Lean Six Sigma

The concept of Lean Six Sigma is mostly based around speed in implementing product and service quality. Based on this, the first principle of Lean Six Sigma is: Impress and serve your customers with good speed and quality in both product and service. On the other hand, the second principle pushes for improvement in process flow and speed. That is, principle number two of Lean Six Sigma emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in the flow and speed of a manufacturing process or service of an organisation. Furthermore, the concept stressed that speed is directly tied to excellence as far as quality and process management is concerned.

The fusion of both Lean and Six Sigma together to make one proven effective quality management dates back to a time when the need to improve the quality of products and services and the speed at which they were been manufactured was eminent. Lean manufacturing came to be as a result of Toyota Car Company’s desire to improve its manufacturing process while Six Sigma evolved as a quality initiative to eliminate defects in manufactured products by reducing variation in processes. As a result, the combination (Lean Six Sigma) meant the need to improve the speed of manufacturing process while ensuring quality at the same time is met.

Fusing Lean Manufacturing with Six Sigma Process Management:

In order to effectively combine Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma, there are a number of steps that may be useful if considered. These steps do not necessarily require management to implement them as is but could be modified and amplified to meet an organisation’s production process. Without further ado, they are as shown below:

1. Define and Measure The Problem – For a process management strategy to be implemented, there’s that need to first define the problem or reason behind the need for the implementation in the first place. This may be done by have process managers or staff members brainstorm for issues facing their process. Once, problems are identified and defined, they’re then measure by collecting a number of data to describe them in more details.

2. Analyse Each Of The Problems – this step is self explanatory and involves analysing the problems identified and data collected. This may involve using statistical measures such as chats, correlations and other methods.

3. Idea Generation and Modification – In this step, ideas with regards to how tackle the problem and effectively implement Lean Six Sigma are put on the deck. This may also involve brainstorming and setting up a step-by-step implementation plan for the Lean Six Sigma process. The ideas are then modified time after time to ensure they’re reasonable.

4. Implementation and Reviewing Results – Now that all the problems have been identified and plans and ideas have been setup, then it’s time to implement the change; the Lean Six Sigma strategy. Once identified, progress should be monitored on regular basis and altered, if necessary, to ensure they meet initial plans and perform the task they’re set out for.