Effective data analysis using Minitab

by Larry Taggart Article writer The Six Sigma methodology is popular in organizations the world over because it adds to the revenue of an organization by improving processes and reducing defects. Six Sigma professionals use a set of tools and techniques and rely on data and statistics to find out problems and rectify them. However, they don't need to rely on their memory to work on data and statistics. For managing all Six Sigma related data and statistics including root cause analysis (RCA), Minitab has emerged as one of the favorite tools of Six Sigma professionals.

RCA
Anyone who works on Six Sigma projects knows what RCA is all about. RCA forms the premise of all Six Sigma projects. This is a method where the root cause of an issue is identified. When it is found out that resolving a factor will prevent an undesirable outcome to recur, it is known as a root cause. Some confuse the root cause factors with causal factors because the latter also affect the outcome of events. Six Sigma training and certification allows an individual to differentiate between the two and focus on the root causes.

RCA consists of four broad principles.

1. Proper definition and description of a problem or an event;
2. Establishment of the timeline between a normal situation and the failure or final crisis;
3. Separation of root causes and causal factors and
4. Execution and implementation until problems can be predicted.

It is important to note that root cause analysis is a reactive method and can only be applied after an event has taken place. However, the insights derived through RCA can preempt future problems. This is the reason this analysis is given high regard.

Minitab
RCA involves working on a lot of data and for a normal person, it is not possible to remember and analyze all the data in their head. This is where machines come into the picture. Minitab is a statistical package that was developed at the Pennsylvania State University in 1972. It helps in automating various data calculations and designing of graphs. Thus, the user doesn't need to remember what data they are supposed to work with. Once the data is fed into the package, the user only needs to focus on the data analyses and interpretations.

Both these topics mentioned here form part of the Six Sigma training programs. Organizations hire experienced Six Sigma professionals to take their employees through such training programs. Since Six Sigma makes such a critical impact on business processes, organizations invest in considerable amount of money and man-hours to create in-house experts. The large organizations even have master black belts on their rolls and the job of these experts is to train and certify black and green belt holders. There are also individuals who undertake these programs and they are rewarded with highly lucrative careers.

A combination of theory and project work makes Six Sigma implementable. It is the best training institutions that provide both and in the right mix – they are the ones to hire.

Minitab plays an important role in data analysis and helps in root cause analysis of problems.

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Created on Oct 8th 2018 14:31. Viewed 307 times.

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