dimanche 30 avril 2017

The Phases Of Lean Six Sigma

By Gary Reed


Many of the top companies in the world want to improve processes, eliminate waste and save money. A Lean Six Sigma project can be time consuming, but the outcome is certainly worth the effort and training that will be put into working to streamlining the way things are done.

There are 5 phases to go through to reach the end of this process. There are 5 levels to success within the process that take a step by step approach in tackling issues and finding solutions. While there is a lot of work that goes into each step, the outcome can mean time savings and improvements to customer service.

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.

Finally, in the control phase, it is important to come up with steps that will be out in place to ensure that the new processes are followed. The outcome should be shared with the rest of the organization as it may be useful in other process improvements. Celebrating the successes of the team involved is important.

Many organizations in North Carolina area have adopted these processes and found it helped make improvements. When issues are tackled and processes are streamlined, it is a win for the organization and for the customers they serve and it certainly worth putting in the time and effort to reap the rewards.




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