Eston Martz

Statistical technician

For Eston Martz, analyzing data is an extremely powerful tool that helps us understand the world—which is why statistics is central to quality improvement methods such as lean and Six Sigma. While working as a writer, Martz began to appreciate the beauty in a robust, thorough analysis and wanted to learn more. To the astonishment of his friends, he started a master’s degree in applied statistics. Since joining Minitab, Martz has learned that a lot of people feel the same way about statistics as he used to. That’s why he writes for Minitab’s blog: “I’ve overcome the fear of statistics and acquired a real passion for it,” says Martz. “And if I can learn to understand and apply statistics, so can you.”

Tue, 11/07/2017 - 12:01
Creating a New Metric With Gauge R&R, Part 1 How to make your own measurement tool
Thu, 03/05/2015 - 10:36
One of my favorite bloggers about the application of statistics in healthcare is David Kashmer, an M.D. and MBA who runs and writes for the Business Model Innovation in Surgery blog. If you’re interested in how quality improvement methods like lean…
Does the Impact of Your Quality Initiative Reach C-Level Executives? Chances are it doesn’t
Wed, 11/12/2014 - 17:22
Here’s a shocking finding from the most recent “ASQ Global State of Quality” report: The higher you rise in your organization’s leadership, the less often you receive reports about quality metrics. Only 2 percent of senior executives get daily…
I Think I Can, I Know I Can A high-level overview of process capability analysis
Mon, 06/16/2014 - 15:00
Remember The Little Engine That Could, the children’s story about self-confidence in the face of huge challenges? In it, a train engine keeps telling itself, “I think I can” while carrying a very heavy load up a big mountain. Next thing you know,…
Applying Six Sigma to a Small Operation, Part 2 Using design of experiments to optimize data
Thu, 02/13/2014 - 12:19
In part one, I shared a case study of how a small bicycle-chain manufacturing company in India used Six Sigma’s DMAIC approach to reverse declining productivity. After completing the define, measure, and analysis phases, the team had identified the…
Applying Six Sigma to a Small Operation, Part 1 One team, one small company, big results
Wed, 02/12/2014 - 12:08
Using data analysis and statistics to improve business quality has a long history. But it often seems like most of that history involves huge operations. After all, Six Sigma originated with Motorola, and was embraced by thousands of other…
Two Maps, One Value The value-stream map has been around longer than you think
Mon, 12/02/2013 - 11:42
In looking for the answer to an unrelated quality improvement question the other day, I ran across a blog post that answers a question I’ve had for a while: What’s the origin of the value-stream map? A value-stream map is a key tool in many…
Making a Difference in How People Use Data It starts by recognizing what people need but don’t know how to do
Mon, 11/11/2013 - 09:44
A colleague of mine at Minitab, Cheryl Pammer, was recently featured in “A Statistician’s Journey,” a monthly feature that appears in the print and online versions of the American Statistical Association’s (ASA) AMSTAT News magazine. Each month,…
Studying Old Dogs With New Statistical Tricks Bone-cracking hypercarnivores and 3D surface plots
Wed, 06/05/2013 - 16:37
A while back my colleague Jim Frost wrote about applying statistics to decisions typically left to expert judgment; I was reminded of his post this week when I came across a new research study that takes a statistical technique commonly used in one…
Enough Is Enough! Handling multicollinearity in regression analysis
Tue, 04/16/2013 - 17:09

In regression analysis, we look at the correlations between one or more input variables, or factors, and a response. We might look at how baking time and temperature relate to the hardness of a piece of plastic, or how educational levels and…
Getting Started With Factorial Design of Experiments What variables and interactions are significant to your work?
Mon, 03/25/2013 - 16:36
When I talk to quality professionals about how they use statistics, one tool they mention again and again is design of experiments, or DOE. I’d never even heard the term before I started getting involved in quality improvement efforts, but now…