Abstract
It is very important to understand and interpret the meaning of the sigma level correctly through the Six Sigma project. Especially, the confusion over the relation between sigma level from the short-term point of view and defective proportion or DPMO from the long-term point of view may make a big gap between expected results of the Six Sigma project and real results in the field. The one-tail approximation is commonly used to calculate the sigma level both in most literatures introducing Six Sigma and actual cases of the Six Sigma project. Since the one-tail approximation undervalues the sigma level of the fields such as business and service of which the sigma level is generally low, however. there can be misleading results of the explanation of the sigma level and inappropriate project evaluation. This paper describes the relation between sigma level and defective proportion in detail and clears the difference between the one-tail and two-tail approximation.