How is robustness incorporated into the six sigma methodology?

Robustness is an issue of both design and process. The aim is to identify factors that are important enough in the presence of noise so that satisfaction is the result. A typical strategy for robustness is to:

• Change the technology to be robust.

• Make basic current design assumptions insensitive to noise.

• Reduce or remove the noise factors.

• Insert a compensation device.

• Send the error state or noise somewhere else where it will be less harmful—in other words, disguise the effect.