Monday 1 May 2017

How To Begin With Lean Six Sigma

By Gary Reed


There are many ways to solve problems and improve processes. Many companies, some very prominent, have used Lean Six Sigma very successfully in their quest to make their companies and organizations leaner and more efficient. It can take time to undergo, but in the long run it is certainly worth putting the time and effort in.

There are 5 steps in the process. When followed, is is easy to see the progression and what the next steps should involve. Involving people from throughout the organization can be beneficial as there will be many different views about how to tackle the issue. The 5 phases in the process are Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and, finally, Control, and they are better known by their acronym, DMAIC.

The beginning step, define, simply means to define what the problem is. This is best accomplished by developing a problem statement that describes what the challenge is. Next, detail what the end goal is through the development of a goal statement. The current process can be mapped so that it is well understood. Finally, identify who will best benefit by solving the problem is, usually a customer, by outlining what they require of the process.

Phase two is measure. This is where a plan to collect data is developed. A data collection plan must be outlined to ensure that the data being collected is relevant and reliable. Baseline data is gathered and charted, and may require help from others within the organization to ensure that enough data is collected to support the project and really identify where problems and inefficiencies lie . It may be a good time to add people to the team and enlist their help in what data should be collected and how that data should be obtained.

The data that has been collected is then analyzed in the Analyze phase. Current processes are carefully studied. Data that has already been collected must be placed into charts using a number of different tools. Discussions should take place within the team about the problem and what some of the underlying causes could be.

Gather the team now to brainstorm potential solutions to the issue in the Improve phase. Map what the new process might look like and implement it to test the validity of the solution. Plan to collect more data to ensure that it will actually improve the process. Make sure that the data that is collected is in line with the data collected during the measure phase to ensure it is relevant and accurate.

Lastly, in the Control phase, controls are put into place to ensure that the new process is being followed and that the improvements continue. It is important to sustain the changes in order to consider the problem solved. The outcomes can be shared throughout the organization, as there may be other departments that can benefit from the efforts. Be sure to celebrate successes at this point!

There are a number of organizations in North Carolina and the surrounding area that have seen excellent improvements since adopting this process. Finding solutions to problems and streamlining the way things are done helps make teams stronger, work more efficient, and makes customers happy.




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