The Impact of Statistics in Industry and the Role of Statisticians

Abstract

The use of statistics in quality management has a long history. Pioneers in this field, such as Walter A. Shewhart and W. Edwards Deming, refer to themselves as industrial statisticians. Statistical thinking in industry means that all work is regarded as a series of interconnected processes, that all processes show variation, and that a reduction in variation is the key for continuous improvement. In literature we find several quantitative quality programs to achieve this. We may mention Statistical Process Control (SPC)and the Six Sigma quality program, among others. We have implemented Statistical Process Control and Six Sigma in several industries. In this paper we briefly describe the philosophies of both programs and the steps needed for a successful implementation. Based on practical experience with both programs we describe the role that a statistician can play in industry. We shall also give an overview of research initiated by the projects we have carried out.