What is the primary approach employed by Six Sigma to reduce the number of defects?

Question

A) Add inspection to isolate the customer from process instability.

B) Reduce process variability at the source through redesign or process controls.

C) Revise specifications to better reflect customer expectations.

D) Provide incentives to the workforce to eliminate defects.

E) Educate customers to manage product/process expectations.

Answer 1

The answer is B. Six sigma is a method to improve processes by evaluating the current process through measurements (generally means and/or variability) and identifying improvements that can be made to the process. (C) may happen on a six sigma project because one looks at the VOC (Voice of the Customer) as input(s) and additional but this would not always be the case. Also, steps like (A) may be employeed (though generally steps are elimintated from processes instead of added). In fact, the Lean philosophy is that the step in (A) in non-value added and any defect of a properly designed process would not make it that far. Deming's answer to these people was that it made sense to turn the key of the car as it got off the assembly line.... :)

(D) is the opposite of the six sigma philosophy of there are no bad people, just bad processes.... (which may or may not be swallowed...)

Answer 2

I would definitely say B. Six Sigma attempts to address the source and original root cause of any defects before specifications are created and the product is distributed to the customer. Everything you listed is important but I would choose B as primary.

Answer 3

I think you will have to employ every thing.
But among them. conduct reviews and inspections
also stick to the requirements, make the client to get involved in all the phases of SDLC.