• Why Most Companies Fail at Lean Six Sigma

    Everyone has an opinion on why Lean Six Sigma fails. Who is right and who is wrong doesn’t really matter. The important thing is to figure out what you can do to prevent it from happening to your company. Keep Lean Six Sigma Alive and Well A June 2012 Wall Street Journal post, “Where Process-Improvement…

  • The Future of Six Sigma 2013 Update

    I am often asked my opinion regarding the future of Six Sigma. Regarding the future of Six Sigma, it continues on despite rumors of its death which began shortly after its birth in the 1980s. For those doing it right (arguably a minority, but a sizable one,) the Six Sigma approach has evolved into a new way…

  • Lean Six Sigma Simplifies Tasks through Process Mapping

    A primary component of Lean Six Sigma is eliminating documented and undocumented waste. Documented waste, frequently tracked through an organization’s automated systems, is easier to measure and correct. However, undocumented waste – non-value-added steps and events unintentionally incorporated into a process over time, sometimes along with required value-added steps – is often more troubling. That’s…

  • Lean Six Sigma Requires a Flexible, Motivated Workforce

    Lean Six Sigma increases workforce flexibility and agility as it helps businesses improve their bottom line. In fact, according to the white paper, “The Lean Workforce: Applying Lean principles to improve workforce management,” a critical component of a successful program is having a “flexible, motivated workforce.” This requires you to understand what motivates your workforce…

  • How to Eliminate the Seven Kinds of Waste Using Lean Six Sigma

    There are seven major types of non-value-added work: Though as an organization you may find some of these – transportation and inventory, for instance – are necessary, they don’t add value to the customer’s experience. When trying to increase value for your customers with Lean Six Sigma, value equals only what the customer is willing…

  • Use 5-Whys to Eliminate Non-Value-Added Steps in Your Lean Six Sigma Process

    Lean Six Sigma is all about doing the right things in the most efficient way in order to provide value to customers. Yet, organizations routinely include non-value-added steps – work that isn’t important to the customer – that increase expenses. Since customers only want to pay for value, it makes no sense to incorporate non-value-added…

  • Accounting for Variability in Lean Six Sigma

    Accounting for process variation is vital in Lean Six Sigma. The measurement phase of the LSS process produces the data that shows the amount of variation in the process. Once identified, the goal is then to manage and reduce this variation using Lean Six Sigma tools. Basic Sources of Variation There are two basic sources…

  • Combining Lean Six Sigma with Simulation Software

    Systems rarely perform exactly as predicted. This is the opening line from a Predicting Process Variability blog. It is also, according to the blog, “the driving force behind most improvement projects.” Because variability is inherent in all processes, regardless if you work in manufacturing or at a bank, there will always be some amount of…

  • Lean Six Sigma: Improving the Environment

    Our growing focus on improving our environment has placed pressure on many organizations to re-evaluate their business practices. As a result, many manufacturers are on the hot seat when it comes to implementing production methods that will lessen their environmental impact. That’s the beauty of Lean Six Sigma. By aligning it with sustainability principles, manufacturers…

  • Are Lean Six Sigma and BYOD a Good Mix?

    Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) seems to be cropping up in organizations all across the country these days, as the convenience and portability of these devices allows their owners to do a host of tasks, wherever they are. Though some see this move as a potential security risk, if personal devices improve worker productivity, this…

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