Intro to Statistical Methods

Set a strong foundation in Six Sigma Statistical Methods for effective processes with our two-day workshop

This two-day Introduction to Statistical Methods workshop is essential for those aspiring to certification as a Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Six Sigma Green Belt, or Six Sigma Black Belt, or those who will serve as Six Sigma Champions in organizations aspiring to operational excellence. This course also builds the foundation for all of the following courses in a Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma certification path. The methods you will learn are fundamental to Six Sigma DMAIC improvement projects and Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) projects, Lean Six Sigma implementations, Business Process Management, Quality Management or Statistical Process Control (SPC), and Statistical Quality Control (SQC).

This course will teach effective process analysis, monitoring, management, and continuous improvement; essential methodologies to learn regardless of industry or how they are applied: medical device, semi-conductor, or wind turbine manufacturing; or improvement in servicing people in need through a hospital room or an IT service call. The methods learned in this course will reveal the process character and provide the foundation for solving and sustaining process improvement; which is the secret ingredient of all operational excellence.

Participants will learn how to characterize process variation and behavior with histograms, box and whisker plots, standard distribution parameters, and basic statistical process control methods. They will also learn about individuals (Xi) and Moving Range (MR) control charts for variable data, as well as how to assess process capability (Cpk) and performance (Ppk) relative to requirements.

Course Topics

  • Quantitatively and graphically characterize, describe, and evaluate process performance with histograms, box and whisker plots, and analysis of the normality of distributions
  • Construct, implement, and interpret run charts and SPC control charts to identify trends, or other types of process changes, as a strategy for process management and process improvement
  • How to assess the capability and performance of process based upon tolerances and how to interpret Cpk and Ppk indices
  • Where to apply the descriptive statistical methods and statistical control charts when managing DFSS and DMAIC Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma projects
  • Coaching on how to implement the methods to the DMAIC and DFSS protocols and the importance of their application for those seeking Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification and Black Belt certification
  • Coaching on the application of the statistical methods to SPC, SQC and business process management
  • Participants receive free time-limited versions of software for conducting measurement system analysis and general statistical analysis

Day 1 — Basic Statistics for Characterizing Your Process & Implementation SPC

  • The meaning and significance of common, special and assignable cause variation and how their analysis helps us know when to act and when not to act
  • Histograms, distributions, the measures of a distribution – parameters and statistics
  • The normal distribution and why it is so important and useful
  • Using what we know about the normal distribution to signal when action is required
  • Verifying if a distribution is normal and what to do is it isn’t
  • Coaching on where and how to apply the methods in the Six Sigma DMAIC process improvement and DFSS protocols

Day 2 — Statistical Process Control & Management, Process Capability & Sustaining Process Improvement

  • Plotting data in order of occurrence, spotting possible trends or changes — run charts
  • Turning a run chart into a statistical control chart and the advantages — individuals (Xi) and moving range (MR) control charts sharpen the detection of real process change and help us know when to intervene
  • Process Capability (Cpk) — assessing the ability of a process to meet requirements
  • Process Performance (Ppk) — evaluate how a process has performed
  • Developing effective business process management SPC and SQC control plans
  • Coaching on where and how to apply the methods in the Six Sigma DMAIC process improvement protocol, DFSS, SPC, and SQC implementation and Business Process Management for world-class operational excellence

Course Objectives

Upon completion of this two-day workshop, participants will understand the foundational principles behind Six Sigma statistical methods, with particular attention applied to understanding effective process analysis, monitoring, management, and continuous improvement.

What Career Paths Benefit the Most From Introduction to Statistical Methods Workshop?

  • Process owners for any process or anyone who is responsible for developing processes and process performance reporting
  • People working with manufacturing or non-manufacturing processes
  • Engineers, quality managers, engineers and technicians, manufacturing personnel, and non-manufacturing personnel
  • Candidates for Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Green Belt, or Black Belt certification
  • Six Sigma or Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belts, Green Belts, and Black Belts managing DMAIC or DFSS projects
  • Product development engineers
  • Supplier quality engineers for assuring supplier quality especially when it applies to the Product Part Approval Processes (PPAP) or the equivalent
  • Managers at all levels of an organization that aspires to operational excellence

Additional Course Notes

Customized and on-site versions of this course are available for organizations desiring to target specific groups or objectives. Examples include: Overview for management, including how to lead successful implementation of SPC; administrative personnel with an emphasis on how to use SPC methods most suited to their objectives and optimizing how their processes function; equipment operators with a focus on interpretation and how to react to control chart signals; quality and process engineers with an emphasis on the nuances of control chart selection, application, and sampling method design; sales and marketing personnel wishing to more effectively interpret trend data; analysts responsible for initiatives to implement analytics in their organization, with an emphasis on the analytical value of control charts and complementary methods.

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

Credit & Follow-Up

Participants who complete this course successfully will earn credit toward Six Sigma Yellow Belt, Six Sigma Green Belt, and Six Sigma Black Belt certification. Participants completing the course will earn the right to return to audit free of charge when the course and classroom space is available.

Credits: 1.5 CEUs

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