Innovation Quote by Gary Klein
““The reason, according to Fortune, was that Six Sigma got in the way of innovation. Too much energy was spent cutting defects to 3.4 per million, and not enough energy was expended developing new product ideas.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: Six Sigma Critique, 2017
Six Sigma’s focus on defect reduction can stifle innovation by diverting energy from creative product development.
In simple terms: Six Sigma may hinder innovation.
Key Takeaway
Balance quality control with creative effort.
Themes
innovation
quality
process improvement
Mood
analytical
thoughtful
Type
business
strategic
When to use this quote
- business strategy
- process engineering
Key Concepts
risk management
product development
Questions to Reflect On
- When should quality be prioritized over new ideas?
- How to allocate resources for both?
A Different Perspective
May overlook benefits of defect reduction.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
