Broken processes reduce quality in a variety of organizations, from banking to manufacturing to healthcare, and more. In the United States, Six Sigma is probably the best known process improvement methodology, although other techniques have similar goals and effectiveness in the field.
Six Sigma is a methodology for improving processes to achieve any or all of the following goals:
Six Sigma methodology is data-driven and focuses on the relationship between system inputs and outputs, both of which can vary. The inputs, or independent variables, are symbolized by X; the outputs, or dependent variables, are symbolized by Y. The goal of a Six Sigma program is to yield maximum quality and minimum variation in Y by controlling variation in all the X variables, the factors that influence it.
Six Sigma teams talk about the "hidden factory" of workers behind the scenes who rework defects and perform other extra tasks to make up for broken processes. Six Sigma programs achieve their goals by discovering the hidden factory in their organization and releasing its workers for more productive tasks.