Six Sigma in the Right to Repair

In an increasingly technological world, it is becoming more important to be able to fix equipment as it breaks down. In many places, it seems like companies do not focus on such abilities, whether it is through the design of the product, some form of warranty, or Digital Rights Management companies trying to get in the way of repairs. This trend may have been going on for longer than we think, with many companies seemingly changing focus at some point. Nevertheless, what are the benefits of device and product repair? Why not just throw out the broken product and buy a new one? In this paper, we will give a history of the right to repair and discuss how long the anti-repair engineering trend has gone on. We will also go into the potential costs and benefits of engineering with the right to repair in mind and the expenses that come with the current way companies operate. In the end, this paper should inform how, as a whole, the greater world could benefit from right to repair legislation and design. We also intend to cover the potential benefits of the right to repair for businesses that normally impede the right, in addition to the tangible benefits of applying Six Sigma to right to repair.