---
title: "Baseline & Sigma Level"
description: "Without a baseline, you can never prove improvement. This guide brings all key formulas, the Sigma table and a baseline statement together on a few pages. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method,…"
url: "https://skillagility.com/de/ressourcen/baseline-sigma-level/"
updated: "2026-10-11"
category: 02 MEASURE
---

# Baseline & Sigma Level

Without a baseline, you can never prove improvement. This guide brings all key formulas, the Sigma table and a baseline statement together on a few pages. Watch the short video, then work with the toolkit PDF: it explains the method, shows a worked example and gives you a blank template to fill in.

Tool video

The short tool video will appear here.

[Baseline-Sigma-Level_Toolkit_DE](https://skillagility.com/wp-content/plugins/embedpress/assets/pdf/web/viewer.html?&file=https%3A%2F%2Fskillagility.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F10%2FBaseline-Sigma-Level_Toolkit_DE.pdf#key=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)

## Baseline & Sigma Level in short

1. **Check your data type.** Counted (defects, errors) or measured (time, weight)?
2. **Discrete: calculate DPMO.** Count defects, units and opportunities per unit (OPU).
3. **Look up the Sigma Level.** Use the DPMO-to-Sigma table in this guide.
4. **Continuous: calculate Z.** Z = (mean − nearest spec limit) ÷ σ, then subtract the 1.5 shift.
5. **Write the baseline statement.** What, how much, how much variation, over which period.

Key points

- Baseline = average + variation + period.
- Discrete: DPMO, then look up Sigma.
- Continuous: Z-score against the spec limit.
- Your benchmark for proving success.

**Excel tool:** [Six Sigma Calculator (.xlsx)](https://skillagility.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/B303_Six-Sigma-Calculator_DE.xlsx)

**Related tools:** [Chart Selection Guide](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/chart-selection-guide/) · [Project Charter](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/project-charter/) · [Measure Tollgate Checklist](https://skillagility.com/en/resources/measure-tollgate-checklist/)