Minitab, Micrografx Partner on Integrated Six Sigma Solutions

Micrografx Inc. (Allen, TX) and Minitab Inc. (State College, PA) have announced a joint venture in which they will be creating best-in-class, integrated solutions for Six Sigma process management and statistical analysis.

Through this collaboration, both companies will help organizations implementing Six Sigma initiatives boost efficiency and effectiveness — and thus the quality — of their business processes, which can substantially increase return on investment.

Micrografx provides graphics-based software, solutions, and services that allow customers to visualize processes in order to improve productivity. The company will contribute its iGrafx Process solution, which provides process modeling capabilities and ease of use, to facilitate the simulation of Six Sigma solutions. Minitab will supply its comprehensive statistical software used by Six Sigma practitioners.

"By melding Micrografx's graphics-based process modeling solutions with Minitab's advanced statistics capabilities, we will combine the crucial elements of a Six Sigma deployment into a single solution set for users," said David Wright, vp of strategic relationships for Micrografx. "Six Sigma black belts now will be able to visualize and validate solutions to their business problems, no matter how complex."

"This collaboration between Micrografx and Minitab will create the next generation of Six Sigma technology," said Jean-Pierre Mulley, product manager for Minitab. "By allowing the free flow of data between MINITAB and iGrafx Process, Six Sigma black belts will have what until now was not available: an integrated toolkit for each step of the Six Sigma DMAIC process — define, measure, analyze, improve, and control."

Both companies will be discussing this partnership at the upcoming ASQ Quality Congress in Indianapolis, IN.

"Our new relationship with Minitab will play a significant role in Micrografx's growth by providing organizations with best-in-class, integrated Six Sigma tools," stated Douglas Richard, president and CEO of Micrografx.

Micrografx Inc., 505 Millennium Dr., Allen, TX 75013. Tel: 214-495-4000; Fax: 214-495-4073.

Minitab, Inc., 3081 Enterprise Dr., State College, PA 16801-3008. Tel: 800-448-3555 or 814-238-3280; Fax: 814-238-4383.

Edited by Nancy Katz