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.
You may run into process improvement enthusiasts who prefer one camp over another—the Lean camp uses Plan-Do-Check-Adjust (PDCA) and the Six Sigma camp uses Define-Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control (DMAIC)—but which one is better, DMAIC or PDCA? For years now, organizations looking to implement process improvement have had to wrestle with which method to…
Surely everyone knows that process improvement has changed dramatically over the last 20 years, and certainly there are generational differences in the practitioners then and now. The first post in this series, The Next Generation of Lean Six Sigma (Part 1): Then and Now, was about the generational shifts in…
Have you ever worked with individuals named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody? I have. Here is how the story unfolds. “There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about…
The DMAIC problem-solving method may seem like a stranger to the A3 but they actually make a great pair. This continuous improvement combo brings much-needed clarity to Kaizen Events, Projects or any process opportunity. But first, a bit of background. We all may know DMAIC as it was born from…
Growing up in the 1980s and 90s, somebody I always looked up to—and still do today—is Michael Jordan. It wasn’t the fact that he helped his team win 6 NBA titles or that he averaged 30 points a game or even that he followed up his playing career with a…
Have you ever failed at process change? Presented your findings—displayed impressive charts and graphs, described elegant solutions to fix a nagging problem—but no one seemed excited? They may have questioned the data and expressed doubts about the solution. If they were candid, they might have complained that no one asked…
I recently spoke at Lean Frontier’s Lean Leadership Week Summit, which focused on lean people development and lean accounting. This summit traditionally attracts a lot of HR professionals working in organizations undergoing a lean journey. During a concurrent session, I shared some of the ways that I’ve exercised with clients…
Business leaders may be aware of Continuous Improvement efforts, but they may not understand exactly how it could impact their organization. Most Lean Six Sigma blogs address the “What” of Lean Six Sigma, but it’s critical to discuss the “Why” behind it—leaders and executives deserve a better understanding of the…
There was an article earlier this year with the title, “Whatever Happened to Six Sigma?” It focused on the rise and decline of the fortunes of General Electric—the most famous adopter of the Six Sigma Process Improvement method. It’s an interesting question, and the answers reveal some underlying truths about…
Last week, I hosted an extravagant dinner party for the most important people and processes in my life. The seating chart was far and away the most complicated part of the preparation—On one side I had all the people over the past 20 years of my process career who told…