Six Sigma

Praise for George Eckes and Six Sigma for Everyone
“Long noted for his ability to simplify complex subjects and effectively move leaders and teams to action, George connects the dots in this new book. It is the ‘help desk reference manual’ to answer questions and light the path with advice on what needs to be done for effective Six Sigma implementation and what should be avoided. Withoutexception, this book should be within arms reach of anyone working in a Six Sigma environment. George summarizes his practical experience and advice on strategy, tactics, and the critical cultural acceptance dimension he pioneered. This book is written for the ‘doers’ in any position, function or organization serious about success.” Jay Williamson, Corporate Director of Quality, Molex IncorporatedSIX SIGMA F O R E V E RYON E
GEORGE ECKES

John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Copyright © 2003 by George Eckes. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording,scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 750-4470, or on the Web at www.copyright.com. Requests to thePublisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748-6011, fax (201) 748-6008, e-mail: permcoordinator@wiley.com. Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to theaccuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. The publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services, andyou should consult a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. For general information on our other products and services please contact our Customer Care Department within the United States at (800) 762-2974, outside theUnited States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. For more information about Wiley products, visit our Web site at www.wiley.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Eckes, George, 1954– Six sigma for everyone / George Eckes. p. cm.Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-471-28156-5 (PAPER : alk. paper) 1. Quality control—Statistical methods. 2. Production management—Statistical methods. I. Title. TS156 .E283 2003 658.5′62—dc21 2002014909 Printed in the United States of America. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To those who desire to better themselves.

Pr e f ac e

ix Sigma has been a popular managementphilosophy for years. Motorola first made Six Sigma popular in the 1980s. AlliedSignal embraced it in the early 1990s and then General Electric made it the most popular management philosophy in history. Like anything that becomes popular, misconceptions abound relative to how to implement Six Sigma. Particularly since this management philosophy is based on facts and data being used to make decisions in...