What is Lean 6 Sigma

Jul.11, 2009 in Lean 6 Sigma, Lean Sigma

What is Lean 6 Sigma ?

6 Sigma, originally developed by Motorola, is a improvement methodology to systematically improve processes by eliminating defects in manufacturing processes. Defects are defined as unacceptable deviation from the target performance measure or specification. The objective of 6 Sigma is to deliver high performance, reliability, and value to the end customer.

The pioneering of 6 Sigma methodology was defined as a metric for measuring defects and improving quality, and a 6 sigma methodology to reduce defect levels below 3.4 Defects Per(one)Million Opportunities(DPMO). Alternatively, 6 Sigma was a methodology of controlling a process to the point of plus or minus,

6 sigma in standard deviations from a centerline in a process control spectrum. Today, 6 Sigma has now grown beyond defect control.

Lean, originally developed by the Toyota Production System, focuses on eliminating the seven critical waste commonly observed in a process environment. These are wastes in:

• Transportation
• Inventory
• Motion
• Waiting time
• Over-production
• Processing Itself
• Defective Product(Scrap in manufactured products or any type of business)

Lean is basically all about getting the right things, to the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity while minimising waste and being flexible and open to change.

Lean 6 Sigma, the combination of 6 Sigma and Lean Sigma, you could call it the next generation of 6 Sigma and whether some like it or not it was only a matter of time and pure logic before it occurred.

The new name derives from two very essential components in improvement. “Lean” the prcesses on internal needs - reduction of waste and “6 Sigma” the calculation of least defects-the customer’s needs.

Both are the voices of two distinct business success characteristics: VOC-(The Voice of the Customer) - Quality( 6 Sigma ).
VOB-(The Voice of the Business)-Speed(Lean).

However, to make it work there is a third voice which is hardly recognised: VOE - The Voice of the Employee - Culture(Fusion)And as many of us have found out you can have the best improvement system on the planet but if the employees who use it, don’t buy into it - then what’s the point?

The fusion of Lean 6 Sigma is required because:

• Lean it self cannot bring a under statistical control.
• 6 Sigma alone cannot dramatically improve process speed or reduce invested capital.

Lean 6 Sigma then is a methodology that effectively combines both from 6 Sigma and Lean Sigma.

The best way to describe the synergy of Lean 6 Sigma is through an equation:
Quality + Speed x Fusion = a sounder bottom line.
At the end of the day “no other success can compensate for failure on the bottom line”.

With limited awareness, 6 Sigma might lead us to apply practices aimed at improving replication processes to knowledge generating processes. This often leads to slow, wasteful, change-intolerant practices that are not appropriate for knowledge creation. Quite often the slow, deliberate nature of these practices is mistaken to be a sign of good discipline.
But when Lean sigma is added to 6 Sigma become Lean 6 sigma, the challenge is to discover and re-think these slow processes, because it is important to understand that speed, discipline, and excellence go hand-in-hand.

So, while there are many out there still touting “6 Sigma” - the methodology has moved on. After all, once you’ve attained that coveted 6 Sigma status and your customer is head over heels about it, you need to develop increased speed to make more money and reduce costs to keep the share holders happy - but wasn’t it speed and the need to reduce costs that created all those defects in the first place?

It is the shift in paradigm – improving all parameters in delivering a product or service – Speed, Quality and Customer Satisfaction. This is enabled by Lean 6 Sigma. It’s not a catch 22 any more.

It’s not Lean sigma and 6 Sigma or Lean plus 6 Sigma, it’s Lean 6 Sigma.