Statistics are the foundation of the Six Sigma methodology and can be very useful in understanding manufacturing performance and for planning manufacturing improvement. It might be surprising to know that a lot of useful statistical data is likely already available in your manufacturing database.

There is a lot of effort going into continuous improvement in manufacturing these days. Few people would argue that a culture dedicated to continuously improving business operations is not a good thing. Although continuous improvement projects start with the best intentions in mind, they don’t always result in meaningful positive change to the way things are done.