Six Sigma originated at Motorola in 1986 when engineer Bill Smith developed a methodology to reduce defects and improve quality. The company was facing intense competition from Japanese manufacturers who were producing higher quality products at lower costs. Smith introduced the concept of measurin…Six Sigma originated at Motorola in 1986 when engineer Bill Smith developed a methodology to reduce defects and improve quality. The company was facing intense competition from Japanese manufacturers who were producing higher quality products at lower costs. Smith introduced the concept of measuring defects per million opportunities, establishing the goal of 3.4 defects per million as the Six Sigma standard. Motorola won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988, bringing widespread attention to this approach. General Electric, under CEO Jack Welch in the mid-1990s, became the most prominent adopter of Six Sigma, integrating it deeply into corporate culture and reporting billions in savings. Welch mandated that all executives complete Six Sigma training, which significantly elevated the methodology's profile globally. The roots of continuous improvement trace back further to post-World War II Japan. W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran, American quality experts, helped Japanese manufacturers rebuild their industries using statistical process control and quality management principles. Toyota developed the Toyota Production System, which became known as Lean Manufacturing, focusing on eliminating waste and creating value. The combination of Lean principles with Six Sigma methodologies emerged in the early 2000s, creating Lean Six Sigma. This integration brought together Lean's focus on speed and waste reduction with Six Sigma's emphasis on reducing variation and defects. The DMAIC framework, standing for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, became the standard roadmap for improvement projects. Today, Lean Six Sigma is applied across manufacturing, healthcare, finance, government, and service industries worldwide. The belt certification system, including Yellow, Green, Black, and Master Black Belts, provides structured training paths. Organizations continue adopting these methodologies to enhance customer satisfaction, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and maintain competitive advantages in increasingly demanding markets.
History of Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement
Why is This Topic Important?
Understanding the history of Six Sigma and continuous improvement is essential for any Six Sigma Green Belt candidate. This knowledge provides context for why Six Sigma methodologies exist, how they evolved, and why certain tools and techniques are used today. Exam questions frequently test your knowledge of key figures, companies, and milestones in the development of quality management.
What is Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement?
Six Sigma is a data-driven methodology aimed at reducing defects and variation in processes. The term 'Six Sigma' refers to a statistical measure where processes produce no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Continuous improvement is the ongoing effort to enhance products, services, or processes through incremental and breakthrough improvements.
Historical Timeline of Six Sigma and Quality Movement
1920s-1930s: Statistical Foundations - Walter Shewhart at Bell Laboratories developed Statistical Process Control (SPC) and control charts - Introduced the concept of common cause and special cause variation - Created the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle, later popularized by Deming
1940s-1950s: Quality in Manufacturing - W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran traveled to Japan to help rebuild post-war industry - Deming introduced his 14 Points for Management - Juran emphasized the Pareto Principle and quality trilogy (planning, control, improvement)
1960s-1970s: Japanese Quality Revolution - Kaoru Ishikawa developed the cause-and-effect diagram (fishbone diagram) - Taiichi Ohno at Toyota developed the Toyota Production System (TPS), foundation of Lean - Quality Circles emerged in Japan
1980s: Birth of Six Sigma - Motorola developed Six Sigma in 1986 under the leadership of Bill Smith, known as the 'Father of Six Sigma' - Bob Galvin, Motorola's CEO, championed the initiative - Motorola won the first Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1988
1990s: Six Sigma Expansion - General Electric under Jack Welch adopted and popularized Six Sigma in 1995 - GE reported billions in savings, making Six Sigma a global phenomenon - AlliedSignal (later Honeywell) under Larry Bossidy also implemented Six Sigma successfully
2000s-Present: Lean Six Sigma Integration - Combination of Lean principles with Six Sigma methodology - Expansion beyond manufacturing into healthcare, finance, and service industries
Key Figures to Remember
- Walter Shewhart: Father of Statistical Quality Control - W. Edwards Deming: PDCA cycle, 14 Points, System of Profound Knowledge - Joseph Juran: Quality trilogy, Pareto analysis - Philip Crosby: Zero defects, quality is free - Bill Smith: Father of Six Sigma (Motorola) - Kaoru Ishikawa: Fishbone diagram, Quality Circles - Genichi Taguchi: Robust design, loss function
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on History of Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement
1. Memorize key associations: Link each quality guru with their primary contribution (e.g., Shewhart = control charts, Ishikawa = fishbone diagram)
2. Know the chronological order: Understand that Shewhart came before Deming, and Six Sigma originated at Motorola before GE
3. Remember company connections: Motorola birthed Six Sigma, GE popularized it globally
4. Distinguish between methodologies: Understand the difference between TQM, Lean, and Six Sigma origins
5. Watch for trick questions: Some questions may attribute contributions to the wrong person - verify the guru-contribution pairing
6. Focus on 'firsts': First Malcolm Baldrige Award winner (Motorola), first to develop Six Sigma (Motorola/Bill Smith)
7. Understand the 'why': Know why Japanese quality improved (Deming and Juran's teachings) and why Six Sigma spread (documented financial results)