The ability to achieve breakthrough improvements, meet new standards and consistently maintain high levels of performance depends upon the effectiveness of controls.
"Last but not least," may be a cliche, but in the world of Six Sigma manufacturing, it's an expression that surely holds sway.
Consider the five phases of Six Sigma-Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control. While all are important, a Six Sigma project that omits the last phase, "Control," is likely destined for failure. Indeed, the ability to achieve real breakthrough improvements, meet new standards and consistently maintain high levels of performance depends upon the effectiveness of controls. A failure to install new controls on improvements made by a Six Sigma project team may make it impossible to hold any gains realized. In fact, if controls are not precisely put in place, the probability is high that the original problem or problems that were eliminated will return. To hold the gains made to any part of the production process on the shop floor, Control is required to evaluate the actual performance of a product or process feature, compare its actual performance to the standard that has been set and take action on the difference, if any.