Six sigma in Software Engineering

Six sigma is data-driven, statistically based methodology designed to analyze, eliminate and control defect patterns and anomalies in any process. Six sigma reflects a management philosophy concerned with process improvement based on a systematic rather than opportunistic approach. In the Software Engineering context, six sigma techniques and tools lend itself to improvement in the software development and maintenance processes as well as the IT service management. In this course, Students will learn the basics of the six-sigma DMAIC (Defines, Measures, Analyzes, Improves, and Controls) process. The course objective is to show students how to apply the six-sigma tools and techniques in typical industrial setup for process improvement and research setup as an empirical research tool. During the proposed four sessions, the course will cover (1) Six Sigma methods foundation and overview of the DMAIC process (One Session – Concepts), (2) Applying Six Sigma methods, tools and techniques in the Software Engineering domain & analyzing the process for mistake-proofing (One session – Concepts), (3) Case studies & hands-on exercises (One session – Practical) and (4) Six Sigma as a tool for process improvement research (One session – Research Directions).