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.
When we envision a project, we often have a pretty good idea of whether or not it could produce a favorable result, but we may not be able to put a value to that result. Sometimes the result we envision is just only the tip of the iceberg, and there…
Every industry has challenges when it comes to applying process improvement. Government agencies have their own set of unique challenges that often make it difficult to achieve success. This means that when government agencies succeed with process improvement, it must be shared and celebrated. Sharing success provides much needed inspiration…
Politicians refer to hard dollars vs. soft dollars often and I don’t pretend to understand what they mean. For one, it has nothing to do with the hard and soft money we deal with in our improvement work. The distinction between hard and soft money can be confusing, but we’ll…
Process Improvement training is powerful and important. It’s one of the best ways to for organizations to work toward delighting customers, and it’s a fast track to bringing the vision, mission and strategic goals to fruition. There’s no doubt about the value, but, since there are many ways to train…
The Lean Six Sigma toolset makes use of a variety of process maps. Each of these diagrams aids in understanding the flow and making it clear how the process works. Although detailed mapping is key to good process improvement, I would venture that properly constructing a high-level map first, can…
When organizations launch process improvement programs, there is often a progression individuals work through as they brainstorm project ideas. This progression is what I observe as “project selection maturity” and it’s helpful to understand how it works. Project selection maturity naturally improves with experience. As individuals practice selecting projects, their…
Mirka Strano is a dynamic professional with extensive health insurance industry knowledge. In this interview, Mirka shares the insights of Tracy O’Rourke, Managing Partner & Executive Advisor at GoLeanSixSigma.com on Lean Six Sigma applied to International Private Medical Insurance (IPMI), Service Chain Management and Business Development. 1. IPMI (International Private Medical Insurance)…
Workplace refrigerators around the world are a necessary evil. Employees need facilities for their meals, but no one seems to clean up after themselves when they’re done and no is one assigned to maintain the shared space so it’s no surprise they’re such a universal source of irritation. Here’s how…
Facts and data are the hallmark of good problem solving – but all too often we don’t have enough data or the right kind of data to make good decisions. In Lean Six Sigma we frequently call upon statistical methods, where we know that having an adequate sample size is…
Organizing makeup is art. At least, that’s the way I see it when I walk into brightly lit, seemingly sterile Sephora stores across the US and also into the beauty section of the Ala Moana Shopping Center’s Nordstrom. My makeup drawers and bags? Not so artsy, or sterile. Staying on top…