Lean Six Sigma
Lean Six Sigma is a business improvement methodology that combines tools
from both Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma.
- Lean and Six Sigma are both process improvement methodologies
- Lean is about speed and efficiency
- Six Sigma is about precision and accuracy - leading to data-driven decisions
Lean works by:
- Identifying the processes most important to delivering customer value.
- Map these processes using Value Stream Mapping.
- Identify the bottlenecks / constraints in the value stream.
- Apply variation reduction by using DMAIC to standardize the relevant process steps.
Why Lean and Six Sigma?
- Six Sigma will eliminate defects but it will not address the question of how to
optimize process flow
- Lean principles exclude the advanced statistical tools often required to achieve
the process capabilities needed to be truly "lean"
- Each approach can result in dramatic improvement, while utilizing both methods simultaneously
holds the promise of being able to address all types of process problems with the
most appropriate toolkit.