articles of mail per hour
20,000 lost articles of mail per hour

Unsafe drinking water for almost 15 minutes One unsafe minute every seven months
each day

No electricity for almost 7 hours each month No electricity for almost 7 hours every 5 years