The DMAIC methodology, process sigma level and DPMO, Green Belt and Black Belt certification, and how Six Sigma's statistical rigor complements Lean's flow-based tools.
Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven methodology for reducing process variation and defects, built around the five-phase Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC) sequence. This module works through DMAIC phase by phase, the DPMO-to-sigma-level conversion (including the standard 1.5-sigma long-term shift), the Green Belt/Black Belt/Master Black Belt certification hierarchy, and Six Sigma's core statistical toolkit — hypothesis testing, control charts, Cp/Cpk, DOE, and FMEA.
By the end of this module you should be able to explain why a chronic, statistically ambiguous defect problem typically needs a full DMAIC project rather than lean's flow-based tools alone — and why the combined discipline, Lean Six Sigma, exists precisely because each methodology is strong where the other is comparatively weak.