The project management theory that is now known as Six Sigma began as a means to improve quality in production at Motorola in 1986. Since that time, Six Sigma methodologies have been revised and expanded so that they now can be applied to the development of new products and services as well as existing ones. For more information on the basic theory and history of Six Sigma, take a look at the articles What is the Purpose of Six Sigma? and Key Concepts of Six Sigma.
Just as with many disciplines in the business world, the terminology used in discussing Six Sigma can sound like a language all its own. To help us muddle through all the various definitions and metrics, Natasha Baker has compiled an excellent comprehensive glossary of terms related to Six Sigma. If you’d like to print out this information to study on the go, a PDF version of this glossary is available in the Project Management Media Gallery.
Once you have your basic questions on Six Sigma answered, the next step is to figure out how to apply the methodology within your own company in such a way that will reap the most benefits. As explained in How to Implement Six Sigma, this project management tool is a top-down strategy so you’re going to need some support from your company’s highest levels to get the system put into place. If you’re having some trouble selling the Six Sigma process to the senior management, try pointing out the positive benefits of Six Sigma metrics as well as the hard statistics on how much certain government agencies have saved by implementing this strategy.
