# Six Sigma > [!summary] Six Sigma > > It is a _business process_ that allows companies to drastically improve their bottom line by designing and monitoring everyday business activities in ways _that minimize waste and resources_ while increasing customer satisfaction. > > Six Sigma can be applied to any process that can be measured, that is, to **ANY process**. - [[dmaic|DMAIC]] Process Improvement - Mean shifts, long term performance degrades - Six Sigma Belts - Yellow Belt: Basic awareness - Green Belt: Utilize tools - Black Belt: Project Leader - Master Black Belt: Teacher - [[process-sigma|Sigma Level]] - Long-term Process Capability to operate within specifications, i.e. without defects - 3$\sigma$ process operates at 66,800 DPMO, 93.3% yield. - 6$\sigma$ process operates at 3.4 DPMO, 99.9997% yield. ## Foundation - Foundations - **Genuine** focus on Customers (VOC) - **Data and fact-driven** management - **Process focus**, management and improvement - **Proactive** management - **Boundary-less** collaboration - **Drive for perfection**; tolerance for failure - Customer - Six Sigma starts with the continuous and comprehensive understanding of the customer needs. - Only the customer can establish the requirements, determine what constitutes a defect, and decide whether the process, product or service is acceptable or not. - Variation - Reduce Variation - Center the Process - Process - Measure inputs and outputs to identify variation - Implement solutions to reduce variation in process - Control revised process