There are an abundance of tools in the Lean Six Sigma toolkit but what really makes the difference is getting a little guidance and seeing some practical examples. Once you see how these tools and concepts function in the real world, it’s easier to apply them to your own processes and you’re more likely to see significant results.
In Part 1 of this series we discussed how to create a Mission and a Vision for the Lean Six Sigma Program Office. Once the Vision and Mission are vetted with key constituents and the Lean Six Sigma Program Office has a clear understanding of who they are and what…
Of all the tools in the Lean Six Sigma toolbox, Gage R&R is one of the least sexy or at least it’s one of the more complicated sounding procedures. Just take the name; does this concept promote “Rest & Relaxation” for…gages? And what’s with the odd spelling of “gauge”? Was…
Some young parents look like extras on The Walking Dead. Others sound like truant officers about to haul their kids off to the pokey. But some seem to have a secret formula for maintaining a high-functioning, kid-filled household. What follows are some brilliantly simple, Lean visual routines offered by largely…
Paul Simon wrote a song in 1975 called “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” but, when dealing with process improvement, there are really only “5 Ways to Improve a Process.” It is all about reducing variation; whether it’s variation in time to serve a customer at the Bahama Bistro, variation…
Strategic Planning for a Lean Six Sigma Program Office is critical for survival. Unfortunately, many organizations commit to a Lean Six Sigma effort, schedule training, allocate resources, hire Black Belts and work on improvement projects only to see those resources laid off a few years later and watch as the…
Traditionally, everyone in the process improvement world references the Seven Basic Quality Tools which were promoted by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa back in the 1950s. Dr. Ishikawa was influenced by Dr. Deming, another quality great, and these are still a very good set of quality tools. But times have changed and…
Do you have great conversations but can’t quite recall what was great about them? Do you sometimes wish you had written down a pithy quote? Do you have trouble remembering where you were last Tuesday? That last one might haunt you if you’re questioned by the police but this is…
A process map is an important part of any Lean Six Sigma project – it helps communicate the process at the center of your project and guides you to specific areas of focus. There are a number of choices available, and choosing the right map helps to clarify your efforts.…
How do we get our employees excited about our organization’s Mission, Vision and Values? I’ve heard this concern from organizational leaders before and I wanted to share an example of a government organization successfully using a powerful but simple approach. The Usual Way A typical method of building an organization’s…
I confess I am a success tips junkie. If I see “The 5 Things Successful People Do,” “How to Be Your Most Productive Self,” “10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Whatever” – anything remotely hinting at a better way – Click, I’m going to give it a read.…