Final answer:
The correct answer is C. Six Sigma refers to a business process-improvement methodology that aims to reduce variability and eliminate defects in processes by using statistical analysis. It strives for nearly perfect quality performance by minimizing the number of defects to no more than 3.4 per million opportunities.
Step-by-step explanation:
A business process-improvement approach that seeks to find and eliminate causes of defects and errors. This methodology uses statistical tools and techniques to identify and reduce variability and improve quality in business processes. It is not directly related to Pareto-analysis charts, precise conformity with no variation, robust-quality performance standards, or the requirements for ISO 9000 certification, although those concepts might be part of a Six Sigma practitioner's broader quality management toolkit.
The term Six Sigma originated from statistical modeling of manufacturing processes. The sigma rating indicates how far a given process deviates from perfection. The goal is to have no more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. The concept involves using data and statistical analysis to measure and improve a company's operational performance, practices, and systems. Importantly, a Sigma level of six corresponds to 99.99966% efficiency, signaling exceptionally high quality and low variation.
To put this into context, assume we're examining a process with a mean number of defects and variability. Standard deviation plays a key role in Six Sigma; it helps quantify the spread of data values about the mean, thus enabling the identification of variability that Six Sigma projects aim to reduce. In practice, reducing standard deviation means that the output of a process increasingly hovers close to the target value, minimizing defects and variability. It's this statistical rigour that makes Six Sigma a powerful tool in quality control and business process improvement.