six sigma approach is used for problem solving

How to Solve Your Problems With Lean Six Sigma (Free DMAIC Checklist)

Elisabeth Swan is the co-author of “The Problem-Solver’s Toolkit” and co-host of “The Just-in-Time Cafe Podcast.” She’s been a process improvement consultant, speaker, and innovator for over 30 years. She’s the Chief Learning Experience Officer for GoLeanSixSigma.com, a former cast member of ImprovBoston, and – if asked – may still be able to ride a unicycle.

Surgeon Atul Gawande made headlines when he told the world that a simple checklist could drastically reduce unnecessary deaths in The Checklist Manifesto .

Yet, checklists conjure images of forklift drivers on loading docks with clipboards counting boxes. How could they transform healthcare?

“ He has… produced a 90-second checklist which reduced deaths and complications by more than one-third in eight hospitals around the world – at virtually no cost and for almost any operation. ” – James Clarke, reviewing The Checklist Manifesto,  Ulster Med J. 2011 Jan; 80(1): 54.

Aviation was transformed decades earlier when management and engineers at Boeing Corporation created the pre-flight checklist after the 1935 crash of the prototype Boeing B-17 at Wright Field in Dayton, Ohio. Checklists have become so essential to the airline industry that most crashes can be traced to the misuse or failure to complete a checklist.

A New York Times reviewer noted, “no matter how expert you may be, well-designed checklists can improve outcomes”. Since the purpose of process improvement is improving outcomes, Lean Six Sigma and checklists are natural companions.

To prove that, this Process Street blog post will show the relationship between checklists and lean six sigma, and provide you with a free  DMAIC Improvement Project Tollgate Checklist that you can use right now.

Use the links below to jump to that section of the post:

Lean Six Sigma and the role of problem-solving

Lean six sigma & the checklist, introduction phase, define phase, measure phase, analyze phase, improve phase, control phase, checklists and lean six sigma, use process street to reduce error.

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For those unfamiliar with Lean Six Sigma and process improvement, it is a structured approach for organizations to scrutinize how things are done, poke at data and processes to uncover waste and then cut out things like extra forms, out-dated approvals and other time-wasting steps.

It’s a customer-focused, 5-step problem-solving model that engages entire workforces to constantly seek a better way of doing things.

Proof of Lean Six Sigma’s influence is evident in today’s hiring practices. A poll by GoLeanSixSigma highlights that hiring managers prefer a person who is “ Green Belt Certified ” – having substantial Lean Six Sigma skills – by an almost 80% margin. In an interview with the former head of Twitter, problem-solving emerged as the top skill sought by today’s most influential hiring managers.

In other words, problem-solving (especially via Lean Six Sigma) is an absolutely vital skill.

If problem-solving is a must-have skill and checklists are key to good outcomes, then combining the two makes sense.

DMAIC – Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve & Control – is the 5-Step model for Lean Six Sigma and there’s a set of required tollgates at the end of each phase. These tollgates outline what has to be done in order to move the problem-solving process forward.

Using the tollgates as an outline, we created a dynamic  Process Street template  that you can use for free and run checklists from to track your progress!

Before you can start solving problems, you need a problem to solve.

Picking a process issue – and finding someone in leadership to support you – are two required tasks in this first tollgate. Scoping the project is important (bigger than a “just-do-it” and smaller than “solving world hunger”) but even more critical is finding a Sponsor.

Finding a Sponsor

In a poll asking Lean Six Sigma practitioners what they considered the biggest obstacle to process improvement success, “Getting Leadership Support” accounted for almost a third.

When we coach team leads who tell us they can’t find someone to back their project, we let them know, “No Sponsor, no project”. If nobody in charge has any skin in the game, there’s no point in attempting the process fix. Find a different project that leadership supports.

One thing that helps when searching for leadership backing is being able to explain what Lean Six Sigma is and why it makes a difference. Since the checklist template is dynamic we inserted a video in the Define Phase within the checklist item, “Enlist a Project Champion/Sponsor who will support you and the project”. The team lead can share the video with managers or directors who they consider Sponsor candidates.

There’s also a Project Selection Guide Template embedded in the checklist so users can take a project idea and put it through a few screening questions. Is it a repeating problem? Is there a way to measure it? The checklist serves as a reminder, a source of templates, supporting videos and other just-in-time guidance.

The next set of tollgate tasks cover the Define Phase of DMAIC. This is where problem-solvers clarify the problem, the process impacted and customers of the process.

There is a journey of discovery during this phase as everyone agrees on the issue to solve. One of the big challenges is the tendency of ambitious team leads—or equally ambitious Sponsors—to try to “shoot the moon.”

Shooting the moon

They might want to reduce cycle time, reduce defects , improve margins, and increase customer satisfaction all by next Tuesday. But a project that focuses on everything accomplishes nothing. It’s okay to measure the cost reduction that results from reducing defects. But pick one of those to be the goal. Success is more possible if you focus on one goal at a time .

It takes practice and discipline to develop a manageable goal statement. Another moon shot is aiming for perfection out of the starting gate. When we see a goal statement that claims the team will, “reduce defects from 25% to 0%” then we know there is a sizable risk of failure and disappointment.

That’s why the Define Phase of the checklist includes a Goal Builder Template along with a blog providing tips on how to create well-crafted goal statements.

The primary focus of the Measure Phase is to baseline the process. If you’re trying to reduce defects, you need to know how you’re doing at that now. What’s your track record? You need to know the baseline of the process in order to measure whether or not you made a difference with your improvement when you get to the Improve Phase.

You need to know the gap, so you can close the gap.

The data’s in the system, somewhere…

One of the issues we run into in this phase is problem solvers assuming that data is sitting in a system somewhere waiting to be accessed. If they simply run a report, they’ll have the baseline. Check that off the list. But that rarely goes according to plan.

Maybe there’s system data, but was it entered with care? Is it reliable? We’ve seen teams struggle to use data that didn’t make sense. They could access cycle time data, but it didn’t take into account that the workday ended at 5:00. I had another team looking at why healthcare invoices had to be manually adjusted. They looked up the defect codes and the biggest category was “Other”. System data existed, but it was useless.

Most of the time, it helps to collect some data manually. In order to think through your approach, you need a Data Collection Plan. That involves listing the data you want and considering things like stratification factors—the “who, what, when, where” of data. If you’re looking at defects, should you collect data on defects by product? Defects by the fields on a form? Defects by customer type?

Within the task: “Develop a Data Collection Plan with Operational Definitions and create Check Sheets as Needed”, we’ve embedded a template (The Data Collection Plan) and a video to guide the process.

You’ll learn a lot by collecting the data firsthand, so if the perfect data set is not magically sitting in the system, it helps to have a plan.

Analyze is the crux of the DMAIC method. This is where learners drill down and discover the root cause of the process problem they’ve been chasing. Once you do that, you can solve the problem for good.

But if you have not determined the root cause then you might be solving a “symptom,” putting a bandaid on the problem or implementing a change based on a hunch. All of this means there’s a high likelihood the problem will remain and the efforts will have been in vain.

Finding the smoking gun

If you’ve always been told, “don’t bring me a problem, bring me a solution,” that’s an encouragement to jump right past this step into the fun of solutions. I’ve seen teams go with their assumptions regardless of what the data says or the process analysis reveals. I’ve seen Sponsors who tell teams what solutions they want to be implemented right from the get-go.

How do you stick with analysis long enough to find the smoking gun? The trick is to keep collecting the clues in the Cause & Effect Diagram , aka The “Fishbone Diagram”. It’s an aptly named tool, popularized by Dr. Ishikawa , which resembles a fish skeleton. Its construction allows teams to develop root cause theories around a problem as they build their knowledge of the process.

Each time they collect data, interview process participants on a Gemba Walk or map the process steps, they uncover potential reasons for defects. Making the most of the Fishbone Diagram is key but, during a poll, users reported where they fell short.

Solutions masquerading as problems

Over a third of respondents reported the issues of “listing solutions” on the Fishbone instead of causes. What we hear are phrases like, “the root cause is a lack of training”.

The problem with “lack of” anything is that it’s a sneaky way of putting a solution on the Fishbone.

The question is, “what is the training addressing?” Is it lack of user knowledge? If that’s the problem, could it be solved with helpful visuals, a simpler process? There are a lot of ways to address user knowledge before jumping to more employee training.

This is when you want to behave like the persistent detective – think Columbo, the classic 70’s TV icon. Every question helps you accumulate clues. People working through the process may have the answer without knowing it. The trick is to keep looking upstream until you find potential culprits. Dig past the symptoms.

To help with this phase, the checklist includes both a Fishbone Diagram Template as well as a video on how to get the most out of the Fishbone.

The Improve Phase is a long-anticipated step in the journey. It’s the step teams generally want to jump to from the start. Testing countermeasures, piloting solutions, watching the problem disappear, that’s the fun of process improvement. If you’ve done a proper job of Define, Measure, and Analyze, this phase falls nicely into place.

The ripple effect

The catch? Unintended consequences.

If you toss a stone into a lake you can see the ripples flow out from the center. The same principle holds true for process change. If you remove a step, change a form, skip an approval , will things fall apart? For that, we look to the Failure Modes & Effects Analysis or FMEA for short.

It’s a methodical way of assessing the potential for things to go wrong. It Involves deciding the potential severity and frequency of future problems and then mistake-proofing the process to prevent them. The technique originated at NASA since they couldn’t risk trial and error when sending men to the moon. By thinking through the risks of change they developed the kind of contingency plans you saw on display in movies like Apollo 13.

That’s why there’s an FMEA Template and a video on how to use it tucked into the main checklist from this post.

It’s okay to make changes. It’s simply key to think through the impact of those changes on other parts of the business.

Process Improvement can happen quickly and have a dramatic impact, but it’s critical to “stick the landing.” The Control Phase exists to see the improvement through to stability.

If teams move on and everyone takes their eyes off the ball, things may start to slip. What they need is the ability to continuously see the performance of the new process.

Sticking the landing

Have you ever tried to watch a game without a scoreboard? How would you know who was winning? Or how much time was left?

It’s the same with process work.

How does your team know how they’re doing? How do you stay aware of how the new process is performing?

By making the data visible.

Keeping an eye on Process Performance can be done with a single metric — you need to focus on one thing. If the goal was to reduce defects, then the single metric would be tracking the daily percentage of defects. A great way to measure success is with a Control Chart.

Control Charts are time charts. You might know them as Line Charts or Run Charts. They include a measure of variation so they are often referred to as “Run Charts that went to college”. They can be created in Excel , but they can also be drawn by hand.

Teams often set up whiteboards in the shared workspace to track things like defects. People can rotate responsibility for updating the chart. If people can see the measure and are responsible for it—they pay attention to it. What gets measured gets managed.

The Control Chart Template is embedded in the checklist for the Control Phase.

Process Improvement is a mainstay of Operational Excellence and checklists are simple but effective ways to make sure you get the outcomes you want. The following quote comes from the interim CEO/President of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence ( AME ).

“ I am a big fan of checklists for ensuring quality at the source. They serve an important purpose in reminding us of all that’s needed in a particular process or project. Without checklists, we risk missing or overlooking something by mistake. Checklists work best when ticking off items as they are completed, not en masse once the entire project is done. The key point is to use and follow them, not “pencil-whip” them from memory after the fact. While not foolproof, checklists can help us cover the details and result in more thorough, successful improvement efforts. ” – Jerry Wright , President, AME

Checklists have transformed healthcare, aviation, and countless other industries. Run this Process Street DMAIC Tollgate Checklist and make sure your next improvement effort gets great results.

Process Street is a powerful piece of workflow software that lets you crush the human error in your organization.

By creating process templates (like the free DMAIC checklist in this post) you can give your whole team a central location for them to see what they have to do, and how exactly they should do it.

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Ben Mulholland is an Editor at Process Street , and winds down with a casual article or two on Mulholland Writing . Find him on Twitter here .

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DMAIC Model | The 5 Phase DMAIC Process to Problem-Solving

• 5 mins to read
• July 1, 2020
• By Reagan Pannell

Summary: An Introduction to DMAIC

Dmaic – the dmaic model.

The 6 Sigma DMAIC model remains the core roadmap for almost all Lean Six Sigma problem-solving approaches that drive quality improvement projects. It is used to ensure a robust problem-solving process is followed to give the best chance of the best solution being found.

A note about the structure and the approach used in this article.

Our approach to DMAIC follows Quentin Brook’s book “Lean Six Sigma & Minitab” which for anyone wishing to study Lean Six Sigma is a must for the  Green Belt Course  and the  Black Belt Course .

What is the dmaic model.

DMAIC is short for: Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve and Control. These are the key phases that each project must go through to find the right solution. This flow is the concept behind DMAIC Analysis of an issue and its the DMAIC cycle all projects must go through.

As you can quickly see from the 5 DMAIC phases they follow a logical sequence as we will go through in more detail below. But they also make sure you do not try to jump to implementing a solution before you have properly, defined and measured what you are going to be an improvement.

We all love to jump to solutions, but the DMAIC problem-solving structure helps us have a more rigorous approach so that we do not short cut the process and perhaps miss the best solution or perhaps implement the wrong solution as well. It can help companies better structure their problem-solving approaches and be more robust in their approach. 

DMAIC – The 5 DMAIC Process Phases

The phases throughout the DMAIC model have and can be broken down in many different ways. One of the best approaches we have found is from Opex Resources which shows how to examine the existing processes, and with a project team, and the sigma improvement process, we can solve complex issues.

DMAIC Define Phase

The purpose of the Define phase is ultimately to describe the problems that need to be solved and for the key business decision-makers to be aligned on the goal of the project. Its about creating and agreeing the project charter .

All too often, teams have identified solutions without actually defining what it is they will actually be trying to do or perhaps not do. This can lead to internal confusion and often solutions which completely miss the business requirements and needs.

• Define the Business Case
• Understand the Consumer
• Define The Process
• Manage the Project
• Gain Project Approval

DMAIC Measure Phase

In the measure phase, the goal is to collect the relevant information to baseline the current performance of the product or the process. In this stage, we want to identify the level of “defects” or the errors that go wrong and use the baseline to measure our progress throughout the project.

The key goal of this phase is to have a very strong and clear measure/baseline of how things are performing today so that we can always monitor our progress towards our goals. We need to understand our cycle times , process times, quality metrics.

Many projects are delivered without clear benefits being shown because the team never fully baseline the current status before making changes.

The Measure phase can be broken down into 5 key areas:

• Develop Process Measures
• Collect Process Data
• Check the Data Quality
• Understand Process Behaviour
• Baseline Process Capability and Potential

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DMAIC Analyse Phase

The goal of the DMAIC Analyse phase with the lean six sigma improvement process is to identify which process inputs or parameters have the most critical effect on the outputs. In other words, we want to identify the root cause(s) so that we know what critical elements we need to fix.

During this phase, the teams need to explore all potential root causes using both analytical approaches, statistical approaches or even graphical tools such as VSM’s and Process maps to uncover the most important elements which need to be changed/fixed.

The Analyse phase can be broken down into:

• Analyse the Process
• Develop Theories and Ideas
• Analyse the Data
• and finally, Verify Root Causes 

DMAIC Improve Phase

The goal of the improvement phase is to identify a wide range of potential solutions before identifying the critical solutions which will give us the maximum return for our investment and directly fix the root cause we identified.

During this phase, the team brainstorm, pilot, test and validate potential improvement ideas before finally implementing the right solutions. With each pilot, the team can validate how well it improves the key measures they identified back in Define and Measure. When the team finally roll out the solution, the results should be seen if the right solution has been found and implemented correctly.

The Improve phase can be broken down into:

• Generate Potential Solutions
• Select the Best Solution
• Assess the Risks
• Pilot and Implement

DMAIC Control Phase

The final part of the DMAIC Model is the Control phase where we need to ensure that the new changes become business as normal and we do not revert to the same way of working as before.

During this phase, we want to ensure that we close the project off by validating the project savings and ensuring the new process is correctly documented. We also need to make sure that new measures and process KPI’s are in place and, finally that we get the business champion to sign off on both the project and the savings. We may need to redesign the workplace following the 5S principles .

The Control phase can be broken down into:

• Implement Ongoing Measurements
• Standardise Solutions
• Quantify the Improvement
• Close The Project

The key closing documents of the Control Phase is a Control Plan that documents all the changes and process steps with key risks, standard work instructions and the Project Close-Out document signed by the business owners to accept the change and the validated benefits.

The DMAIC Model vs. A3 Management vs. 8D Problem Solving

The DMAIC model is not the only project management roadmap. Two others which are important is the A3 format which originally comes from Toyota and is very Lean focused and the 8D which draws more of the DMAIC structure but with the 1-page idea of the A3.

Everyone has their own preference but each method is interchangeable. The DMAIC Structure lends its self naturally to a multi-slide Powerpoint presentation. Whereas the A3 is a single-page document which is perfect for internal communication and adding into War Rooms and Control Towers.

What’s important is that every problem-solving approach follows the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check and Act) Scientific Problem Solving format. The reset is just a preference or using the right tool in the right circumstances.

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Reagan Pannell is a highly accomplished professional with 15 years of experience in building lean management programs for corporate companies. With his expertise in strategy execution, he has established himself as a trusted advisor for numerous organisations seeking to improve their operational efficiency.

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What Is Six Sigma?

Understanding six sigma, the 5 steps of six sigma.

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What Is Six Sigma? Concept, Steps, Examples, and Certification

Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Investopedia / Zoe Hansen

Six Sigma is a set of techniques and tools used to improve business processes. It was introduced in 1986 by engineer Bill Smith while working at Motorola. Six Sigma practitioners use statistics, financial analysis, and project management to identify and reduce defects and errors, minimize variation, and increase quality and efficiency.

The five phases of the Six Sigma method, known as DMAIC, are defining, measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling.

Key Takeaways

• Six Sigma is a quality-control methodology that businesses use to significantly reduce defects and improve processes.
• The model was developed by a scientist at Motorola in the 1980s.
• Companies often use the Six Sigma model to increase efficiency and boost profits.
• Six Sigma practitioners can earn certifications modeled on the color belts used in martial arts.

Six Sigma is based on the idea that all business processes can be measured and optimized.

The term Six Sigma originated in manufacturing as a means of quality control. Six Sigma quality is achieved when long-term defect levels are below 3.4 defects per million opportunities (DPMO). 

Six Sigma has since evolved into a more general business concept, focusing on meeting customer requirements, improving customer retention, and improving and sustaining business products and services. Among its best-known proponents was the longtime General Electric CEO Jack Welch .

Six Sigma certification programs confer belt rankings similar to those in the martial arts, ranging from white belt to black belt.

The Six Sigma method uses a step-by-step approach called DMAIC, an acronym that stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control. According to Six Sigma adherents, a business may solve any seemingly unsolvable problem by following these five steps.

A team of people, led by a Six Sigma expert, chooses a process to focus on and defines the problem it wishes to solve.

The team measures the initial performance of the process, creating a benchmark, and pinpoints a list of inputs that may be hindering performance.

Next the team analyzes the process by isolating each input, or potential reason for any failures, and testing it as the possible root of the problem.

The team works from there to implement changes that will improve system performance.

The group adds controls to the process to ensure it does not regress and become ineffective once again.

What Is Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma is a team-focused managerial approach that seeks to improve performance by eliminating waste and defects while boosting the standardization of work. It combines Six Sigma methods and tools and the lean manufacturing/ lean enterprise  philosophy, striving to reduce the waste of physical resources, time, effort, and talent while assuring quality in production and organizational processes. Any use of resources that does not create  value  for the end customer is considered a waste and should be eliminated.

Six Sigma Certification and Belt Rankings

Individuals can obtain Six Sigma certification to attest to their understanding of the process and their skills in implementing it. These certifications are awarded through a belt system similar to karate training. The belt levels are:

• White belt : Individuals with a white belt have received some instruction in the basics of Six Sigma, but have not yet gone through any formal training or certification program. This gives them enough knowledge to become team members.
• Yellow belt : This level can be attained after several training sessions, and equips participants with the knowledge to lead small projects and assist managers who hold more advanced belts.
• Green belt : To achieve this level, individuals take a more comprehensive course that prepares them to become project leaders.
• Black belt : After reaching the green belt level, participants can move on to black belt certification, preparing them for leadership roles in larger and more complex projects.

People with black belts can become masters and champions. Someone with a master black belt is considered an expert and strong leader with excellent problem-solving skills. A champion is a lean Six Sigma leader trained in maximizing profits through the elimination of waste and defects.

These certifications, and the courses required to obtain them, are offered by a variety of companies and educational institutions and can differ from one to another.

Real-World Examples of Six Sigma

Six Sigma is used by many companies, local governments, and other institutions. Here are two examples of how Six Sigma improved operational efficiency, saved money, and increased customer satisfaction.

Microsoft (MSFT) is one of the largest software producers in the world. It used Six Sigma to help eradicate defects in its systems and data centers and systematically reduce IT infrastructure failures.

The company first established standards for all of its hardware and software to create a baseline measurement for detecting defects. It then used root-cause analysis, including collecting data from past high-priority incidents, server failures, and recommendations from product group members and customers, to pinpoint potential problem areas.

Large amounts of data were collected on a daily and weekly basis from various servers. The incidents were prioritized based on how severely the defects affected the business and the company's underlying services. Data analysis and reporting identified the specific defects, after which remediation steps for each defect were established.

As a result of Six Sigma, Microsoft says it improved the availability of its servers, boosted productivity, and increased customer satisfaction.

Ventura County, California, Government

Ventura County, California, credited the use of Lean Six Sigma for a savings of $33 million. The county government began to use the program in 2008 and has trained more than 5,000 employees in the methodology. The county says the savings are due in part to the introduction of more efficient new systems and the elimination of unnecessary, but time-consuming, steps from its prior processes.

For example, the VC Star newspaper reported in 2019 that the county saved "$51,000 with an appointments system that reduced labor costs and rates for maintenance of county vehicles [and] almost $400,000 annually by implementing a new system to track employee leaves of absence."

How Can You Get Six Sigma Certification?

You can receive Six Sigma certification through private companies, associations, and some colleges. Keep in mind, though, that there is no single governing body that standardizes the curriculum. This means that courses can vary based on where you take them.

Can You Get Six Sigma Certification Online?

Yes, many of the universities and organizations that offer Six Sigma certification have both classroom and online offerings.

What Is the Basic Difference Between Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma?

Lean Six Sigma uses the Six Sigma methodology (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) with the specific goal of eliminating waste in a company's, or other organization's, processes or use or materials—that is, making it "leaner." It derives in part from the principles of lean manufacturing.

Six Sigma has become a widely used quality-improvement methodology in both the private and public sectors. Anyone who wishes to learn it can take courses that lead to various levels of certification.

ASQ. " What Is Six Sigma? "

Purdue University. ' Six Sigma Belt Level Rankings ."

Microsoft. " Microsoft Announces Accelerator for Six Sigma ."

VC Star . " Efficiency Program Rooted in Car Business Drives $33 Million in Government Savings ."

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1. Focus on the customer

This first Lean Six Sigma principle emphasizes the importance of understanding and meeting the needs and expectations of the customer in order to deliver high-quality products or services. By prioritizing the customer, organizations can identify areas for improvement, reduce waste, and increase customer satisfaction. In short, this principle involves gathering feedback from customers, analyzing data to identify customer requirements, and continuously striving to enhance the customer experience.

2. Map out the value stream

The second principle involves identifying and visualizing every step in the process that adds value to the end product or service. By mapping out the value stream, teams can gain a clear understanding of how value is created and where there may be inefficiencies or waste in the process. As a result, this enables them to pinpoint specific problems or bottlenecks that impact productivity, quality, or customer satisfaction. The purpose of the value stream map is to streamline processes, eliminate non-value-added activities, and improve overall efficiency.

3. Remove waste to create flow

The third principle emphasizes the importance of eliminating any processes or activities that do not add value to the final product or service. According to the principles of lean methodology, there are seven kinds of waste : transportation, inventory, motion, waiting, overproduction, over processing, and defects. By minimizing waste, organizations can streamline their operations and improve efficiency. What’s more, creating a smooth flow of work ensures that tasks are completed in a timely manner, further reducing lead times and increasing customer satisfaction.

4. Communicate with your team

Communication is essential in Lean Six Sigma, and the fourth principle emphasizes the importance of effective communication within your team. Clear and open communication ensures that everyone is on the same page, working towards the same goals, and can help in identifying and addressing any issues that may arise during the project. By fostering a culture of transparent communication, team members can share ideas, feedback, and concerns. Consequently, this leads to improved collaboration and ultimately better outcomes.

5. Create a culture of change and flexibility

The fifth and final key principle of Lean Six Sigma emphasizes the importance of creating a culture of change and flexibility within an organization. Lean Six Sigma principles involve a significant amount of change in processes and procedures to improve efficiency and reduce waste. So, to successfully implement these principles, it’s crucial to encourage employees to embrace and accept change. This involves fostering a work environment where employees feel empowered to adapt to new ways of working and are open to continuous improvement.

The most popular Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques

Several Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques have emerged as the most popular choices for process improvement. From the versatile DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control) framework to the powerful fishbone diagram (Ishikawa) for root cause analysis, these tools play a crucial role in streamlining operations and enhancing quality. We’ll now dive into the top Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques that can revolutionize your process improvement strategy.

Value stream mapping

Value stream mapping is a powerful tool used in Lean Six Sigma to visualize and analyze the steps involved in delivering a product or service to a customer. It provides a detailed overview of the current state of a process, highlighting areas of waste, inefficiency, and opportunities for improved capabilities within the process. By mapping out every step in the value stream, from raw materials to the finished product reaching the customer, teams can identify bottlenecks, redundancies, and non-value-added activities. As a result, this enables organizations to streamline their processes, reduce lead times, improve quality, and ultimately deliver greater value to customers.

The 5 Whys technique is one of the most commonly used Lean Six Sigma tools for problem-solving. It involves asking “why” at least five times to get to the root cause of a particular issue or problem. By repeatedly asking “why,” teams can uncover the underlying reasons behind issues rather than just addressing the symptoms. This method helps in identifying the true cause of a problem, leading to more effective and sustainable solutions. In essence, the 5 Whys technique encourages a deeper level of thinking and analysis. This promotes a culture of continuous improvement within organizations by addressing issues at their core.

Kanban is a visual scheduling system used in Lean Six Sigma to improve efficiency and reduce waste in manufacturing processes. Originating from Japan, Kanban means “visual card” or “signal,” and it involves using visual cues like cards or boards to signal the need for production or replenishment of materials. By adopting Kanban, organizations can streamline their supply chain control system (and other workflows), minimize inventory levels, and enhance overall productivity. Basically, this method enables teams to prioritize tasks, identify bottlenecks, and maintain a smooth, continuous workflow. Kanban promotes a pull-based system where work is only pulled through the system when needed, thus reducing overproduction and improving lead times.

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)

Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is an analysis technique used in Lean Six Sigma to proactively identify and address potential failures in a process or product. By systematically analyzing the various failure modes and their potential effects, FMEA helps teams prioritize their efforts towards preventing or mitigating the most critical risks. This structured approach not only improves the overall quality and reliability of a system, but also reduces costs associated with rework, scrap, or customer complaints. FMEA can be applied at different stages of a project or product lifecycle. So, this makes it a versatile tool for continuous improvement and risk management in various industries.

Process mapping

Process mapping is a valuable tool in Lean Six Sigma that helps organizations visualize and understand their business processes. Essentially, it involves creating detailed flowcharts or diagrams that outline each step in a process, from start to finish. This allows for a clear identification of inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and opportunities for improvement. What’s more, this visual representation helps teams identify redundancies, unnecessary steps, or areas where errors commonly occur, enabling them to streamline processes and increase overall efficiency.

5S is one of the most fundamental Lean Six Sigma tools that focuses on organizing the workplace for efficiency and effectiveness. The 5S stands for Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. Each of these steps plays a crucial role in creating a well-structured and organized work environment. The purpose of implementing 5S is to eliminate waste, reduce errors, and optimize productivity by streamlining processes, improving safety, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Pareto chart

A Pareto chart is a Lean Six Sigma tool used to identify and prioritize the most significant factors contributing to a problem or issue. Named after Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, the chart uses the Pareto principle which states that a majority of problems come from vital few causes. In other words, it follows the 80/20 rule, which suggests that 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. By visually displaying data in descending order of frequency or impact, Pareto charts help teams focus their efforts on the vital few rather than the trivial many. This prioritization enables organizations to allocate resources efficiently and effectively to address the root causes of problems, leading to improved processes and outcomes.

Kaizen (continuous improvement)

Kaizen is another fundamental concept in Lean Six Sigma that involves the continuous effort to improve processes, products, or services incrementally. That is to say, the purpose of Kaizen is to create a culture of continuous improvement within an organization, where employees at all levels are encouraged to identify areas for enhancement and implement small, incremental changes to achieve ongoing improvements. By focusing on Kaizen, companies can streamline operations, reduce waste, increase efficiency, and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction. This systematic approach to improvement empowers employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the overall success of the organization.

DMAIC process

DMAIC , standing for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control, is a systematic and data-driven tool in Lean Six Sigma. It has five phases and is used to provide a structured approach for problem-solving and process improvement within organizations:

• 1. The “define” phase involves clearly outlining the problem, project goals, and customer requirements.
• 2. In the “measure” phase, data is collected to establish a baseline performance level.
• 3. The “analyze” phase focuses on identifying root causes of issues through data analysis.
• 4. Improvement actions are then implemented in the “improve” phase to address the root causes and improve processes.
• 5. Finally, the “control” phase ensures that the improvements are sustained over time by implementing controls and monitoring the process.

RACI matrix

The RACI matrix is a Lean Six Sigma tool used to clarify roles and responsibilities within a project or process. RACI stands for Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed, representing the different levels of involvement individuals can have in a task. By clearly defining who is responsible for completing a task, who is ultimately accountable for its success, who needs to be consulted for input, and who needs to be informed of progress, the RACI matrix helps streamline decision-making processes and enhances communication among team members. In short, this tool is particularly useful in ensuring that everyone understands their role in achieving project goals, reducing confusion, and improving overall efficiency.

Fishbone diagram

The fishbone diagram , also known as the Ishikawa diagram or cause-and-effect diagram, is a Lean Six Sigma tool used for problem-solving and root cause analysis. This diagram takes its name from its appearance, resembling the skeleton of a fish, with the “head” representing the problem or effect, and the “bones” representing the various potential causes contributing to that problem. By visually mapping out these potential causes in categories such as people, process, equipment, materials, and environment, the fishbone diagram helps teams identify the root causes of issues, leading to more targeted and effective solutions. Its purpose is to promote a structured approach to problem-solving, encourage team collaboration, and ultimately drive continuous improvement within an organization.

Regression analysis

Regression analysis is a powerful statistical process control tool used in Lean Six Sigma to understand the relationship between variables and make predictions based on observed data. Its primary purpose is to identify and quantify the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables. By analyzing data through regression analysis, teams can determine how changes in one variable may impact another, allowing them to make informed decisions to enhance existing processes and reduce variation. This tool helps organizations identify key factors that influence process performance and enables them to optimize operations for better efficiency and quality.

Control charts

A control chart is a Lean Six Sigma tool used to monitor process variation over time. It helps identify any trends, shifts, or patterns in data. This allows teams to distinguish between common cause variation (inherent to the process) and special cause variation (due to external factors). By plotting data points on a control chart to track all improved capabilities, teams can determine if a process is in control or out of control. Consequently, this enables them to take corrective actions promptly, reducing variation, enhancing quality, and increasing efficiency.

How to pick the right Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques

Selecting the right Lean Six Sigma tools is crucial for the successful implementation of process improvement initiatives. To begin, it’s essential to clearly define the problem or opportunity you aim to address. Understanding the nature of the issue will guide you in choosing the most suitable Lean Six Sigma tools for analysis and improvement.

Next, consider the data requirements for the project. Some Lean Six Sigma tools, such as Pareto charts or fishbone diagrams, rely heavily on data analysis, while others, like process mapping or value stream mapping, focus more on visualizing the workflow. Therefore, matching the tools to the data availability and complexity of the problem will ensure effective analysis and decision-making.

Additionally, take into account the expertise and skills of your team members. Different Lean Six Sigma tools require varying levels of statistical knowledge and experience. Hence, it’s important to select tools that align with the capabilities of your team to maximize efficiency and accuracy in the improvement process. By carefully evaluating the problem, data requirements, and team proficiency, you can confidently choose the right Lean Six Sigma tools to drive impactful and sustainable change within your organization.

Lean Six Sigma vs Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma and Six Sigma are both methodologies that aim to improve processes and eliminate defects within organizations. While they share the common goal of enhancing efficiency and quality, there are some key differences between the two approaches.

Six Sigma focuses primarily on reducing variation and defects in processes by using statistical analysis and data-driven decision-making. It aims to ensure that outputs meet customer requirements and that processes operate as efficiently as possible. On the other hand, Lean Six Sigma combines the principles of the Six Sigma process with those of lean manufacturing, which focuses on minimizing waste and maximizing value. This means that Lean Six Sigma not only targets defects and process variations, but also looks at streamlining processes and eliminating non-value-added activities.

In essence, Six Sigma is more focused on quality and reducing defects, while Lean Six Sigma takes a broader approach by incorporating waste reduction and process optimization. Both methodologies have their strengths and can be effective in different contexts. So, choosing the right one depends on the specific goals and challenges of the organization.

What are the Lean Six Sigma certification levels?

Lean Six Sigma certification levels provide a structured framework for individuals to showcase their expertise and proficiency in process improvement methodologies. These levels signify different levels of knowledge and experience in Lean Six Sigma practices. There are six different certification levels: white belt, yellow belt, green belt, black belt, and master black belt.

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What is Lean Six Sigma?

Learn the principles, tools, and benefits of this powerful methodology.

• Certification

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• Continuous improvement

What is Lean?

What is six sigma, similarities and differences.

• Real-world problem
• Team analysis
• Process focused analysis
• Data based analysis
• Impact of the process sigma
• Root cause(s)
• Control system

Organizational benefits

Personal benefits.

• Using Lean Six Sigma
• Yellow Belt
• Master Black Belt
• Process definition

Define phase

Measure phase, analyze phase, improve phase, control phase, phase gate reviews.

• Process analysis
• Visual analysis
• Statistical analysis
• Project and team management

Lean Six Sigma is a process improvement methodology designed to eliminate problems, remove waste and inefficiency, and improve working conditions to provide a better response to customers’ needs.

It combines the tools, methods and principles of Lean and Six Sigma into one popular and powerful methodology for improving your organization’s operations.

Lean Six Sigma’s team-oriented approach has proven results in maximizing efficiency and dramatically improving profitability for businesses around the world.

Still wondering, “What is Lean Six Sigma exactly?” Read on for an in-depth dive into what it is, why it matters, and how to do it right.

There are three key elements to Lean Six Sigma.

Tools and techniques : A comprehensive set of tools and analytical techniques that are used to identify and solve problems.

Process and methodology : A series of phases that organize the use of the problem-solving tools to ensure that the true root causes are found and that a solution is fully implemented.

Mindset and culture : A way of thinking that relies on data and processes to achieve operational performance goals and continuously improve.

These three elements reinforce each other. Analytical techniques are not used effectively unless there is a process for applying them and a mindset of continuous improvement creating the need for them. An improvement process does not produce the desired results unless it includes the tools and techniques that define the activity of the process steps and there is a culture that insists on systemic data-based approach to solving problems.

Finally, a culture that seeks to continuously improve will be frustrated if there are no tools and techniques for analysis and no process or methodology that can be applied to organize and focus the improvement efforts. Fortunately, the Lean Six Sigma approach to business improvement includes all three layers.

Let’s take a look at the history of Lean Six Sigma, and how the different parts of this methodology were formed to become the process improvement approach we know today.

What is continuous improvement?

Continuous improvement as a business strategy and discipline developed as an offshoot of Frederick Winslow Taylor’s Principles of Scientific Management . Taylor described business as a series of interlocking workflows or processes that should be managed using data.

In the 1930’s Walter Shewhart developed a set of management disciplines for process control and continuous improvement. These disciplines were based upon Taylor’s principles of business workflows and a reliance on data. Shewhart’s work is the foundation for the engineering and management disciplines of Quality Assurance and Quality Control found in most organizations today.

One of Shewhart’s students and proteges was Edward Deming, who used these principles to remake the Japanese automotive industry into a global quality and engineering powerhouse following World War II.

Lean was developed in Toyota as part of the Toyota Production System , which was built around the work of Shewhart and Deming. Toyota had been a client of Deming and established its operational management practices on the principles he taught. The fundamental driver of Lean is the elimination of waste. In fact, a good description of the Lean approach is, "a set of tools that assist in the identification and the steady elimination of waste."

If a company is doing large scale, high-quantity production like Toyota; then a process with waste in it means that company is creating large-scale, high quantity waste. No company wants to do this. The Lean approach uses tools to analyze the business process.

Five principles of lean manufacturing

• Value Value is determined by what the customer considers to be important within a product or service, rather than what the individuals developing or delivering the product or service consider important.
• Value Stream The set of business activities and steps involved in creating and delivering products and services to the customer; it is the connection of the steps together rather than considering each step in isolation.
• Flow The degree to which there is smooth uninterrupted flow of activities that add value to the customer, rather than waste and inefficiency that impedes the flow through the value stream.
• Pull The degree to which the value stream is only processing products and services for which there is a customer demand, rather than creating something and hoping someone wants it.
• Perfection The continuous assessment of value stream performance to identify and improve the value created and delivered to the customer, rather than resisting changes that improve the process of creating and delivering customer value.

Three types of waste

Using the terms of the Toyota Production System, the Lean methodology identifies and strives to eliminate three types of waste:

• Muda Non-value added work – pure waste.
• Mura Unevenness in flow – unpredictable variation requires compensation elsewhere in the system.
• Muri Over-burdening resources beyond their normal rated capability – stresses and damages resources so that they are unable to do a normal workload.

As you can probably tell from both of these lists, the principles of Lean can be applied to any business process or operation, not just manufacturing. It is now used in literally all functions and all industries.

Six Sigma was first developed at Motorola during the late 1980s. The methodology was pioneered by Bill Smith, a quality engineer, whose goal was to improve the way the quality and measurement systems worked so as to eliminate errors. The Motorola systems tolerated error rates that created too much scrap, rework, redundant testing and often customer dissatisfaction.

The Six Sigma approach focused on identifying and eliminating anything that caused variation in the process. When the variation is gone, the process results can be precisely predicted – every time. By designing the system so that these precisely predictable results fall within the zone of acceptable performance from a customer perspective, process errors are eliminated.

But the engineers at Motorola went one step further. They knew from experience that many process changes were not effective because they did not get to the root cause of the problem. Also, the changes they made would not stick, as the operators reverted back to doing things in the original manner over time. Six Sigma was organized with five phases to address these issues.

What are the five phases of Six Sigma?

• Define In this phase the boundaries for the process being analyzed are set and the expectations or desired performance for that process are defined from a customer perspective. This is to ensure a change does not degrade the customer experience, but instead enhances it.
• Measure In this phase the current performance of the process, product or service is measured to determine what is actually occurring, especially from a customer perspective. This is to ensure the analysis and solution are based on actual performance, not theoretical or anecdotal information.
• Analyze In this phase the process, product or service is analyzed using the measured data to determine the source or sources of the variation that are causing the problem. This is to ensure the true root cause(s) is identified and not just a symptom.
• Improve In this phase the possible changes to the process, product or service are assessed and a solution set of changes is designed and tested. This is to ensure the solution creates the desired effect and that the variation is reduced or eliminated.
• Control In this phase the changes are implemented, the supporting systems are also updated and the process, product, or service is put under control – normally statistical process control – to ensure the solution is fully implemented in a sustainable manner and to identify if performance starts to degrade.

The methodology of Six Sigma will work with any process, product or service that has a definable performance goal and measurable characteristics, because the methodology heavily relies on data.

Lean and Six Sigma have been combined because, although they are different, they are complementary. The similarities allow them to mesh together well. The differences ensure that there are analytical tools and solution options available that will improve the process, product or service. It is due to the similarities that both types of analysis can be done simultaneously on the same process, product, or service.

Similarities of Lean and Six Sigma

• Both rely on a definition of value that is based upon the customer experience. The customer is king (or queen).
• Both use a process flow mapping approach to understand the process. Even when the analysis is based upon a product or service, there is a process that is associated with creating and delivering that product or service.
• Both rely on data for determining current performance and for determining the impact of future performance. The data collected in a Lean Six Sigma project can often be used to support both Lean analysis and Six Sigma analysis. The reliance on data helps to ensure that the true root cause is identified.
• Both are applied using improvement projects that typically will be implemented by a small cross-functional team. The duration of the project and the size of the team will depend upon the scope and scale of the process, product or service being analyzed for improvement.
• Both have migrated beyond the manufacturing operation and are now used for all functions and for all internally facing and externally facing processes. They are also used in all industries including industrial, consumer, government, education, and non-profits.
• Improvements based upon using either approach will normally both reduce waste and reduce variation. Removing wasted steps and activities (muda) eliminates sources of variation, and removing variation eliminates wasted process capacity and steps associated with accommodating the variation (mura and muri).

However, there are some differences in the two approaches. These differences do not create a conflict, rather they provide multiple paths that can be used to reach a similar destination. A Lean Six Sigma project should let the nature of the defect, as defined by the customer value, and the current state of the process, product, or service dictate which sets of tools are most appropriate. The final solution is often a hybrid combination of both Lean improvements and Six Sigma improvements.

What is the difference between Lean and Six Sigma?

• Different focus for problem identification – Lean is focused on waste (muda, mura, muri) and Six Sigma is focused on variation, any deviation from the target performance.
• Different types of techniques – Lean primarily uses visual techniques for both analysis and solution creation that are supported with data analysis. Six Sigma primarily uses statistical techniques for analysis and solution creation that are supported with data visualization. This leads to a myth that Lean is easier than Six Sigma, because the visual analysis of Lean is easy to understand, while many people are intimidated by Six Sigma’s numerical analysis. The reality is that both types of analysis are easy to perform with today’s statistical support tools.
• Different types of documentation for the solution – the Lean solution is documented with a revised value stream map that leads to changes in workflows and often changes in work instructions at many of the steps in the process. The Six Sigma solution is documented with changes in setup procedures and the control plan for monitoring the process and responding to variation. It will also impact work instructions and frequently leads to changes in the measurement approach or systems.

The two approaches are compatible in so many ways that it was easy to merge them into one methodology so as to get the synergistic effect of combining them. Lean Six Sigma, as it is normally practiced, avoids most of the pitfalls from earlier failed approaches.

Lean Six Sigma principles

Let’s outline the principles that have helped to make Lean Six Sigma so effective. I have been directly involved in the successful implementation of Lean Six Sigma in many organizations, and I have done consulting in several organizations who had tried and failed to implement an effective Lean Six Sigma program. In the successful programs, the following principles were adopted. In the failed implementations, at least one or more principle was not followed.

Addressing a real-world problem

Lean Six Sigma is both a top-down and bottom-up methodology. The top-down element is associated with problem selection. The Lean Six Sigma project teams are focused on real-world problems that are impacting customers and processes right now. Often the team members are feeling the effect of the problem with rework and repair activities or addressing customer complaints. This lends a sense of urgency and importance to the project. It is not just "busy work," it is real work.

One of the reasons for the failure of the Quality Circle programs of the 1980s was that every team could choose its own project. While this sounds great for empowerment, often the projects selected were not real-world problems. In one organization I worked with, one of the first projects selected by a team was to repaint the lunch room and put up new curtains. Soon the whole initiative was viewed in the organization as a "fun" party time activity, but not related to real business improvement.

It is often hard to get the organization to recognize the importance of this methodology for business success. Buy-in is much easier to achieve when both management and the team understand the importance of identifying and fixing the problem. But management does not dictate a problem and solution. Rather the analysis by the team determines the true root cause.

Analysis is accomplished by a team

A Lean Six Sigma project is normally staffed by a cross-functional team that is involved with different aspects of the process being analyzed. Many business processes are cross-functional and a cross-functional analysis is needed to prevent sub-optimization of the process. Improving one step at the expense of another step does not eliminate waste or variation, it just moves it to a different step in the process.

A problem I have seen in several Lean Six Sigma implementations was that the Green Belt and Black Belt project leaders worked on their own to find and fix the problem without the help of a cross-functional team. If the process and problem were small and the project leader understood the process, this would prove effective. However, with large cross-functional processes and projects, or in some cases when the project leader had no background in the type of process or problem being analyzed, the projects would become stalled and delayed.

By including a cross-functional team, all the perspectives of the organizations that are involved and impacted by the project are included in the problem analysis, and even more importantly in the development of the solution. The in-depth knowledge of the different team members is helpful for understanding the problem and the implications of the data. These different perspectives are crucial to help the team create a solution that addresses the immediate problem and often will help to eliminate waste and variation in other aspects of the process.

Analysis is focused on a process

Lean Six Sigma is best used for analyzing processes. Even when the problem under investigation is an obvious product problem, Lean Six Sigma will be much more effective when it is applied to the process that designs or builds the product, rather than looking at just the product itself. That is because the analysis is meant to investigate and improve actions, and actions are the steps of processes. Actions seldom happen in a vacuum with no impact from preceding or succeeding actions. Instead they must be considered in the context of the process in which they are occurring. The Lean value stream map or Six Sigma process map provide a picture of that process.

On numerous occasions, I have found that the creation of a map of the process immediately led to an understanding of what was happening, and recognition of some of the underlying problems that are hidden when an individual is only aware of their step in the process. On a few occasions I have encountered a project team that focused solely on a product defect without considering the process that created or used the product. While they could identify the defect, they could not determine the actual cause and create a solution until a process map was created.

Analysis is based upon data

Lean Six Sigma relies on data, not guesses. The Lean value stream map is verified with a walk-through of the process, and then data is collected at each step. The current condition of the process, product or service is measured in the Measure phase. This includes measuring the problem or defect and measuring anything that is done correctly. The data that is captured is used for analysis to determine the actual state of what is happening, not an assumed state. This analysis verifies the underlying causes so that the correct problem is fixed. But the reliance on data does not stop there. When a solution has been created, data is collected to determine if the solution has truly fixed the problem. And then data is used to ensure the solution stays in place and the problem does not return.

One of the challenges that continuous improvement and problem-solving initiatives have had over the years is a difficulty accepting the reality of the current conditions. Businesses are often in denial about problems and issues. I recently worked with a company that was implementing Lean Six Sigma. One of the initial project teams was tasked with resolving a product issue that created large levels of rework in their operation and was the source of numerous customer complaints. The problem had been "solved" on numerous occasions by putting tighter controls on the process step that "caused" the problem. Except when we actually measured what was happening in each step, we found the problem was really due to several other factors. Because of "politics" and paradigms, the management at first rejected the analysis. But when presented with the data, they eventually recognized where the problems were originating and an effective solution was implemented. It was the data that finally broke through the paradigms about the problem.

Understand the impact of the process sigma

This next principle is focused on the Six Sigma analysis. The practical impact of sigma is that it represents the amount of normal variation that occurs. It is always tied to a specific parameter or characteristic that is being measured. Same attributes of a product or process will have virtually no variation. That attribute never changes, no matter how often the product or process occurs. Other attributes do have variation. There is an average value, but there is uncertainty about any specific instance. Sigma is the statistical measurement of that uncertainty.

• One sigma represents the boundaries for a little over two thirds of the occurrences.
• Two sigma represents 95% of the occurrences.
• Three sigma represents over 99% of the occurrences.
• By the time you get out to six sigma, there are only about 3 chances in a million that normal variation could cause the attribute being measured to be that different from the average value.

Sigma represents variation, it says nothing about acceptability. Notice that I haven’t yet mentioned whether the attribute being measured is acceptable from a customer or standards viewpoint. An attribute could have a very small sigma, essentially no variation. But if the average value of that attribute is outside the bounds of what the customer finds acceptable, it just means that it is always defective. By the same token, an attribute could have a very large sigma, there is a high level of uncertainty. But if the customer has no expectations concerning that attribute, it will always be acceptable regardless of the variation.

The reason the Lean Six Sigma methodology is concerned about sigma is not for the purpose of customer acceptance. Rather when high variation and uncertainty exists within key attributes or parameters, it causes the expense of extra time and money, and it will often lead to the creation of defects. Remember, we are in a process and the outputs of one step become the inputs of another step. When the inputs have a great deal of uncertainty, which is indicated by a high sigma, the succeeding steps should be able to accommodate the full range of possibilities for the value of that attribute. That will often add cost and complexity. Lowering sigma can simplify and streamline the entire process.

Solution addresses the real root cause(s)

Lean Six Sigma is one of the most powerful problem-solving and continuous improvement methodologies because it identifies the characteristics of the real problem. Some methodologies start with the assumption that every problem has a unique or special cause, and if that cause can be identified and eliminated or controlled, the problem goes away. Other methodologies start with the assumption that the problem is a common occurrence within the process. The process is fundamentally flawed or inadequate and if the process were changed to avoid this flaw or correct this inadequacy, the problem goes away.

Both goals are admirable and in fact are actually quite similar. But the way to fix the first problem is to put in a place a "spot correction" to control the unique cause, and the fix for the second approach is to re-engineer the process. Unfortunately, selecting the wrong solution strategy does not improve the situation and can often make things worse. Lean Six Sigma employs the tools to differentiate between whether the problem is a special cause or a common cause. By making this differentiation, the project team can go on to find the true root cause or causes. Also, the team can create a solution strategy that will appropriately address the problem. If it is a special cause, they can implement a special solution. If it is a common cause, they can redesign the process.

Solution includes a control system to help it "stick"

Lean Six Sigma does not end with identifying the problem or even with implementing a solution. The final phase of Lean Six Sigma is the Control phase. There is a natural resistance to change in most organizations. For many people and systems, change is hard. Habits must be broken, new methods learned, new information is required. In the Lean Six Sigma Control phase, the solution is implemented and the organization begins to use it. While this is happening, the project team is ensuring all of the supporting systems are also updated to reflect any changes and they provide training and coaching for process operators and managers on the use of the solution. This even includes ensuring the control systems that monitor the process are in place to identify if the process begins to revert back to the previous behavior. The project team does not declare victory and disband just because they have successfully demonstrated their solution once. Rather they stick with it through a statistically significant number of occurrences. This both demonstrates the solution really solved the problem and that the operators and managers are equipped and able to manage the improved process.

I worked with a company in Chicago at one point to address a recurring problem in their purchasing department. The solution was a straightforward process change to eliminate a common cause problem. As I looked over the historical documents associated with this problem, I found that the previous solutions were similar to the one we had developed. They had been put it place and used for a year or two, and then slowly modified until the problem returned. The reason for the modifications was based upon how the senior management measured the effectiveness of the purchasing department. Rather than measuring the entire purchasing process, the measurements were tied to one step in the process. Optimizing that step led to sub-optimization in several other steps which created the problem. This time when a solution was implemented, I made sure the corporate measurement system was modified to measure the entire purchasing operation and not just one step. These are the types of issues often addressed in the Lean Six Sigma Control phase.

Benefits of Lean Six Sigma

Lean Six Sigma is a continuous improvement methodology. However, a legitimate question is, what does it improve? Does it increase sales or profits? Does it improve customer satisfaction and lower complaints? Does it lower costs, improve incoming quality, outgoing quality or the cost of quality? Does it improve employee morale? Does it increase your pay and benefits, or improve your promotability? Does it create world peace and solve world hunger? "Yes" to all of these – except the last two. Let’s look at benefits for the business and then benefits for the individuals who attain a level of certification in Lean Six Sigma.

Lean Six Sigma is a continuous improvement methodology for an organization. So, we would expect organizational benefits. In fact, the General Electric company has claimed to have realized over $2 billion of cost savings from Lean Six Sigma . Let’s consider the nature of the benefits and their implication.

Simple processes

Lean Six Sigma will simplify the business processes. The cross-functional value stream maps will identify areas of waste and inefficiency. Many of the processes have embedded rework and work-arounds for persistent problems. When the wasted effort is removed and the rework and workarounds are no longer needed, the remaining processes are simple and often much easier to manage and control. This results in a faster process, which leads to better customer service and higher customer satisfaction. Both of those will normally lead to greater sales. In addition, the simpler, faster process will lower overhead costs which will increase profits. Finally, simpler processes have fewer opportunities for errors. Therefore, they normally are characterized by higher quality and fewer defects.

Fewer errors and mistakes

Let’s dig deeper into that benefit of fewer errors and mistakes. Lean Six Sigma starts with a definition of acceptable quality based upon what the customers value. This external focus on quality prioritizes the continuous improvement efforts to address the problems that have the most impact on business success. In addition, the reliance on data to define problems rather than gut feel or anecdotes further prioritizes the improvement effort on the real problems in the organization. The result is that the improvements fix real problems and bring them to a level that is acceptable to the real customers. So, it is not just that Lean Six Sigma addresses errors and mistakes in the business, but rather that Lean Six Sigma addresses the errors and mistakes that matter the most.

Predictable performance

Simple processes are easier to control and manage than complex processes, especially those processes with fewer errors and mistakes. But added to these benefits, Lean Six Sigma has a focus on reducing variation within a process. With less variation, processes become more predictable. That means predictable cycle time, predictable quality output, and predictable costs. And these can lead to better customer service, fewer complaints, and higher profits. This predictability becomes a tremendous advantage for an organization when operating in an environment of fast moving changes. Changing technology and customer expectations are already creating an unstable business environment. Without predictable processes it is almost impossible to create and implement an appropriate reaction to this instability.

Active control

Which brings me to the final organizational benefit I want to discuss and that is an improved ability to actively control processes. The Lean Six Sigma methodology shortens cycle times and puts in place real-time data based control plans and systems. With short cycle times and data-based control systems, the operators and process managers can make decisions that immediately impact process performance. This improves performance, improves employee morale, and improves agility. The operators understand how their work impacts the process performance and they get rapid feedback. The operators are less likely to feel that they are victims of the process since they are now involved in directly managing the process and improving it. With short cycles and active control, the organization can quickly respond to opportunities in the changing marketplace. And short efficient processes that are documented with value stream maps and control charts are easier to update than complex undocumented processes.

Lean Six Sigma provides benefits for individuals within the organization who become Lean Six Sigma leaders. We will discuss the various leadership roles in more detail in a later section. First let’s identify some of the personal benefits you can expect when participating in Lean Six Sigma.

Personal effectiveness

Lean Six Sigma provides a structured problem-solving methodology that can be used to address any type of problem. Being able to find and fix problems will improve your ability to perform in any position and industry. The Lean Six Sigma methodology steers you through an organized process of inquiry, analysis, problem identification and solution creation. Many of the tools and techniques can be applied to everyday problems and issues. But even if you don’t use all the tools, the organized problem-solving approach will put you in control of finding and fixing your problems. I have used this approach when fixing problems at my house, with local charities I support, and of course in many different business settings.

Leadership opportunity

Lean Six Sigma is implemented through projects and projects have leaders. Leading a Lean Six Sigma project will often provide an opportunity for exposure to other functions and senior management. This exposure is in the context of someone who can find and fix a problem. Interacting with team members and managers will likely improve your communication and decision-making skills. The structure of Lean Six Sigma can help you to develop your project management skills. And of course being able to put on your resume that you led a project team that achieved cost savings, quality improvement, and cycle time reduction will only help you as you seek that next promotion or new opportunity.

Pay and promotability

Which brings us to the pay and promotability of Lean Six Sigma practitioners. Attaining belt certification is a valuable credential on your resume. Many job postings require that an applicant have a Lean Six Sigma credential. So, this will open the door for some promotions. In addition, within an organization, promotions are often based upon how you have demonstrated your leadership skills. Effectively leading a Lean Six Sigma project shows senior management and HR that you are ready for greater responsibility. The average annual salary in the USA for Lean Six Sigma Black belts is just under $100,000. The average for your industry and country will vary. However, it is safe to say that Lean Six Sigma certification will enhance your earning potential.

Industries and functions using Lean Six Sigma

Lean started in the process engineering department of an automotive manufacturer and Six Sigma started in the quality department of a high-tech system manufacturer. However, the methodologies have moved well beyond their roots in quality and process engineering. I have either participated on or coached Lean Six Sigma projects in virtually every business department including:

• Call Center
• Customer Service
• Design Engineering
• Field Sales
• Human Resources
• Maintenance
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Manufacturing Operations
• Process Engineering
• Purchasing/Sourcing

Lean has also moved well beyond the realm of manufacturing. Many industries have embraced Lean Six Sigma, and the list of companies using the methodology is much too long to be included here. In some cases the emphasis will be primarily on Lean, in some on Six Sigma, and in many it is the combination of Lean and Six Sigma.

• Agri-business
• Electronics
• Financial Services
• Higher Education
• Manufacturing
• Medical Devices
• Oil and Gas
• Pharmaceuticals
• Transportation

Lean Six Sigma belts

So far we have discussed the background of Lean Six Sigma, the principles embedded in Lean Six Sigma and some of the benefits. You are probably asking, when are we going to explain how it works? Well, now is the time. Let’s go through the key roles and responsibilities, the five-phase structure with gate reviews, and then do a quick overview of some of the more commonly used tools and techniques.

Lean Six Sigma has adopted the roles from the Motorola Six Sigma methodology, which borrow the naming convention of the progression of mastery used within martial arts. Some organizations have their own levels and definitions of mastery. However, I will be describing the most commonly found levels in use today. You may have heard of Lean Six Sigma belts - these are the Yellow Belt, Green Belt, Black Belt, and Master Black Belt. Each of these roles are expected to have training, and in many cases certification appropriate to their role.

In the early years of Lean and Six Sigma, every organization established its own standards with regards to methodology and tools and techniques. However, most organizations now rely on an independent certifying body for training and certification. The two most widely recognized organizations that provide certification are American Society for Quality (ASQ) and the International Association of Six Sigma Certification (IASSC). The GoSkills Lean Six Sigma courses are aligned with the IASSC Body of Knowledge. Let’s look at each of these roles in more detail.

What is Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt?

An organization can have many Yellow Belts . These individuals are team members on a Lean Six Sigma project led by a Green Belt or Black Belt. They should be familiar with the structured methodology and the use of cross-functional tools and techniques.

• They will participate in all the project team meetings acting in the role of subject matter expert for their function or discipline. This role is performed in conjunction with their normal full-time job or position.
• A project will have as many or as few Yellow Belt members as are needed based upon the scope of the process being investigated and the nature of the problem.
• The training for a Yellow Belt normally focuses on the structure of the methodology and the use of the cross-functional problem-solving tools and techniques.
• The detailed Lean and Six Sigma analysis is normally handled by the Green Belt or Black Belt who is leading the project. However, the Yellow Belt team members are often the ones who collect the data used in analysis and help to interpret the results of the analysis.
• The Yellow Belt team members will also lead the implementation of the solution within their respective function or discipline.
• It is common for a person with Yellow Belt certification to be a member of multiple Lean Six Sigma project teams.

What is Lean Six Sigma Green Belt?

An organization will have multiple Green Belts. The Green Belt role is normally that of a project leader. The Green Belt is typically working on Lean Six Sigma projects that would fall within their area of expertise and responsibilities. These individuals know the Lean Six Sigma methodology and structure. They are also able to apply the Lean analysis tools and the statistical techniques commonly used with Six Sigma.

• These individuals lead small projects or projects that are focused on just one function. This role is normally performed in conjunction with another full-time position.
• Most Green Belts are leading a project that is associated with improving some aspect of their business processes. In some cases, a Green Belt may be assigned to a large cross-functional project being led by a Black Belt.
• Large cross-functional projects often have multiple analyses occurring simultaneously and a Green Belt will lead each of those efforts.
• As project leader, the Green Belt is responsible for ensuring that appropriate Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques are used at each phase on the project.
• This individual will normally lead the presentation and discussion of the project at the phase gate reviews. Because this individual is often the only person on the project who has been trained in the Lean analysis techniques and the statistical Six Sigma techniques, they will conduct these analyses.
• The Green Belt is not the subject matter expert on all aspects of the process or product, but they often are the expert on some portion of the process or product. As such they must bring their subject matter expertise to bear in the same way in which a Yellow Belt functions. However, the Green Belt is not expected to be an expert on all aspects of the advanced Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques. When they run into problems, they turn to their Black Belt for advice and coaching.

What is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt?

An organization will often have multiple Black Belts. The Black Belt role is that of subject matter expert on Lean Six Sigma for a function or location within the organization. These individuals lead large cross-functional projects and serve as coaches for the Green Belts in that department or location. This is normally a full-time position.

Black Belts know not only know how to apply the methodology and tools, they are the trainers and coaches for the Green Belts and Yellow Belts within the organization. A typical day will include:

• Conducting a team meeting for one of the project they are leading;
• Meeting with several Green Belts to review their progress and provide coaching for their next steps;
• Performing value stream or statistical analysis with data from one of the projects they are leading;
• Provide training on the use of Lean Six Sigma within their organization for Yellow Belt and Green Belt candidates;
• Meet with organizational stakeholders to discuss status of projects and identify problems or issues for future projects.

As you can see, the individual is usually expected to lead several projects simultaneously while acting as coach for a handful of Green Belts who are leading their own projects. The projects being led by Black Belts are usually large cross-functional projects. As project leaders they must plan and organize the work. What is often the most challenging aspect of those projects is to work with the stakeholders from the various functions. In many organizations, the Black Belt role is reassigned every year or two so that multiple individuals can become adept at all aspects of the Lean Six Sigma methodology.

What is Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt?

The final level is that of Master Black Belt. Most organizations will have only one Master Black Belt, someone who is normally a senior individual responsible for managing the Lean Six Sigma initiative within the organization. This is a full-time position. Many times this Master Black Belt reports to the C-level champion for the Lean Six Sigma initiative.

• From a training and certification standpoint, this individual has the same credential as a Black Belt. However, the role and responsibilities are different.
• The Master Black Belt is not managing projects, rather they are managing the initiative.
• The Master Black Belt is normally working closely with senior leadership to determine how many Black Belts and Green Belts are needed and which functional departments or locations should get them first.
• The Master Black Belt normally maintains a status report on the portfolio of Lean Six Sigma projects; the active ones, the completed ones and the proposed ones. As such they are able to assess the impact of the overall program on the organization and they can prioritize the improvement efforts based upon the organization’s strategy.
• These individuals also work with HR to maintain the training records of all the Yellow Belts, Green Belts, and Black Belts in the organization.
• If an organization is small, or if the Lean Six Sigma initiative is small within the organization, the role of the Master Black Belt will be assumed by one of the organization’s Black Belts.

Five phases of Lean Six Sigma – DMAIC

Lean Six Sigma projects follow a structured methodology, based upon five phases. The five phases are represented by the acronym DMAIC – which stands for Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control.

How is the Lean Six Sigma DMAIC process defined?

Each phase has an organizing premise or question that must be addressed. Once the question is satisfactorily answered, the project can proceed to the next phase. The duration of the phase is based upon the information and data that is available. Normally at the end of each phase there is a phase gate review with the stakeholders and one or more Black Belts. Let’s take a look at each phase in more detail.

The Define phase is the first phase of the project. The key question that must be answered is, "Have we defined the problem from a business perspective?" Normally a Green Belt or Black Belt project leader is selected and provided with a high-level description of the problem. Some Yellow Belt project team members may also be identified at that time. The project team needs to get input from stakeholders and customers to understand the problem from their perspective. During this time, they are quantifying what the customers consider to be critical quality expectations.

With an understanding of the problem from the business and customer perspective, the boundaries for the process - and any product or service that is delivered - can be determined. While a preliminary project team may be in place in this phase, the determination of the boundaries on the process will often dictate which functions need to support the project with subject matter experts. During this phase, those subject matter experts who are new to Lean Six Sigma will often receive Yellow Belt training. This phase often ends with the development of a project charter that identifies the problem from the customer perspective, the processes to be analyzed, and a goal for performance improvement.

The Measure phase is the second phase of a Lean Six Sigma project. In this phase the baseline condition is established by measuring the current performance of the process, product, or service with respect to the critical quality attributes identified in the Define phase. The question that is asked in this phase is, "Do we understand the work and flow of each of the steps in the current process and have we measured the process performance at each step?" If the process is not well documented or controlled, this will likely be the longest phase and requires the most work.

The process must be defined to determine the flow of each step. Each step is then measured for time, quality, and any other attribute that was important to the customer. Often the appropriate measurement systems do not exist to collect this data, so a measurement system will need to be developed and verified so that it provides accurate and complete data. The subject matter experts on the team from the various departments and functions are closely engaged in this phase to identify the process steps and to develop and deploy an approach for measuring performance. By the end of this phase, the problem experienced by the customer should be quantified with process data, and an accurate assessment of the current or "As-is" state for the entire process has been determined.

The Analyze phase is the third phase of a Lean Six Sigma project. In this phase, the process and product data are analyzed to determine the true root cause or causes of the problem the customer has experienced. The key question to be answered is just that, "Have we clearly identified the problem and determined the true root cause(s)?" It is at this stage that the project leader applies the Lean analytical tools and the Six Sigma statistical hypothesis testing techniques to determine the root cause. The project leader is expected to be able to mathematically show that the root cause has been identified. While the analytical and statistical techniques are rigorous, the math involved is usually very straight-forward, especially if a statistical analysis application is used such as Excel’s Analysis Tool Pak or Minitab.

Often the data collected during the Measure phase is sufficient for the analysis. However, in some cases, the analysis will point to an area requiring further study and additional data may need to be collected. Which analytical tool or technique is used will depend upon the nature of the problem or defect from the customer perspective and the types of data that are available for analysis. Often during this phase, a detailed problem statement will be completed based upon the results of the analysis. The team must guard against preparing a detailed problem statement before this step. Otherwise there is a good chance they will assume the wrong problem, which will lead to confusion and misdirection on the team when they begin to create a solution in the next phase. By the end of this phase all team members should be in agreement that the sources of the problem are now known and understood.

The Improve phase is the fourth phase of a Lean Six Sigma project. Teams often want to jump to this phase immediately without thoroughly completing the first three phases. When that occurs, the team usually creates an improvement that addresses a symptom without getting to the root cause. The goal for this phase is to create a solution to the problem that eliminates or contains it. The question being answered is, "Have we created a viable solution for the problem that is ready to be implemented?" Depending upon the nature of the identified problem, different team members will play a larger or smaller role in the creation of the solution.

During this phase, the solution is developed and tested. Depending upon the nature of the solution, this is often the most expensive phase. The "To-Be" process is developed and documented. In many cases, the new process requires changes in equipment, software, or procedures. Once again data is relied upon to be certain the solution has effectively addressed the problem, which normally means that a statistically significant number of operations are performed to collect that data. A trap the team can easily fall into is to prematurely celebrate a "random success." The solution must be thoroughly tested and the accompanying training and implementation materials developed and ready to be deployed. By the end of this phase, the solution is ready.

The Control phase is the final phase of a Lean Six Sigma project. In this phase the solution is fully deployed. The phase does not end until the solution is stable and all aspects of the business that are affected by the change are operational. The question being answered is, "Have we established a "new normal" that has eliminated or controlled the problem the customer experienced?" All members of the project team are involved with the implementation to be certain that any changes in their department are fully implemented. The phase continues until the process has demonstrated stability in performance. This may occur within a few days or may take several months.

A control plan is normally set in place for monitoring the process, product or service. The control plan includes threshold measurements for acceptable performance and corrective action steps to be followed if the performance degrades. This control plan is one of the keys to ensuring the improvement is permanent and that the process does not revert back to its prior state. In most cases, the control plan will include statistical process control . A major aspect of the work in this phase is often the updates of documentation in associated processes such as training processes, business information systems, and management review. This phase is completed when the operators and managers of the process no longer require support from the project team.

We have focused on the role of the project leader and the project team. However, senior management and the process stakeholders also have a role in the Lean Six Sigma methodology. These individuals, along with one or more Black Belts, will conduct the Phase Gate reviews. The reviews can be done in a face-to-face presentation, a virtual presentation, or through the submittal of a report that is reviewed and approved by the stakeholders and Black Belts. Which approach is used depends primarily on corporate culture and team logistics. These reviews occur at the end of each phase. A review has three purposes:

1. Review the work of the preceding phase to ensure that it was done with the appropriate Lean Six Sigma rigor. If this is found to be inadequate, the team will need to repeat portions of the work and come back for a new Phase Gate review. The Black Belt in the review will coach the team on the performance of the areas of weakness.

2. Review the answer to the phase question and the supporting data or documentation, to ensure it addresses the customer need. If the data does not support the answer, the reviewers should direct the team to continue in this phase until they have answered the question.

3. Establish any ground-rules or boundaries associated with the next phase, based upon the results of the preceding phase. Examples would be to set a time window for collecting data in the Measure phase or a capital budget limit for a solution to be developed in the Improve phase.

Reviewers need to be familiar with the Lean Six Sigma methodology and the structured approach to problem solving. They can easily derail a project team by asking the wrong question for the given phase. For instance, asking a team to identify the root cause of the problem during the Measure Phase Gate review will force them to jump to conclusions. That question should not be asked until the Analyze Phase Gate review. The Black Belt who is part of the review team should ensure the reviewers are aware of what questions the team should be prepared to answer, and which questions are not appropriate for that Phase Gate review.

The reviewers often include senior leaders from the organizations or departments with responsibility for the process being analyzed. If the team is encountering resistance to their activities or need special access or support, to conduct the next phase of the project they should be requesting that from the reviewers. An example might be to have access to certain data records or to have operators support a measurement systems analysis of the testing methodology. The response of the reviewers to these requests is a signal to the rest of the organization of the importance of the Lean Six Sigma initiative.

Lean Six Sigma tools and techniques

Now that we have covered the structure and process of the Lean Six Sigma methodology, let’s look at the tools and techniques. Many of these tools and techniques were in use long before the Lean Six Sigma methodology was formulated, and have been incorporated into this methodology. One of the powerful aspects of Lean Six Sigma is that multiple tools are available for use in each phase. A team can then choose the tool or technique that best fits their unique situation. Organizations will often have a favorite set of techniques based upon their corporate culture or historical preferences.

These tools and techniques are organized based upon the types of analysis in which they are used. Many of these could be used in multiple phases of a Lean Six Sigma project, depending upon the problem and analysis being conducted.

Process analysis tools and techniques

Process analysis tools and techniques are often associated with the Lean portion of the analysis. They help to describe the process and understand its efficiency.

• Process Map – a graphical display that shows the interactions between all process steps and decisions points within a process. Each step is a separate item on the process map.
• Value Stream Map – a special case of a process map that shows the primary flow through a process when every step goes as planned (no rework or branch points). It is the set of steps that create the customer value from the process.
• As-Is Process – this the process map or value stream map that shows all the steps in the process as it is actually occurring in the current business environment. This is not necessarily the same as what is documented in the procedures.
• To-Be Process – this is the desired process map or value stream map after the problem solution has been implemented. This is often reflected in revised process documentation that is released as part of the implementation.
• Data Boxes – these are boxes on a process map or value stream map that are associated with each step. The data box is used to record the metrics associated with that step in the process such as cycle time, value-added time, yield, inventory, or resources.
• TAKT Time – this is a time measure associated with the process. It reflects the amount of time allowed for each process step that ensures the process can meet the customer demand.
• Value Added Time – this is the portion of processing time within a step where an element of customer value is being created on a single item flowing through the process. The value-added time is normally a very low percentage of total time within a step, and is zero for many steps.
• Roll Throughput Yield – this is a calculation of the likelihood that an item will pass through every step in the process being correctly processed on the first pass through that step. It is calculated by multiplying all the step yield values from a value stream map.
• Work-cells – this is a process structure that is often used to speed up flow through the process. All process steps are arranged together in a work cell which reduces time wasted in handoffs between steps.
• Kanban – this is a visual scheduling approach used in process management where a step provides a signal to the preceding step showing that it is ready for the next item. This approach minimizes inventory and ensures each step is working on the item that is currently most important for that step to process.
• Visual Control – this is a set of signaling approaches that allows operators to see where process bottlenecks are occurring and to assist in the actions to relieve those bottlenecks. This allows for real-time process management.

Visual analysis tools and techniques

Visual analysis tools and techniques are used with virtually every problem-solving methodology. These techniques can be used in multiple phases. Their value is that they are quick and easy to understand. They are also excellent communication techniques with senior management and the operations or organizations that will be affected by the solution.

• Histogram – this is a vertical bar chart that shows the relative size of different categories of instances or occurrences. It is used to identify what attributes are the largest contributors to a problem.
• Pareto Chart – this is special version of the histogram. It is organized so that the largest category is first, the second largest is next, and continues on to the smallest category. If provides focus for improvement.
• Fishbone (Cause and Effect or Ishikawa) Diagram – this is a graphical depiction of all the possible causes of the problem, organized into logical categories. This becomes a roadmap for investigation to determine which of the causes contributes to the problem.
• Scatter Diagram – this is a plot of two attributes associated with each data point. One attribute is shown on the vertical axis and one on the horizontal axis. The plot will reveal whether there is correlation between the two attributes.
• Box Plots – this diagram shows the spread of data for a parameter and the nature of any central tendency. The center half of the data points are shown in a box with a line at the value of the midpoint in the box. The outer half of the data is split into the upper and lower portions and shows the extremes and overall data spread.
• Run Chart – this is a diagram of the sequential values for a parameter as a process is operating. The values are either each successive product or result or they are values collected at set times during process operation.
• Pie Chart – this is a diagram that shows the relative size of categories of a parameter. They are shown as slices of a "pie" representing their percentage. It is often used for "before" and "after" comparisons.
• Check Sheets – this is a diagram showing what is to be measured on a product, process or service. It will often include the measurement technique.
• Quality Function Deployment (QFD) – this technique is a diagram of how the prioritized customer needs are deployed across product and process parameters. It is often used to set performance goals and identified both missed opportunities and wasted activity.
• Solution Selection Matrix – this tool is a matrix that compares solution options across several criteria. When done using plus and minus symbols, it becomes a Pugh Concept Generation Matrix. The other option is to assign scores to each option and weights to the criteria. The matrix can then be used to evaluate the options to select the one with the highest score.
• Bottlenecks – these are areas in a process map with tangled flow or steps where inventory accumulates. Bottlenecks are collectors of waste. There is waste associated with slow moving inventory and waste associated with the extra management needed to accommodate the bottleneck.
• Poka Yoke – this is a set of disciplines that embody the principle of error-proofing. Through the design of the product or process, checks are embedded to prevent mistakes from being made or to make them immediately obvious so they can be fixed.
• Five "S" Disciplines – these are a set of workplace organization disciplines that are visual in nature and provide an indication of whether the workplace is operating smoothly. Deploying the Five "S" Disciplines improves quality and employee safety and morale.

Statistical analysis tools and techniques

The statistical analysis tools and techniques are often associated with the Six Sigma portion of the analysis. The statistical tools help us to make sense of the data and to determine what is significant and what is not. The use of statistical software such as Excel Analysis Tool Pak or the Minitab application has minimized the amount of mathematical computation that the team members must do. However, they still need to understand which statistical techniques to use in each situation and how to interpret the results.

• Process Capability – this is a statistical ratio that compares the normal process variability with the customer or specification limits. It is expressed with process capability indices of Cp, Pp, Cpk, Ppk, or process sigma. The process capability ratio is an excellent predictor of whether the process will be able to deliver defect-free results.
• Descriptive Statistics – these are statistics that describe the normal behavior of a measured parameter within a process or product. It includes the mean, median, mode, and standard deviation.
• Inferential Statistics – these are statistics used to relate the statistical performance of a sample to the statistical performance of the larger data population that the sample represents. These statistics are based upon the sampling approach used and include confidence interval and confidence level.
• Measurement System Analysis – this is a comprehensive analysis of an inspection or test systems ability to correctly determine a measured value within a process or product. It includes an assessment of accuracy, precision, stability, linearity, and discrimination.
• Gage R&R – this is a subset of a typical measurement systems analysis that focuses on the precision of the measurement system. It is a set of experiments using products or processes with predetermined known values and measuring them to determine whether the measurements system will consistently assign the same values.
• Hypothesis Tests – These are statistical tests of a data set to determine whether an assumption about the data can be verified or not. Typically, it is used within Lean Six Sigma to determine if data samples are similar or if there is a statistical difference. If data sets can be shown to be dissimilar, that is an indication that the factor which separates the two data sets has a significant impact on process or product performance. There are many different statistical techniques used depending upon whether the data is normal or non-normal, continuous or discrete, and the number of data sets or parameters being evaluated.
• Correlation – this is a hypothesis test that is used to show whether two continuous data parameters are related, and how they are related.
• Regression Tests – this is a hypothesis test that determines the mathematical relationship between two or more continuous data parameters.
• T Tests – this family of hypothesis tests is used to compare the descriptive statistics of two data samples to determine if they are similar.
• ANOVA – this technique is used to compare the descriptive statistics of two or more data samples to determine if they are similar.
• Tests of Proportions – this family of hypothesis tests is used to determine if two samples of discrete data are similar.
• Chi-Square Test – this technique is used to determine if two or more samples of discrete data are similar.
• Design of Experiments – this is a statistical technique for creating a set of tests with test specimens that are designed to include or exclude certain features and with attributes set at the minimum or maximum level. Based upon the set of experiments, a best case design can be created with the appropriate design features and design targets. This technique is often used when creating a new product or process during the Improve phase.
• Control Charts – these are charts that track the performance of selected process or product parameters and determines whether the variation that is displayed is due to common causes or special causes. There are many different control chart designs, based upon the characteristics of the data and the attribute being measured. These charts are normally used in the Control phase as means of ensuring the improved process performance is sustained.

Project and team management tools and techniques

Lean Six Sigma projects must also be able to interact with stakeholders and customers. There are several techniques that have proven effective in this regard. Some of these are based upon understanding the perspective of external stakeholders and some of these are useful for organizing and communicating with internal stakeholders, such as team members.

• Critical to Quality (CTQ) – these are the process, product, or service parameters that are the attributes of customer value. They are determined by the stakeholders, not the project team.
• Project Charter – this is a project management document used to authorize the project and provide boundaries on the scope of the activity. The format varies from organization to organization.
• In-frame/Out-of-frame – this technique is used to clarify boundaries for a project team. The scope of the project is described in the frame. Areas that are not to be included in the analysis are listed as out-of-frame.
• SIPOC – This stands for Supplier, Input, Process, Output, Customer. It is a technique used to define the limits of the process that is being analyzed and to clarify the stakeholders for the process.
• Cross-functional team – this refers to the makeup of the Lean Six Sigma team. Normally there is at least one representative from each function who has responsibility for performing activities within the process being studied.
• Team decision-making – this is a set of practices used by teams to reach consensus when making decisions. Although many of the team conclusions are determined by the results of the data analysis, there are still decisions to be made in team operation, solution development, and implementation planning.
• Stakeholder management – this is a set of practices that are used to identify the key stakeholders for the Lean Six Sigma project. The key performance goals and communication pattern are also established for each stakeholder.
• Culture change management – this is a set of communication and implementation practices that focus on building buy-in and support for changing processes and work practices. This is often needed during the Improve and Control phases to ensure the solution is viable and sustainable.
• Implementation planning – the implementation of the solution is often a project as big or bigger than the Lean Six Sigma analysis project. This is a set of project management practices used to plan and execute a project.

How does Lean Six Sigma work?

In order to illustrate how Lean Six Sigma works, I will use the methodology to solve a hypothetical problem. Let me set the stage:

Some mornings when you prepare to leave home for work, you can’t find your keys. Searching causes delays and you miss your train or bus. Even worse, sometimes you take your spouse’s keys and then you can’t unlock the office when you arrive. Now you need to wait for someone else to arrive to open the office. Not to mention, your spouse has the same problem when they get to work. The problem has occurred multiple times and your boss has remarked about it. Something must be done to ensure it does not happen again.

Let’s apply Lean Six Sigma methodology and see where it leads us.

Let’s start by considering this from the customer perspective. You and your spouse are the primary customers of this process. Your goal is twofold: a) leave for work on time, and b) have the correct keys with you when you leave for work. This leads to one primary CTQ, the keys are in a known location and you can grab them and take them with you when you leave home in the morning. Based upon the In-Frame/Out-of-Frame, you decide to limit the process to what is done with keys the night before and in the morning. You will not include everything else you do to get ready for work in the morning such as breakfast, showering, and getting dressed – except to the extent that they impact the keys. The goal for the project Charter is to create and implement a process that results in the immediate acquisition of the correct keys in the morning when leaving for work.

In this phase you create a process map that shows all the possibilities for what happens to the keys at night. The process starts with arrival at home and ends with arrival at the office the next morning. The process has different branches depending upon whether it was a weekday, weekend or holiday, whether you went out that evening or stayed in, and whether you have inclement weather requiring additional preparation to leave, such as finding an umbrella or a cold-weather coat. In creating the map, you realized that the process on weekends and holidays varied so widely you could not even map it, but the process during the week was relatively stable. This is your As-Is process map.

You applied a time metric to each step and a success or yield metric. Of course, many of the steps, especially those spent searching in the morning, had no value-added time associated with them. In fact, the only value-added steps were the step of placing the keys on your desk when arriving home and picking up your keys in the morning.

A challenge you faced with the process mapping and measurement was to define a pass or fail condition for each step. In some cases it was obvious, in others you had to think through the purpose of the step to determine the desired outcome. You then collected data for four weeks. To do this you created and used a check sheet every night at bedtime to determine what you had done that evening when arriving home from work and then noted how much time each step required. You also created a check sheet for your activities in the morning, but you normally did not complete that until you arrived at work. Finally, you documented what you did with the keys on each day of the weekend and on the one holiday that fell within that four-week period.

A significant challenge in the data collection was the Hawthorne Effect . This is the name given to the condition where the measurement of a parameter changes what people do. If they know they are being measured, their behavior changes to optimize the measure. By completing the check sheet every night, you were changing your behavior. So you were careful that even if you realized at night that the keys were not in the correct place on your desk, you did not go then to find them, but waited until the morning as would normally occur.

Now that there is data, the analysis can begin. An obvious problem is that there is no process defined for weekends and holidays. But even during the weekdays you find that your process is unstable. There is minor common cause variation most of the time, but on six of the weekdays there was a major problem finding the keys. You never took your spouse’s keys by accident during the four weeks; but that has only occurred twice in the past six months, so you aren’t able to draw any conclusions about that type of defect.

You create a Fishbone diagram to determine the root causes, and you brainstormed seventeen possible causes for uncertainty in the location of keys in the morning. (Even though you were brainstorming and normally would not reject any ideas, you choose not to include the intervention of space aliens as one of the causes – although it was suggested by your spouse.)

Based upon your analysis, you find that five of the possible root causes could have contributed to the six occurrences of the problem in your data set.

• There is no designated place where keys are to be kept.
• When arriving home with hands full of shopping bags, the keys are often dropped where the packages are unloaded and become mixed with the items from the store.
• When arriving home with an immediate request for attention – such as the phone ringing – the keys are dropped at the location where the attention is needed.
• When arriving home with extra articles of apparel due to inclement weather, the keys may end up in the closet or the pockets of a coat.
• Sometimes, when someone sees keys in an unusual place, they move them to a place they believe to be a better location without telling their spouse the keys were moved.

You dig deeper into the analysis of what happens when you arrive at home using the ANOVA. In doing this you find that there is a major difference in what happens to your keys when there has been inclement weather.

It is doubtful that weather causes keys to change location by themselves, so you must do something different when there is bad weather. This points to the need to understand your process for removing and storing your inclement weather apparel. This points to a process problem. You determine that there are two contributing root causes.

• Process: There is no defined process for what to do with keys on the weekend.
• Process: There is no defined process step for storing keys when returning home.
• Root Cause: When arriving home with extra articles of apparel due to inclement weather, the keys may end up in the closet or pockets of a coat.

Now it is time to create a solution. First you and your spouse decided on the process changes that need to occur, and created a selection matrix to assess the options. One idea was to place a large hook on the door so that the keys could be hooked there whenever someone returned home. However, that option was not very decorative. A second option was to chain the keys to your belt or purse, but that was rejected because chains didn’t fit your style of dressing. A third option was to connect an RFID tag to the key chain and then install an app on the computer that would tell you location of the keys. While this did not create decorative or fashion concerns, the cost was higher than you were willing to pay. Using the selection matrix, you finally decide to place a small magnetic bowl on your desk that would hold both your keys and your spouse’s keys.

This bowl fits the desk décor and created a "home" for the keys. Then a process step was added for arriving home. Following removal of inclement weather apparel (if any) the keys were to be immediately placed in the bowl. This same practice was to be adopted for the weekends. Whenever anyone returned home, the first step was to place the keys in the bowl. This was the "To-Be" process.

Because the bowl was prominently placed on the desk, it also served as a Poka Yoke reminder of key status. If either of you were home, the bowl should not be empty. If both of you are home, both sets of keys should be there. This solution addressed all four of the issues that had been found in the Analyze phase. A process was now defined for both weekdays and weekends. This process accounted for inclement weather apparel and it designated a place where misplaced keys should be taken. You determined to add one more thing to further Poka Yoke the solution. You and your spouse have different color fobs attached to your keychains. The two sets of keys are now easily distinguished.

You and your spouse try the new process for a week and find that it is easy to follow on the weekdays, but you still had trouble remembering to put the keys there on the weekend. So, an additional step was added to the process. This step was that every evening when you went through the house to check that the doors and windows were locked, you also checked that the keys were in the bowl. That check was easily added to the "go to bed" process since during that process you always checked the computer on the office desk.

In this example, this phase will be easy to complete. You don’t have a large cross-functional organization to change. But it does involve the change in habit patterns for you and your spouse, so the process needs to be monitored to ensure it is followed. You create a control plan.

The keys are checked every night to be certain they are in the bowl. The response plan is that if the keys are not in the bowl, you and your spouse immediately get up to search for the keys and place them in the bowl before retiring to bed. Approximately three weeks after fully implementing the change, you and your spouse returned late one weekend night after attending a gala party. You were exhausted and just wanted to go to bed. However, when doing the "go to bed" process, you recognize that a set of keys is missing from the bowl. Although tempted to ignore the problem for the night, you and your spouse do a quick check and find the keys with the outer garments you wore to the party. Placing them in the bowl, you are now able to go bed with a clear conscience and peace of mind.

The plan was implemented and the misplaced key problem was eliminated. Although the new process had two additional steps, it effectively eliminated the frantic loop of looking for keys in the morning. The overall time was reduced, efficiency was increased, the error rate dropped to a non-existent level, and customer satisfaction was enhanced.

Here are several important takeaways from our look at Lean Six Sigma.

First, Lean Six Sigma is a structured problem-solving process using data that transforms the "lucky guess" problem-solving approach that is often used in organizations today. The structured process guides the team through the steps they should follow, and the reviews ensure that they are not cutting corners.

Second, Lean Six Sigma contains many tools, but the tools do not rule the team. The Black Belt and Green Belt project leaders select the appropriate tool for the situation. The tools are there to assist the team in their analysis, not constrain them.

Finally, the goal is an improved process, product or service that better meets the customer expectations. Lean Six Sigma is not about the process or the tools, it is about the customer. A project success is declared when waste and variation are eliminated or reduced and customer value is enhanced.

Ready to learn more about Lean Six Sigma and prepare to get certified? Browse our IASSC accredited Lean Six Sigma certification online courses.

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