An aggressive campaign to boost profitability, increase market share, and improve customer satisfaction has been launched by a select group of leaders in US industry. Known as six sigma, the strategy provides companies with a series of interventions and statistical tools that can lead to breakthrough profitability and quantum gains in quality, whether a company's products are durable goods or services. The six sigma strategy measures the degree to which any business process deviates from its goal. The average product has a quality performance of four sigma. The best products, however, are valued at six sigma, a level of excellence in performance that is truly world class. The higher the sigma value, the less likely a process will produce defects. The six sigma strategy is described.