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.
So what does yard work have to do with Lean or Agile? They both benefit from something called a Kanban Board. Kanban is Japanese for "signboard" which was originally developed as a way to regulate production at Toyota. You’re probably thinking, "Mixing yard work with software. What?" At its core,…
Sometimes being a process improvement expert is a curse, especially when you’re the customer receiving bad service from an organization. In the midst of experiencing the bad service, do you ever start to analyze why the process is so poorly designed? I want to share a story from my own…
Process improvement is a bit like detective work. You have the DMAIC method, but you also need to follow the clues. These are 3 cautionary tales about what can happen if you don’t clarify your customers’ true needs before trying to deliver on their requirements. We’ll let you in on…
Editor’s Note: Author's blogs are their own and may not always reflect the views of GoLeanSixSigma.com. As a Certified Scrum Master, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and PMI-certified Project Manager, I've read many articles on Agile vs. Lean, and they tend to focus on an implementation of Agile and of…
Leader Standard Work is a set of actions, tools and behaviors incorporated into the daily work of leaders to create a Lean Management System. One of the first priorities is to make your work environment more visible, so a great tool to start with is a Pulse Point Map. What Is…
Check out how the City of SeaTac improved their Right-of -Way Permit Process by completing a Process Walk and Rapid Improvement (Kaizen) Event. What Is a Rapid Improvement Event? A Rapid Improvement Event (also known as a Kaizen Event) involves key process participants focusing on solving a narrowly scoped process…
The City of SeaTac is blazing a trail for all cities in the U.S.A with their Align and Improve initiative. This city-wide initiative is focused on creating better strategic alignment throughout the City of SeaTac and launching process improvement efforts in city processes. With facilitation help from Tracy O'Rourke, the…
Earn PDUs and advance your process improvement skills - it’s a win-win! Register for Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt or Lean Training & Certification and claim up to 48 PDUs. For nearly all PMI certifications, you are required to follow Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR), which supports ongoing professional development through…
So your organization is embarking on a Lean Journey. Congratulations! The Lean journey can be transformational and exciting for an organization. It can also be daunting and frustrating too. How do leaders figure out how to transform the people, the processes and the performance of an organization? Hopefully, leaders consider…
Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs in the world. Your classrooms should reflect your high teaching standards and embody your vision of a safe, well-behaved, and hard-working environment. So how do you get there? How do you make your classroom sing it’s most important song? Here's…