Glossary Terms Archive

Error-Proofing

Error proofing, also known as poka-yoke, is a quality control method used to prevent mistakes or defects in processes, products, or services. The primary goal of error-proofing is to design systems, processes, or tools that either prevent mistakes from happening or...

Data Collection Plan in Six Sigma: What It Is, Template, and How to Build One

A data collection plan is a structured document that specifies exactly what data a Six Sigma team will collect, how they will collect it, who will collect it, and when. It is created in the Measure phase of DMAIC and used as the foundation for every analytical...

Discrete Data: Definition, Examples, and How Six Sigma Teams Use It

Discrete data is information you count, not measure. It exists only in whole, separate values, like the number of defective parts on a shift or the number of customer complaints in a week. You cannot have 3.5 defects or half a complaint. Discrete data matters in Six...

Continuous Flow in Lean Six Sigma: How to Implement It

Most manufacturing and service processes run on batch logic. A group of items reaches one station, waits there, moves as a batch to the next station, and waits again. The result is predictable: long lead times, large inventory piles, and defects that multiply before...

Cycle Time

Cycle time is a critical metric in manufacturing that measures the time taken to complete a task or a collection of tasks from start to finish. This concept is fundamental to assessing and improving process and equipment performance, much like cash flow is used to...