Approach 06: Lean and Six Sigma

R.P. Churchill, CBAP, PMP, CSPO, CSM, CSD

Approach 06: Lean and Six Sigma

Lean

Lean is primarily associated with manufacturing, but the same principles can apply to any process. It is primarily concerned with eliminating unnecessary use of time, resources, or work resulting in quality beyond what is required.

Lean involves many of the other approaches listed here including modularization, rearrangement or streamlining, simplification, and so on.

I spent most of my career doing lean. Automation is Lean. Many forms of improving computer code are Lean. Some of the simulations I did supported Lean.

Approach 06: Lean and Six Sigma

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is about reducing variation. This allows processes to produce results more repeatably within tighter tolerances. This is what results in reduced waste and improved quality.

Six Sigma (really 4 1/2 Sigma...) includes a lot of statistical techniques and can be seen as applying to higher-volume activities.

Approach 06: Lean and Six Sigma

Summation

Lean is about doing the same with less. Six Sigma involves doing more with the same.

Both practices aim to eliminate waste, though they may take slightly different approaches.

They ideally aim to structure operations so that errors are prevented. This reduces scrap, rework, customer dissatisfaction, and other problems.

Each practice involves a large body of knowledge that includes a large number of techniques. High-level certifications are not easy to earn.

Approach 06: Lean and Six Sigma

Next: Approach 07: Profiling

Prev: Approach 05: Rearrangement and Streamlining

Index